This is the first time in quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ career that the Kansas City Chiefs have started the season 0-2. While getting off to such a slow start may be new for Mahomes, he believes no one in the locker room is panicking — and he has faith the team will turn it around.
“It’s about the character of the guys in the locker room more than it is the play on the football field,” Mahomes explained to reporters on Wednesday. “We have the guys [who] are going to continue to work. They’re not going to let
this push them down. They’re going to use it, if anything, as motivation to be even better.”
Unsurprisingly, Mahomes takes primary responsibility for the offense’s problems through the first two games.
“[It’s about] just being better at executing in some of those earlier moments in the game,” he noted. “I mean, there were guys open — obviously Noah [Gray] early — but even more than that, if I sit in that pocket a little bit longer and trust those guys and get the ball to guys down the field, I feel like we can make some more explosive plays.”
Mahomes is well aware that even some of his own big plays could have been better if he had taken the time to go through all of his progressions.
“If I would have just stayed [in the pocket] a little bit longer, I could have made some throws to guys,” he admitted, “and let them make some plays happen.”
While his scrambles have kept the chains moving, Mahomes recognizes it hasn’t always been the best decision.
“Obviously, the runs work,” he explained. “You have success in the play and stuff like that. But when you look back on the tape, sometimes you want to make sure that you’re going through the progression the right way.”
Like Mahomes, head coach Andy Reid knows he has to do a better job, too — starting with better play-calling that sets the team up for success on third down.
“We’ve been throwing the ball in those situations,” he said, “You keep them manageable, first of all, and then we’ve got to hook up on them. We can do a better job as coaches of putting them in a better position.”
Reid is aware of the frustration that many fans feel right now.
“Well, we haven’t won the game,” he acknowledged, “so I understand. I get it. But you know, we keep pushing — and we’ll keep pushing, working forward [to] see what we can do.”
For himself and his staff, the best approach is to avoid sugarcoating things with his players.
“I just try to fix the problems we might have — in all areas, including myself,” he remarked. “That’s what you have time to do: be real with the guys. I’m [going to] tell them what I think. [I’ll] communicate with them and try to work it out — [and] get it right. “
The Chiefs are now two games behind the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West. There’s no way around it: to claim the division again, there’s work to do. But Mahomes realizes it can’t be done all at once.
“You try to set the example on the practice field,” he said. “[You] stay after [to] do extra stuff. [You] do a little bit here and there — and push other guys to do the same.
“And [then] it’s just about putting it together on game day — which I’ve seen these guys do before. So I have faith that we’ll do that.”
