Chiefs struggles in Seattle end with Kansas City's first loss

The Kansas City Chiefs suffered their first loss of the 2026 campaign, 20 to 3 to the Seattle Seahawks. I'm Pete Sweeney in Seattle for the Kansas City Star with three things that stood out. And I know we do three things every week, but I think especially this week it's fitting because the Chiefs had struggles on offense, on defense, and on special teams. So let's start on offense. First of all, the Chiefs had some protection issues in this game. They were starting two tackles that didn't know they were going to start to begin the year. Khalil Benson at left tackle. You had Josh of ZuZu at right tackle, and there was pressure getting to Mahomes. I thought Mahomes himself was off. The Chiefs could not get the run game going like they have in previous weeks, and when you can't get the run game going, you're really going to miss someone like Rasheed Rice even greater. Now, there is optimism. Rice will be back in the lineup next week, but the sooner the better because you saw some of that lack of production when it came to the pass catchers on this team. Defensively, the Chiefs still need to find a way to get home consistently, and I think the coverage which quite obviously needs to be better. Jackson Smith-Njigba is one of the best receivers in the league, but to put up nine catches for 150 yards, he had some yards on the ground, the long touchdown, the two big throws where he was going up one-on-one with Mansour Delane, Jackson Smith and Njigba is one of the better players in the NFL, but even with the elite of the NFL, you've got to do a certain better job of containing that. It can't explode for 160 yards of production. If any opposing pass catcher does that against the Chiefs, It's going to be hard to win the football game. But Jarius Sneed, I thought, struggled mightily in the first half. Look to me. We'll have to go back and look at the film that Steve Spagnuolo made a change in the second half to go to Chris Rowan-Wallace. He needs to be better, or Rowan-Wallace needs to potentially be the guy, the regular guy in the slot. So the Chiefs' defense stands to get better. And then the special teams. In a game like this, and you're going to be facing top teams, top playoff teams, the Chiefs have one of the toughest schedules remaining. You're going to need to make your field goals. Harrison Butker with the two missed field goals in this game and when he missed that second one it effectively ended the game because the time was running out and the Chiefs now were still down two possessions I actually talked to Harrison Butker in the locker room didn't love his warm-up he told me but not worried in the long term simply needs to be better I did catch a moment where Dave Tobe went up to Butker and he simply said bounce back and this entire team is going to need to do that quick with the Denver Broncos up ahead the Denver Broncos are an AFC West team the Chiefs already won the first week and if they can win this game they'll have a tiebreaker at what looks to be their biggest competition in the AFC West so it'll be a bounce back quickly the Chiefs will turn the page try to get better and then we'll be back next week for the Denver Broncos these have been three things on Sunday Night Football for the Kansas City Star I'm Pete Sweeney.