The Kansas City Chiefs lost their first game of the season Sunday night to the Seattle Seahawks, 20-3. The game was one of the Chiefs’ worst offensive showings in the franchise’s current era, and they’ll need to regroup.
No phase of the offense was good, but the Chiefs’ inability to sustain drives and convert on third downs doomed them.
The Chiefs converted just three of 11 third downs, which helped them muster only a field goal in a game where each team had just eight total offensive drives.
With so
few possessions, every third down carried extra weight, and while the Chiefs converted two fourth downs, third-down issues stalled drives and kept them from even coming close to the end zone.
A look at the film
The Chiefs converted their first third-down look of the game, but an untimely illegal shift called on tight end Travis Kelce eliminated a 12-yard reception from Kenneth Walker and would have set up a third-and-12.
Kelce attempted to redeem himself, but Mahomes pass was off line.
The Seahawks were playing zone, but Kelce did a good job of finding an open space and found himself open between the defender and the sideline. At the line of scrimmage, Seattle showed multiple rushers, but ended up only bringing four.
Khalil Benson and Josh Ezeudu both get help from chip blocks, and they pick up the Seahawks’ pass rush. Mahomes has time and room to step up in the pocket, but his pass sails wide and flies out of bounds. Mahomes is likely no more frustrated with the throw than anyone, and the early wasted opportunity would set the tone for what followed.
On the Chiefs’ next drive, Seattle’s pass rush would get the better of the backup tackles.
Without help from a chip block, Ezeudu ends up going against Seattle edge Derick Hall. The defense walks up players at the line of scrimmage pre-snap, forcing Mahomes to switch from a slide right to a “man-on-man” look.
With Creed Humphrey on the nose tackle and Trey Smith going agaisnt the three-technique, this leaves Ezeudu one-on-one with Hall, who is rushing from wide. Building speed, Hall hits his bend point and slips past Ezeudu, laying a big hit on Mahomes.
The pass falls incomplete, and the quick pressure prevented the Chiefs from getting anything going.
Third and long was not kind to the Chiefs, and neither was third and short. On an early third-and-short, the Chiefs actually had a chance at a deep shot, but Seattle was ready to stop it.
From under center, the offensive line sells run initially while Mahomes boots out, and Walker heads to the flat. This look has been effective for the Chiefs in short-yardage situations through the years, but Seattle was ready and packed the flats tightly, while ensuring a quick throw from Mahomes.
Unfortunately for the offense, wide receiver Xavier Worthy was on track to be open for a potential chunk play due to the space between him and the high safety.
Mahomes ultimately didn’t give the deep ball much of a chance and tried to thread one to Walker. The offense converted on fourth and short the next play, but this was one of its few chances for a chunk play all day.
The failure to execute was consistent, but Seattle’s defense deserves credit for taking away go-to looks and baiting them into certain situations.
On third-and-7, the offense goes to a familiar look, a mesh concept designed to create separation underneath for receivers and yard-after-catch situations. This play is best against man defenses, or when teams bring pressure.
On the snap, Seattle pressures only four, and the offensive line does a good job picking up the slant to the right while Benson washes Hall upfield. This opens a void to the left, and reading the man defense, Mahomes takes off.
The trap was set.
Mahomes expects cornerback Devon Weatherspoon to run with Worthy, but at the last second, Weatherspoon steps up and forces Mahomes to slow up while the safety picks up Worthy from depth.
Mahomes retreats and tries to look downfield, but he is blindsided by Hall, who was hot in pursuit. The hit results in a strip, and Mahomes is lucky to get the ball back.
The Seahawks induced Mahomes into leaving the pocket early and were rewarded for the deception.
The bad offensive day continued for Kansas City, and toward the end of the game, the Chiefs sacrificed route runners to ensure that Mahomes could remain upright in the pocket.
Emmett Johnson and Travis Kelce both give help with chip blocks, delaying them off the line of scrimmage.
Seattle’s secondary plays the sticks, and all three Chiefs receivers stop their routes at the sticks, effectively taking themselves out of the play.
Mahomes steps up and fires a pass, but Kelce doesn’t expect it, and the ball flies off his chest, incomplete.
The bottom line
The Chiefs offense has issues, and third-down struggles highlighted them.
The strain of having two players lining up at tackle who weren’t in the conversation to start the season before camp remains, even with Benson playing well as a rookie.
Injuries to Tyquan Thornton and Rashee Rice have severely limited the downfield passing game, and with Walker and the run game stuffed early, the team quickly abandoned the run, especially when they fell behind on multiple possessions.
Not every defense the Chiefs face will be at the same caliber or speed as Seattle’s, but the team must find a solution to the problems they face on Sunday night.
As the trade deadline approaches, it will be worth watching whether the team goes after help at skill positions or adds depth along the offensive line.
