The Kansas City Chiefs also lose to the Green Bay Packers. A major oversight in roster planning compared to the competition puts their season goals in acute danger

Next setback for the Kansas City Chiefs! The 19:27 loss against the Green Bay Packers in the Sunday Night Game of Week 13 was the third defeat in the last five games for the reigning Super Bowl champions (8-4 record).

The place in the sun in the AFC is long gone. Home field advantage in the playoff rounds and a bye in the Wild Card Round are no longer in the team’s own hands – a dangerous trend with five games remaining.

Superstar Patrick Mahomes was suitably miffed and self-critical after the game. The Chiefs are currently not where they want to be.

An honest statement after another disappointing performance. However, the criticism can be formulated much more drastically.

After all, the mixed performances and setbacks of recent weeks are no longer a surprise

The Chiefs’ weakness as receivers has been a recurring theme throughout the season

What was already apparent in the previous weeks became clear once again against the Packers: The passing offense threatens to break the Chiefs’ neck in the hot phase of the season.

Against Green Bay, Mahomes could really only rely on tight end Travis Kelce (four catches, 84 yards) and rookie receiver Rashee Rice (eight catches for 64 yards). Six other players also caught balls, but only Marquez Valdes-Scantling had more than 20 receiving yards in addition to those two.

Noah Gray at least scored the only passing touchdown of the evening with his only catch from two yards out. All in all, however, the result is clearly too little for the defending champions, who also want to reach for the crown again in 2023.

Although the sometimes absurd drop rates of the receivers have dragged on through the first half of the Chiefs’ season, the franchise decided against signing an experienced pass receiver at the deadline.

A blatant miscalculation that the franchise led by head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who succeeded Eric Bieniemy, who left for the Washington Commanders, will likely regret.

The Packers once again impressively proved that Mahomes’ favorite weapon, Kelce, is no panacea and can be successfully contained – even despite the presence of girlfriend Taylor Swift.

AFC competition outstrips Chiefs offense

While the passing offense was often the Chiefs’ showpiece in the past, it has now degenerated into a gray mouse compared to the top teams in the AFC.

The Miami Dolphins (9-3), who have one of the most explosive receiver duos in the league in former Chief Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, have been enthroned at the top since this matchday. And as if that wasn’t enough, the franchise also recently secured Chase Claypool from the Chicago Bears, who can now be integrated at his leisure.

And the Baltimore Ravens (9-3), who lost their place in the sun to Miami due to their bye week, are now well ahead of the Chiefs in terms of receiving corps. In the offseason, management provided its star quarterback Lamar Jackson with two much-needed new offensive weapons in veteran Odell Beckham Jr. and rookie Zay Flowers – one of the discoveries of the season.

The result is well known: Jackson and Co. are much more variable, the ex-MVP is far less reliant on his running game and even the long-term absences of running back J.K. Dobbins and tight end Mark Andrews can be absorbed within the team without falling into a hole.

Last but not least are the Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3) – the third team ahead of Kansas City in the AFC in Week 13. Playmaker Trevor Lawrence was joined by another high-caliber weapon before the season. Receiver Calvin Ridley was traded from the Atlanta Falcons and has already made one or two big plays. In addition, Brenton Strange, a promising tight end for the future, was signed in the second round of the draft.

While the competition was busy upgrading, the Chiefs missed the trend or simply failed to recognize the urgency of upgrading the position group with reliable hands.

An omission for which the team is likely to suffer in the battle for the Super Bowl this year. There is not much left of the dominance and self-evidence of days gone by