Chiefs-Bills: 5 things we learned in Week 11 loss

Heading into the Week 11 matchup towards the Buffalo Payments, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs had not defeated them within the common season since 2020. That streak continued on Sunday. Proper out of the gate, Kansas Metropolis struggled to make performs, falling to 9-1 with a 30-21 loss.

Listed here are 5 issues we realized.

1. Patrick Mahomes doesn’t all the time should be the hero

On the primary play of the sport, the Chiefs picked up seven yards. On the second play, quarterback Patrick Mahomes tried to throw a move as he was being tackled — and was intercepted.

It’s true: he’s made performs like this earlier than. He’ll in all probability make performs like this one many extra occasions earlier than his profession ends.

However situational context issues.

It was second-and-3 on the workforce’s opening drive. You possibly can afford to take a sack. You possibly can afford for the drive to stall and punt the ball away. You’ll reside to struggle one other down.

What you possibly can’t do is flip the ball over at midfield and make your protection defend a brief area proper out of the gate. Mahomes has to know higher than this.

There’s a time and place for Mahomes to play hero ball — to make a play by any means obligatory. This was not a type of occasions.

2. The Chiefs protection doesn’t have the personnel it wants

The Kansas Metropolis protection needs to deliver strain by blitzing the quarterback from unique and unpredictable locations. This implies there will probably be many conditions the place outdoors cornerbacks are left in man protection towards broad receivers — or that gamers who don’t usually drop into protection will probably be requested to take action.

On Sunday, nevertheless, we noticed that this model of the Chiefs’ protection doesn’t have the personnel to play that manner towards a contending workforce. A participant like cornerback Nazeeh Johnson is a legal responsibility when enjoying man protection on the skin. Because the workforce has been brief on cornerbacks in current weeks, Kansas Metropolis been compelled to play security Chamarri Conner within the slot. He’s not athletic sufficient to play man protection for a big share of a recreation’s snaps.

This isn’t a state of affairs the place defensive coordinator Steve Spagnualo doesn’t know methods to repair the issue. It’s simply that he doesn’t have the gamers he wants. An absence of high-end depth at cornerback has come again to chew his protection.

3. The best way to beat the Chiefs may be is to play just like the Chiefs

The Payments have been taking notes final week when the Denver Broncos’ protection discovered methods to cease the Chiefs’ offense. Buffalo dedicated to taking away tight finish Travis Kelce and broad receiver DeAndre Hopkins — and pressured Mahomes sufficient to make him uncomfortable within the pocket.

This made the opening drive’s interception an excellent larger problem. Since Kansas Metropolis was enjoying from behind, it made the Payments’ technique much more efficient. The Chiefs needed to throw the ball extra usually — however for his gamers to come back open, Mahomes needed to maintain onto the ball longer than he wished. That left him extra weak to Buffalo’s move rush.

Kansas Metropolis continues to be the league’s finest workforce. However when it’s enjoying a contending workforce, the margin for error is simply too small for the Chiefs’ finest receivers to be erased.

4. That is in all probability as unhealthy as issues will get

Whereas accidents have been one of many season’s main narratives, variety of reinforcements are on the best way. Broad receiver Juju Smith-Schuster has returned. Operating again Isiah Pacheco and defensive finish Charles Omenihu have each been designated to return from the Reserve/Injured checklist.

It stays to be seen if any of the Chiefs’ different injured gamers will return in time for the postseason — however even when they don’t, these three gamers ought to be capable of make a distinction.

In addition to… we all know Kansas Metropolis doesn’t present all of its playing cards to groups it might see once more — and from right here on out, Buffalo is the perfect AFC workforce the Chiefs will face.

If you roll all of this up right into a soccer burrito, this might simply be as unhealthy because it will get.

5. The sky just isn’t falling

Don’t fret like Rooster Little. A 12 months in the past, the Chiefs have been in a way more tough state of affairs. That workforce nonetheless went on to win the Tremendous Bowl.

Kansas Metropolis misplaced a highway recreation to an excellent Buffalo workforce. The protection did not get off the sector on third down. One of the best offensive gamers made essential errors they should right.

I don’t assume these are points that may matter as a lot towards lesser groups — and as soon as the Chiefs get into the playoffs, the gloves will come off.

Every thing goes to be okay.