KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs know they will be playing out the final three games of the season without Patrick Mahomes, who will soon undergo surgery to repair the torn left ACL that he sustained in a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers that eliminated them from playoff contention.
That much is clear.
The rest of the future is far more hazy for an organization that for the past decade has been playing well into January, and often into February, and then spent the offseason simply reinforcing a brilliant but suddenly aging core of star players.
Will Mahomes sufficiently recover by the start of next season? Will tight end Travis Kelce retire? And coach Andy Reid, for that matter? Will general manager Brett Veach finally hit on some skill position talent, especially in the early rounds of the draft? And can the Chiefs find someone — anyone — who is capable of pressuring the quarterback on an every-down basis?
“You know, I’m always optimistic about going forward,” Reid said Monday. “Brett Veach does a heck of a job with bringing in players. You can see now with the guys playing. And then it’s our responsibility on the coaching side of it, and the players taking responsibility on their end, and playing these three games, and whoever is here after to retool it.”
The finishing kick begins with a trip to lowly Tennessee on Sunday.
Kelce recently said he would inform the Chiefs on whether he plans to retire by early March, before the start of free agency, so they have a chance to plan accordingly. Role players such as wide receiver Marquise Brown, running back Isiah Pacheco, cornerback Jaylen Watson and safety Bryan Cook are pending free agents, and there are holes throughout the roster.
The most pressing needs are at wide receiver, where Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy have failed to take the next step into becoming a No. 1 target; running back, where Pacheco and Kareem Hunt have failed to provide any pop; and defensive end, where the Chiefs have struggled to generate a pass rush throughout the season.
Oh, and quarterback. They have nobody under contract besides Mahomes for next season.
“When you lose close games, you search for things,” Reid said, “because you want to fix it. And sometimes it’s a penalty here, it’s a turnover here. You get a variety of things. It’s always one little thing that determines close games, normally. And we’ve had our share of those, and you can’t have those. It could be the wrong play — calling the wrong play at the wrong time. We’ve all got a piece in this thing, and you’ve got to keep striving to fix it, and do what you have to do in the offseason.”
What’s working
The Chiefs were concerned about their rush defense at the onset of the season, but it has been quietly stellar. They held the Chargers to just 94 yards on 29 carries — a paltry 3.2 per attempt — and repeatedly gave their offense an opportunity with the ball.
What needs help
The offense. All of it. Imagine saying that five years ago. After years spent drafting at the end of Round 1, the Chiefs should be closer to the top 10, and that means a better opportunity to get an impact player to help an offense gone stagnant.
Stock up
WR Tyquan Thornton has earned more time on the field. He has been the Chiefs’ best big-play threat in the passing game, and the way he hauled in a long pass while taking a vicious shot late on Sunday underscored his desire to help Kansas City win.
Stock down
Rice had seven catches for just 57 yards, but he also had another drop and appeared to take several plays off. Then he refused to talk to reporters who wanted to ask him about the performance after the game, leaving his teammates to do it for him.
Injuries
Thornton (concussion protocol) and RT Jaylon Moore (knee) didn’t finish the game against the Chargers. … The Chiefs also had CB Trent McDuffie (knee), LT Wanya Morris (knee), Brown (personal) and RG Trey Smith (ankle) inactive.
Key number
10 — The number of consecutive years that Kansas City had qualified for the playoffs.
Next steps
The Chiefs visit the Titans for a meaningless game Sunday, unless you factor in draft positioning. Then they return home for a chance to play spoiler against AFC West-leading Denver on Christmas night. The finale is on the road against the Raiders.
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