Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs search for answers on offense as losses, criticism mount
KANSAS CITY, Mo. â You could listen to just about any NFL analyst about the ongoing struggles of the Kansas City Chiefs offense and theyâll give you a different perspective.
Kurt Warner, the Hall of Fame quarterback and analyst for NFL Network, offered a simple analysis Monday night via his X (formerly Twitter) account after the Chiefsâ upset loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, a game in which their offense committed back-to-back giveaways that resulted in easy touchdowns for their archrival. Warner said the unit had one of its worst performances in the Patrick Mahomes era, which began six years ago. The offense, Warner wrote, was bad everywhere.
On Tuesdayâs episode of âThe Athletic Football Show,â Nate Tice, a former NFL offensive quality control assistant and former college quarterback, voiced harsh criticism of Mahomesâ teammates.
âIt is so sloppy,â Tice said of watching the unit led by coach Andy Reid. âThis team led the league in penalties per snap on offense going into last week and I donât think their numbers are going to change much. This Chiefs skill-position group â receivers, tight ends a little bit because (Travis) Kelce can be a little loose and running backs â is probably the lowest collective football IQ I have ever seen, at least from a contender.â
Despite Mahomes throwing a pick-six, getting sacked four times and loudly challenging his offensive linemen on the sideline to perform better, analyst Sheil Kapadia of The Ringer absolved the leagueâs reigning MVP because of the suboptimal circumstances he has had to perform in.
âI have no time for those Mahomes arguments,â Kapadia said Tuesday on âThe Ringer NFL Show.â âI donât want to see any clips this week of, âOh, this is the way the play is drawn up (or) he shouldâve gone in structure here.â They have sabotaged his season. He is looking to be the greatest quarterback of all time. Heâs in his prime, heâs healthy and they have riddled him with garbanzo beans pass catchers, garbanzo beans offensive tackles and coaches with no answers for how to help him.â
Some long faces on the Chiefs sidelines pic.twitter.com/ZTfc9ero37
â NFL on CBS đ (@NFLonCBS) December 25, 2023
Even former receiver Dante Hall, the Chiefsâ newest Ring of Honor member, pleaded with Mahomes on Wednesday morning to change his play style â from less mesmerizing backyard-like gunslinger to more captain checkdown â to help improve the offenseâs effectiveness.
âI love you; youâre my favorite quarterback,â Hall said on âGood Morning Football.â âBut I think you need to fall in love with the mundane. Yes ⊠weâve been used to the big play to (receiver) Tyreek (Hill), to Kelce. Itâs time to be checkdown Tom Brady. Fall in love with the swing route, the checkdowns. These plays have been there for the taking. ⊠Get a rhythm.â
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Before Wednesdayâs practice, Mahomes had the opportunity to share his thoughts on his worst performance of the season. After rewatching his effort against the Raiders, Mahomes acknowledged that he struggled with almost every task required from an NFL quarterback. His footwork wasnât sharp. His movement within the pocket was lacking. And he missed more open receivers downfield â when he wasnât pressured or scrambling out of the pocket â than he often does.
With his season-high 58 dropbacks, Mahomes finished with 235 passing yards, 53 rushing yards and one touchdown. Pro Football Focusâ grade of Mahomesâ performance was just 34.2, the lowest of his career.
âIâve got to play better, read the field better,â Mahomes said. âYou have to be critical with yourself. You have to be true to whatâs on the film. A lot of people will make excuses, and thatâs why they donât take that next step or become better because of it. You look at the film, you made a lot of mistakes that you canât make in this league if you want to have success, and you have to learn from it.â
Mahomes spent much of Mondayâs game throwing short passes, including 18 attempts that were either behind or at the line of scrimmage. When he was asked to throw the ball past the line of scrimmage, Mahomes said he drifted too far back in the pocket, making it more difficult for right tackle Jawaan Taylor and rookie left tackle Wanya Morris to contain Raiders edge rushers Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce.
The last time Mahomes struggled this much was during the 2021 season when the Chiefs were blown out by the Tennessee Titans, a game in which Mahomes completed just 20 of his 35 attempts for 206 passing yards and one interception while being sacked four times.
âIâve got to help him,â Reid said of Mahomes. âHeâs aware of what heâs got to work on. Heâs a very positive thinker, so heâs very focused. He understands heâs got to do his part and the other guys have to do their part. Heâs a joy to coach.â
Two TDs in seven seconds from the @Raiders defense!
