Suddenly, the Kansas City Chiefs are facing a lot of questions

SEATTLE — And then there was one.

The Seattle Seahawks handed the Kansas City Chiefs their first loss of the season Sunday night, cruising to a 20-3 victory at Lumen Field and leaving the Minnesota Vikings as the NFL’s lone undefeated team entering Week 8.

The league’s No. 1 defense ruined the homecoming of Kansas City superstar running back Kenneth Walker III — last season’s Super Bowl MVP as a Seahawk — limiting the league’s leading rusher to 36 yards on 14 carries.

After dropping their previous two games, the Seahawks (4-3) also impressed against the Chiefs’ passing attack. In his worst performance of the season, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, playing behind an injury-weakened offensive line, had only 165 passing yards and threw an interception.

Harrison Butker’s 50-yard field goal late in the third quarter provided all of the Chiefs’ points, but Butker had another rough night overall, missing two of his three field-goal attempts amid a lengthy, ongoing slump.

It was just an awful all-around experience for a team striving to begin another run of unparalleled success after a memorable chapter closed last season. Given the Chiefs’ roster concerns, though, Sunday’s outcome wasn’t a shocker.

“All three phases, we struggled,” head coach Andy Reid said. “We’ve gotta do better. That’s my responsibility. I take full responsibility for this.”

Last season, Kansas City (5-1) missed the playoffs for the first time in the Mahomes era — which began when he became the team’s starter before the 2018 season — and the future Hall of Fame passer underwent reconstructive surgery on his left knee in December. Walker, signed in free agency during the offseason, powered the team’s surprising start this season, but even his brilliance can mask only so much.

On Sunday, the Chiefs played without both of their starting offensive tackles and two of their top three wide receivers.

Wideout Tyquan Thornton, Kansas City’s best deep threat, is sidelined after suffering a dislocated left ankle that required surgery earlier this month. The Week 4 injury may cost him the remainder of the season. No. 1 receiver Rashee Rice has sat out consecutive games because of hamstring and knee injuries.

Along the offensive line, veteran right tackle Jaylon Moore was out Sunday because of a concussion. And then there’s second-year left tackle Josh Simmons, who has been sidelined the entire season because of back problems.

Simmons’ season has been rocky aside from the injury, too. Prior to the Chiefs placing him on the injured reserve last week, Reid and Mahomes admonished the 2025 first-round pick for disrupting a team meeting and instructed him to leave.

Last season, Simmons missed Weeks 6 through 9 for personal reasons involving his family. Although he is physically gifted and a former first-rounder, his standing with the Chiefs is unclear to say the least.

“I’ve said so much on him,” Reid said of Simmons. “That’s no reason [the incident in the team meeting] he was put on IR. He’s got a bad back. He’s gotta get that worked out. I’ll leave it at that. And that’s where we’re at. OK?”

Entering play Sunday, the Chiefs led the league in total yards per game at 414. The Seahawks held them to 213.

Not surprisingly, Kansas City’s ineptitude on offense didn’t sit well with Mahomes.

“You gotta feel it,” he said. “This sucks.”

Even during the Chiefs’ surprising start, Butker’s performance stirred concern.

A key contributor to the franchise’s three Super Bowl victories in the decade, Butker has been among the most clutch postseason kickers of the Super Bowl era. But since the beginning of last season, he has been, well, way off.

In fact, according to research by The Associated Press, his 15 missed kicks (10 attempted field goals and five PATs) during that span are the most in the NFL.

“Warmup wasn’t great,” Butker said Sunday. “It’s just something that you have to roll with and try to fix it in the game and do the best that you can.

“I try to take one kick at a time. … Life of a kicker. It either goes in or it doesn’t. Unfortunately, there’s been some kicks that haven’t gone in.”

Said Reid, “He’s been one of the most consistent kickers in football. He’s off a bit, so, got to fix it.”

For a 5-1 team that’s leading the AFC West, Kansas City has so many areas that suddenly need fixing.

The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 10. Presumably, the Chiefs need a veteran wide receiver to stretch defenses the way Thornton did so well. They could also use a veteran swing tackle. And while it once would have seemed unthinkable, if Butker doesn’t rediscover his groove soon, the Chiefs may even consider auditioning kickers.

This much is certain: Despite their strong record, Reid and Mahomes know the Chiefs have plenty of work to do.

“You don’t want to perform like this in primetime in a big moment like this,” Mahomes said. “You’ve got to feel it on that plane ride home and understand that it sucks. But how can you build off of it?”

For the Chiefs, that’s one question. Here’s another: Do they need to be active before the trade deadline to acquire the right pieces for another championship run?

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