The Chiefs have not looked much like the Chiefs this season. While he’s not the cause of the decline, Patrick Mahomes has not looked much like Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes has thrown one touchdown pass in each of Kansas City’s three games. He has never gone four games in a row, including playoffs, without multiple touchdown passes since becoming the full-time starter in 2018.
The lack of touchdown passes has contributed to a passer rating that puts him 22nd among all qualifiers through three weeks. His 85.3 rating trails passers like Tua Tagovailoa and Spencer Rattler, whose teams are a combined 0-6.
The fact that Mahomes is the Chiefs’ leading rusher through three games underscores the broader issues with the team’s offense, which currently lacks high-end playmakers around Mahomes.
The Chiefs finally got their first win of the season last Sunday night against the 0-3 Giants. Desperation time arrives on Sunday along with the Ravens, who are also 1-2. Barring a tie, one of the two supposed Super Bowl contenders will enter October in a 1-3 hole.
While both teams need to avoid that kind of start, the climb out of 1-3 would be even steeper for the Chiefs. If the Chargers beat the Giants on Sunday, L.A. will be 4-0, giving them a three-game lead over Kansas City, including a head-to-head win over the Chiefs.
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