KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs experienced yet another last-minute victory last Sunday, but it didn’t evoke the usual feelings of celebration. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes appeared composed and somewhat subdued after Spencer Shrader’s field goal secured a narrow 30-27 win against the Carolina Panthers. Along with teammates like Travis Kelce and Chris Jones, Mahomes simply walked to midfield for post-game handshakes before retreating to the locker room, a stark contrast to the joy they often display in such thrilling finishes.
This trend may be attributed to the mounting pressure at the conclusion of games; the Chiefs have now secured 12 consecutive victories decided by seven points or fewer, marking an NFL record. Out of these, five games this season have been settled in the final moments. Alternatively, the Chiefs might feel that their performance against the Panthers should have resulted in a more decisive victory.
With 10 penalties totaling 91 yards, the team’s discipline came under scrutiny. Additionally, their secondary faced challenges against Bryce Young, Carolina’s quarterback, who has shown recent improvement. Mahomes was also under duress, being sacked five times due to problematic performances by the offensive tackles.
“Blowout wins are preferable; it’s nice to feel at ease in the fourth quarter,” said Mahomes, who still managed an impressive performance, throwing for 269 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception. “However, these close games can be beneficial heading into the playoffs, as you gain experience managing critical moments. Personally, I would relish winning a game without the tension of the final play,” he added.
Despite the win, the Chiefs (10-1) maintained only a slim lead over the Buffalo Bills for the top spot in the AFC, particularly with the Bills holding the tiebreaker. “We’re focused on improvement, which is the essence of playing in the NFL,” Mahomes stated. “We need to analyze our performance against Carolina, especially with a short week ahead as we prepare for a motivated Raiders team visiting our stadium.”
One of the bright spots for the Chiefs has been the productivity of their tight ends, particularly Noah Gray, who managed two touchdowns for the second consecutive game against the Panthers. He recorded four receptions for a team-high 66 yards, while Kelce closely followed with six catches translating to 62 yards.
The tackle positions, however, remain a challenge for Kansas City. Wanya Morris struggled yet again on the left side, and veteran Jawaan Taylor’s performance on the right did little to alleviate the problem. Consequently, Mahomes has been sacked 15 times across the last four games.
In a surprising turn, Spencer Shrader, recently promoted from the Jets practice squad, has stepped in successfully as the kicker. With Harrison Butker on injured reserve, the undrafted rookie has made all his attempts, going three for three on field goals and converting all six extra-point tries, including the game-winning 31-yarder against Carolina.
Conversely, the Chiefs’ secondary faced significant challenges against the Panthers. Cornerbacks Nazeeh Johnson and Chamarri Conner, alongside safeties Bryan Cook and Justin Reid, struggled, as Young amassed 263 passing yards and a touchdown.
In terms of injuries, the Chiefs anticipate the potential return of running back Isiah Pacheco and pass rusher Charles Omenihu this week. Both players have been practicing recently and were close to playing against Carolina; Pacheco has been sidelined since sustaining an ankle injury in Week 2, while Omenihu has been out since suffering an ACL tear during last season’s playoffs.
One critical statistic stands out: Kansas City improved its record against the NFC this season to a perfect 5-0, enhancing their overall record to 26-6 against teams from the conference since Mahomes became the starting quarterback in 2018.
Looking ahead, the Chiefs head into their upcoming game against the Las Vegas Raiders with a favourable outlook, having won seven of their last eight encounters. Nonetheless, the memory of the Raiders’ upset victory in their last visit to Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Day lingers as a cautionary reminder.