Patrick Mahomes Under Fire as Chiefs’ Offense Crumbles With Four Major Flaws

The Kansas City Chiefs are facing an unfamiliar reality: an 0-2 start to the 2025 season and an offense that, so far, just doesn’t resemble the well-oiled machine fans have grown used to with Patrick Mahomes at the helm.

Let’s be clear — the defense is holding up its end. The issue lies with the offense. And for a team built on explosive plays and surgical drives, that’s a major problem.

On Friday, NFL analyst Colin Cowherd broke down four key reasons why Kansas City’s offense is sputtering:

1. A lack of a dependable running back

This isn’t just one crack in the armor — it’s structural.

The WR room is at the heart of the issue. Rashee Rice is serving a six-game suspension. Xavier Worthy, who flashed real promise last season, is sidelined with injury. Without their top two reliable targets, Mahomes looks hamstrung.

Right now, Hollywood Brown leads the team in receiving yards with 129 — and zero touchdowns. That tells the story. Other WRs have scored, but none have stepped up as true difference-makers. The chemistry just isn’t there.

The backfield hasn’t helped either. In fact, Mahomes himself is leading the team in rushing after two games. That’s not the plan — not when Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are on the roster. But neither has been featured in a meaningful way, leaving the ground game a rumor more than a reality.

Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy emphasized the “next man up” mentality this week:

“What I love about Coach Reid is what he instills in his players and coaches — we stay away from excuses about personnel. When there are issues or a suspension or whatever, we’ve got to roll. That’s who we have.”

It’s a mindset that’s served the Chiefs well before. But right now, it’s not producing results. Without Rice and Worthy, the passing attack feels hollow, and the offense is carrying the weight of that drop-off.

The good news? It’s still early. Mahomes is too talented, and Andy Reid is too sharp an offensive mind, for this slump to last forever. But the margin for error is shrinking.

The Chiefs need someone — or several someones — to step up soon. Their next chance comes Sunday night against the New York Giants. For Kansas City, it’s more than just Week 3. It’s a chance to reclaim their identity and remind the NFL that the Chiefs may stumble, but they never stay down for long.