On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs sent a message to the rest of the league: their offense might be the deepest it’s been in years — and that’s a scary thought for a team orchestrated by quarterback Patrick
Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid. The team’s 31-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7 wasn’t fueled by one specific player but by a collective effort that showcased just how versatile this group can be.
Mahomes completed passes to nine different players. Wide receiver Rashee Rice, making his long-awaited return, led the way with seven catches for 42 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Xavier Worthy chipped in 35 yards on three receptions, and wide receiver Hollywood Brown found the end zone on one of his two catches. Meanwhile, players like wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and wide receiver Tyquan Thornton added timely plays of their own that kept the offense humming.
For Reid, that balance is exactly what he envisioned.
“They all contributed in that game,” Reid said before Thursday’s practice. “You’ve got Thornton — who also stepped up over the last few weeks — and then JuJu (Smith-Schuster) is in the mix. So you’ve got a load of guys here. We try to keep them all going, so you can throw fastballs out there the best way you can.”
The strategy worked. Kansas City rolled up 434 yards of total offense — and at times, it felt like Mahomes could throw to anyone he wanted. The superstar quarterback says it’s that unpredictability that gives the offense a unique advantage.
“You don’t know where it’s going to come from,” Mahomes said. “That’s a luxury for us. You want to keep defenses guessing, and all these guys are going to get a lot of catches. They’re going to have their moment, but they’ll be ready to go whenever that moment comes.”
A key part of that offensive rhythm was Rice, who returned after missing time due to injury and suspension. He played in 33 of the team’s 81 offensive snaps — a workload that Reid planned carefully.
“We set out to get him 40% [of snaps] — or around that area,” Reid explained. “It came out to 41% just the way it worked out. He didn’t play the fourth quarter, and he probably wanted to. I think you increase it from there — and you keep it increasing.”
Even in limited action, Rice looked sharp. His ability to win routes and finish plays near the goal line gives Mahomes the kind of reliability that can anchor the passing game. His two-touchdown performance served as a reminder that when he’s right physically and mentally, he’s one of Kansas City’s most dependable weapons.
“He came out feeling good, so that was a positive,” Reid said about Rice. “Now, he gets another week of practice under his belt, and I think he keeps his numbers going up.”
The variety in the Chiefs’ offense has been years in the making. Since the departure of wide receiver Tyreek Hill, Kansas City has experimented with different combinations of receivers — searching for the right mix of explosiveness, consistency and chemistry. With all their weapons finally available at the same time, Sunday’s win suggested they might finally have it.
Still, even after a dominant performance, Mahomes was quick to remind everyone that the team isn’t satisfied.
“Every game you can look and find things that you can be better at,” Mahomes noted. “For us, I think it’s just looking at those plays where we didn’t execute at the level that we wanted to. We were able to cover that up with some other big plays in certain drives, but at the same time, you learn from the mistakes that you made throughout the game. You see what you did well and try to maximize that as well. It’s a steady building process that we have to continue to get better.”
A blowout like Sunday’s can be a confidence booster, but Mahomes and Reid both know the next challenge will come fast. As defenses adjust, it’ll be up to Kansas City to keep evolving while maintaining the same unselfish energy that made the Raiders game so dominant.
The scariest part for opponents might be that this offense still doesn’t feel like it’s reached its ceiling. If that’s true, the Chiefs’ receiver room — once considered a question mark — might soon be the team’s biggest strength.
“In this league, defenses adjust and challenge you to be even better, so we’ll continue to build,” Mahomes said. “I feel like we still have a long way to go, and we’re just kind of hitting our stride. Let’s continue to get better as the season goes on.”
