Kansas City rolled into the Pacific Northwest for a preseason clash, but the vibes didn’t exactly scream “Super Bowl champs.” Andy Reid played it safe, resting Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, and several other stars. That decision, though, left the Chiefs exposed as Seattle put on a show in the first half at Lumen Field, handing the City of Fountains a reality check before the season even begins.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks piled up stats like they were mid-season ready. They racked up 309 yards to Kansas City’s 104, cruising to a 16-point halftime lead. Even Mahomes, watching from the sideline, admitted the team’s spark was missing. “We just needed to pick our energy up in general,” Mahomes said during an in-game interview. “We’re not playing the football that we wanted to play coming out here. Obviously, there’s weather and stuff like that, but we’ve got to play at a higher energy, and I think the coaches emphasized that at halftime.” For Chiefdom, it was clear — energy wasn’t optional, it was necessary.

Then came the one flash of brilliance. Kansas City opened the second half with a field goal, but the night stayed ugly until Skyy Moore flipped the script with an 88-yard punt return touchdown. His speed and vision finally lit up the sideline in a dreary 33-16 loss. Still, the return couldn’t erase his earlier miscues — a pair of drops and a muffled kickoff that ended in a touchback. For a second-round pick, this outing felt like a rollercoaster.

Afterward, Reid didn’t hold back when assessing Moore’s night. “He had a couple of drops, that’s not like him. He’s a lot better than that,” Andy Reid said. “So he had the three kind of bobbles and drops in special teams and with throws, and he came back with a big play. So, I’m proud of him for that. It wasn’t his best night up to that point.” In other words, Reid praised the highlight but made sure to underline the struggles.

Still, teammates weren’t about to let Moore sink. As beat reporter Jesse Newell shared, Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco stepped in before his game-changing return. “You take this back to the house, and nobody will remember none of that,” they told him. Moore delivered, sprinting 88 yards for six. But as the Silver and Red faithful look ahead, the early warning signs are clear — Reid’s got work to do before the Chiefs march back into Arrowhead Stadium for the games that actually count.

Early red flags appear for Andy Reid’s Chiefs

Andy Reid always remains cool. When asked if the Chiefs’ Super Bowl window was shrinking, he simply said, “I don’t care about the noise. Let’s go win the game.” It was vintage Reid — calm, confident, and locked in on the bigger picture. Yet beneath that cool response, the noise he’s ignoring may not come from critics or analysts this time. Instead, it’s the troubling wave of Chiefs players limping off the field, turning injuries into the real storyline.

But that reality hit again against the Seahawks. The Chiefs confirmed veteran safety Mike Edwards ended his night with a hamstring injury, the latest addition to a list already far too long. And he wasn’t the only casualty. Kansas City watched more names exit, extending a frustrating theme that has defined much of this preseason.

With every setback, depth gets tested before September even arrives. For a secondary built on familiarity and cohesion, each absence cracks the very foundation Reid depends on. The “early warning signs” he’d prefer to avoid are flashing all over Arrowhead.

Moreover, dismissing these setbacks as “just preseason” doesn’t erase the bigger concern. The sheer frequency of them forces the question of durability when the grind of a Super Bowl chase truly begins. Losing players is one thing. But losing timing, rhythm, and chemistry in August? That’s another problem entirely. And they also have to return to their full power as soon as possible.

Finally, what was supposed to be another fine-tuning rehearsal for Week 1 instead became a brutal reminder. Momentum can vanish quickly when availability turns into the opponent. The score didn’t matter as much as the attrition. That’s the harsh truth for Chiefdom—the Chiefs aren’t battling outside doubt right now, but inside survival.