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â NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2023
Surrounding Mahomes, though, is an offense that leads the league in drops from receivers (26). Of course, Kelce and fellow tight end Noah Gray each dropped a pass in Mondayâs loss, too. One of the biggest issues is that the Chiefs are tied for last in the league, with the 4-11 Washington Commanders, in turnover differential (-10). And even though the Chiefs have played 15 games, Mahomes still hasnât found a reliable third pass-catcher open behind Kelce and rookie receiver Rashee Rice, a problem that has made it easier for opposing defenses to counterattack the Chiefsâ play calls.
On multiple plays during Mondayâs game, Mahomes either didnât notice that receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was open downfield or declined to target him. No receiver on the active roster has had a more disappointing season than Valdes-Scantling, a six-year veteran who has generated just 20 receptions on 39 targets for 312 yards and one touchdown.
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Valdes-Scantling was on the field for 61 snaps Monday, the most among the receivers, yet Mahomes targeted him just once, an incompletion in which the ball touched one of his hands.
âIâve got to find ways to get him the ball,â Mahomes said of Valdes-Scantling. âThereâs times where heâs open and I can see it on tape. If you look at the two games we played against the Bengals last year, he was a big part of those games (combining for eight receptions, 187 yards and a touchdown).
âThe best part about him is heâs being professional. Even though Iâm not getting him the ball in some of those moments, heâs blocking his tail off and doing whatever he can to help the team.â
Nate Hobbs breaks it up in the end zone to force a turnover on downs
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â NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2023
The Chiefs have lost four of their last six games, averaging just 20.8 points in that stretch. The team that led the NFL in scoring last season has dropped into a tie for 11th in 2023.
During Mondayâs game, Kelce showed his frustration by slamming his helmet on the sideline. Reid responded by not allowing Kelce to immediately get his helmet back from equipment director Allen Wright. Kelce returned to the field a few plays later after a quick chat with Reid.
âItâs not just one guy,â Kelce said on his âNew Heightsâ podcast with his brother Jason, the Philadelphia Eaglesâ center. âItâs not just me playing like dog sâ. Itâs not just us not being able to get the run game going. Itâs not just us not being on the same page, passing-wise. Everybodyâs in this fâing thing together. Everybody at some point isnât being accountable.â
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Before Wednesdayâs practice, Reid emphasized that he had already addressed Kelceâs incident.
âWe talked,â Reid said. âI talk to everybody. Thatâs between me and the players. Kelce and I have a great relationship. I think thatâs important. These guys are emotional and they want to do well. Thatâs what you see. Thereâs a sense of frustration. That urgency is going to help us get better.
âThe guys know me and how I present things. I talk to the team every day, so I get my points across.â
Andy Reid and Travis Kelce talking it out pic.twitter.com/TMD9Vpb8RV
â NFL on CBS đ (@NFLonCBS) December 25, 2023
An issue against the Raiders that irritated Tice was how often the Chiefsâ skill-position players made pre-snap mistakes â whether with their initial alignment, when they were supposed to motion or shift the formation or when one of them needed Mahomesâ assistance on where to line up after receiving the play call.
âThatâs my fault,â Reid said of such errors. âI have to make sure thatâs right.â
Reid and Mahomes acknowledged that the Chiefs need to correct several areas of the offense, which will be difficult for them, coordinator Matt Nagy and everyone else in the unit, to accomplish on a short week before facing the Cincinnati Bengals.
Reidâs message to his players, including Mahomes, was uncomplicated and straightforward: keep working, stay positive and move forward.
âI know weâre not going to be the (No.) 1 seed, but we can still win the AFC West,â Mahomes said. âOnce you get into the playoffs, itâs open for everybody to go out there and win it. That starts with (Wednesdayâs) practice.â
Injury update: Running back Isiah Pacheco (concussion protocol), left tackle Donovan Smith (neck), receiver Kadarius Toney (strained hip) and cornerbacks LâJarius Sneed (strained calf) and Jaylen Watson (illness) didnât participate in Wednesdayâs practice. Right guard Trey Smith (left ankle and knee) was limited while receiver Mecole Hardman (thumb) was a full participant.
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(Photo: Denny Medley / USA Today)
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