Patrick Mahomes has been forced to shoulder the rushing load, leading the Kansas City Chiefs with 123 yards. But while he scrambled, the passing game faltered badly against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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And that’s bound to happen, especially as the rest of the team has only combined for just 96 yards so far.
As Kansas City wrapped Week 2 with a loss, head coach Andy Reid admitted the obvious: “We’ve got to clean some things up in the pass and the run game… Obviously, have to improve. That’s our focus. We’ve got to detail our work.”
Whether Reid actually has a plan in motion, though, is another question.
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The 2025 season is shaping up to be the lowest point of Mahomes’ era. After all, this is the first time, since he became a starter, that they have had three consecutive losses (including their burnout defeat at Super Bowl LIX).
Two of their best offensive weapons, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, are out, leaving Mahomes with limited enforcements.
As they faced off in the Super Bowl rematch, several plays that had the potential to turn into scores instead slipped through their fingers. The biggest lapse occurred when the clock was ticking down to the final four minutes of the fourth quarter.
In the usual scenario, it would have been an easy touchdown, but the three-time Super Bowl MVP overthrew a wide-open Tyquan Thornton. About a minute later, they succeeded in connecting for a 49-yard pass that cut their deficit to three points. But it was too late to pull off a comeback.
Even the legendary Tom Brady, who was calling the game from the FOX booth, admitted that the missed play was “painful to watch.”
What hurts even more about this defeat is that Steve Spagnuolo’s defense held the reigning Super Bowl champions to 216 yards. It wasn’t a game that the Chiefs should have lost. Mahomes said the quiet part out loud:
“Things here and there that we just didn’t do at a high enough level.”
But that’s no comfort… The Chiefs’ receiving corps lacks a healthy weapon capable of shaking off tight-man coverage. Meanwhile, the running game crawls at a frustratingly slow pace. Sadly, even the most reliable arm stumbled brutally in this game.
Andy Reid takes responsibility
The Kansas City star tight end, Travis Kelce, found himself at the center of one of the game’s most costly moments.
It happened when the Chiefs were trailing 13-10 with just over 13 minutes remaining. They had the ball inside the red zone, presenting a chance to take the lead. So, Mahomes aimed at the ten-time Pro Bowler on a second-and-goal from the 6-yard line. The ball initially made contact with Kelce. But he was unable to secure it.
It bounced loose and ended up being intercepted by Eagles defensive back Andrew Mukuba.
What made things even worse was Mukuba returning the ball to midfield and setting up the Eagles to extend their lead with a touchdown. It made the margin even more impossible for the Chiefs to erase in front of the home fans.
After the game, instead of shifting blame, head coach Reid held himself accountable.
“I’ll take full responsibility for that game. Probably stayed too aggressive on that, and that’s my responsibility.”
The passing game wasn’t the Chiefs’ prime concern, as the rushing game occupied everyone’s mind. While running backs had an average of 2.9 yards per carry, Mahomes came out as the team’s leading rusher.
So, the only positive takeaway for the Chiefs is that they’ve identified these weaknesses early in the season. They have a long road ahead, and if Reid’s words do have an effect, Chiefs Kingdom might see a different team in Week 3.
