Most people didn't have the Kansas City Chiefs losing at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 1 to the Lions on their bingo cards. But with Travis Kelce and Chris Jones out for the reigning Super Bowl champions, they looked lost at times against the NFC North favorites.
The good news for Patrick Mahomes and the rest of Andy Reid's team is that the loss is just 1/17th of the season. There are 16 more games ahead of them and, as such, they have the chance to put that disastrous performance behind them and make it a distant memory. That starts on Sunday in Week 2 as they play the Jaguars in Jacksonville on Sunday afternoon.
If the Chiefs are going to avoid a dreaded 0-2 start and right the ship, though, these three players can't repeat the awful performances they put forth in the Week 1 loss to the Lions.
Chiefs who can't repeat Week 1 disaster, No. 3: Jawaan Taylor/Donovan Smith
Given that the Chiefs paid handsomely to replace Orlando Brown Jr. and Austin Wiley as their starting tackles from the 2022 season with the signings of Jawaan Taylor and veteran Donovan Smith, the team had to feel confident in the changes. After the loss to the Lions, however, they might not be feeling quite as strongly in that capacity.
Not only was Taylor tipping run/pass plays with his feet to the Lions defensive front (and possibly false-starting with alarming frequency) but he was also ineffective in every facet of the game. Even worse, Smith was on the same subpar level for the Chiefs at left tackle. Out of 64 tackles who qualified with enough snaps in Week 1, Taylor and Smith both ranked outside of the Top 50 in PFF's grading metrics (subscription required).
Even if Brown and Wiley weren't perfect players in Kansas City, they didn't put Mahomes under duress often at all and were effective enough to allow the Chiefs offense to operate at full capacity. Through one game, Taylor and Smith cannot say the same for their performances.
Though the Jaguars don't necessarily have the same level of player on the defensive front as the Lions threw at Kansas City, there is still plenty of talent, including 2022 No. 1 pick Travon Walker. And if the tackles don't step their games up for Week 2, it could result in more struggles for the offense moving forward.
Chiefs who can't repeat Week 1 disaster, No. 2: Isiah Pacheco
Because of the piling-on that was done with the Chiefs wide receivers after the Week 1 loss to the Lions, the fact that the run game was completely ineffective might've gone overlooked. Granted, part of that might have to do with the struggles of Smith and Taylor at tackle, but you also have to look at a player like Isiah Pacheco and certainly demand more from the second-year running back.
Pacheco led Kansas City in carries -- though it was only eight -- and didn't do much at all on the ground. He ended the loss with ust 23 yards rushing and a long run of a mere seven yards. That 2.9 yards per carry average is not ever going to be a positive factor to making this offense effective.
It should be noted that Pacheco did have a positive impact in the passing game, catching all four of his targets against Detroit for 31 yards. But even then, that's not the second-year player's game. He made his bones as a rookie last season as a tough, downhill runner who could open up the rushing attack for the Chiefs. If he's not doing that, his effectiveness to the offense is much more limited.
Again, part of the equation for Pacheco taking a step forward from a disastrous Week 1 is on the offensive line doing their job more effectively. At the same time, though, the running back needs to make more of the touches he gets to alleviate pressure on Mahomes and the pass-catchers by consistently picking up the chunks of yardage he's expected to when he gets a carry.
Chiefs who can't repeat Week 1 disaster, No. 1: Kadarius Toney
You could argue that Kadarius Toney had the worst performance we've ever seen from a wide receiver who wasn't benched and who, more pressingly, figured to be in line to become the Chiefs' No. 1 option with Kelce out.
Mahomes targeted the former Giant acquired at last year's trade deadline five times against the Lions. The results were one catch for one yard, a drop/tip that resulted in the Brian Branch pick-six, and numerous other drops that were drive-killers, especially with the room Toney had to operate with.
Toney missed the majority of the Chiefs training camp and preseason after suffering an injury during the first practice of camp to his knee. That rust was evident on the field, but it also doesn't help to dispel the narrative of Toney not living up to his tremendous physical talent on the field since he was drafted in the first round by the Giants.
With that said, Toney flashed impressively in moments at the end of last season once he arrived in Kansas City. The hope is certainly that he has shaken off of the rust and can be a much more potent weapon for the Chiefs offense.
If the same problems persist, however, there is a legitimate chance that Andy Reid and the Chiefs coaching staff come out of this game and seriously reevaluate the pecking order at wide reciever. And perhaps become inclined to make a move to improve the position group as well.
