Patrick Mahomes recently threw a ball at the face of Texans safety Tyrann Mathieu and said he’s going to continue playing aggressively. The Chiefs’ 1-5 start is bringing up questions about whether or not his style will lead to success, but it hasn’t stopped him from making big plays so far.
Patrick Mahomes is the Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback. He has been one of the most exciting players in the NFL since he entered the league in 2017, and this season he’s doubled down on his aggressive style of offense despite the Chiefs’ embarrassing struggles. “I’m gonna take shots,” Mahomes said.
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs started 2021 with high hopes after back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. They planned to return to the big game and reclaim their championship, and most people thought they’d be a strong contender moving into the regular season.
Surprisingly, the Chiefs’ season in 2021 is not going as planned. They’re 5-4 in the AFC West and in third place. What’s more unexpected is that Kansas City’s franchise quarterback is one of the primary reasons for the team’s sluggish start. Mahomes, who was previously considered godlike, is beginning to seem more human these days.
Patrick Mahomes is having trouble.
#Chiefs: “It all begins with me; I need to improve.” — Patrick Mahomes on how he executes his offense
November 10, 2021 — McKenzie Nelson (@McKenzieMNelson)
Mahomes threw 11 interceptions in total between 2019 and 2020. In 2020, he even lead the NFL in interception percentage (1.0 percent ). However, in the year 2021, things have changed dramatically. Mahomes has thrown 10 interceptions thus far, following just Sam Darnold and Joe Burrow on the league leaderboard.
Mahomes wasn’t totally to blame for a couple of his turnovers. His offensive line has been problematic, and his wide receivers have been dropping passes at a far greater rate than Mahomes is accustomed to. The previous league MVP, on the other hand, continues to be very careless with the football.
He’s launching long shots into coverage left and right, and he’s unwilling to abandon plays that aren’t working. The 10 interceptions are a result of Mahomes’ aggression at the quarterback position.
Patrick Mahomes is re-inventing himself as a quarterback.
Patrick Mahomes | Getty Images/Jamie Squire
There have been requests for Mahomes’ gunslinger approach to be toned down. The Chiefs quarterback, on the other hand, says he has no intention of doing so. He’s upping the ante on his bravado.
Mahomes said, “I mean, I’m going to take shots.” “I’ve taken those pictures for the last several years, and they’ve worked.” I’ve taken such shots in the past, and although they haven’t worked as well this season, we’ve still been able to score points.”
“Whenever I have a man downfield who has a chance to make a play, I’m going to give him that opportunity.”
Is it possible for the Chiefs to preserve their season?
The Chiefs are very much what they are at this stage of the season, with Mahomes sticking to his roots and the NFL trade deadline having past. Unless they make a bold free-agent signing (Odell Beckham Jr., anyone? ), the Chiefs will have to make do with the guys they currently have.
At the trade deadline, Kansas City acquired veteran pass-rusher Melvin Ingram. His presence, on the other hand, will do little to improve the team’s faltering offense.
With all of this in mind, it’s logical to expect Mahomes and the Chiefs to have a significant upward trend in the second half of the season. Mahomes is still a great talent who has demonstrated multiple times that he is capable of leading a championship-caliber offense, even if he has appeared lost at times this season.
The smart move here is to double down on his football style. With a few good breaks here and there, the Chiefs should be in position to reach the playoffs by the end of the season.
Pro Football Reference provided all stats.
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