Kansas City is sitting at a stellar 4-0 right now, but let’s be real, a perfect record doesn’t mean everything’s sunshine and rainbows. This team has some crucial fixes to make during their bye week if they want to keep that top spot in the AFC standings. They’ve started strong, no doubt, but there are three glaring issues that could trip them up moving forward.
The Third-Down D Has Got to Get Nasty
Look, 4-0 is great, but the defense is letting teams convert 37% of their third downs, and that’s only good enough for 13th in the league. You can’t let opponents keep drives alive like that. The pass rush is supposed to be the clear path off the field, right? Well, their pressure rate overall is just middle of the pack at 24%, but on third down, it absolutely tanks to 40%, putting them at 25th in the NFL. We’ve only seen one third-down sack all year, a strip sack by Felix Anudike-Uzomah way back in Week 1 against Bo Nix. That’s just not gonna cut it. George Karlaftis and rookie R Mason Thomas are doing a good job muddying the pocket from the edge, which is something, but defensive tackle Chris Jones needs to be way more disruptive on pass downs. He’s the guy who can change a game, and he’s gotta do it consistently.
Mahomes Needs Time, And He’s Not Getting It
The offense has been cooking, leaning heavily on the run game and using play action from under center to great effect. It’s been refreshing to watch, for sure. But here’s the kicker: Patrick Mahomes still needs time to throw on straight dropbacks, and the pass blocking in those true pass sets has been subpar. We’re talking about an offense that drops back into a traditional pass play an average of only 12 times a game. Rookie left tackle Kahlil Benson has allowed six pressures, including three quarterback hits, over 48 true pass sets, according to Pro Football Focus. As the schedule gets tougher, Mahomes is gonna have to win games by throwing the ball when defenses know it’s coming. The only real path to significant improvement here? The return of left tackle Josh Simmons, who’s been out with a back injury. No matter what they do with the right tackle spot, Simmons coming back is the key.
Where Are The Playmakers in the Pass Game?
Okay, we probably haven’t made a big enough deal about wide receiver Tyquan Thornton likely missing the entire regular season with a dislocated ankle. He’s been the pass-catching group’s biggest playmaker so far, which, to be fair, doesn’t say much given how well the overall pass offense has performed. Whether it’s the run game opening things up or Mahomes just putting passes on the money, the receivers haven’t been asked to do much more than execute the play this year. But now, with Thornton out for the long haul, and No. 1 target Rashee Rice potentially out short-term with a hamstring, this offense desperately needs guys like Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals, and rookie Cyrus Allen to step up and make plays on their own. We’re talking about Royals’ run-after-catch ability or Allen’s route running. The offense needs to tap into those strengths, and Worthy, as a former first-round pick, is gonna see an increased target share. He absolutely has to look the part moving forward. This bye week isn’t just for resting; it’s for figuring out how these guys are gonna elevate their game.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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