Ran Carthon Warns Chiefs: ‘Patrick Mahomes Can’t Win Alone, They Need A Strong Running Game’
Former NFL General Manager Ran Carthon has delivered a blunt message to the Kansas City Chiefs: While Patrick Mahomes is undoubtedly one of the best quarterbacks in the league, the Chiefs’ lack of a solid running game is holding them back from reaching their full potential. According to Carthon, the Chiefs' offense, despite Mahomes' brilliance, lacks balance, and that imbalance could cost them in the long run.
“What the Chiefs need is a complete overhaul. They have Patrick Mahomes, but they’re missing one critical thing — a strong, reliable running game to support him. If they don’t fix this, they’ll be repeating the same mistakes they made this season.”
Carthon’s assessment comes amid growing concerns that the Chiefs' offensive scheme is too reliant on Mahomes to carry the entire load. While Mahomes has been exceptional, particularly in clutch situations, the absence of a reliable rushing attack has left the team vulnerable, especially when Mahomes is forced to do everything by himself.
🏈 The Lack of Balance in Kansas City’s Offense
For the Chiefs to take the next step and consistently compete for championships, Carthon believes they must find a way to establish a more balanced offense. Historically, the most successful teams in the NFL have had a well-rounded attack that includes both a strong passing game and a running game that can chew up clock and relieve some of the pressure from their quarterbacks.
Despite having talented weapons like Travis Kelce and a solid receiving corps, the Chiefs’ running game has often been inconsistent. Running backs like Clyde Edwards-Helaire have failed to make a lasting impact, and while rookie Isiah Pacheco showed flashes of brilliance, the team has struggled to find consistent production from the ground game.
Carthon argues that this imbalance is too much for even someone as talented as Mahomes to overcome. The inability to rely on the run game means Mahomes is forced to pass in high-pressure situations, often facing more defenders in coverage or dealing with pressure from the opposing defense.
🔥 Why It Matters
Carthon’s warning is not just about one season — it’s about the long-term future of the Chiefs. In the past, the Chiefs’ offense has relied heavily on Mahomes’ playmaking ability, and while that formula has worked in many instances, it’s also been a cause of their struggles in key moments. A running game could give Mahomes more time to make plays and help balance out the team’s offensive attack.
For the Chiefs to remain a dominant force in the AFC and continue to compete for Super Bowls, Carthon suggests that they need to find a way to create more offensive balance. Without a strong running game, they risk becoming too predictable, especially in big games when Mahomes is under pressure and the team can’t sustain drives.
🏆 The Path Forward
Moving forward, the Chiefs need to focus on strengthening their running back position and building a more reliable rushing attack. Whether through the draft, free agency, or a trade, adding a proven back who can consistently pick up yards and give Mahomes some support could be the key to unlocking their full offensive potential.
While Mahomes will always be the centerpiece of the Chiefs’ offense, Carthon’s comments serve as a reminder that even the best quarterbacks need balance around them. With a strong running game to complement his talent, Mahomes and the Chiefs could truly become an unstoppable force in the NFL.
Commanders stuck in reverse while young talent waits to shine
In Ron Rivera’s final season as coach, the Washington Commanders had the worst defense in the NFL. It was not a close competition.
It was so bad in 2023 that Rivera fired his defensive coordinator and secondary coach during the season. The team was dead last in points allowed (30.5) and yards allowed (388.9).
Dan Quinn wishes his Commanders could match those miserable 2023 numbers right now.
This would constitute an improvement over the last four games. In that span, the unit run by Quinn and his defensive coordinator, Joe Whitt Jr., has given up almost 34 points and 410 yards per game. Their last three opponents have piled up more than 400 yards. The Commanders have lost four straight.
Washington’s offense is struggling, but its defense has turned into a disaster. And clearly something needs to change.
Commanders must deploy a youth movement to determine long-term plans
I am neutral on Whitt’s job status. Some are calling for him to be fired, but I doubt it would help in the short term. He has been a good coach for many years, and he seemed to have this defense heading in the right direction in 2024.
The speed with which Adam Peters overhauled the moribund roster of 2023 was staggering. It worked much better and much faster than anyone expected. But it now appears that the strategy of relying more heavily on veterans was short-sighted.
The Commanders still had holes. Their biggest issue was a lack of consistent edge rushers, but there were also questions about depth at linebacker and across the secondary.
Part of the recent struggles can be pinned on injuries. The Commanders' opening-day roster had only three legitimate NFL defensive ends. Jacob Martin and Von Miller often line up there, but they are both seriously undersized for the position. All three of those — Dorance Armstrong Jr., Deatrich Wise Jr., and Javontae Jean-Baptiste — have been lost to injury, as has starting safety Will Harris.
Whether you think that is a legitimate excuse or not, it doesn’t really matter. Moving forward, the Commanders must confront several questions unrelated to health issues.
Bobby Wagner is way past his prime. More troubling, young cornerstones Frankie Luvu, Mike Sainristil, and Quan Martin have regressed significantly. Getting those players back on track is job No. 1 for Whitt.
Job No. 2 is finding out which of Washington’s many young players can be part of the answer in the coming years. I am not advocating giving up on this season, although it seems pretty clear that it is a lost cause — at least if you are measuring by playoff success.
What this season must provide is clarity on who will be on this team in the years to come. Luvu and Sainristil aren’t going anywhere. Martin might not be either. Those players, along with rookie Trey Amos and a few veteran linemen, will be the core of the defense in 2026.
Who will join them?
Jordan Magee needs to play a lot more. That either means a new defensive scheme or a severe reduction in snaps for the venerable Wagner.
Magee has shown some genuine flashes in recent weeks, one of the only defenders to do so. It is ludicrous to argue that he is somehow better than Wagner, who remains a formidable run stopper and blitzer. But he needs reps, and not merely on obvious passing downs.
Tyler Owens is in the same bracket. He may never be as consistent and productive as his impressive physical ability should allow, but he will not improve by simply playing special teams.
Owens is the one player on the Commanders’ roster who fits the physical profile of the modern roving defensive back. Against the Seattle Seahawks, Commanders’ fans saw the newest version of that player in Nick Emmanwori. Quinn needs to find out whether the Texas Tech product can approximate that style of play.
What do Quinn and Whitt want in a safety? I can understand why they may not have wanted to spend money to retain Jeremy Chinn. What’s more puzzling is the complete ignoring of Percy Butler, especially as Martin has struggled.
It makes sense to let Martin work through his problems on the field. However, Butler has always been a decent presence at free safety, and he deserves more involvement in this defense.
Quinn and Whitt probably felt Butler and Noah Igbinoghene were not good enough to play significant roles on defense. But as the secondary has fallen deeper into a pit, it makes sense to put them on the field. At least it should help clarify whether this is a secondary issue or a pass-rush issue.
Quite frankly, those moves should have already happened. It is reaching the point where more drastic changes seem reasonable. If Kain Medrano can’t find a small role on the defense right now, does he really have a future in Washington? Even practice squad defensive backs Car’lin Vigers and Robert McDaniel might be in line for a call-up.
The defense — especially the back seven — is not working. It has been an ongoing problem and shows no signs of improvement. Of course, the coaches know better than any outsider who is ready and who is not. And this doesn't only apply to defense.
I still don't understand why Tay Martin, who appeared to be the club's most productive depth receiver, was dropped for totally unproven bigger names like Robbie Chosen and Treylon Burks. But at least some of these young defenders need to get on the field for a test drive.
If Quinn and Whitt refuse to try a few of them with the season rapidly slipping away, then why are they on the roster?
