When the Kansas City Chiefs started the season 1-2, many were quick to question the holding abilities of the reigning AFC champions, including NBC News.
So, in the interest of fairness, it’s worth noting: As of Week 4, the Chiefs’ offense is finally starting to look like what it did during the heights of their dynastic career. And that should terrify the rest of the league.
Entering Week 8, Kansas City ranked sixth in points per game, which would be the team’s best mark since 2022, when it finished first in scoring. Before this week’s slate of games, the Chiefs were fifth in yards per game, also its best since 2022.
After finishing near the middle of the pack in both scoring and yards a year ago, Kansas City is starting to heat up. Patrick Mahomes has his best passer rating since 2022 and is also on pace for his most passing touchdowns since that season. The Chiefs have also scored at least 28 points in each of their last four games, the first time they have done so since 2021.
“We have a lot of weapons. We have a lot of guys and they all love each other and want each other to succeed,” Mahomes said after a 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7. “We want to be better than we are now, but this was a good step in the right direction.”
A big reason for Kansas City’s success has been the improved play of its pass catchers.
Even though the Chiefs spent the fifth-lowest amount on their receivers this year, that group has begun to exceed expectations. According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, through the first three weeks of the season, only 46% of Kansas City’s passes were thrown to wide receivers. As of Week 4, that number increased to 62.7% after the win over the Raiders, the best mark in the NFL.
Against Las Vegas, the Chiefs received another boost with the return of receiver Rashee Rice, who missed the first six games of the season due to a suspension resulting from an arrest in April 2024.
Rice, a second-round pick in 2023, was sensational as a rookie, catching 79 passes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. But he played only four games last year before undergoing season-ending knee surgery.
In his first action of the season in Week 7, Rice had seven receptions for 42 yards and two touchdowns.
“I thought the whole receiver team did a good job, but it was great to have him back,” head coach Andy Reid said after the Raiders’ victory. “The energy he brings is just tremendous.”
If the recent offensive surge is sustainable, then Kansas City is a much more dangerous team than it showed earlier in the season. The defense has been spectacular in its own right, ranking fourth in total yards allowed and third in points per game allowed entering Week 8.
Although the Chiefs would only be in seventh place in the AFC with a win over the Washington Commanders on Monday, they appear to be peaking as we enter the second half of the NFL season.
“We’re going to get more and more in sync with having a full arsenal,” tight end Travis Kelce said after Rice’s return in Week 7. “As long as we continue to play unselfishly and get excited about each other, the sky’s the limit for this group.”
