Together Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have looked unstoppable for the Chiefs. Just a look at what they have achieved while playing with each other. Since Mahomes joined his side, Kelce has had 7,428 yards and 52 touchdowns in the regular season alone. Not only this, they are the most prolific duo when it comes to the postseason. However, in the new season, Kelce has struggled for consistency and the duo has failed to fire in the fashion we have grown accustomed to seeing.

In the Week 3 outing against the Falcons, the Chiefs were trailing before halftime and it took a Mahomes pass to WR Rashee Rice to have their first TD and level the score. In addition to that, many times Mahomes was seen passing the ball to other receivers and not to his go-to target, Travis Kelce. This prompted the media to ask Mahomes the reason behind his play in the post-game conference.

The Chiefs survived yet another close encounter after coming away with a narrow 22-17 win over the Falcons. Mahomes who has had an indifferent game had a couple of touchdown passes and the defense came out on top in the two 4th down stops inside the 25-yard line in the final minutes to win the game. But there remain concerns for Andy Reid, particularly the performance of his TE Travis Kelce.

Kelce caught just four catches on five targets for 30 passing yards in the game in Atlanta. This wasn’t a one-off poor game for him, but a third outing where he has not appeared as dominant as he usually is. With the game against the Falcons in the books, Kelce has just 69 yards across three games so far. So what’s the reason behind his struggles? What led to Mahomes picking out Rice more often than not rather than Kelce?

Speaking in the post-game presser Mahomes mentioned the reason behind his teammate’s early season form. He said, “It’s crazy because teams still I mean the respect factor they have for Travis is just unreal. I mean it’s well-deserved. But I mean we’re calling a lot of plays for Travis and it’s like two or three people are going to him, so I mean he understands I think that’s the great thing about him is he wants to make an impact on the game but he wants to win at the end of the day.”

According to Mahomes, NFL defenses targeting Kelce and marking him out is the reason behind his sluggish start to the new season. The 34-year-old caught only one pass for five yards in the Chiefs’ dramatic 26-25 win over the Bengals. After his underwhelming performance against the Falcons, he has yet to find the end zone in the season so far.

Mahomes also informed that he will try to keep “feeding him” the football in the upcoming games when he is open, but as the defensive players generally cover him, it opens opportunities for others too.

The QB said, “I think the more Rashee (Rice) makes plays, the more we’re able to run the football, the more we can get (Xavier) Worthy involved, I think that’s going to open Travis up more. People are really emphasizing taking him away and that’s getting other guys open.” Kelce being off-color has allowed Rashee Rice to shine with the WR having a game-high 12 receptions 110 receiving yards and a touchdown contributing to the win in Atlanta. Mahomes also praised Rice and again opened up on how the WR’s performances will create opportunities for Kelce in the coming weeks.

“He’s a guy who’s going to make plays happen. He’s done a great job of when they’re putting all that attention on Travis (Kelce), he’s making stuff happen underneath. I’m sure defenses are going to start adjusting to try to put more coverage toward him. That’s when Travis will make plays,” Mahomes said of Rice.

During the game, there was a moment when Mahomes had the chance to throw the ball to Kelce but opted out much to the frustration of the fans. Not only this, but Mahomes’s own performance wasn’t up to the mark either.

Hence, the Chiefs fandom would want Kelce to be back to his best as the season picks up pace. The form of both Mahomes and Kelce is crucial to the Chiefs’ hopes of a third Super Bowl win in a row.

Chiefs will need Mahomes and Kelce to fire if hopes of a third Super Bowl are to stay alive

Yes, it is way too early in the season to be drawing conclusions and yes Mahomes and Kelce have a history that suggests they will be firing on all cylinders soon. Moreover, the team is 3-0 and things look good. But the Chiefs fans will be feeling slightly uneasy after their start to the season which has involved close shaves and two of their star players not being consistent enough.

He went 17 for 27 in the first half, with just 128 yards, and had an interception. The QB also struggled with accuracy with his first pass to Rashee Rice falling short and underthrowing Justin Watson in the end zone. This coupled with his struggles to locate Kelce, will be a reason to worry for the Super Bowl Champions.

Speaking about his efforts in the win over Falcons, Mahomes wasn’t impressed. He admitted, “I feel like I haven’t played very well, and that’s not a stats thing. I just feel like I’m missing opportunities whenever they’re out there and not throwing the ball in the exact spot I want it to be at. So, it’s about me getting back to my fundamentals, putting our guys in the right position, and then we’ve got to execute at a higher level offensively.”

The pair is seen as one of the best NFL duos of all time and have combined for 1,609 yards and 18 touchdowns in 18 playoff games together. It is evident their patchy form could derail their campaign, but again it has been only three games. Next up for the Chiefs is the LA Chargers, a team against whom, Kelce has usually excelled. Could this be the turning point in the campaign for the 34-year-old? Mahomes and Co. will certainly hope so.

Meanwhile, do also check out our latest Think Tank exclusive interview with Doug Sanders.