Why the Kansas City Chiefs need to shift their focus to the future

How do you help Patrick Mahomes get his mojo back?

When you have Patrick Mahomes, you have a chance to make the playoffs and your Super Bowl window is going to be open for a long time. However, it doesn’t mean that he’s not off his game right now. Do I think he’s broken? No. Do I think his time as an elite quarterback is over? Not. It’s just a matter of helping him get out of his head and comfortable again. So the final big question that the Chiefs need to focus on is what does he need to make that happen?

Will the Chiefs find that Mahomes is just more comfortable when can scramble to create rather than when he has to step up in the pocket? He hasn’t looked as comfortable this season and getting knocked out of this game after a big hit probably won’t help. If that’s the case, then Orlando Brown isn’t the left tackle that you sign long-term. You have to find another elite athlete who can keep up with outside speed rushers.

Does he need a reliable possession receiver he can turn to if teams are going to take away the deep ball and double team Kelce? If so then signing another dependable receiver has to be a top priority this offseason. Does he just need a competent defense that doesn’t allow touchdown after touchdown that makes him feel the pressure to be great every drive? Are the turnovers a product of the negative pressure from a struggling defense or is it about something missing on the offensive side? If so, that should set the team’s priorities going forward.

Mahomes gives this team real belief that they can win a Super Bowl every single year. We believed that coming into this season, but through seven games, it appears that there are too many issues for that to be a realistic outcome. So the focus of this team now needs to shift to what do we need to do to make sure that next season and every season for the next several years, it’s a realistic outcome. Until the Chiefs have answers to these big questions they are just spinning their wheels and wasting valuable time.

So what do you think Chiefs fans? Do you agree that this team needs to stop dreaming of a Super Bowl this season and focus on what they need to do to fix things long-term? Do you think they still have a real enough chance this season that they should just try and get by and see what happens if they get into the playoffs? I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below.