For the better part of six years, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense felt inevitable. Defenses knew what was coming, but Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and a carousel of playmakers always found a way to bury teams under an avalanche of explosive plays. That version of the Chiefs, however, is nowhere to be found in 2025. Their Week 9 loss to the Buffalo Bills was a brutal reminder of this new reality.
Even with a last-chance drive, it never felt like the ball would reach the end zone, a thought that would have been unthinkable during their peak. Something fundamental has shifted, and it is becoming increasingly apparent every single week.
Why Has the Chiefs’ Once-Inevitable Offense Lost Its Edge?
Dec 31, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Kansas City Chiefs helmet after the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Kansas City Chiefs helmet after the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas City’s old offense was built on rhythm and fear. During Mahomes’ MVP seasons, drives unfolded like clockwork with early-down efficiency, layered route combinations, and enough speed to stretch every blade of grass. Even when the supporting cast was not perfect, the scheme made everyone better. This approach was their defining superpower, as ESPN’s Bill Barnwell noted when they went 10–0 in one-score games during the 2024 season.
This season, however, that script has completely flipped. The Chiefs are now 0–3 in one-score games and, according to a breakdown from ToI, they are also 0–3 against teams with winning records. The team that once closed out games with surgical precision now unravels the moment the margin for error shrinks.
The problems are rooted in both personnel and execution. With Rashee Rice missing time early in the season and Xavier Worthy shifting into an inconsistent deep-threat role, the timing and spacing that made the offense so dangerous has eroded. While Rice’s return has certainly helped, as he is averaging 2.56 yards per route run and ranks in the top 10 since his comeback, his individual spark only highlights how thin the offense looks around him. A lack of separation from secondary receivers and a banged-up offensive line have forced Mahomes into hero mode far too often. That used to be a winning formula, but now, it has become predictable.
Against Buffalo, Sean McDermott’s defense did not just contain Kansas City; it squeezed every inch out of the playbook. Mahomes was hit more than a dozen times, sacked three times, and threw a late interception that sealed the game. SI’s analysis called it a “new low,” the moment the offense finally looked ordinary instead of dangerous. This fits a broader pattern that LWOS pointed out: the Chiefs swing between brief flashes of dominance and extended periods where they resemble the worst version of the Mahomes era. Their margin for error is gone because their identity is no longer stable.
The team’s defensive problems, as highlighted in Arrowhead Pride’s film review, only compound the issue by forcing an offense that no longer generates easy yards to play from behind constantly. This reveals the most significant shift of all: the Chiefs once dictated matchups, and now they simply react to them. The bite has gone out of their quick game; the red zone threats fail to scare anyone, and the deep shots rely too heavily on Mahomes extending broken plays. Without a consistent run game to provide balance, they have become a team that survives drives rather than shapes them.
Rice gives them hope, and Isiah Pacheco’s return gives them balance, but the structure itself still needs rebuilding. Kansas City has the talent, but what it lacks right now is the rhythm and certainty that made them champions. That is why the question, “What’s wrong with the Chiefs?” is not dramatic; it is accurate. Finding the answer will determine whether this dynasty still has life or is finally feeling its age.