The Kansas City Chiefs have not won a game in Arrowhead Stadium since they beat the Los Angeles Charges on Oct. 22, a team that has since fired their head coach.
The two-month home win drought comes as a result of losses to solid competition. The most recent loss to their division rival Las Vegas Raiders is the most unexpected. The Raiders were the only team with a losing record going into the game against the Chiefs.
One of the other losses came against the former NFC-frontrunners in the Philadelphia Eagles. The other loss came against the playoff spot-hunting Buffalo Bills. They technically won a home game agains the Miami Dolphins, but the game was overseas and therefore not at Arrowhead Stadium.
The loss will officially get rid of quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ 12-win floor. It also made the Chiefs the worst in the NFL when it comes to turnover margin (-10).
The Christmas Day loss to the Raiders is not sitting well with fans of the Kansas City Chiefs. Many are blaming the relationship between tight end Travis Kelce and pop star Taylor Swift as a reason for the Dysfunction in Kansas City.
Travis Kelce spiking his helmet, Mahomes screaming about the refs.
The Kansas City Chiefs are emotionally unraveling. pic.twitter.com/2DrpF9RMdX
— Savage (@SavageSports_) December 26, 2023
NFL greats Keyshawn Johnson and Michael Irvin say that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s antics are “a lot” and are contributing to the Kansas City Chiefs’ recent losses on the field. The Chiefs are America’s 2024 warning. Don’t take anything Taylor Swift says seriously. pic.twitter.com/PptCgsNc9a
— Charles R Downs (@TheCharlesDowns) December 26, 2023
Taylor Swift has destroyed the Kansas City Chiefs!
I love it 🤣🤣🤣— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) December 25, 2023
The Kansas City Chiefs were never this dysfunctional until they began worshipping that pop artist. No hate, just an observation. 🤷🏾♂️ pic.twitter.com/7WpBLctw4T
— GOWIE (@DaKidGowie) December 25, 2023
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is having a down year
The Christmas Day matchup with the Raiders saw Mahomes heavily involved in two defensive touchdowns. One came on a vintage head coach Andy Reid trick play that resulted in a miscommunication and fumble resulting in a scoop-and-score. Without knowing the intention of the play design, it is impossible to tell who is at fault.
Before the INT #Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco fumbles the ball and DL Bilal Nichols takes back the fumble recovery 8-Yards for the Touchdown!#Raiders– 9
2Q#Chiefs– 7#ChiefsKingdom #RaiderNation
— SportsCastProductions (@SportsCastProd0) December 25, 2023
The other defensive touchdown came as a result of a pick-six. Mahomes threw the ball to the sideline and the route was jumped by Raiders defensive back Jack Jones. Jones stared Mahomes down as he trotted into the end zone untouched. Jones now has a pick-six in two consecutive weeks.
Jack Jones has a pick-six in two straight weeks 😮
📺: #LVvsKC on CBS/NICK
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/2Mgsj0ajbL pic.twitter.com/zc1Gpbs51t— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2023
The game against the Raiders saw Kansas City put up just 14 points, seven of which came as the Chiefs were down 20-7 with just over two minutes left in the game. This is the fewest points the Chiefs have put up this season, and the fifth-fewest points the Chiefs have scored during a game in which Mahomes started.
Mahomes has a career-high in interceptions this year with 14, and there are still two games left to play. Mahomes has career-lows in passer rating and QBR (excluding his rookie year when he was a backup), with 91.7 and 63.1, respectively.
Excluding his rookie year and the 2019 season where he only played 14 game, Mahomes is on pace for the fewest passing yards and the fewest passing touchdowns in his career. He needs over 800 yards in his last two games to reach the 4,740 yard mark he posted in the 2020 season. He needs 11 touchdowns in that same span to reach his 37 touchdown mark of the 2021 season.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is also having a down year
Star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs Travis Kelce is in the midst of a frustrating year. Frustrations boiled over against the Raiders as Kelce has been unable to produce like he has in years past. Head coach Andy Reid talked him down, but tensions remain.
Andy Reid and Travis Kelce talking it out pic.twitter.com/TMD9Vpb8RV
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 25, 2023
In a Bleacher Report article, Reid explained what he thought of Kelce’s outburst.
“He went back in and did a nice job. Things happen. Emotional game,” Reid said. “Travis is emotional, and sometimes my red hair gets to me a little bit. But it all works out.”
Kelce is on pace for 1,000 yards, but his five touchdowns are shaping up to be the lowest amount he’s had since 2019. Kelce is aging and the Chiefs do not have as much talent surrounding Kelce, which allows defenses to key in on him more than they have in the past.
Kelce only has two games with over 100 yards this season. He has no games with multiple touchdowns. Kelce failed to reach 50 yards receiving five times this season.
Kelce and the Chiefs will still likely have a chance in the playoffs, but their ability to make a deep run like they have in the past remains questionable.
Get More NFL and College Football Content
For more news and trends in the college football world, click here or follow me on Twitter @KusleikaAndrew.