The 2 Huge Issues That Will Prevent Chiefs from Making Another Super Bowl Run | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Unfortunately, the Kansas City Chiefs can’t go out shopping during the upcoming holiday weekend and find awesome deals on wide receivers who can catch or offensive tackles who don’t consistently commit penalties.

Since no trades can occur after the deadline and major changes aren’t forthcoming, the Chiefs have serious issues that must be addressed in some other form or fashion. Otherwise, back-to-back Super Bowl victories are as unattainable as a perfectly thrown deep ball to Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Monday’s 21-17 loss to the Philadelphia showed why the Chiefs simply aren’t good enough to warrant top-dog status in the AFC. The Patrick Mahomes-Travis Kelce magic gets spread awfully thin when those around them continue to let down the offense.

To fully understand how much punch this unit lost this season compared to previous years, the once near-impossible-to-stop Chiefs haven’t scored a point in the second half of three consecutive games.

Everything that is wrong with the offense can be seen during the final drive, specifically the last three plays.

Head coach Andy Reid dialed up the perfect play to win the game. Valdes-Scantling raced past veteran Eagles cornerback Bradley Roby. Mahomes delivered a picture-perfect bomb into Valdes-Scantling’s hands, only to see the receiver bobble the ball and drop it like he’s Kevin from The Office upending his famous chili on “Casual Friday.” It’s probably the thing he does best.

According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, Valdes-Scantling has five dropped passes that traveled 30 or more yards in the air since the start of the 2018 season. No one else has more than three. What does it matter if a target can get open if he’s not a reliable threat?

To be fair, the Chiefs won a Super Bowl last season without a true deep threat. Mahomes and Co. adjusted after the decision to trade Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. As such, the organization justified the move. However, the franchise hasn’t done enough to adequately address wide receiver ever since.

Yes, general manager Brett Veach brought in the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster, who left after only one season, as well as Skyy Moore, Kadarius Tony and Rashee Rice. The team even re-acquired Mecole Hardman Jr. to join this bumbling brigade.

Justin Watson seemed to be a veteran gaining Mahomes’ trust. In fact, Watson led the Chiefs with 11 targets. But more on his disappointment in a little bit.

After the Valdes-Scantling drop, the Chiefs still had life. After all, it’s Mahomes. He’ll make something happen. Instead, some push along the interior of the pocket allowed pressure to come off the edge and lead to an intentional grounding call, as the quarterback tried to make something out of nothing.

Overall, the Chiefs field one of the league’s best offensive interiors. The can’t be said about their offensive tackles. The Jawaan Taylor signing has been a downright disgrace based on the amount of investment when compared to on-field return.

Kansas City signed its starting right tackle to a four-year, $80 million dollar free-agent contract this offseason. His 12 penalties led all NFL players going into Monday’s action, according to the Football Database. His 80 penalty yards were more than any non-defensive back (since pass interference is a spot foul). So, it came as no surprise when he was called for two more false starts during Monday’s action.

On the left side, Donovan Smith has been a little better mainly because the amount of penalty accepted haven’t been as egregious. For example, officials called Mahomes’ blindside protector for holding on two different occasions, though only one was accepted. It’s the fifth time this season an opponent turned down a Smith penalty.

Either way, the Chiefs’ offensive tackles are struggling. Think back to the Super Bowl Kansas City lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It did so, because it couldn’t properly protect Mahomes. While the trio of Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith are great on the interior, Kansas City’s front five is being weighed down by subpar offensive tackles.

The third of the aforementioned plays and the Chiefs last gasp toward a comeback ricocheted off Watson’s hands. While the 27-year-old receiver provided the Chiefs’ first touchdown, three drops occurred as well. What makes it hurt even more is the fact Mahomes did what was necessary to convert 4th-and-25, but the ball innocently glanced off Watson’s hands.

How ineffective is Kansas City’s offense right now? Take it from someone who started for the team during one of its recent Super Bowl runs.

“The Chiefs offense is what it is because they don’t stop making mistakes,” former Chiefs right tackle Mitchell Schwartz tweeted. “False starts, holding, dropped passes, fumbles, missed assignments. It’s just not a good unit right now especially compared to what we’re used to. They just need to make the routine plays routinely.”

The entire Chiefs knew exactly who they were entering Monday’s matchup.

“Our defense is playing their tail off,” Kelce said recently on his New Heights podcast (h/t ESPNs Adam Teicher). “For us to keep turning it over, we’re putting them in bad situations and they’re saving our tail, it’s getting real one-sided. … It’s not like what we’ve been in the past. We’ve got in my mind the best offensive mind in the game. We’ve got the best quarterback so this is not acceptable and we all feel that way.

“It’s a challenge at this point in the season to get this thing right right now before it gets out of control and it gets really bad.”

Well, the Chiefs’ offense didn’t get better against the Eagles. Is it even possible at this point?

Jarvis Landry and Kenny Golladay remain available in free agency. Sammy Watkins can always be brought back. La’el Collins can add competition at offensive tackle. Great options aren’t available this late in the season. Still, the glaring issues found within Kansas City’s offense require something.

Despite everything, the Chiefs are still 7-3. They could even capture the No. 1 seed in the AFC. But expectations should be quite different and fully tempered because they’re sitting at a table for family dinner with a few empty seats.

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.