The Kansas City Chiefs are 2-0 entering Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season against the Miami Dolphins. While it’s the start the team wanted, they aren’t holding any illusions about where they stand at this point in the season. They still have a number of things to fix, improve, and build on as they head into the next 15 regular-season games.

One item in particular stands out after the first two games, specifically in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts. Red zone efficiency kept the game closer than Kansas City would have liked. If it had been better, the game might not have gone to overtime and might not have ended as a one-score game.

Red zone touchdown struggles are the Chiefs’ biggest early-season concern

The Chiefs’ biggest early-season concern is scoring touchdowns in the red zone. Over two weeks, Kansas City has a 60% touchdown-scoring percentage inside the opposing team’s 20-yard line. They also lead the NFL in red-zone drives (10). It ties them for 18th in the NFL, with the Tennessee Titans matching that same red-zone efficiency on fewer opportunities.

Everybody knows the goal is to score touchdowns, not field goals, but the Chiefs have emphasized that heading into their first road game against the Dolphins. Harrison Butker kicked five field goals against the Colts in Week 2. He went 4-for-5, including a 46-yarder. The goal for Week 3 vs. the Miami Dolphins? Convert more in the red zone, and rely less on Butker’s leg.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes knows the offense needs to capitalize on red zone opportunities

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes spoke to reporters Wednesday about what the team needs to improve. He was asked how looking at early-season issues through the lens of 2-0 differs from looking at them through the lens of 0-2. Mahomes spoke for the offense, noting that they need to take advantage of their opportunities to score touchdowns.

“Yeah, I think as an offense, you saw,” Mahomes said. “I mean, we had more opportunities to score touchdowns. We kicked some field goals there in the red zone. It came down to just little things with miscommunications or route depth or me not making the the right read and getting to the right guy at the right time.

“So, those are the little things you have to continue to get better and better at because you don’t know how many of those opportunities you’re going to get when you’re in the red zone. And I mean, I love kicking field goals, and they’re three points, but touchdowns are so big in this league, and you want to make sure that you can execute and get those. And so we have to get better at that of executing, kind of in the red zone, getting those touchdowns because that’s what wins you football games.”

Kansas City will have an opportunity to work on the little things Mahomes says they need to fix. They can improve and turn those field goals into touchdowns. After all, it’s only two weeks, and self-evaluation is ongoing. It’s never going to be perfect, but the Chiefs can keep striving for perfection while finding ways to execute better. As Mahomes says, there are a lot of different variables to consider.

They know a 60% red zone TD rate won’t cut it for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Mahomes and the rest of the offense are already locked in on finding solutions. They want to fix things before these early-season struggles become a bigger problem. With the Dolphins up next, the Chiefs will get their first road test of 2026. It’ll be a chance to prove they can clean things up where it matters most.