20-3: Butker's Misses Seal Chiefs Loss to Seahawks

The Kansas City Chiefs lost 20-3 to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night, ending their undefeated streak in a game where the offense stalled and the kicker missed two opportunities to keep the contest close. The defeat drops the Chiefs to 5-1 on the season and marks only the second time in team history that they have scored three points or fewer with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback.

Harrison Butker missed two field goal attempts during the loss. The first miss came before halftime, denying the Chiefs extra points after a 65-yard pick-six return by Nohl Williams. Butker missed again from 45 yards in the fourth quarter with 8 1/2 minutes remaining. That miss kept the Seahawks ahead by two possessions, securing their victory. Butker has now missed 15 kicks since the start of last season, the most in the NFL. These 15 misses include ten field goal attempts and five point-after-touchdown kicks.

The Chiefs' offensive line was outmatched, allowing Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker to gain significant ground despite Mahomes being under constant pressure. The Chiefs gained only 50 yards on the ground and 213 total yards. They went 3 for 11 on third down and held the ball for nearly 11 minutes less than Seattle. In contrast, the Seahawks' defense limited the Chiefs to a single field goal. Seattle converted 11 of 16 third down attempts while allowing 153 rushing yards and 410 total yards.

Coach Andy Reid took responsibility for the team's performance after the game. He noted that Butker has been off his usual standard. "He’s been one of the most consistent kickers in football. He’s off a bit," Reid said. "so got to fix it." Butker described the situation as part of the job, noting that "It either goes in or it doesn't."

The financial stakes for Butker are high. He is the third-highest paid kicker in the league and holds the sixth-highest base salary on the Chiefs roster. The team has the option to release him after this season with manageable dead money, creating pressure to improve consistency. The salary cap space tied to Butker could otherwise be used to address weaknesses in the wide receiver corps or the offensive line.

Injuries further complicated the Chiefs' week. Wide receiver Rashee Rice sat out with a hamstring injury, and right tackle Jaylon Moore was in the concussion protocol. Defensive back L'Jarius Sneed struggled against Seattle, a team he formerly played for, as the Seahawks targeted him repeatedly.

The Chiefs travel to Denver next Sunday to face the Broncos. The two teams met in the season opener, where Kansas City won 31-10. Denver has won its last three games, including a 17-14 victory over Seattle earlier this season.

Mahomes acknowledged the difficulty of the loss. "You don’t want to perform like this in primetime, in a big moment like this," Mahomes said. "You got to feel it on that plane ride home and understand that it sucks, but then how can you build off it? That’s the biggest thing."