Patrick Mahomes Admits Harsh Truth About Chiefs Offense Despite Beating Texans

Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to an impressive victory over the Houston Texans, never relinquishing an early 3-0 lead en route to a 23-14 victory that ensured the AFC Championship will once again be played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Despite the relatively clean victory, not everything was perfect. The offense was clearly rusty after nearly a month off and Mahomes threw for just 177 yards and one TD while taking three sacks.

There was a lot to feel good about but even Mahomes knows this type of effort won’t win next week. Speaking to the media after the win, Mahomes declared what needs to happen to ensure this team’s bid for a three-peat marches on.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes says they need to find ways to get WRs Hollywood Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, and JuJu Smith-Schuster involved in the AFC Championship Game if they’re to achieve their ultimate goal.

— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) January 19, 2025

Remarkably, only four Chiefs caught a pass. Travis Kelce had seven catches for 117 yards and a TD, Xavier Worthy caught five for 45, Noah Gray had three for 13, and Kareem Hunt had a single catch for two final yards.

Hollywood Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, and JuJu Smith-Schuster all finished without a single reception. They only earned a combined four targets, and it seemed that Mahomes was locking in on Kelce once it became clear that the offensive line would struggle.

The Texans kept Mahomes under duress all day long, preventing Kansas City from running its true offense. Combine the pressure with the rust and it’s obvious why the Chiefs were out of sync offensively. That won’t work against the Baltimore Ravens or Buffalo Bills, so the Chiefs need to spend this week focusing on further diversifying their passing attack to keep defenses on their toes.

Thanks to a phenomenal defensive performance led by George Karlaftis’ three sacks, Kansas City’s issues on offense didn’t matter. Mahomes and the Chiefs know what they need to do for better results next week. Now, it’s all about executing.

As things stand, the Chiefs have the best odds to win the Super Bowl (+230) at FanDuel Sportsbook, indicating this is still their ring to lose.