The Kansas City Chiefs lost a heartbreaking, back-and-forth game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. The game was crucial for KC's playoff chances, and the Chiefs came up just short. They ultimately couldn't stop the Cowboys’ elite wideouts, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Rashee Rice was KC's only offensive weapon who kept pace with the Dallas wideouts, but a key drop in the fourth quarter killed a drive that could have potentially tied the game.
It may seem unfair to criticize Rice for one drop on a day when he had 8 receptions for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was KC's only standout offensive weapon on the day. However, with 36-year-old Travis Kelce doing the best he can to extend his Hall of Fame career and KC's other weapons being clear “role players” as opposed to difference makers, the Chiefs need Rashee Rice to not just be their best playmaker—they need him to transcend into a true NFL superstar who makes that catch in the key moments of the game.
For those who missed it, the Chiefs had the ball down 7 points with about 10 minutes left in the game. They started the drive in a 1st-and-20 hole because of a Mike Caliendo holding penalty but got it down to 3rd-and-8. Mahomes then hit Rice right in the hands on 3rd down, and Rice dropped the ball. The Chiefs had to punt, and Dallas answered with a field goal that put KC down double digits with a little over five minutes to go. The Chiefs did add another touchdown, but the defense couldn't get them the ball back and KC lost 31-28.
The Chiefs need Rashee Rice to become the dependable playmaker Patrick Mahomes can trust in key moments.
There is plenty of blame to go around, and a lot of players had worse games than Rice. The penalties were out of control, the play calling was frustrating, offensive linemen were dropping like flies, the coverage in the secondary was the worst it had been all season, and the pass rush was nonexistent. Those things are all true, but if a team is going to overcome their mistakes and weaknesses, it is usually because their star players step up and rise above the mess in key moments. We've seen Patrick Mahomes do it time and time again, but he needs help. He needed Rice to step up and be that guy with him in that moment.
On the Cowboys’ final drive with just over two minutes to go, Dallas had a 3rd-and-2 that would have forced them to kick a long field goal to go up just six points and give the Chiefs a chance to win the game. But George Pickens made the catch to seal the win for the Cowboys. Rice's stat line may look better than Pickens’ 6 catches for 88 yards and no touchdowns, but in the biggest moments in the fourth quarter, Pickens made the game-sealing catch and Rice dropped his chance to keep KC in the game.
Rashee Rice may still become a true superstar receiver in the NFL. Travis Kelce is probably the best pass-catching tight end in the history of the NFL, and he has had his fair share of drops in his career. So this drop by Rice should mean nothing in the long-term potential of his career. But in a season where the Chiefs have struggled to win close games, Patrick Mahomes desperately needs someone else to help him in the big moments, and Rice still isn’t quite reliable enough to be a lock in those situations.
This season seems to be slipping away from the Kansas City Chiefs, and there may be some hard questions that need to be answered this offseason. The Chiefs likely need to make some changes in order to get back to being a Super Bowl contender. Rashee Rice will definitely be a part of that future, but the question is whether his role will be that of a “very good” offensive weapon or that of a true NFL superstar the team can count on to carry them to championships. He has put himself in a position where the latter is possible, and that's great, but now he needs to deliver in the biggest moments and prove he is the man.