The Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in an unexpected position. They hold a 6-5 record following their victory over the Indianapolis Colts, yet their playoff berth remains far from assured. The team must finish the season strong for a chance to compete in January.
The win against the Indianapolis Colts was significant, but the problems remain evident. The offense currently lacks an explosive dimension, even with the returns of Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. One of the franchise’s former players has suggested that the scheme is ineffective and that too much responsibility is being placed on Patrick Mahomes.
Alex Smith Says the Chiefs Are Too Reliant on Patrick Mahomes
Alex Smith, who played with the Chiefs from 2013 to 2017 and had his best years under the leadership of Andy Reid, believes that the team is expecting too much from Mahomes and that the offense is “lacking details.”
“The offense really lacks details,” he said. “They’ve got to get things cleaned up. They rely way too much on Patrick creating offense, doing so many things out of rhythm.”
“They rely way too much on Patrick [Mahomes] creating offense.”
—Alex Smith on the Chiefs “lacking details” in their offense 😳 pic.twitter.com/tScvMPN5RW
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 23, 2025
The Chiefs are already guaranteed to end the regular season with a worse campaign than in 2024. Their five losses are problematic because the Denver Broncos are tied for the best record in the AFC. The Chiefs, who have won the division every season since 2016, are all but guaranteed to see the end of that streak.
The offense is not the biggest factor in the drop-off. Despite what looks like a down year for Mahomes, he continues to operate at a high level. One of the problems is the running game, which is struggling to create big plays. But the offense still earns a B grade from PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric.
The problem lies on the other side of the ball. Since Steve Spagnuolo took over, the Chiefs have been known for having one of the best defenses in the league. But there has been a drop-off in 2025: They have only a C+ grade in PFSN’s Defense Impact metric. This is uncommon for a defense led by Spagnuolo.
The win over the Colts was significant. Patrick Mahomes threw for 352 yards against one of the most consistent defenses in the league. The Chiefs were down 20-9 at one point but managed to come back in overtime and snatch a win. With the division seemingly out of reach, the wild-card race got even more interesting.
