The Kansas City Chiefs faced a fourth-and-2 from the Denver 26-yard line about midway through the fourth quarter of their Sunday afternoon game against the Denver Broncos. Using a shotgun snap and allowing the play to develop, quarterback Patrick Mahomes sent a precise throw down the left side of the field to second-year wideout Skyy Moore.
Moore lost sight of the ball and was unable to bring it down in the end zone, putting a stop to the Chiefs’ comeback attempt. The missed convert has earned the former second-round selection a lot of criticism, adding to what has already been a difficult sophomore season. Despite this, head coach Andy Reid lauded Moore at a press conference on Wednesday.
“Skyy’s doing well, we’re just rotating a lot of guys in there,” Reid said. “So… opportunities. I mentioned the one throw, I think you guys probably all get that on your computers there. You get that arm yanked down [and] it ends up being a one-armed catch. He took a lot of heat for that. But for the most part, Skyy’s doing a heck of a job for us, so just keep him growing.”
Moore has 323 snaps played this season (59.3%), which ranks second among Kansas City wideouts, but he hasn’t performed like it. He is second on the team in targets, sixth in receiving yards, and seventh in total catches. His 48.1% success percentage ranks fifth among Chiefs with at least 10 targets this year. Under the identical conditions, his catch percentage of 51.9% ranks dead last.
Moore has clearly battled in 2023, but he is far from the only receiver on the squad that has done so. Both Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Kadarius Toney, who were anticipated to play significant roles this year, have regressed from their 2022 forms. The Chiefs’ offensive remains one of the league’s best, but a string of lackluster performances has left many fans wanting more.
Red zone issues, turnovers, and other factors have kept Kansas City from reaching new heights. Moore is a part of the equation, but Reid is certain that with some patience, everyone will be able to get back on track.
“Yeah, so listen, we’re going to be OK there,” Reid said. “We just [need to] keep getting better all the way along. It’s not just a wide receiver thing — it’s all of us. A week ago, we were saying how good they did. So just keeping the consistency going on the offensive side is what we need to do all the way around, not just the wide receivers.”
