{"id":10181,"date":"2024-10-08T13:35:46","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T13:35:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=10181"},"modified":"2024-10-08T13:35:46","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T13:35:46","slug":"mahomes-arsenal-under-scrutiny-do-the-chiefs-have-enough-offensive-power-to-win-big","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=10181","title":{"rendered":"\u201cMahomes\u2019 Arsenal Under Scrutiny: Do the Chiefs Have Enough Offensive Power to Win Big?\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Do the Chiefs have enough firepower to help Patrick Mahomes?<\/p>\n

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. \u2014 Patrick Mahomes\u00a0pondered the situation suddenly confronting the\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0after another one of their top offensive players, wide receiver\u00a0Rashee Rice, left their lineup with a right knee injury in last week\u2019s game against the\u00a0Los Angeles Chargers.<\/p>\n

The quarterback had found a way to overcome a 10-point deficit without Rice to beat the Chargers.<\/p>\n

But Mahomes also understands the challenge the group faces in moving the ball and scoring points for the rest of the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuys stepped up and filled in as good as they can the role that [Rice] has in our offense, which is a big one,\u201d Mahomes said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll we can do now is kind of go back to the basics and try to get guys opportunities to succeed. \u2026<\/p>\n

I think it\u2019s going to pay off in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mahomes understandably sounded more hopeful than certain that the 4-0 Chiefs\u2019 offense could play well enough to beat the\u00a0New Orleans Saints\u00a0(2-2) on Monday night at Arrowhead Stadium (8:15 ET, ESPN).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A month into the season, the Chiefs have lost three of their most important offensive pieces: a prolific pass catcher in Rice, a fast wide receiver in\u00a0Hollywood Brown\u00a0and a tough running back in\u00a0Isiah Pacheco.<\/p>\n

Whether the Chiefs have enough remaining firepower to become the first team in the Super Bowl era to three-peat remains to be seen.<\/p>\n

Brown, a free agent signed during the offseason, will miss most if not all of the season with a right shoulder injury he suffered on the first play of the preseason.<\/p>\n

Pacheco has a broken right leg but could return late in the season.<\/p>\n

The timeline for Rice\u2019s return is less clear.<\/p>\n

Coach Andy Reid said the initial diagnosis on Rice\u2019s injury wasn\u2019t what the Chiefs were hoping for but didn\u2019t go into specifics.<\/p>\n

In any case, Rice was placed on injured reserve Thursday, meaning he\u2019ll miss at least four games.<\/p>\n

The Chiefs still have some pieces.<\/p>\n

Tight end\u00a0Travis Kelce\u00a0had his best game of the season in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

Rookie wide receiver\u00a0Xavier Worthy\u00a0delivered a 54-yard touchdown catch against the Chargers and had two important third-down catches.<\/p>\n

Running back\u00a0Kareem Hunt\u00a0had an encouraging debut in his return to the Chiefs, six years after he was released by the team.<\/p>\n

They are eyeing potential moves ahead of the trade deadline in a few weeks,\u00a0according to ESPN\u2019s Adam Schefter, but this group may also be the one that has to carry them through.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a good group of guys there that we can utilize,\u201d Reid said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe normally spread the ball around, and that\u2019s what we\u2019ll continue to strive to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (center) has thrown 904 yards and six touchdowns through four games.\u00a0Photo by Jamie Squire\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

KELCE, WHO TURNED\u00a035 on Saturday, had eight catches in the Chiefs\u2019 first three games, leading to speculation that either age was catching up to him, he was being distracted by his many off-the-field endeavors, or both.<\/p>\n

He ended such talk, at least for now, by catching seven passes for 89 yards against the Chargers and passing Tony Gonzalez to become the Chiefs\u2019 all-time leading pass catcher.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not that he\u2019s slowing down or any of that bit,\u201d Reid said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not what the deal is.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s just teams focus on him and kind of know he\u2019s been Pat\u2019s go-to guy.<\/p>\n

What it\u2019s done is that it\u2019s allowed us to utilize the other guys around him, and they\u2019ve been productive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelce\u2019s big game happened at an opportune time for the Chiefs. Rice\u2019s injury, which happened in the first quarter, suddenly left the Chiefs without their top receiver.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith Rashee going out early, you\u2019ve got to put Kelce back in that situation where he is getting a high volume of catches,\u201d Mahomes said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Chargers were taking away some of the outside stuff, leaving the middle of the field open and we were able to get it to Trav in some of those zone coverages.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole Kelce [slump] in general hasn\u2019t been a worry to me.<\/p>\n

I know whenever we need him he\u2019s going to make plays, and that\u2019s what he did.\u201d<\/p>\n

To the Chiefs, there was nothing magical about Kelce having a big game.<\/p>\n

The Chargers didn\u2019t often try to cover him with multiple defenders, which opponents had done for much of the first three games.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe respect factor they have for Travis is just unreal,\u201d Mahomes said before the Chargers game.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s well deserved, but we\u2019re calling a lot of plays for Travis, and it\u2019s like two or three people are going to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to try to do my best to keep feeding him the ball whenever he\u2019s there, whenever he\u2019s open.<\/p>\n

