SB Nation • 17 min read

Arrowheadlines: No need to panic yet

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Five Things We Learned in NFL Week 2: Chiefs Are No Longer Among NFL’s Elite | SI

The Eagles usually have to do more than lean on the tush push to beat the legitimate contenders, but it’s been easy for them to push around the Chiefs in their past two meetings, including Sunday’s 20–17 win and the Super Bowl LIX rout.

Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean the Chiefs are no longer contenders because of the very concerning 0–2 start. But it’s safe to say they have become inferior competition for the undefeated

Eagles.

The Chiefs appeared helpless whenever the Eagles had a short-yardage situation. No one on the Eagles’ offense seemed concerned about having to convert on fourth-and-1 near the goal line after Jalen Hurts was ruled short in the fourth quarter. As for the Chiefs, they probably longed for the days when teams settled for field goals instead of going for it on fourth down. Of course, Hurts got the touchdown on the following play for a 20–10 advantage with 7:48 left in regulation.

What matters (and doesn’t) from the Chiefs’ 0-2 start: Sando’s Pick Six | The Athletic

“I don’t think there is a crisis being 0-2 when you play two good teams to start,” a coach from another team said, “but it does not look like they had the rigorous four-week training camp at the away college that hardly anyone else goes to anymore, when I look at the timing of their offense.”

Speaking of timing, before this season, Mahomes was 41-2 in the 43 games when he got rid of the football the quickest (2.6 seconds or less), per TruMedia. He was usually in rhythm and on point in those games, not running for his survival and trying to make heroic plays.

Mahomes is 0-2 this season when unloading the ball that fast, falling to the Chargers (Mahomes’ eighth quickest time-to-throw start, 2.31 seconds) and on Sunday to the Eagles (his 25th-quickest throwing game, 2.47).

NFL Week 2 grades, results: Lions, Ravens get perfect marks as Jets fail massively | CBS Sports

C- Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes showed lots of spirit as a scrambler early on, all but carrying the Chiefs’ stagnant offense. Unfortunately, he couldn’t quite match the energy through the air, trying but often failing to stretch the field against a stingy Eagles defense until it was too late. Steve Spagnuolo’s own defense prevented Philly from hitting any home run plays, but K.C. also had no answers for the “Tush Push.” This group needs a spark.

NFL Week 3 panic meter: Bears, Bengals raising alarms; Chiefs, Giants merit patience | NFL.com

The Chiefs haven’t been 0-2 since 2014, which was back when quarterback Patrick Mahomes was a freshman at Texas Tech. Mahomes also is enduring his first three-game losing streak in the NFL, when you add February’s Super Bowl humbling to Kansas City’s first two defeats of this season. To say this is uncharted territory for these Chiefs would be an understatement. Heading into this season, this franchise was 19-4 in September with Mahomes under center. That’s a good reason why it’s smart not to overreact to what’s happening with this club after two weeks. Yes, its 20-17 loss to Philadelphia was a rock fight, as the Chiefs gained just 294 yards and suffered a debilitating turnover early in the fourth quarter when tight end Travis Kelce bobbled a Mahomes pass into the hands of Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba for an interception. It’s also true that Kansas City is playing without its two best receivers: Rashee Rice is serving a six-game suspension, while Xavier Worthy is nursing a dislocated shoulder. The offense will improve once that duo is back on the field again. The defense also performed well after Justin Herbert picked that unit apart in a season-opening loss to the Chargers. Limiting Philadelphia to just 216 yards should make everyone in Kansas City feel a little better about what Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is working with over there. It’s fair to wonder if Kansas City will dig itself into an early hole that could make winning a 10th straight AFC West crown a real question. On the other hand, there shouldn’t be any mystery about whether this is still a playoff team. The Chiefs will be there when the postseason starts. VERDICT: PATIENCE

The Winners and Losers of the NFL Week 2 | The Ringer

After the game, Reid took full responsibility for the loss. I wouldn’t go that far—between Kelce’s bobble, Harrison Butker’s missed field goal—and some dubious refereeing on the tush push plays—there’s plenty of blame to go around. But Reid certainly deserves a significant share of the blame for the current state of the Chiefs. He’s been unable to recreate the deep-ball magic that powered early versions of the Mahomes offense, or establish a consistent run game to make up for the lack of explosive passing plays.

Around the NFL

Tom Brady shown in Raiders booth wearing headset during MNF | ESPN

Raiders minority owner Tom Brady was seen in the team’s coaching booth for the first time during the first quarter of Monday night’s 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Brady, who was shown on the telecast wearing a headset, has been a helpful resource for the team since he was approved as a minority owner last year.

Coach Pete Carroll and first-time general manager John Spytek, who was in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers front office when the seven-time Super Bowl champion was their starting quarterback, have consulted with Brady on roster decisions during the offseason. Spytek told ESPN in April that Brady’s voice has been “invaluable.”

And first-year Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said he talks with the future Hall of Famer two to three times per week, going through film and the game plan for the week.

Sources – Bengals’ Joe Burrow needs toe surgery, out 3 months | ESPN

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will need toe surgery that will sideline him a minimum of three months, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Burrow suffered the turf toe injury in the first half of Cincinnati’s game Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Images of his left toe were sent to noted foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson to be reviewed, sources told Schefter.

With Burrow sidelined for the majority of the season, the Bengals are expected to turn to backup Jake Browning as their starting quarterback.

Baker Mayfield outplays C.J. Stroud, leads game-winning drive in final seconds as Buccaneers stun Texans | CBS Sports

In the first of two Week 2 “Monday Night Football” games, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off a dramatic, come-from-behind victory to defeat the Houston Texans by a final score of 20-19, improving their record to 2-0 and dropping the Texans to 0-2.

Trailing 19-14 with just over two minutes remaining, Baker Mayfield led an 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to secure the comeback victory. He went 7 of 9 for 63 yards on the way down the field, but his biggest play was undoubtedly a 15-yard scramble to convert a fourth-and-10 opportunity from the Bucs’ own 32-yard line. The drive didn’t end with Mayfield putting the ball in the end zone himself, however, as Rachaad White ran it in from 2 yards out with just six seconds remaining, but he was the one who engineered the offense down the field for the win.

Injuries to monitor after Week 2: Bengals receive Joe Burrow update | Yardbarker

Baltimore Ravens LB Kyle Van Noy

Van Noy left in the second quarter of a 41-17 home blowout against the Cleveland Browns because of a hamstring injury. In his postgame news conference, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said it’s not season-ending, but the team will evaluate him Monday.

Even at 34, Van Noy still plays a key role for the Ravens’ defense. In 16 games in 2024, the 2014 second-rounder had 12.5 sacks, the fourth most in the league. He had one tackle in the victory over Cleveland.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs-Eagles: 5 things we learned in NFL’s Week 2 loss

4. The defense is figuring it out — and will be OK

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 14: Chris Jones #95 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Arrowhead Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)Getty Images

Aside from safety Chamarri Conner, who single-handedly torpedoed the Chiefs’ defense with poor angles and reaction time on Philadelphia’s first scoring drive, the rest of the unit played pretty well against a good Eagles offense.

While he didn’t have a flashy stat line, defensive tackle Chris Jones consistently made his presence felt in the trenches. Linebacker Drue Tranquill continues to play well at the second level. And even though the pass rush still struggled to get home, the secondary held up in coverage.

Issues remain. But the Kansas City defense is still good enough to be good enough.