It's past time for the Chiefs to make serious changes at wide receiver
The Kansas City Chiefs have stuck to their guns with their wide receiver room, and in Week 14 against the Buffalo Bills, it came time to pay the pied piper. Chiefs fans have listened to coaches and players get up on the lectern each week and give the same story for the penalties, dropped passes, mental […]
The Kansas City Chiefs have stuck to their guns with their wide receiver room, and in Week 14 against the Buffalo Bills, it came time to pay the pied piper.
Chiefs fans have listened to coaches and players get up on the lectern each week and give the same story for the penalties, dropped passes, mental mistakes, and turnovers that have plagued the team this year. They've said that they need to be better, that they need to continue to improve, that they need to stick together through adversity. Yet, every step of the way, the wide receivers continue to be at the center of the team's problems.
There was no better example than the penalty in Week 14 that eliminated what could have been a game-winning (and very cool) play for the Chiefs.
The tipping point for the Chiefs
With a minute and change left in the game, Patrick Mahomes led what appeared to be a classic game-winning drive against the Bills. He threw a dot to Travis Kelce, which Kelce promptly flipped to Kadarius Toney, who took it in for the go-ahead score. It was a brilliant play, an all-timer. The only problem — Toney appeared to lineup offsides.
Patrick Mahomes was so frustrated with the call that when the drive ended, he had to be held back by his teammates as he screamed at the referees.
Andy Reid also didn't agree with the call, saying that NFL officials typically provide coaches with a warning before a flag is thrown.
"Usually I get a warning before something like that happens," Reid said. "A bit embarrassing in the National Football League for that to take place."
"Normally, if it's even close, you get a warning. The head coach gets a warning," Reid said. "I don't know. I didn't have a protractor out there. It's a bit embarrassing."
We can debate whether it was or wasn't offsides or whether the Chiefs should have received a warning until we're blue in the face. Ultimately, it still boils down to just more of the same. A fixable mistake occurred and cost them a chance at winning what was a winnable game.
Accountability needs to be taken
The Chiefs have now lost four of their last six games. They're only one game ahead of the Denver Broncos for the AFC West division, and they're two games behind the Baltimore Ravens for the No. 1 seed in the AFC conference.
Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and Travis Kelce have fallen on their swords often this season. They don't point fingers at their players or teammates because they're great leaders. At the same time, there has also been no public show that any of the other culprits have taken accountability for the failures on the offensive side of the ball.
Kadarius Toney was touted as a potential No. 1 receiver for the Chiefs this offseason. Yet, he hardly has seen the field due to injury, and when he is on the field, it's apparent that he hasn't played much.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling ripped a reporter after he asked a question about what he's gone through this season — a season where he's pacing for the worst statistical year of his NFL career.
Skyy Moore was supposed to take a step forward in his second year. Instead, Kansas City has seen a Houdini-esque disappearing act.
The team has a rookie position coach in the wide receiver room with Connor Embree, who seemed defensive and uncomfortable the last time he got on the podium. Who can blame him, though? The struggles of his position group are that apparent.
What's the solution in Kansas City?
The Chiefs have said that their players will get better and continue to improve — yet we're heading into Week 15 and they haven't.
Fans have already been calling for the firing of Embree and even offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. Perhaps that's too extreme, as the Chiefs still appear playoff-bound. They still have a chance to right the wrongs of the season.
What needs to happen, in this writer's opinion, is for the team to give other players opportunities. If the players they're trotting out there each week aren't going to seize the moment, they need to find players who are hungry for their opportunities and will fight and claw to keep them.
Former fifth-round draft pick Cornell Powell is on the Chiefs' practice squad right now. He had a solid preseason and has paid his dues on this team for the past three seasons. Why not give him a shot?
How about an undrafted rookie speedster in Montrell Washington? They trusted him enough with return specialist duties earlier this season.
Maybe the solution isn't on the roster, but it's past time for the Chiefs to try something different. Recently tried to give their best options more and more snaps, but something still isn't clicking. They've already waited long enough to make some sort of meaningful change and if they wait much longer, it could be too late.
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