Even with a strong 7-2 record, something has felt off about the Kansas City Chiefs as they seek to regain AFC West supremacy this season. To be candid, that weird feeling has mostly been connected to Patrick Mahomes.
Entering Sunday's matchup with the Atlanta Falcons, the three-time Super Bowl MVP led a glorified checkdown-and-power-running offense. Per Sumer Sports, Mahomes' average depth of target was 5.74, good for 54th in the NFL. His average yards per pass attempt was just 7.7, which isn't necessarily bad, but it's notable that Mahomes hasn't surpassed eight yards per pass attempt since 2022, when he won his most recent regular-season MVP award.
If Sunday was the first Chiefs game you have watched all season, you wouldn't think Mahomes and
Co. have had a problem throwing downfield at all. I guess that's what happens when you add a legitimate receiver like Josh Downs at the trade deadline to what is otherwise one of the NFL's most forgettable receiving depth charts. Mahomes was downright masterful against the Falcons, throwing five touchdown passes (with zero picks) for 348 yards with a 9.9 yards-per-pass-attempt average. Phew.
For all intents and purposes, he looked like his old self slinging deep bombs all over the field. That's scary news for the AFC's other Super Bowl contenders if Mahomes can keep this momentum going:
MAHOMES FIVE TOUCHDOWN PASSES 🔥 pic.twitter.com/G1ZClQomml
— NFL (@NFL) November 15, 2026
The Chiefs' lack of a consistent downfield element didn't and doesn't cost them against most NFL defenses, who don't have the horses to rally and tackle against well-coached offensive units. It does, however, become a major drawback against playoff-caliber defenses, as noted by Kansas City's road defeats to both the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos. Against talented defenses, it's problematic when you can't keep them honest.
I'm not going to pretend the Chiefs have solved all of their passing issues after a single dominant win over an injury-riddled Falcons defense. We'll have to see Mahomes do this against defenses much better equipped to slow him and the Chiefs down over the second half of the season. Downs himself also isn't that kind of speedy receiver, even though he did catch four passes for 53 yards and a score. Nonetheless, it's a great sign for Kansas City that Mahomes can still unleash a deep ball with the best of them. His uncanny ability to create and throw backbreaking lasers has been what's separated the Chiefs from most everyone else during the Mahomes era.
All the Chiefs had to do to see this version of him resurface was find another legitimate boundary pass target.
You're telling me quarterbacks need solid receivers to throw the ball how they want? Huh. Who would have thought?
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Patrick Mahomes needed 1 real NFL WR to look like his scary self again
