Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) looks for an open receiver while under pressure from Buffalo Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa (57) in the second half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

What the Chiefs Must Do Post-Bye

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Nov 7, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs got their behinds handed to them in a week 9 loss to the Buffalo Bills. This iconic rivalry produced one of its weakest matchups yet, as while it was a one-score game that came down to the wire, the Chiefs weren't playing like their usual selves.

Patrick Mahomes didn't even throw for a touchdown, something that hadn't happened since week 6 of last season. The Chiefs have a week of rest to tweak their game plans and to go over what went wrong, so they can fix it for the future.

Week 9 Grades

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

John Breech is a sports writer for CBS Sports, and he wrote an article where he assigned grades to each team based on how they performed in week 9. Despite the loss, the Chiefs earned a B- due to the game still being relatively close despite everything going badly for the Chiefs.

"Patrick Mahomes has been so clutch in his career that it's always a shock when he fails, but that's what happened in Buffalo. The Bills defense harassed Mahomes for four straight quarters and the Chiefs quarterback struggled to hit his open receivers. In the second half, Mahomes completed just 8 of 19 passes", said Breech.

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Mahomes played uncharacteristically throughout the game, and it led to the Chiefs digging themselves into a hole early. Obviously, he cannot play like that moving forward if the Chiefs want to find success and continue their dynasty. The Chiefs were quiet at the NFL trade deadline, and they must hope it doesn't come back to haunt them.

They needed serious help at both running back and defensive lineman, and they simply didn't make any moves, major or minor. Once they return to the field, their focus has to be on better offensive line play. The Bills' defense hunted Mahomes, and their ground game couldn't get going. They're going to need players on their offensive line to step up and play better if they want to rally back in the second half of the season.

This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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