Patrick Mahomes and his aim at yet another Super Bowl trophy (Image via Getty Images)
Kansas City started 5-0 and has now lost twice in a row. A 20-3 defeat at Seattle was followed by a 28-24 loss at Denver, a game the Chiefs led by double digits in the fourth quarter. At 5-2, they have slipped to second in the AFC West for the first time this season. Patrick Mahomes threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns in Denver, and it still was not enough. On paper, 5-2 is a fine record. Kansas City led the NFL in total yards per game at 414 before Seattle held it to 213. Mahomes finished with 165 passing yards and an interception behind an injury-hit offensive line. Kenneth Walker III, the free agent signed to drive the run game, managed 36 yards. The offense moved the ball, and Mahomes passed Peyton Manning and Dan Marino with his 49th game of three or more touchdown passes, the most by any player in his first 10 seasons. Now it is three times, against 80 wins. Buffalo awaits in Week 12, and a meeting with Josh Allen will say plenty about where this team really stands. Walker ran for 173 yards in Week 1 and 177 in Week 4.
Mahomes had lost only twice before when ahead by double digits in the fourth quarter.
“I take full responsibility for this,” he said. Underneath, the numbers tell a different story. Andy Reid did not dodge it. Mahomes was equally frustrated and made no effort to hide it. Denver exposed a different flaw. Then the lead slipped away. One loss does not define a career, but it hints at a team still working out how to close games without its old margin for error. The schedule offers a quick chance to answer them. Before then, Kansas City has to protect Mahomes and bring back the ground game that carried it early. He has not come close to those numbers in the last two games.
The New York Jets visit Arrowhead on Sunday, and the Chiefs badly need a clean win to settle things. The Jets visit Arrowhead on Sunday.