Patrick Mahomes did not dress up how he felt after the Kansas City Chiefs’ first loss of the season. Speaking after a 20-3 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football, the quarterback went straight to the performance.
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“This sucks. You don’t want to perform like this in primetime. You’ve got to feel it on the plane ride home… You’ve got to see your mistakes… and try to play better… and find a way to win next week,” Mahomes said, per AtoZSports’ Charles Goldman.
The Chiefs walked into Lumen Field at 5-0. However, the undefeated heroes were humbled by the Seahawks, who left no stone unturned in this matchup. Mahomes looked nothing like the quarterback we know him to be, finishing 19 of 33 for 165 yards with no touchdowns. His interception made an already bad night worse.
This tone is not new for Mahomes. Even after the Chiefs’ overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts in September, he refused to get comfortable:
“We’re nowhere near where we want to be. You have to go out every week and have that mentality if you want to have success.”
Honestly, there was plenty to see on Sunday. The Chiefs were scoreless at halftime with only 96 yards, and they did not cross the Seahawks’ 40-yard line until late in the third quarter. They never reached the red zone. The Chiefs’ offense was simply snuffed out, as they could only keep the chains moving on three of their 11 third-down conversions.
Seattle was the opposite. The Seahawks outgained Kansas City 410 yards to 213 and converted 11 of 16 third downs. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had nine catches for 150 yards and a touchdown.
Sam Darnold made it look easy as he went 20 of 28 for 257 yards and a touchdown, and his only mistake was an interception in the end zone late in the first half. The Seahawks repeatedly attacked Kansas City’s slot coverage, and the Chiefs had no real answer.
The win pushed Seattle to 4-3 and back into the NFC West race after a shaky stretch. For the Chiefs, it was a harsh way to lose an unbeaten record.
Harrison Butker could not help, either. He missed a 58-yarder before halftime, and pushed a 45-yarder wide right in the fourth quarter, with Kansas City still down 13-3. Emanuel Wilson’s 21-yard touchdown run on the ensuing drive sealed a very easy win for Seattle.
The supporting cast made it harder. Rashee Rice (hamstring) and Tyquan Thornton (ankle) were both out. Josh Simmons is currently on injured reserve, and backup Kahlil Benson’s pass protection grade has dropped to 43.7, according to PFF. Jaylon Moore was also ruled out for the Seahawks clash.
So was this just one ugly night in primetime, or is the offense thinner than anyone wants to admit? Either way, the night carried another storyline for Chiefs fans in Seattle.
Kenneth Walker III’s Homecoming Was a Massive Upset
Walker spent his first four seasons with the Seahawks before joining Kansas City. He was the MVP of Super Bowl LX, when Seattle beat the New England Patriots 29-13, so his return to Lumen Field was hyped all week. Mahomes saw it coming and spoke about it before the game.
“I know it’s going to be a special moment for him… You get to go back to a place where you built your career and won a Super Bowl… at the end of the day, you’ve got to win a football game… He knows we’ve got his back.”
The Chiefs had plenty of reason to lean on Walker. He came in with 665 rushing yards and six touchdowns through his first five games in Kansas City.
But the Seattle Seahawks came prepared. Walker was shockingly restricted to 14 carries for only 36 yards. Until now, the lowest he had tallied was 70 yards against the Miami Dolphins.
The Seahawks have now held opposing running backs under 100 rushing yards for 36 straight games. Walker knew that defense better than anyone, and it still shut him down. The Dark Side defense really showed up against the Chiefs.
One loss after an unbeaten start is hardly a crisis. Still, Mahomes’ words clearly suggest he does not want it to become a trend, and Kansas City has to move on quickly. The Chiefs face the 5-2 Denver Broncos next, with the AFC West lead at stake.