Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have not played their best football yet but are still 11-1 on the season. Their defense, which started the season well, has looked vulnerable since Jaylen Watson’s injury.
The offense has looked better since DeAndre Hopkins’ addition, but the offensive line is still a problem. Mahomes has been sacked 10 times in the last two games, and former NFL wide receiver James Jones believes the team cannot win the Super Bowl if the players protecting the Chiefs quarterback don’t play well.
James Jones Alerts Chiefs’ Offensive Line
During a segment on Fox Sports’ “The Facility,” Jones talked about the Chiefs’ offensive line and believes Mahomes’ brilliance cannot overcome the offensive line’s poor production. The former Green Bay Packers wideout cautioned Kansas City, which is aiming to win a third straight Super Bowl.
“Offensive line, all five of y’all: two weeks, 10 sacks. Patty Mahomes can’t even get a pass off,” Jones said. “The [LAs Vegas Raiders] sacked you five times, the [Carolina Panthers] sacked you five times. Offensive line, I’m gonna tell you right now, it ain’t no three-peat, you heard me; it ain’t no three-peat if you cannot protect Patrick Mahomes.”
“I don’t care how good he is; if you cannot protect him, it is no three-peat. We need more out of y’all. We need to see Patrick Mahomes stand back there in the clean pocket and deliver this football and not get touched. No sacks this week, clean, and I promise you, it won’t be a close game if you guys do protect Patty Mahomes.”
Week 14 JonesIn' For More with @89JonesNTAF:
"Chiefs O-line, there ain’t no 3-peat if you can’t protect Mahomes. We need more from you!" pic.twitter.com/KIASFyxVkm
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) December 5, 2024
Mahomes has been sacked 32 times in the first 12 games of the season, surpassing his previous career-high mark of 28 sacks in the 2021 NFL season.
The Chiefs’ interior offensive line, consisting of center Creed Humphrey, left guard Joe Thuney, and right guard Trey Smith, is the best in the league. However, inconsistent play from tackles by Wanya Morris, Jawaan Taylor, and rookie Kingsley Suamataia has led to struggles throughout the year, making life tough for the quarterback.
Despite the offensive line’s woes, Mahomes has played significantly better in the last few weeks, especially since Hopkins has joined the team. In the six games with the star wide receiver, the two-time NFL MVP has thrown for 1,590 yards, 13 touchdowns, and three interceptions, completing 68.8% of his throws.
If the offensive line’s play improves marginally, it will provide enough time for the Chiefs star to carve up the opposition’s defense. PFN’s Dallas Robinson still has the Chiefs’ offensive line as the third-best unit in the league. Kansas City’s O-line has the fourth-best pass-block win rate (70%) and the best run-block win rate (75%) this year through 13 weeks.
Help Is on the Way for Patrick Mahomes
As mentioned earlier, the Chiefs have not played well this year but still have the joint-best record in the league. Unfortunately for the other teams, Kansas City will improve in the coming weeks as new additions will boost the reigning Super Bowl champions.
Veteran left tackle D.J. Humphries is expected to start in Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers, and the team hopes he will instantly improve the O-Line’s performance. Moreover, Hollywood Brown, who got hurt in the preseason, has hinted at a potential return before the season’s end, which will be a massive boost for their offense.
Isiah Pacheco and Charles Omenihu also returned from injuries last week. Both were crucial to the team’s success last year and will be crucial for the upcoming stretch of games.
Mahomes has shown throughout his career that he gets better as we edge closer to the playoffs. With the super important games not so far away, the Chiefs quarterback is unlikely to make the mistakes he made earlier this year. The 29-year-old quarterback will be determined to make sure he wins the fourth Super Bowl of his career this upcoming February in New Orleans.