Chiefs' Mitigating Factors Don't Matter Next to Self-Inflicted Wounds

If you're trying to understand the Kansas City Chiefs' Sunday Night Football loss to the Green Bay Packers, it's easy to pull out some mitigating factors. The defense suffered multiple injuries. The officials made some questionable calls at key moments. The Packers have an impeccable home record in December under Matt LaFleur, and Jordan Love produced some magic moments.

But, in hindsight, those don't really matter to the Chiefs. A loss is a loss, regardless of what happened.

That's not only about being a responsible loser and refusing to make excuses. It's about pointing the finger at a larger, self-inflicted, issue. In this case, the Chiefs' brass has created an offense that's so thin, there's very little room to roll with the punches.

Let's break it down.

Chiefs Were Unlucky on Sunday Night

Sometimes, luck can feel like a dirty word in sports. Whether you're on the winning or losing side, alluding to the invisible hand of fate can feel like a lack of accountability. In the Chiefs' case, there were a few bad breaks at Lambeau.

Linebacker Drue Tranquill, who has done a fine job filling in for the injured Nick Bolton, left the game with a concussion and didn't return. The former Charger also wears the green dot and handles the communication for the defense, making his absence extra challenging.

And, later in the game, safety Bryan Cook was carted off with an ankle injury. The NBC broadcast spoke about him exiting the X-ray room without placing any weight on the injured leg and he was using crutches after the contest ended.

Given those injuries, you could excuse KC's defense giving up 27 points. Slotting a third-string player into the heart of the unit is never ideal, regardless of the talent around him.

Despite that, the Chiefs were still in position to tie the game on the final drive. And while it looked like a pass interference penalty was committed against Marquez Valdes-Scantling that would have taken the ball deep into Packers territory, no flag materialized.

"I was trying to get the ball and ended up on the ground," Valdes-Scantling said after the final whistle. "I don't know what they saw, but I tried to catch it and didn't have an opportunity."

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, for his part, refused to make excuses.

"Obviously, the guy was probably a little early, but at the end of the game, they're letting guys play," he said. "I'm kind of about that. I'd rather you let the guys play and let the guys win on the field, but it's hard.

"I can't be wanting a flag. I have to try to go out there and win the game myself and with the rest of my teammates."

Was it a make-up call after Mahomes benefited from a soft unnecessary roughness flag earlier in the drive? Did the referees want to avoid influencing the game at a key moment? Was it simply a judgment call that went against the defending champs?

Either way, it was a bad break that could have affected the game's outcome.

KC's Offense Can't Handle Bumps in Road

Kansas City isn't really in a position to point fingers after the loss. As you've surely heard (and noticed), the Chiefs offense isn't the same this year. Despite boasting a future Hall of Fame trio of coach Andy Reid, Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, the unit has regressed. KC is sitting eighth in the NFL in total yards per game and 11th in points per contest.

Most of the blame there falls on the receiving corps, which lacks a true threat beyond Kelce. JuJu Smith-Schuster and his 993 receiving yards left town in the offseason, and they were never really replaced. The idea was that the growth of players on the roster (like Skyy Moore, Valdes-Scantling and Kadarius Toney) and the addition of rookie Rashee Rice could help fill the void. And, if things got sticky, Mahomes and Kelce could just work a bit of magic.

In reality, though, that bet went bust. Rice seems to have a certain je ne sais quoi about him, but asking a rookie to carry the offense is a lot. Rice hasn't progressed as planned, and Toney, due to a combination of injuries and drops, hasn't moved beyond a gadget role in the offense. Valdes-Scantling has been inconsistent. Justin Watson can make plays, but, again, he's not the one you want to be hanging your Super Bowl aspirations on.

And, if you prefer numbers, consider these. Through 12 games, Rice is the only receiver with more than 500 yards. Watson sits at 332, while Valdes-Scantling and Moore are in the 200s. Toney is at 139.

Those numbers aren't good enough for a team that wants to retain its Lombardi Trophy. And, on a game-by-game basis, it's created a situation where everyone has to be perfect.

Take Sunday night as an example.

Did injuries hurt the defense? Sure, but surrendering 27 points isn't the same as giving up 70. Ideally, the offense would pick the defense up; football is a team game, after all. But, given the unit's collective weakness, they couldn't close the game. Green Bay held onto the ball, limiting KC's opportunities, and, on the whole, the Chiefs just couldn't execute, especially in the red zone. Mahomes and company piled up more than 300 yards of total offense but found the end zone just twice.

The same could be said for the pass interference penalty, or lack thereof. Can the Chiefs feel hard-done by the call? Sure, but a stronger offense would have pulled away by that point in the contest.

And you can pull out similar threads from other games this year, whether it's the opening-night loss to the Lions or the post-bye loss to the Eagles. Kansas City simply doesn't have the offensive depth to outpunch the opposition.

Ultimately, the NFL is a league of fine margins. A single slip can change the course of a season. And while no team can completely control the chaos for an entire campaign, the best clubs have insurance policies. If Player X struggles today, we've got Player Y. If the defense struggles, our offense can pick up the slack.

The 2023 Chiefs, for all of the star power, appear to lack that security. And everything points back to the receivers' room.

In the immediate aftermath of Sunday Night Football, it's understandable if Kansas City fans felt a bit aggrieved. In the cold light of Monday, though, the focus can turn elsewhere. If the organization's goal is to defend the Lombardi Trophy and win another Super Bowl, the offense simply isn't up to scratch.

And that's not down to bad luck or blown calls.