Everything has started off on the right foot for the Kansas City Chiefs in the win column, as they’ve won their first three games of the regular season.
They do have star running back Isiah Pacheco out for an extended period after suffering a fractured fibula, but he should be back at some point this season. Either way, the Chiefs showed they can still get the job done on Monday night, when they took down the Atlanta Falcons to remain undefeated.
While vibes are high in Kansas City, there is one glaring question that has come about after watching the first three games: Where has Travis Kelce been?
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Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) warms up against the Cincinnati Bengals prior to a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley-Imagn Images)
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have been getting the job done without the future Hall of Fame tight end being involved like he normally has over the last decade.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith believes that he has to change because he can’t see a world where they win a third straight Super Bowl, a feat never accomplished in NFL history, without No. 87 catching passes from No. 15.
“Does he need to get it going? Yes. But why does he need to get it going? Because without this brother, to rely upon, Kansas City ain’t winning no damn Super Bowl. I can promise you that,” Smith said on “First Take” Wednesday morning. “I don’t care who Patrick Mahomes is. One thing Patrick Mahomes cannot do, he can’t throw the football and catch it himself. The person he’s throwing to has got to catch that damn football. By the way, they’ve got to get open, and I’m telling you right now there’s one person that he can rely upon week after week after week when it counts and that man is Travis Kelce.”
TRAVIS KELCE FOCUSED ON WINNING INSTEAD OF TARGETS AMID CRITICISM OF LACK OF OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION
Kelce went viral this week after seemingly looking dejected on the sidelines during the game against the Falcons, and he addressed it on his “New Heights” podcast.
“Pat said it, Coach Reid said, you know, we’re finding ways to win games, and we’re not playing our best football,” Kelce said to his older brother, Jason. “Everybody can clean it up, I think. I think everyone saw my drop in the fourth quarter, that crucial third down just trying to do much before putting the ball away and that’s probably the biggest thing for me is making the play in big time moments like that.
“I think with how defenses are playing us right now, I’m not really getting a lot of opportunities to make plays down the field, but not using that as an excuse. Moving forward, still trying to make sure that I can help the team out in that regard, knowing that I’ve been that weapon for us in the past and moving forward. It’s just you know, everyone’s just tweaking their game in the right direction, and we know what we have to do to get better this week going out west to play the Chargers, and I’m excited for the challenge, baby, and we’re 3-0. Man, it doesn’t get any better than a 3-0 start.”
Mahomes also alluded to that point after beating the Falcons, saying that Kelce hasn’t been open because of the way defenses are scheming against the Chiefs. Through three games, Kelce has caught just eight catches for 69 yards, and he hasn’t found the end zone yet.
Sep 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III (3) breaks up a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Brett Davis-Imagn Images)
Smith, though replied with a fast “hell yes” when host Molly Qerim asked if Mahomes needed Kelce to chase the greatness of three straight Super Bowls, and he alluded to the drops that came about last season.
“First of all, remember last year, they dropped 44 passes. Led the NFL — let’s get that out the way first,” Smith explained. “Secondly, when you got an elite tight end, that’s your security blanket. We all know this. Yeah, we look at Pacheco running the football. We understand how that sets things up, particularly in play-action, and it does wonders for the Kansas City Chiefs. We understand that, but the reality is that Travis Kelce is a future Hall of Fame tight end. Somehow, some way, he’s always open. He is ‘Mr. Reliable,’ and we have to remember he went seven straight years with 1,000-plus yards receiving. Last year would’ve been eight if he hadn’t missed two games. He only came 16 [yards] shy of eight straight of having over 1,000 yards receiving. He’s a primary target for Patrick Mahomes.”
While Kelce has certainly been Mahomes’ top target since he was drafted by the Chiefs, a new one has emerged in second-year receiver Rashee Rice, who leads the team with 288 yards on 24 catches this season. Kelce is the next-closest pass catcher with eight on the year to put into perspective how much Mahomes is trusting his speedy wideout.
Defenses are clearly not brushing off Kelce’s sub-par production for his standards, as they have him in mind when they’re gameplanning.
But, considering Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift, his extravagant offseason visiting different countries to watch her “Eras Tour,” and his podcast obligations (especially after getting $100 million from Amazon’s Wondery to be exclusively on their platform) have brought up “legitimate questions” that Smith can understand.
Stephen A. Smith thinks, without Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs won’t be winning a 3rd straight Super Bowl (IMAGN)
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At the end of the day, though, Kelce has consistently committed himself to wanting to help the Chiefs win. And right now, winning means he hasn’t been touching the ball that much, which he seems to be fine with.
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