Every coach in any sport will affirm that a win is a win: regardless of how it's achieved, it's a positive outcome. But how should the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs assess their 4-0 start this season following their gritty 17-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers? Yes, the Chiefs remain undefeated, yet their point differential of +20 underscores their vulnerability, and they could easily be 1-3 – or worse – if a few pivotal plays had unfolded differently this season. This Chiefs squad appears reminiscent of last season's, where they relied on Patrick Mahomes to ignite at the right moments in an inconsistent offense with unpredictable receivers.
Through Kansas City's initial three victories, even future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce felt the strain: he managed only eight receptions on 13 targets for 69 yards and no touchdowns. In the lead-up to the Chargers game, head coach Andy Reid disclosed that he was using Kelce as a decoy to free up other receivers, notably Rashee Rice. When Rice sustained what seemed to be a severe knee injury early in the game, Kelce responded with seven catches on nine targets for 89 yards. This performance, however, was shadowed by the grim possibility that Rice might have suffered a season-ending torn ACL, a significant blow to the Chiefs' passing game.
Then there's the enigmatic Patrick Lavon Mahomes II. Last season, Mahomes ranked as the NFL's worst deep passer. Despite the Chiefs' third Super Bowl win in five seasons, Mahomes completed only 24 of 76 passes of 20+ air yards for 817 yards, resulting in two touchdowns, six interceptions, and a passer rating of 49.1, the lowest among quarterbacks who played at least 50% of their team's snaps. Entering Sunday, Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy had limited Mahomes' deep-throwing opportunities. Mahomes had completed four of seven deep attempts for 171 yards, three touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 101.8. While the improved efficiency is commendable, transforming someone with Mahomes's extraordinary talent into a checkdown artist seems limiting at best.
Mahomes did connect with rookie speed receiver Xavier Worthy for a 54-yard touchdown against the Chargers, but explosive passes were scarce on Sunday. Are the Chiefs in a similar predicament to last season, relying on Steve Spagnuolo's defense to secure playoff berths while Mahomes navigates an uncertain receiving corps outside Kelce? We will gain more insight as the Chiefs face a challenging stretch: they will encounter formidable defenses – the New Orleans Saints, the San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills – in five of their next six games. Las Vegas offers what might be the only respite, though the Raiders' defense is unpredictable.
So, yes, a win is a win. But, paraphrasing George Orwell in Animal Farm, some wins are more equal than others.
