The Kansas City Chiefs‘ Super Bowl hopes have come under fresh scrutiny after they dropped to seventh spot in the Week 8 power ranking after their first loss. As Patrick Mahomes was unable to find the end zone in the 20-3 crushing defeat against the Seattle Seahawks, questions about Kansas City’s championship caliber have grown louder.
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2x Super Bowl Champion Asante Samuel shared his doubts on X, “Are the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl-bound, or are they overrated? The next five weeks should tell the story. I think Mahomes is on a decline.”
Samuel’s comments have put Mahomes under scrutiny after one of the Chiefs’ most unproductive offensive performances in recent years. While the Kansas City Chiefs have established themselves as Super Bowl contenders under Patrick Mahomes and HC Andy Reid, their defeat against reigning champs, the Seattle Seahawks, has raised questions about their ability to maintain that standard.
Seattle had a glorious win at Lumen Field after holding the Chiefs to just 213 total yards and 11 first downs. Chiefs finished with only three points, their fewest in a game started by Mahomes since the 2021 season. Mahomes completed 19 of 33 passes for 165 yards, scored zero TDs, and was intercepted once.
Seahawks pressured the quarterback and limited his chances of making explosive plays. Chiefs also failed to reach the red zone, a damaging record for an offense known for generating high-scoring opportunities through its quarterback. But Mahomes was not the only one struggling.
The offense as a whole failed to establish a rhythm, while the running game also found little room to operate. Kenneth Walker III, who had been the Chiefs’ leading rusher, recorded just 36 yards on 14 carries against his former team.
Kansas City had a chance to score early, moving into Seahawks territory on its opening possessions, but failed to turn those drives into points. Harrison Butker missed a 58-yard field goal attempt at the end of the first half. He also tried from 50 yards in the third quarter and later missed a 45-yard attempt, which held the Chiefs back.
The struggle turned even more frustrating when Mahomes led an 11-play drive into Seattle territory in the fourth quarter. The possession ended without points after Butker missed another field goal, ending Kansas City’s hopes of making a comeback.
While Seattle’s defense controlled the game, the offense did enough to maintain the lead. They dominated possession, holding the ball for 35 minutes and 51 seconds compared to the Chiefs’ 24 minutes and nine seconds.
The Seahawks converted 11 of 16 third-down attempts, sustaining drives and keeping Mahomes on the sideline. They limited the Chiefs to 213 yards while generating 410 of their own. The performance gave the Chiefs plenty to address.
Mahomes will need to improve his passing production, while Reid must find ways to help the offense make drives and create explosive plays.
“After watching the film, I think I should have more confidence. I moved sometimes when I didn’t necessarily have to, moved myself into pressure. I created some of those pressures,” Mahomes said, per Sleeper Chiefs on X. “I have to have confidence those guys are going to hold up.”
Samuel believes the next five weeks will determine if the Chiefs are capable of making another Super Bowl run. Those games will give the quarterback an opportunity to respond to the criticism and prove that the Seattle defeat was a temporary setback and not a decline.
Mahomes has always silenced the doubters throughout his career, but after Seattle exposed the offense’s weakness, his response over the coming weeks can prove crucial to the Chiefs’ championship goals.