The Kansas City Chiefs have spent the better part of the last six seasons establishing themselves as the NFL’s standard of excellence. With three Lombardi trophies, five Super Bowl appearances, and Patrick Mahomes redefining quarterback play, the expectation in Kansas City has been simple: win. That’s what makes their current predicament so unsettling. After a sloppy, dispiriting 20-17 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Chiefs are 0-2 for the first time since 2014. They are languishing at the bottom of the AFC West. The team that has thrived under pressure suddenly looks lost in it. Who shoulders the blame for this mess?
Chiefs collapse in Super Bowl rematch
TheChiefs fell to the Eagles in a forgettable Super Bowl rematch. The turning point came in the fourth quarter, when a pass slipped through Travis Kelce’s hands and into the arms of Eagles defensive back Andrew Mukuba, who returned it 40 yards. Philadelphia converted the miscue into points and held on to secure the win.
Unusually labeled underdogs at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs were given little margin for error against the reigning champions. Interestingly enough, oddsmakers were proven right. Yes, Kansas City’s defense delivered. They held the Eagles to just 214 total yards and under 100 through the air. That said, the offense once again sputtered. Sloppy execution, conservative play-calling, and critical mistakes undermined the effort. That left Patrick Mahomes with back-to-back losses to open a season for the first time in his career. The early struggles have revealed cracks in a foundation once thought unshakable.
Here we'll try to look at and discuss the Kansas City Chiefs most to blame for discouraging Week 2 loss to Eagles, 0-2 start.
Kelce’s costly mistake overshadows his contributions
Of course, Kelce remains one of Kansas City’s most important weapons. However, his Week 2 performance will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. After hauling in a touchdown in Week 1 and posting a respectable four catches for 61 yards against Philadelphia, Kelce seemed poised for another steady outing. Instead, his night unraveled in the fourth quarter.
On a crucial red-zone drive, Kelce bobbled what should have been a routine catch. As we said, the pick effectively sealed Kansas City’s fate. It was the kind of mistake that turns a hard-fought comeback into a demoralizing defeat. For a player whose career has been defined by reliability in big moments, the miscue was glaring.
Backfield proves to be a liability
The Chiefs’ running game was supposed to be revitalized this offseason. The results so far, though, have been disheartening. With Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, and newcomer Brashard Smith in the mix, Kansas City hoped for balance and explosiveness. Instead, they got stagnation. Outside of Mahomes’ scrambles, the ground game averaged just 2.9 yards per carry against Philly. Pacheco managed only 22 yards on 10 attempts, while Hunt contributed 31 yards on 8 carries.
Even more concerning than the inefficiency was the lack of dynamism. Neither Pacheco nor Hunt created anything in space. They failed to make defenders miss on short passes and swing plays. The backfield is, at present, among the least threatening in football. That puts even more pressure on Mahomes to generate offense on his own. Yes, it's a formula that has worked in the past. That said, it looks unsustainable given the team’s current limitations.
Pass rush fails to make an impact
Defensively, Kansas City’s front seven did its job against the run. They limited Philadelphia to just 87 rushing yards. The pass rush, though? Nonexistent. The Chiefs desperately need production from their edge defenders. Through two weeks, it hasn’t materialized. George Karlaftis struggled to generate pressure, and Mike Danna left the game early with an injury. Even Chris Jones, the anchor of the defensive line, didn’t deliver his usual game-wrecking performance. This allowed the Eagles to manage protections comfortably.
Sure, Eagles’ offensive line is among the NFL’s best. Still, that excuse only goes so far. Kansas City invests heavily in its defensive front. When the edge rushers can’t win their matchups, the secondary gets left hanging. If the Chiefs cannot fix this, they’ll continue to watch opposing quarterbacks dictate the game at their pace.
Coaching decisions under the microscope
Perhaps the most unsettling aspect of Kansas City’s 0-2 start is how predictable the offense has looked. Andy Reid is a future Hall of Famer. He is celebrated for his creativity and adaptability. Through two games, however, the Chiefs’ play-calling has been uninspired. Repeated failed runs on obvious short-yardage downs drained momentum. Meanwhile, the passing attack relied too heavily on Mahomes’ improvisation rather than schematic ingenuity.
Truth be told, the defensive performance against Philadelphia should have been enough to win. Instead, the offense failed to capitalize. Reid deserves credit for always taking accountability. At some point, though, accountability must be paired with adjustments.
A crossroads moment for Kansas City
Even at 0-2, the Chiefs are far from doomed. Mahomes is still under center, Kelce remains a dangerous weapon, and the defense showed signs of life against an elite opponent. On the flip side, the margin for error has disappeared. In a crowded AFC with hungry challengers like Buffalo, Baltimore,, the Chargeres, and even Indianapolis, the Chiefs just cannot afford to stumble much longer.
The solutions are clear: fix the running game, generate pressure off the edge, and trust Mahomes with a more aggressive game plan. Whether Reid can deliver those adjustments will determine if this season becomes a rare misstep or another run at a championship.
