Can Patrick Mahomes keep the Chiefs' weaponless offense alive?

The Kansas City Chiefs are off to a rare 0-2 start in 2025 and the optics are grim.

With star receiver Rashee Rice suspended for the first six games of the season, Xavier Worthy recovering from a shoulder injury suffered in Week 1 and Travis Kelce no longer reliably producing at the level that once made him a matchup nightmare, Patrick Mahomes is being asked to do far more than drop back and fire. The Chiefs need him to single-handedly keep their offense afloat.

Rice’s six-game suspension was confirmed by the NFL in early August, following his guilty plea in a 2024 car-crash incident. His is also coming off an ACL tear that ruled him out for most of last season, so even after he returns there might be some rust to shake off.

Meanwhile, Worthy injured his shoulder in the season opener in Sao Paulo after a collision with Kelce and was ruled out for Week 2.

What’s more, Kelce – who flubbed an end zone catch to cough up an interception in the Week 2 loss to the Eagles – looks far from his former best at age 35, the offensive line has shown little improvement from last year’s maligned performances and Kansas City’s running attack has been almost non-existent.

Non-existent, that is, but for the fact Mahomes is the Chiefs’ leading rusher through two games, with 123 ground yards and a rushing touchdown – an alarming statistic in itself. That the franchise quarterback is already ahead of his running back room in ground yardage is not just a curious stat – it’s a cry for help.

On the passing side versus Philadelphia in Week 2, Mahomes completed 16 of 29 passes for 187 yards, one touchdown and the aforementioned interception that ought to have been a score for Kelce. He also scrambled for 66 yards and ran in a touchdown on the ground.

Week 3 brings a prime opportunity for redemption. The Chiefs hit the road to face the New York Giants, also 0-2, in a Sunday Night Football match-up.

On paper, this should be a chance for Kansas City to get back on track. But the Giants’ pass rush is one of the league’s most threatening units. Defensive end Brian Burns already has three sacks, superstar defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence anchors their interior and Kayvon Thibodeaux and No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter bring edge pressure.

So all Mahomes has to do is dodge a devastating pass rush with minimal help from his blockers, ignite a passing game bereft of top receiving talent and make up for the absence of a respectable rushing unit by carrying the ground game on his shoulder.

That’s a big ask, even for a two-time MVP.

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