Andy Reid Faces Costly Warning as Patrick Mahomes & Chiefs Fall Into Old Patterns

I don’t believe the sky is falling… yet. But after a 21-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1, the Kansas City Chiefs will need to find answers, especially to their offensive problems. This is the very offense that was supposed to look different this season. After all, QB Patrick Mahomes finally had RB Isiah Pacheco, along with WRs Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy, but after the latter’s injury, the offense was almost a reflection of the unit we saw a year ago.

The line didn’t manifest any explosive elements that could break the Chargers’ defense. And going into Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles, the team that punted their three-peat dreams far away, the Chiefs cannot make any mistakes. But if you were to ask former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, he would be way more blunt about it. On ‘Get Up’ on ESPN, he said, “If it doesn’t get better, the Super Bowl is a zero percent chance.

“The offense has to find ways to be more explosive. This is a two-year thing right now. Listen, if they don’t find ways to be more consistently explosive in this era, you cannot get back to the Super Bowl.” Orlovsky’s comments hit hard because the numbers backed them up. Kansas City had only three passing plays of 20-plus yards against the Chargers, a single running play longer than 10 yards, and a 15-yard Mahomes scramble.

The receiving corps didn’t do Mahomes many favors either. Kelce only caught 2 catches for 47 yards, while Worthy’s injury and Rashee Rice’s suspension left the rotation dangerously thin. Hollywood Brown was the lone bright spot with 10 receptions for 99 yards. But one man can’t carry an entire passing attack.

The Chiefs converted just five of 14 third downs and failed on their first seven attempts, a stat that underscores how disjointed the offense looked. Without a consistent run game to ease the burden, Mahomes was left shouldering the load without the firepower he is accustomed to.

Still, ruling out HC Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes would be foolish. Reid has made a career out of in-season adjustments, and Mahomes’ track record in high-pressure situations is unmatched. But the margin for error is shrinking. If the O-line woes and lack of explosiveness linger, Orlovsky’s blunt warning may prove prophetic.

The offensive flaws are not new for the Chiefs

The Chiefs have obviously made it to five of the last six Super Bowls. However, carrying the issues of the O-line from the last two seasons into the 2025 NFL is a significant concern. The Chiefs are without Rashee Rice for six weeks as he serves an NFL-mandated suspension, and when Xavier Worthy stepped out of the field due to injury, the offensive line looked too familiar. That’s not something you would expect, considering it had an offseason makeover.

Then, there are issues with the wide receivers on the team. Jawaan Taylor’s penalties are another O-line issue still not resolved. He racked up 16 in 2024 and 20 in 2023. And now in Week 1, he has continued on the same path and recorded four penalties. But that’s not where it ends, as even Patrick Mahomes witnessed a decline in the last two seasons. During 2018-2022, Mahomes had a passing average of 8.1 yards per attempt. During that time, he threw for 192 TDs (6.5 TD%) and only 48 INTs (1.6 INT%). Compare that with the last two seasons? 6.9 yards per attempt. KC’s #15 threw for 53 TDs (4.5 TD%) and 25 INTs (2.1 INT%). That ratio has been eye-catching.

The Chiefs are now set to go against the Eagles. Mahomes has kept the receipts from SB LIX as he said on Wednesday: “They played hard and did a great job of disrupting my timing. I have to learn from that, find ways to get the ball out of my hand. When the opportunities are there, I think that’s something I did miss early in the game. There were opportunities to make plays and you’ve got to make those plays because if you don’t, they’re not going to allow those opportunities again.” If they want to make their road to the Super Bowl easy, they will have to get rid of the long, unresolved issues. What do you think?