Kansas City Chiefs suffered a 28-21 defeat against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, November 2nd, a result that has raised concerns about their playoff aspirations. Head Coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes addressed the team’s performance following the loss, highlighting key areas for improvement.
Reid emphasized the need for defensive effectiveness and offensive scoring, stating, “Against a team like this, you got to get off the field defensively, and you got to be able to stay on the field offensively and score touchdowns, not field goals.” He acknowledged his own shortcomings, admitting, “I could’ve helped the guys out, and I didn’t do a very good job of that.” The Chiefs’ offense struggled on third downs, converting only three times on thirteen attempts.
The game was marred by a late-third down intentional grounding call by Mahomes. “I was trying to throw it closer to the guy down the field…Obviously, they didn’t see the ball get tipped, but that’s part of the game. You gotta move on from it,” Mahomes explained.
Mahomes himself acknowledged a lapse in his usual performance, completing 15 of 34 passes for 250 yards and an interception. The offensive line also struggled, contributing to breakdowns in protection. Right tackle Jawaan Taylor sustained a right ankle injury, a development that adds to the Chiefs’ concerns. “That’s the last thing a struggling O-line needed,” Reid remarked.
Despite flashes of brilliance, the Chiefs looked far from their peak form. The Bills significantly outgained Kansas City by 99 yards and held possession for nearly 10 minutes longer, securing seven more first downs.
Mahomes emphasized the urgency for increased consistency. “We’ve had great moments, we’ve had bad moments. We gotta be more consistent as a team. I gotta be more consistent at quarterback. We gotta learn from it fast,” he stated.
With a difficult schedule ahead, including a road game against the Denver Broncos, the Chiefs face a critical need to address their issues swiftly. The team heads into its bye week with a long list of problems and a short time to solve them before facing a Denver team with the best red-zone defense in the league.