The Kansas City Chiefs are a Super Bowl contender in 2023, but their weakest link may ultimately be their downfall. It certainly was on Monday Night Football as they lost a Super Bowl rematch to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Chiefs have dropped more passes than anyone else in the league, but the most devastating of those drops came late against the Eagles as Marquez Valdes-Scantling streaked toward the endzone two steps ahead of his defender. Patrick Mahomes lofted the ball into the perfect spot and...MVS dropped it.
It was a game-losing effort.
Former Chiefs receiver and current Dolphins star Tyreek Hill tweeted about the moment in fitting fashion: With a shocked cat emoji.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling drop shows Chiefs miss Tyreek Hill more than ever
There's no question Hill could be relied upon to catch that pass in that moment. The Chiefs traded him away and have not truly replaced him, especially for those kinds of plays.
That's not meant to rehash the trade or the aftermath. The Chiefs have won a Super Bowl since. Hill is putting up gaudy numbers in Miami. They're both in a good spot. But Kansas City hasn't given Mahomes a truly dangerous option in the wide receiver corps, depending instead on the star power of Travis Kelce to carry the offense. Most weeks they get away with it. This time they didn't.
Ultimately, the difference in the game was the play of wide receivers. Both Hurts and Mahomes tossed deep passes with the game on the line. DeVonta Smith completed a tough 41-yard catch to the goal line. Marquez Valdes-Scantling dropped his opportunity. So did Justin Watson on the game-ending fourth-down attempt.
