For the first time in the '26 campaign, the Kansas City Chiefs looked like their old selves. No, we're not referring to the dynastic stretch of dominant play that saw the team play in five of six Super Bowls (with three titles). Instead, we're talking about the 6-11 team last season that looked inept in pretty much every facet of the game.
The Chiefs lost to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football by a final score of 20-3, but anyone who watched the game would admit the deficit felt twice as large. The offense couldn't move the chains. The defense couldn't get off the field. Field goals were missed. It was embarrassing, and some of the night's biggest culprits were the team's superstars.
The Chiefs can only hope Week 7 was anomaly after starting the year with a 5-0 perfect record. But this team has serious questions to answer in the face of significant injuries and a lifeless showing in primetime. There's a lot to parse out over the next few days, but our immediate takeaways can be found here.
Mahomes isn't enough to overcome these injuries
Patrick Mahomes is normally the tide that raises all boats in the Chiefs offense—at least that's how it was for years. But 2025 showed us that even a legend has limits, and the dearth of talent at the skill positions and offensive tackle made even a Mahomes-led offense look rather uninspired. On Sunday, the Chiefs were down both starting tackles as well as their top two wide receivers, and the offense looked like it. Mahomes played as if he was worried about pressure from the moment the ball was snapped—and even Creed Humphrey's snaps were problematic. Seattle absolutely owned the Chiefs up front, and Mahomes paid the price all night.
Kenneth Walker isn't superhuman
Kenneth Walker has been a godsend for the Chiefs offense so far this year, and one game doesn't change that. But anyone who watched his return to Seattle saw one of the NFL's best defenses key in on him in ways that no other team can. And, looking back to what we said above about wide receiver injuries, the inability of anyone else to challenge the defense, to stretch them in any direction, neutered Walker's ability to churn out a big gain or two. Seattle's tackling is second-to-none, and the entire unit flies to the ball with strong instincts and great angles. Walker is a brilliant weapon, but he's not superhuman, and his first pedestrian game (14 carries for 36 rushing yards) for K.C. proved as much.
The Chiefs are putting too much on L'Jarius Sneed
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is going to get his. The NFL's reigning Offensive Player of the Year makes every defense look silly a few times per game, so no one should be surprised or even all that upset at a field-flipping catch or two. But what was egregious was watching how unfit L'Jarius Sneed looked when trying to cover him on third downs. The Seahawks went 7-of-9 on third downs in the first half (and 11-of-16 overall), and most of that was due to Sneed's coverage deficiencies after years of knee and quad injuries. The Chiefs have to stop asking more of Sneed than he can handle, because it wasn't just JSN getting the best of him.
Harrison Butker lacks the juice
No one can take away Harrison Butker's clutch moments. The man was a hero for a dynasty. He'll never have to buy a drink in Kansas City ever again. But his performance so far this season shows that the strength and the accuracy are both in question at this point—in an era where NFL kickers are making 50-yarders like they're modest attempts. While Butker was able to make a 50-yard FG in the second half to put some points on the board—finally—his 58-yard attempt in the first half fell woefully short, and a 45-yarder in the fourth quarter was wide right. Butker's done as much harm as good in 2026, which is not at all what you want from a specialist.
Too quick to crown the pass rush
The Chiefs went three consecutive weeks without a sack before finding success against Justin Herbert and the Chargers in Week 6, with four sacks and plenty of pressure in a 22-6 win last Sunday. But perhaps a team that was missing several starters up front wasn't a real litmus test for the Chiefs' pass rush. Sam Darnold enjoyed a clean pocket for most of the night, and on the rare occasion he had to scramble for daylight, he was able to eke out enough yards for one first down after another. Chris Jones looked slow and even disinterested. It felt like a step back for younger players who'd improved this season. Seattle won the battle in the trenches all night long.
The offense needs another playmaker
This is partially a repeat of the first two points we've covered, but the NFL's trade deadline is November 10, which means Brett Veach has just a couple of weeks left to find some help in a wide receiver room that is severely limited at this juncture. Tyquan Thornton might not return this year after injuring his ankle. Rashee Rice is likely back soon from a hamstring injury, but availability is always a concern with him. The Chiefs have to raise the floor in that room considerably, even if it means taking a big swing at the position. Otherwise, the sputtering offense of Week 7 will be seen again in future games against contending teams.
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