But \u2026 the more we\u2019re able to run the football, the more we can get Worthy involved, that\u2019s going to open Travis up more.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Rice out, the Chiefs are concerned about what happens when opponents focus on Kelce as they did early in the season.<\/p>\n

With Rice in the lineup, they were good enough to take advantage.<\/p>\n

Who, if anyone, would become Mahomes\u2019 go-to receiver?<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery single year is different,\u201d Kelce said. \u201cI think with the pieces that we have, teams are playing us a little bit differently than they were last year and they\u2019re playing Patrick differently than they were last year.<\/p>\n

I think you\u2019re seeing teams play a little bit softer, making us drive an entire way down the field instead of just taking away those big shots.<\/p>\n

And I think Pat\u2019s doing a great job of getting the ball in everyone\u2019s hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

WORTHY, THE CHIEFS\u2019\u00a0first-round draft pick this year, is the most obvious candidate to become their leading wide receiver, at least until Rice or Brown returns.<\/p>\n

Worthy made a name for himself when he ran an NFL combine record 4.21 in the 40.<\/p>\n

His touchdown against the Chargers was his third play of the season of at least 20 yards.<\/p>\n

All three of those were touchdowns, including two in the Chiefs\u2019 season-opening win over the\u00a0Baltimore Ravens.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a rookie, learning my role, learning where I fit into the scheme,\u201d Worthy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just going to keep growing in this offense. Making plays when it\u2019s my turn is the key.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Worthy is 21, so there\u2019s a delicate balance in terms of how much the Chiefs want to ask of him at this stage.<\/p>\n

When they drafted him, the Chiefs thought of Worthy as a player who wouldn\u2019t necessarily get the ball a lot but would have a big impact when he did.<\/p>\n

They were right, at least through the first four games. He has nine catches, but for 154 yards and a healthy 17.1-yard average.<\/p>\n

Now, though, their needs have changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s critical because he\u2019s a playmaker with the ball in his hands,\u201d offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost [defensive coordinators] that you talk to, they always are concerned about the speed element from players. \u2026 It\u2019s important to get him going. He\u2019s a special player.\u201d<\/p>\n

Worthy\u2019s touchdown against the Chargers is an example of what he can do.<\/p>\n

Mahomes threw a go-route without seeing exactly where Worthy was on the field.<\/p>\n

He just knew the Chargers had him single-covered and trusted he would outrun the cornerback, which he did.<\/p>\n

\u201cXavier showed what he could do,\u201d Reid said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had a couple other potential opportunities there that we weren\u2019t quite able to get to him, but you got a chance to at least see him operate out there and do some nice things as one of the primary receivers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Chiefs also have\u00a0JuJu Smith-Schuster,\u00a0Justin Watson,\u00a0Skyy Moore\u00a0and\u00a0Mecole Hardman\u00a0at wide receiver.<\/p>\n

But those players have combined for just eight catches this season, with Moore and Hardman having none.<\/p>\n

Smith-Schuster and Watson are the strongest candidates for increased playing time without Rice. Moore and Hardman have played sparingly this season.<\/p>\n

It appears Hunt could help be part of the solution after his outing against the Chargers.<\/p>\n

He led the Chiefs in rushing with 69 yards, and Reid suggested he would continue to play a lot.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all had a lot of trust in Kareem since he had been here and we kind of know how he\u2019s wired and he\u2019s been able to pick stuff up pretty quick,\u201d Reid said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I think we\u2019re OK there increasing [his workload].\u201d<\/p>\n

After drafting Worthy and signing Brown, the Chiefs had big hopes they would return to the high-scoring ways synonymous with Mahomes\u2019 earlier years.<\/p>\n

In Mahomes\u2019 first five seasons as their starter, the Chiefs were top five in scoring every year, leading the league twice.<\/p>\n

Last season, they were in the middle of the NFL pack in scoring, finishing 15th at less than 22 points per game, as their defense helped carry them to the Super Bowl title.<\/p>\n

Now, those offensive plans haven\u2019t been put on hold, but expectations may be tamped down.<\/p>\n

The Chiefs are suddenly counting on a lot of players who weren\u2019t a big part of their plans or even in the picture just a few weeks ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to replace [Rice\u2019s] production with just one guy.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a special type of receiver the way he\u2019s able to run with the football after the catch and then still run routes and catch the ball downfield as well,\u201d Mahomes said.<\/p>\n

That means if the Chiefs are to succeed, they\u2019re going to need some unlikely receiving stars.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to come from a lot of guys, not even just in the [wide] receiving room but the tight end room, the running back room, everything,\u201d Mahomes said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Do the Chiefs have enough firepower to help Patrick Mahomes? KANSAS CITY, Mo. \u2014 Patrick Mahomes\u00a0pondered the situation suddenly confronting the\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0after another one of their top … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10182,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10181","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10181"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10181\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10183,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10181\/revisions\/10183"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}