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When the 2023-24 NFL season got underway there was every reason to believe that the Kansas City Chiefs would remain a dominant team in the AFC. Since they have one of the best quarterbacks in the game in Patrick Mahomes and one of the game's all-time great coaches in Andy Reid, there was every reason to believe they could defend their Super Bowl title.
But as the season played out, the Chiefs were nothing like the dominant team they had been in the past. They did win the AFC West once again, but it was with an 11-6-0 record and they were able to earn that title because none of the other teams in the division finished with a winning record.
As far as the Chiefs were concerned, they have been one of the best offensive teams in the NFL for years as they have been led by Mahomes' creativity, leadership and strong right arm. He has been backed up by Reid's clever coaching that has built a confidence throughout the organization that the Chiefs would regularly get the job done when the game was on the line.
But that offensive dominance came to an end this season. Kansas City ranked 15th in points per game with an average of 21.8 points per outing.
While the Chiefs could have a turnaround in the postseason, there's not much evidence to believe that will happen.
Chiefs have problems at the wide receiver position
When a team has a quarterback like Mahomes who combines arm strength, intelligence and creativity, it should be able to score points in bunches and take charge of games without any problem.
However, Mahomes does not have the kind of receiving crew he has had in the past. A look at some of the receiving stats reveals some of the problems the team has had this season.
Rashee Rice leads the wideouts with 79 receptions for 938 yards and 7 touchdowns, and while those are good numbers, they are not consistent. He has shown quite a bit of improvement in the last six games of the season, where he has caught 43 balls. Prior to that, the rookie receiver was feeling his way through and trying to establish himself. He had 36 receptions through the team's first 11 games, and that provided little help to Mahomes.
Some of the other receivers include Justin Watson and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and neither wideout asserted himself this season. Watson has 27-460-3, while Valdes-Scantling's receiving numbers include 21-315-1.
The problems with the receiver began to surface as early as the season opener against the Detroit Lions. In that game, the eventual NFC North champions were able to take advantage of numerous Chiefs dropped passes — most notably by Kadarius Toney — to come away with the victory.
Mahomes will refocus during the postseason
Mahomes is a tremendous leader in addition to the magnificent talent that he brings to the field on an every-week basis. Instead of putting dominant numbers on the board, Mahomes seemed almost ordinary in the regular season. He completed 401 of 597 passes for 4,183 yards, and his TD-interception ratio was 27-14.
Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has to be feeling some pressure. While Reid's signature is all over the offense, Nagy has some responsibility for building a high-level attack and he has not been able to help this team. He needs to find a way to increase his team's offensive efficiency during the postseason.
One area of the offense that continues to produce in a major way is the partnership between Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce. The numbers are very solid as Kelce has caught 93 passes for 984 yards and 5 touchdowns this season. He is regularly double-covered by the defense, but Kelce's ability to run option routes allows him to get open and Mahomes regularly reads Kelce's moves and delivers accurate passes.
Defense has stood tall
While the offense had a major downturn this season, the Chiefs defense has been strong. Kansas City ranked second in yards allowed per game as opponents were able to gain just 289.8 yards per outing.
One of the biggest reasons for their success on defense is the Chiefs' ability to put pressure on opposing passers. Defensive ends Chris Jones and George Karlaftis have each recorded 10.5 sacks and both men have shown the ability to come through when the game is on the line.
Reid is counting on the defense to continue to play at a high level during the playoffs.
Chiefs will have problems with Bills and Ravens
The Chiefs have a home game Saturday night in brutal cold conditions against an injured Miami Dolphins teams. Kansas City should be able to survive this confrontation.
However, a divisional playoff game with the Buffalo Bills may loom after that, followed by a potential meeting with the Baltimore Ravens if they advance to the AFC title game. It's difficult to see the Chiefs getting by both opponents, and they will not defend their Super Bowl title.
