After a slow start, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense is the best it’s been in years
When the Kansas City Chiefs started the season 1-2, many were quick to question the abilities of the defending AFC champions, including NBC News.
So, in the interest of fairness, this is worth noting: Since Week 4, the Chiefs’ offense is finally starting to look like it did at the height of their dynastic run. And that should terrify the rest of the league.
Entering Week 8, Kansas City ranked sixth in points per game, which would be the team’s highest mark since 2022, when it finished first in scoring. Before this week’s games, the Chiefs were fifth in yards per game, Also their best since 2022.
After finishing near the middle of the pack in scoring and yards a year ago, Kansas City is starting to get hot. Patrick Mahomes has his best passer rating since 2022 and is also on pace for his most passing touchdowns since this season. The Chiefs have also scored at least 28 points in each of their last four games – the first time they have done so since 2021.
“We have a lot of weapons. We have a lot of guys and they all like each other, and they want each other to succeed,” Mahomes said after a 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7. “We want to be better than what we are right now, but this was a good step in the right direction.”
One of the main reasons for Kansas City’s success is the improvement in the play of its pass catchers.
Although the Chiefs spent the fifth-lowest amount on their receivers this year, this group has started to exceed expectations. According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, through the first three weeks of the season, only 46 percent of Kansas City’s passes were thrown to open receivers. As of Week 4, that figure rose to 62.7% after the win over the Raiders, the best mark in the NFL.
Against Las Vegas, the Chiefs received another boost with the return of wide receiver Rashee Rice, who missed the first six games of the season due to a suspension following an April 2024 arrest.
A second-round pick in 2023, Rice was sensational as a rookie, catching 79 passes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. But he played in just four games last year before undergoing season-ending knee surgery.
In his first action of the season in Week 7, Rice had seven catches for 42 yards and two scores.
“I thought the whole receiving team did a good job, but it was great to have him back,” head coach Andy Reid said after the Raiders’ victory. “The energy he brings is just great.”
If the recent offensive surge is sustainable, then Kansas City is a much more dangerous team than it showed early in the season. The defense has been spectacular in its own right, ranking fourth in total yards allowed and third in points per game allowed heading into Week 8.
Although the Chiefs would only be in seventh place in the AFC with a win against the Washington Commanders on Monday, they appear to be hitting their peak as we enter the second half of the NFL season.
“We’re going to be more and more in sync with the full arsenal,” tight end Travis Kelce said after Rice’s return in Week 7. “As long as we continue to play unselfishly and get excited about each other, the sky’s the limit for this group.”
