Like Cris Collinsworth said after the Philadelphia Eagles' 24-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, “until somebody knocks off Kansas City, it doesn't mean anything."
The Chiefs are gearing up for year nine of the Patrick Mahomes era, after falling short to the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX and failing to capture the NFL’s first three-peat in league history.
Since becoming a starter in 2018, Mahomes has put up six straight seasons with 4,000+ passing yards, until he broke that streak last year. He threw for 3,928 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions and was sacked 36 times – the most in his career.
He finished 11th in EPA+CPOE and eighth in QBR, but just 30th in average depth of target, ahead of only Gardner Minshew and Tua Tagovailoa. In a very un-Mahomes-like trend, he connected on only 39.5% of throws traveling 15-plus yards downfield, producing four touchdowns against six interceptions.
The early-season injury to Rashee Rice didn’t make things easier, but even with that context, the number is striking given what we’ve come to expect from this offense. Now, Rice is suspended for the first six games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The suspension, announced Wednesday, is without pay and also prohibits him from practicing with the team. He’ll be eligible to return in Week 7 against the Raiders on Oct. 13.
The ban stems from Rice’s March 2024 high-speed crash in Dallas that caused a multi-car pileup. He pled guilty to two felony charges and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, along with paying roughly $115,000 to cover victims’ medical expenses. Prosecutors said Rice was driving 119 mph in a Lamborghini SUV, fled the scene on foot, and did not check on the other drivers.
Now, the reigns of WR1 will be firmly in the hands of Xavier Worthy, who led the team in receiving touchdowns last season (6) and ranked second in receiving yards (638), only second to Travis Kelce.
Last year was by far the worst of Kelce’s career, which is really saying something considering he had 97 catches for 823 yards, but only three touchdowns.
Like it or not, the Chiefs have consistently found ways to be successful, even without the most talented rosters, the highest scoring offense, or a clear WR1. Now, the four-time Super Bowl Champions will travel to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to take on the Los Angeles Chargers at 8:00 p.m. ET on YouTube TV.
The Eagles opened up their season in Brazil in 2024, and their win over the Green Bay Packers sparked their Super Bowl run. Can the Chiefs replicate history?
