‘Just not sustainable’ — Here’s where the NFL’s talking heads have it right about the 2025 Kansas City Chiefs after 0-2 start
The Kansas City Chiefs are hearing it from the NFL’s talking heads after the 0-2 start, and they’ve actually got some of it right.
The Kansas City Chiefs are hearing it in the Monday morning media circuit with all of the NFL’s talking heads spouting off after the team started the season 0-2 for the first time since 2014.
Naturally, there’s some overreaction, because that’s the name of the game in sports talk radio and television. But within that, there’s also a measure of truth about this particular Chiefs team and their problems through two weeks. I find myself shocked to say it, but FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd actually raised some good points on “The Herd.”
“Patrick Mahomes and a good defense can win you some games,” Cowherd said. “But I feel like Patrick Mahomes to the Chiefs offense is like the Apple Store at the local mall. It’s the only thing keeping the lights on. Travis Kelce hasn’t played well. He got Xavier Worthy injured. He dropped that touchdown. It wasn’t the easiest catch, but it really solved the game. They’re going to get better when Xavier Worthy gets back and Rashee Rice. I predicted they would be a wild-card team. They got lucky yesterday because Denver in their division gave a game away. I’m looking at their offensive line. They don’t have a run game. What, definitively, are they? They’re well-coached and well-coordinated, and Mahomes is really talented. But three straight games, Patrick Mahomes has led them in rushing?”
Now, I’d argue the well-coached and well-coordinated part after these first two weeks, because it has been the little mistakes and the details that have cost them the games. However, Cowherd’s points about Mahomes and the team’s offensive identity are spot on. The offensive identity heading into this season was a revitalized passing attack with Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice at the helm, but those two players aren’t on the field. They’ll eventually return, and things should improve, but what do they do in the meantime? Patrick Mahomes can’t do it all himself, especially when it comes to both passing and running the ball.
The passing game will get fixed, but the Chiefs have to figure out the running game
NBC Sports’ Chris Simms has also been highly vocal about the Chiefs’ offensive struggles so far this season, most notably pointing out that nothing has proven easy for this offense. The only thing they can truly hang their hat on is the Superman-like play from Patrick Mahomes, who isn’t just slinging the rock, but also has somehow become their entire running game.
The most concerning stats? Through two games, Mahomes has more than double the rushing yardage of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. Heck, he has more total rushing yardage than the four players who have had a carry through two games, with 123 yards compared to 96 yards.
The words that resonate most from Simms here?
“Just not sustainable for the Chiefs.”
The passing game should theoretically get better when Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals, and Rashee Rice return to action. Worthy and even Royals could return as early as Week 3 against the Giants. The problem is that there’s no injured or suspended savior walking through the door to fix the Chiefs’ running game. It’s even more frustrating when fans can say they knew that the lack of explosion in the running game was a problem and that the team should’ve invested more there in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Speaking of investment. The team has invested far too much money and draft capital into their offensive line to settle for mediocrity in the running game. Right now, the team needs the coaches, O-Line, and running backs to rally because if they can’t find a better option in their running game for 2025, it’s going to be a long season for Mahomes and the offense. If Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt aren’t trusted to get it done, which they’re clearly not, they need to exhaust all options to find somebody who is.
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