KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On paper, the Chiefs’ place in the NFL standings isn’t surprising. At 4-0 after nearly a quarter of the regular season, the Chiefs appear to be on the right track in pursuit of an unprecedented third straight Lombardi Trophy.

Still, almost everything about the Chiefs offense is far from perfect.

In Monday’s prime-time game, when the Chiefs host the New Orleans Saints, quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be without his three best teammates not named Travis Kelce – veteran wide receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder), running back Isiah Pacheco (broken leg). and senior receiver Rashee Rice (knee).

Injuries aside, there’s another growing concern: Mahomes hasn’t been up to his standards. Mahomes has thrown almost as many interceptions (five) as touchdowns (six).

“We all see the field the same way, but now it’s just about me having that confidence and giving them those shots to make plays in traffic,” Mahomes said Thursday of the other pass catchers of the Chiefs. “Like I did with (rookie receiver) Xavier (Worthy) on that depth (touchdown last week against the Chargers), there were more opportunities to throw to him later in this game.”

Even Kelce, the future Hall of Fame tight end, didn’t generate as much production – 15 receptions for 158 yards with no touchdowns – as in previous Septembers.

Monday’s game puts the Chiefs’ offense and how the unit will adapt against a quality opponent back into the national spotlight. The two receivers who should see an increase in snaps are JuJu Smith-Schuster and Justin Watson.

“There’s not another Rashee, but there are other guys, who are very, very good, so we’ll be fine,” coach Andy Reid said Thursday. “We’ll take care of business.” (General Manager Brett) Veach has done a good job attracting people here, so we just have to take care of business.

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Optimism grows for Rice’s return

On Sunday night, after their win against the Chargers, the Chiefs feared that Rice might tear his ACL, an injury that would end his season. Four days later, several people within the Chiefs organization were growing increasingly optimistic that Rice would return to the field later in the regular season.

Before Thursday’s practice, Rice was seen in the Chiefs locker room. He was doing pretty well, considering his situation. But he had swelling around his right knee.

Rice is expected to see a specialist early next week in Dallas to determine the severity of his injury and when he can safely return to the field.

“It’s just wait and see,” Reid said. “For his sake, we really hope things work out for the best.” We’ll just see where it goes and leave it to the doctors. Rashee has had a phenomenal year. Unfortunately, in this league, injuries happen and life goes on.

After Thursday’s practice, the Chiefs placed Rice on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least the team’s next four games. He was injured immediately after Mahomes’ interception in the first quarter. Rice was chasing cornerback Kristian Fulton, who was returning the ball near the Chiefs sideline, when his right leg was bent back when he collided with Mahomes, who was trying to tackle Fulton with his right shoulder. Within minutes, Rice was carried to the locker room with his hands and a towel covering his face.

“When I saw the replay, I felt like I hit Rashee,” Mahomes said. “I wasn’t worried about myself. I hoped his injury wasn’t as bad as it looked.

If Rice’s injury isn’t significant, the earliest he could return is Nov. 10 for a home game against the Broncos, just five days after the NFL trade deadline. The Chiefs should evaluate their receiver depth over the next three games as they consider trading for a veteran receiver.

As of Thursday, the Chiefs had nearly $4.8 million in salary cap space, according to Over the Cap.

The defense loses its reputation

During the Chiefs’ championship runs, a trend developed with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo: His unit initially struggled to defend rushing attacks. As the schedule gets closer to the playoffs, when the weather is colder and running the ball becomes even more important, the Chiefs’ run defense gets better and better.

Well, the story is different this season. Through four games, the Chiefs defense has made it difficult for opponents to run the ball.

“It’s all about building the wall and then following (the ball carrier’s) hip, like our coaches say,” linebacker Leo Chenal said. “It starts there.”

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In fact, the player who generated the most rushing yards against the Chiefs this season was Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who gained 122 yards in the first game, most of which came after it came out of the pocket.

No opposing running back with 12 or more rushing attempts – Derrick Henry (Ravens), Bijan Robinson (Falcons) and JK Dobbins (Chargers) – gained even 50 yards against the Chiefs.

“It was something we wanted to address (early),” defensive tackle Mike Pennel said of the Chiefs’ run defense. “Last year when I came back (in December), the defense was playing well and I was able to add a little bit to the run (defense) in our playoff push. That was the main goal of our defense this year, not to (just) improve at the end of the year.

The Chiefs’ run defense is a big reason why the team escaped Atlanta with another close victory.

With less than a minute remaining and trailing by five points, the Falcons found themselves four inches from the Chiefs’ 13-yard line. The Falcons lined up in a condensed formation featuring two tight ends and two running backs, similar to the one they used in the second quarter to score a 1-yard touchdown. Linebacker Nick Bolton was the only defender the Falcons didn’t block. He sprinted upfield behind Chenal, who created penetration against left tackle Jake Matthews, and tackled Robinson behind the line of scrimmage for a 3-yard loss.

“It’s a team game here and all our guys are doing it,” Chenal said of Bolton’s highlight. “There are guys who don’t get credit for something, but one of us – a linebacker, a safety, a cornerback – comes in and makes the play. I happened to be in that position on a really important play and Nick was going to make that play no matter what, whether I gave the lead or not.

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Before the season, Spagnuolo thought his unit had one looming concern: Who would be the starting cornerback opposite Trent McDuffie?

During the offseason, the Chiefs traded L’Jarius Sneed to the Titans. But none of the Chiefs players who have held the position for three years – Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson and Nazeeh Johnson – performed well enough in the preseason to win the battle for the job.

Against the Ravens, Spagnuolo handed the starting job to Watson, who rewarded his coach by producing a team-high 11 tackles and one assist.

Since then, Watson has helped solidify the Chiefs defense, which allows just 18 points per game. Watson was the highest-rated Chiefs player, earning an 84.6 grade, according to Pro Football Focus, in the team’s win over the Chargers, as he finished with two assists and three tackles. In 160 coverage snaps, Watson has yet to allow a touchdown.

(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)