KANSAS CITY, Mo. – You can listen to almost any NFL analyst talk about the ongoing issues on the Kansas City Chiefs offense and they will give you a different perspective.
Kurt Warner, the Hall of Fame quarterback and NFL Network analyst, provided a simple analysis via his Trailing behind-back giveaways that led to easy touchdowns for their arch-rival. Warner said the unit had one of its worst performances in the Patrick Mahomes era, which began six years ago. The offense, Warner wrote, was bad everywhere.
On Tuesday's episode of “The Athletic Football Show,” Nate Tice, a former NFL offensive quality control assistant and former college quarterback, offered harsh criticism of Mahomes' teammates.
“It’s so sloppy,” Tice said as he watched the session led by coach Andy Reid. “This team led the league in penalties per snap on offense last week and I don’t think their numbers will change much. That skill position group on the Chiefs — receivers, tight ends a little bit because (Travis) Kelce can be a little loose, and running backs — is probably the lowest collective football IQ I've ever seen, at least from one competitor.”
Even though Mahomes threw a pick-six, was sacked four times and loudly urged his offensive players on the sideline to do better, The Ringer analyst Sheil Kapadia gave the league's reigning MVP a waiver because of the suboptimal circumstances under which he had to perform.
“I don’t have time for these Mahomes arguments,” Kapadia said Tuesday on “The Ringer NFL Show.” “I don't want to see any clips this week saying, 'Oh, this is the way the play is structured (or) he should have gone in a structured way here.' They sabotaged his season. He wants to be the best quarterback of all time. He's in his prime, he's healthy and they've loaded him with chickpea pass catchers, chickpea offensive tackles and coaches who don't have an answer as to how to help him.”
Even former receiver Dante Hall, the Chiefs' newest Ring of Honor member, implored Mahomes on Wednesday morning to change his style of play — from a less mesmerizing backyard gunslinger to more of a captain's checkdown — to improve the offense's effectiveness.
“I love you; you're my favorite quarterback,” Hall said on “Good morning football.” “But I think you have to fall in love with the everyday. Yeah…we're used to the big play against Tyreek (Hill) and Kelce. It's time to check out Tom Brady. Fall in love with the swing route, the checkdowns. These pieces were there for the taking. … Find a rhythm.”
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Before practice on Wednesday, Mahomes had a chance to share his thoughts on his worst performance of the season. After rewatching his effort against the Raiders, Mahomes admitted he struggled with almost every task asked of an NFL quarterback. His footwork wasn't sharp. His movement in the pocket was lacking. And he missed more open receivers downfield — when he wasn't under pressure or crawling out of the pocket — than he often does.
With a season-high 58 dropbacks, Mahomes finished the season with 235 passing yards, 53 rushing yards and one touchdown. Pro Football Focus graded Mahomes' performance at just 34.2, the lowest mark of his career.
“I have to play better, read the field better,” Mahomes said. “You have to be critical of yourself. You have to stay true to what is shown in the film. Many people make excuses and therefore don't take the next step or don't get better because of it. If you watch the film, you made a lot of mistakes that you can’t make in this league if you want to be successful, and you have to learn from them.”
Mahomes spent much of Monday's game throwing short passes, including 18 attempts that were either behind or at the line of scrimmage. When asked to throw the ball beyond the line of scrimmage, Mahomes said he drifted too far back into the pocket, making it more difficult for right tackle Jawaan Taylor and rookie left tackle Wanya Morris to get to the Raiders' edge -rushers Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce to contain.
The last time Mahomes struggled this much was in the 2021 season when the Chiefs were swept by the Tennessee Titans, a game in which Mahomes completed just 20 of his 35 attempts for 206 passing yards and one interception. while he was fired four times.
“I have to help him,” Reid said of Mahomes. “He knows what he needs to work on. He thinks very positively and is therefore very focused. He understands that he has to do his part and the other guys have to do their part. It’s a pleasure to train him.”
However, Mahomes' environment is an offense that leads the league in drops from receivers (26). Of course, Kelce and fellow tight end Noah Gray also dropped a pass each in Monday's loss. One of the biggest problems is that the Chiefs are tied for last in the league in turnover differential (-10) with the Washington Commanders at 4-11. And even though the Chiefs have played 15 games, Mahomes still hasn't found a reliable third open pass-catcher behind Kelce and rookie receiver Rashee Rice, a problem that has made it easier for opposing defenses to counter the Chiefs' playcalls.
On several plays during Monday's game, Mahomes either didn't notice receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was open downfield or declined to target him. No receiver on the active roster had a more disappointing season than Valdes-Scantling, a six-year veteran who generated just 20 receptions on 39 targets for 312 yards and a touchdown.
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Valdes-Scantling was on the field for 61 snaps Monday, the most among receivers, but Mahomes targeted him only once, an incompletion in which the ball touched one of his hands.
“I have to find ways to get him the ball,” Mahomes said of Valdes-Scantling. “Sometimes he’s open and I can see it on video. If you look at the two games we played against the Bengals last year, he was a big part of those games (eight total receptions, 187 yards and one touchdown).
“The best thing about him is that he is professional. Even if I don’t get him the ball in some of those moments, he blocks his tail and does what he can to help the team.”
The Chiefs have lost four of their last six games while averaging just 20.8 points. The team that led the NFL in points last season has fallen to 11th in 2023.
During Monday's game, Kelce showed his frustration by banging his helmet on the sideline. Reid responded by not allowing Kelce to immediately get his helmet back from equipment director Allen Wright. Kelce returned to the field a few plays later after a brief conversation with Reid.
“It’s not just one guy,” Kelce said on his “New Heights” podcast with his brother Jason, the Philadelphia Eagles center. “It's not just me playing like a dog. It's not just that we can't get the running game going. It's not just that we're not on the same wavelength as we walk by. Everyone is in this damn thing together. At some point everyone is no longer responsible.”
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Before practice on Wednesday, Reid emphasized that he had already addressed Kelce's incident.
“We talked,” Reid said. “I talk to everyone. That's between me and the players. Kelce and I have a great relationship. I think that's important. These guys are emotional and want to do well. That's what you see. There is a feeling of frustration. This urgency will help us get better.
“The boys know me and know how I present things. I speak to the team every day to explain my arguments.”
One issue against the Raiders that irritated Tice was how often the Chiefs' talent position players made mistakes before the snap – whether in their initial alignment, when to move or shift the formation, or when one of them needed help from Mahomes where you have to line up after receiving the call to play.
“This is my fault,” Reid said of such mistakes. “I have to make sure this is true.”
Reid and Mahomes acknowledged that the Chiefs need to correct several areas of the offense, which will be difficult for them, coordinator Matt Nagy and everyone else on the unit in a short week before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Reid's message to his players, including Mahomes, was straightforward and direct: Keep working, stay positive and keep going.
“I know we won’t be No. 1, but we can still win the AFC West,” Mahomes said. “Once you get into the playoffs, it’s open to anyone to go there and win them. That starts with (Wednesday) practice.”
Injury update: Running back Isiah Pacheco (concussion protocol), left tackle Donovan Smith (neck), receiver Kadarius Toney (hip injury) and cornerbacks L'Jarius Sneed (calf injury) and Jaylen Watson (illness) did not participate in Wednesday's practice. Right guard Trey Smith (left ankle and knee) was limited, while receiver Mecole Hardman (thumb) was a full participant.
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(Photo: Denny Medley / USA Today)
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