Do the Chiefs have a Travis Kelce drawback? The reply might shock you

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — No, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs don’t have a Travis Kelce drawback.

Three weeks into the NFL’s season, an rising variety of individuals — followers, analysts and even former gamers — have come to a slightly fast conclusion that Kelce, the Chiefs’ star tight finish and future Corridor of Famer, is washed. A has-been. An NFL legend who’s deep into the twilight of his profession, a participant the Chiefs can’t depend on for pivotal highlights the way in which they used to, even because the franchise pursues an unprecedented third consecutive Tremendous Bowl victory.

The argument is easy: Simply take a look at Kelce’s stats. In three video games, Kelce’s manufacturing has been decrease than anybody anticipated — eight receptions on simply 12 targets for 69 yards and no touchdowns. Not nice.

Plus, for the primary time this season, Kelce didn’t appear to be his regular gregarious, jovial self throughout Sunday evening’s recreation in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons. NBC’s cameras captured Kelce, who turns 35 subsequent week, sitting on the bench simply earlier than halftime with a dejected, withdrawn expression. At occasions, even after sure performs, he appeared a bit disinterested.

Cris Collinsworth, NBC’s recreation analyst and a former NFL receiver, struggled to determine why Kelce was struggling.

“I’m simply flabbergasted,” Collinsworth stated earlier than halftime. “I imply, one recreation, massive deal. Two video games, all proper. That is the third recreation now the place now we have not seen the magic of (quarterback Patrick) Mahomes and Kelce, and I can’t actually clarify that one.”

the face of everybody who drafted Travis Kelce in fantasy pic.twitter.com/Ebl9FwMZhN

— Yahoo Fantasy Sports activities (@YahooFantasy) September 23, 2024

The reality, while you watch the all-22 movie, is that Kelce is getting open. Fairly a bit, really. Greater than you suppose — or what you’ll be able to see on TV.

As a route runner, Kelce has created a median separation of three.5 yards, tied for thirteenth amongst tight ends, in line with Subsequent Gen Stats. One other star participant has a median separation of three.6 yards this season. That participant is Minnesota Vikings vast receiver Justin Jefferson, who has produced 14 receptions on 21 targets for 273 yards and three touchdowns.

So why are Kelce’s stats so poor?

“Are we not allowed to say that he’s off form, that he’s been partying all offseason?” NFL analyst Todd McShay stated Monday on “The Ryen Russillo Podcast.” McShay continued: “He’s been jet-setting round with essentially the most well-known individual (Taylor Swift) in all probability in all the world, that he’s consuming, going to the U.S. Open and he’s bought cocktails in.

“He’s top-of-the-line to ever do it. … He’s not in the identical form. He’s not the identical. I don’t see the identical explosiveness. I see him carrying down a bit.”

McShay is inaccurate. Whereas his offseason itinerary was crammed — with filming nationwide commercials, visitor starring within the new FX sequence “Grotesquerie” and flying to Europe a number of occasions to attend Swift’s concert events — Kelce was diligent about coaching, although his routine was totally different. Wherever Kelce was, one among his three private trainers — Alex Skacel, Andrew Spruill and Laurence Justin Ng — often was with him. Because the Chiefs started coaching camp in mid-July, Kelce has not missed a follow. He’s wholesome and has been on the sphere a ton, enjoying 85 p.c of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps (164 of 193).

Let’s current one other idea, this one from Rodney Harrison, an NBC analyst and former NFL security.

“He’s busy, he’s bought so much on his plate,” Harrison stated of Kelce throughout Sunday’s postgame present. “However while you’re in that scenario, you’ve bought to overlook about every thing else and also you’ve bought to focus one hundred pc on soccer. That’s the principle accountability. … He’s a superb participant nonetheless, however I don’t consider he’s an ideal, nice participant.”

How can we overlook that earlier this 12 months, in January and February, Kelce had one of many biggest postseasons for a good finish in NFL historical past?

Within the Chiefs’ four-game postseason run, Kelce had 32 receptions for 355 yards and three touchdowns to assist the staff develop into back-to-back champions. In Tremendous Bowl LVIII, Kelce reached a prime pace of 19.68 mph, in line with Subsequent Gen Stats, on a 22-yard reception in opposition to man-to-man protection from All-Professional 49ers linebacker Fred Warner to arrange the Chiefs’ game-tying area aim. It was Kelce’s quickest pace as a ball service in seven seasons.

Who else however Kelce with 9 seconds to go?!

📺: #SBLVIII on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/dClcEDViWl pic.twitter.com/ZJ0MZAnk7f

— NFL (@NFL) February 12, 2024

Kelce declined to speak to reporters after Sunday’s recreation, however Mahomes tried his greatest to clarify what his teammate is experiencing on the sphere.

“It’s loopy as a result of the respect issue (opposing defenses) have for Travis is simply unreal,” Mahomes stated. “It’s well-deserved, however we’re calling a number of performs for Travis, and it’s, like, two or three individuals are going to him. He understands. That’s the beauty of him. He desires to make an influence on the sport, however he desires to win.”

Mahomes is true, to some extent. At no level in Sunday’s recreation did the Falcons dedicate three defenders to protect Kelce.

