The Downfall of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs (Film Breakdown)

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Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes II.

Ethan K.

After making it to two consecutive Super Bowls, and winning one of them, the Kansas City Chiefs cemented themselves as one of the best teams in the NFL. Well, at least until the 2021 season. 

Patrick Mahomes, one of the league’s biggest superstars, has seemingly disappeared this season and is tied with New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson for the league lead in interceptions (as of 10/26/2021). The Chiefs defense has been equally as unimpressive. As a whole, the now 3-4 Kansas City Chiefs are looking terrible and find themselves in last place in the AFC West division after a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.  

Mahomes himself has not impressed many NFL fans this season, after many of his long touchdown passes have been what seem like miracle, bail out throws. As one can see in this clip, Mahomes airs out a pass that ends up resulting in a 75-yard touchdown to Tyreek Hill. However, this pass is thrown as Mahomes is on the run out of bounds, just sailing it downfield in hopes it is caught. Credit to Hill here for making an amazing play to come back to the ball, but this should not be considered a Mahomes highlight when Hill makes the play great and Browns safety John Johnson III looks absolutely lost. 

Once again, one can see in this clip, Mahomes makes a desperate attempt to throw the ball, however this time it does appear that he wants to throw the ball out of bounds and incomplete. However, Mahomes gets hit and the ball is thrown loosely into the air and intercepted. While one could say that the Chiefs offensive line should be blocking better for Mahomes, this play is completely on Mahomes who botched the snap at the start of the play. 

In this play, while this is a bit more of an unlucky interception, this throw is completely pointless for Mahomes to make. Receiver Josh Gordon is completely covered, but Mahomes still decides to throw it, the pass being on the run again, and it gets tipped and intercepted. While this isn’t the worst play Mahomes has made, it is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a good one. 

Mahomes has additionally made himself a reputation for throwing a very good no-look pass that fools opposing defenses. However, in this clip, Mahomes throws a no-look pass for no reason, which makes the ball slightly off target from the receiver, causing the receiver to jump and miss the ball which gets intercepted.      

A final clip I would like to talk about is from the Chiefs’ Sunday Night Football game versus the Ravens. Mahomes steps up into the pocket, and appears to be ready to scramble for a first down on an important 3rd and 12, but instead, Odafe Oweh, a Ravens Linebacker, starts to drag Mahomes down, so Mahomes throws the ball forward and into the air, right into the hands of Ravens DB Tavon Young. What confuses me with Mahomes in this clip, is that it is the third quarter and the Chiefs are winning 35-24. There is no point in Mahomes trying to make a miracle play, when a punt is absolutely fine in that scenario. The Chiefs would end up losing the game 35-36 (ESPN.com ) and one could say that Mahomes’ interception was costly for KC.