The Kansas City Chiefs left Seattle with more than just a 20-3 loss on Sunday. They also came away with another reminder that Patrick Mahomes and this offense still have a problem to solve when the defense on the other side is humming.
This one was never really close. Kansas City went to Seattle looking for a road win, but the Seahawks controlled the game and the Chiefs were left staring at an ugly final score.
The season is far from over, and there’s still plenty of time for Kansas City to stack wins and make a playoff push. But this defeat put a spotlight on an issue the Chiefs can’t ignore if they want to be better down the stretch.
The NFL’s official website addressed that exact concern in its Week 7 roundup, with Grant Gordon pointing to Mahomes’ continued trouble against elite defenses. As Gordon put it, "Patrick Mahomes simply looked off all night long and continued his struggles playing against top-ranked defenses," he notes in the piece. "He's now 4-4 (including playoffs) in his career versus No. 1 total defenses and lost his third straight in such games (lost last season to Texans, lost Super Bowl LIX to Eagles)."
Gordon also flagged how complete Seattle’s defensive effort was, noting that the Seahawks held running back Kenneth Walker III in check and rattled Mahomes throughout the night. That’s the kind of performance Kansas City will need to clean up quickly, with the Denver Broncos coming up on Sunday.
In Other News...
Chiefs Trade Buzz Around Mahomes Just Got Very Real
After a road loss in Seattle, the Chiefs need for more help at receiver has only become more obvious, and the trade market is already starting to look like the place to address it. ESPNs Jeremy Fowler said Kansas City is among the teams monitoring Jaguars wideout Brian Thomas Jr., a sign that the Chiefs are at least kicking the tires on a high-upside addition as they try to keep pace in the AFC.
There is also a familiar name getting mentioned again in connection with Kansas City, with talk of a possible Tyreek Hill reunion circulating as the Chiefs continue to search for answers. The catch is obvious: Hills recovery from a severe leg injury makes any such idea far from certain, which leaves Kansas City weighing its options as the next move at receiver comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Trade Deadline Buzz Keeps Coming Back To One Receiver
Trade chatter around the Chiefs tends to find a way back to the same place this time of year, and a fresh version of it surfaced when former NFL quarterback Russell Wilson floated Garrett Wilson as a player who should think about a move before the November 10 deadline. Wilsons name has been tied to plenty of speculation in the past, but this latest nod matters because it once again puts Kansas City in the center of a conversation about adding another dynamic target to the passing game.
From the Chiefs side, the fit is easy enough to understand. The offense has been searching for more size and stability at receiver, and any mention of a proven playmaker naturally gets attention in Kansas City. Still, Garrett Wilson is under contract with the Jets through the 2030 season and has not been officially linked to a trade, so for now this is more a reminder of how often the Chiefs are viewed as a destination than a sign that a deal is actually close. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Stadium Plan Could Bring Kansas City A Massive New Stage
The future home of the Chiefs could wind up serving a much bigger audience than football. Kansas City, Kansas, has been named among the seven potential host cities for the NCAA Final Four tournaments from 2032 through 2036, with the games potentially landing in the new domed stadium planned for the 2031 season. For a city that has been trying to position itself on the biggest stages, the idea of pairing a marquee college basketball event with the Chiefs next home is exactly the kind of crossover opportunity that can change how the area is viewed.
The selection process still has a long runway, with the next major step not coming until July 2027. Even so, the bid already carries obvious appeal because of the economic boost a Final Four can deliver, along with the national exposure that comes with it. For Kansas City, Kansas, the chance is less about a one-weekend event than what it says about the scale of the stadium project and the new possibilities it could open up once it is built. [Read more 🡒]