In actual fact, the Falcons didn’t double-team Kelce typically, as a substitute enjoying zone protection to dissuade Mahomes from throwing deep passes. The Falcons’ technique was comprehensible. Mahomes didn’t full a single go the place the ball traveled greater than 20 yards within the air previous the road of scrimmage. The Chiefs counterattacked with 27 designed operating performs, 13 passes at or behind the road of scrimmage and a bunch of performs the place Kelce was used as a decoy.

Coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy will not be calling as many performs as they used to the place Kelce seems to be Mahomes’ major possibility. That position has been transferred to receiver Rashee Rice, an ascending second-year participant who has developed into the Chiefs’ No. 1 receiver. In opposition to the Falcons, Rice led the Chiefs with 12 receptions on 14 targets for 110 yards and a landing, a lot of his routes the kind that Kelce has executed in opposition to zone protection.

“I do know individuals are saying that he’s outdated or has distractions, however the defenses don’t suppose that,” Reid stated Wednesday. “We’ve got one other receiver (Rice) that performs reverse of (Kelce) who has a number of yards and catches. That’s how this factor goes. Travis is ok. He simply retains being Travis. He works his tail off and he hasn’t misplaced a step. He’s not distracted.”

When Rice scored his 13-yard landing, the Falcons performed man protection with a single security in the midst of the sphere. Mahomes selected to throw the ball to Rice over Kelce, who was in a one-on-one matchup in opposition to cornerback A.J. Terrell. Earlier within the first half, Kelce beat security Jessie Bates III on a nook route, creating loads of separation to be vast open for a reception within the intermediate space of the sphere. Mahomes threw the ball to Rice for a 6-yard achieve, and Kelce threw his arms up in frustration. When the Chiefs scored their last landing in opposition to the Falcons, Kelce was open in opposition to Terrell for a 9-yard achieve, which might’ve given the Chiefs a primary down. As a substitute, Mahomes related with receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who ran a crossing route for a 13-yard rating.

A JuJu Smith-Schuster TOUCHDOWN extends the Chiefs’ lead! #ChiefsKingdom

📺 NBC and Peacock (🎥 NFL)pic.twitter.com/QryluklUJ4

— Sunday Night time Soccer on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 23, 2024

“With how defenses are enjoying us proper now, I’m not likely getting a number of alternatives to make performs down the sphere, however (I’m) not utilizing that as an excuse,” Kelce stated on Wednesday’s episode of his “New Heights” podcast. “Transferring ahead, nonetheless making an attempt to be sure that I assist the staff out in that regard realizing I’ve been that weapon for us up to now.

“I’ve had a number of catches on this league, man. I’m not anxious in regards to the catches and the yards and all that. I’ve essentially the most enjoyable when the ball is thrown my method. Who doesn’t? It has every thing to do with execution, simply ensuring we’re doing no matter we will to win these soccer video games, man. That’s all the time going to be the aim.”

Probably the greatest components of the game is that each skill-position participant depends on 10 teammates to have particular person success. Too typically this season, Kelce’s contributions have been thwarted by one among his teammates.

Kelce’s greatest second in Week 2 in opposition to the Bengals — a 41-yard reception within the fourth quarter — was negated by a holding penalty dedicated by rookie left sort out Kingsley Suamataia, who was making an attempt to dam defensive finish Trey Hendrickson. Kelce was vast open behind the tip zone when Mahomes threw a 1-yard landing go to left sort out Wanya Morris. Even when Reid and Nagy referred to as a play for Kelce close to the aim line, a backward go to arrange a display, he didn’t get into the tip zone as a result of he bumped into proper guard Trey Smith earlier than reaching the aim line.

Mahomes to Kelce is BACK.

📺: #Kickoff2024 on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/TAQh9ASVMV

— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2024

The best method for Kelce to be extra productive, beginning Sunday in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers, is for Mahomes to play higher and for Reid and Nagy to include him extra into their play calls, particularly within the crimson zone.

Regardless of left sort out being a little bit of a legal responsibility, Mahomes must get into creation mode extra typically, utilizing his elusiveness to increase performs to outwit the opposing protection’s zone protection. When Mahomes scrambles out of the pocket, he most frequently finds Kelce vast open in the midst of the sphere. It occurred within the season opener when Mahomes turned a possible sack right into a achieve of 23 yards.

“I’m going to attempt to do my greatest to maintain feeding him the ball every time he’s open,” Mahomes stated of Kelce on Sunday. “However I feel the extra Rashee makes performs, the extra we’re in a position to run the ball, the extra we will get (rookie receiver Xavier) Worthy concerned, that’s going to open Travis up extra.”

The Chiefs are clever to not overuse Kelce, defending him as a lot as potential for an additional postseason run. In addition they have received three video games whereas scoring 75 factors, the second most within the AFC.

Kelce will not be the Chiefs’ drawback. However for anybody anxious about his manufacturing, the answer is for nearly everybody else on offense, besides Rice and some linemen, to raise their efficiency. If and when that occurs, count on to see the Kelce of outdated.

(Illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic; photograph: Kevin Sabitus / Getty Pictures)