CHARLOTTE – Are you ready for it? The Kansas City Chiefs are coming to town, with a 9-1 record that is tied for the best in football. The back-to-back Super Bowl champions are coming off of their first loss of the season, a 30-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes called the loss "fuel" for the rest of the season, adding, "We feel like we can play better, so we will get back to work and try to use this as a spark so that we can be a better football team in the end."

The Panthers will look to douse that fire a bit more though. Riding back-to-back wins, the Panthers are returning from a bye week healthier and more confident. The Chiefs still pose a huge challenge though, with their Top 5 defense and MVP led offense.

"We don't expect anything but the Chiefs best this week," coach Dave Canales said Monday.

With that in mind, get to know this week's foe, the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Mahomes of it all

All conversations about the Kansas City Chiefs start and end with Patrick Mahomes. The two-time MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion—and Super Bowl MVP—can play the game in whatever way a defense dictates, and he's great at them all. He can take over a game, becoming more physical than everyone else on the field with pure will. He can make highlight-worthy plays that defy physics. He can manage a match, not being above dinking and dunking in order to be clinical when a game requires him to be so.

It's the latter that defenses have to be most aware of. There will be time bending plays at time, and sandlot plays at times. But when Mahomes locks in on a defense's weaknesses, that's when a game can get out of hand. And that's what Jaycee Horn said the Panthers are focusing on this week.

"I think it's just more exciting for everybody to talk about the highlight stuff, but yeah, he definitely, you know, can get surgical, can Tom Brady, just nickel and dime it up the field," Horn said this week.

"He good at what he (does). He's the best in the league for a reason. So, I feel like we just got to tighten up our details even more knowing that they're coming in and find a way to win."

Through 10 games, Mahomes has thrown for 2,404 yards, averaging 240 per game, with 15 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, and has taken 22 sacks. He is also the Chiefs second leading rusher, with 167 yards on 39 carries and a touchdown on the ground.

A balanced attack

The Chiefs are known for their multi-pronged offensive attack, headlined by Andy Reid's magical house of mysteries, otherwise known as his playbook. This season, the offense might not be as high-powered as years past (the biggest margin of victory has been 13 points) but the unit has found a groove that almost perfectly splits the game between the rushing attack and passing game.

Running back Kareem Hunt has a team high 509 yards (averaging 3.7 yards per carry) with five touchdowns on the ground. Hunt returned to Kansas City after Isiah Pacheco was placed on injured reserve. He has posted his team leading rushing numbers through seven games.

Reid told Kansas City reporters on Monday that they would "have to see as the week goes on," as to whether or not Pacheco could be available on Sunday against the Panthers.

Through the air, Mahomes and his favorite target—Travis Kelce—have connected for 507 yards and two touchdowns on 62 receptions. While Kelce finding the end zone didn't happen until late October, he has remained Mahomes favorite target when the chains need to move this season. Kelce has converted 29 first downs, which is tied for 21^st in the league.

Someone who has found the end zone plenty of times? Receiver Xavier Worthy. The rookie has four touchdowns and 307 yards on 24 catches. He's speedy too, having reached a top speed of 21.46 miles per hour in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

A top run defense

The Chiefs strengths don't stop with the offense. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's group is Top 5 overall, only allowing an average of 297.5 yards per game. The run defense in particular has proven stifling, allowing a mere 85.3 yards per game on the ground, third best in the NFL.

Linebacker Nick Bolton has a team high 69 tackles, with a sack and three passes defended. But that front is led by defensive tackle Chris Jones and defensive end George Karlaftis, who have 48 tackles between them, and seven sacks.

"They're definitely a good group. Good up front," Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu said on Monday. "Their starting seven, they're physical. Obviously big guy is Chris Jones, who is one of the leaders of that group. So definitely excited for the matchup."

And don't forget Leo Chenal, the linebacker with three sacks of his own, and the initial block on a would-be walk off field goal for the Broncos against the Chiefs in Week 10. The block from Chenal helped the Chiefs keep their perfect record to that point.