The Kansas City Chiefs can no longer afford to ignore the obvious problem emerging, which is Harrison Butker. The historically reliable kicker has shown alarming signs over the last three games, missing extra points and field goals he once hit with ease. What makes the performance so confusing is how uneven it's been.
There isn't a clear sideways turn, nor is there the expected performance. It is this weird in between where things are not bad enough to rely on the kicker, but not to the point of searching for another answer.
It makes the entire situation a bit murky for a team that badly needs to rely on its kicker with the recent history of the roster. So often it seems that head coach Andy Reid has been content playing for a field goal. This was pointed out by Arrowhead Addict's Adam Best, clearly highlighting the need to let Patrick Mahomes play a bit more freely.
Sunday's game served as an example of what can happen when the Chiefs' coaching staff does this with the offense hitting season-high numbers across the board.
Chiefs Fans Should Remain Concerned with Harrison Butker's Continued Struggles
Still, the nice performance from Mahomes and the offense doesn't take away the fact that you can no longer trust Butker from distance. Looking back at the last half-decade, it is easy to appreciate what the kicker has meant to the organization and how many game-winning plays he has delivered. However, if the contest against Baltimore had been as close as expected, is there any KC fan who wanted the game to come down to a kick?
What once would've been a sure Kansas City walk-off win is now back in question thanks to the recent struggles of Butker. Again, it is important to note that overall, the veteran is 10-of-13 on field goals and has had a handful of great moments. This includes a fire drill field goal against the Los Angeles Chargers, all the way back in Week 1. That was a display of how to run the play to perfection.
However, the handful of great moments do little to wipe away the concern that is mounting with Butker missing at least one kick each of the last three weeks. Whether it is a mental issue or simply bad luck to start the year remains to be seen. Regardless, Kansas City fans will unquestionably be keeping an eye on a player who was already a cause for concern and only furthered this heading into Week 5.