The Kansas City Chiefs enter Week 6 undefeated, with one of the NFL’s top offenses. The Chiefs rank fifth in points per game (29.5) and second in total yards (412), and quarterback Patrick Mahomes seems to have found his groove. He has thrown nine touchdowns and thrown just two interceptions in four games, averaging 8.1 yards per pass attempt.
Kansas City always self-evaluates over the bye, and no player is likely to do it more than Mahomes. The self-critical MVP sees where he and the offense can
improve over the remaining 13 regular-season games.
He spoke to local media Wednesday before practice, pointing to himself first as the area that can improve starting in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Getting the ball out faster
“Continue to hit the deep shots when they’re there, but then when it’s not there, maybe get the ball out of my hand a little bit quicker,” Mahomes said. “Get it to guys where I’m not taking some of those hits.”
In the Week 4 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, the Chiefs surrendered two sacks and eight quarterback hits. The team was dealing with a significant change on the offensive line—veteran backup Mike Caliendo filling in at left guard next to undrafted rookie left tackle Kahlil Benson—but Mahomes understood what he could have done to reduce the hits he took.
In the Raiders game, I feel like there were times I was holding onto the ball a little longer than I had in the previous games,“ Mahomes reflected. ”So being better at that: just keep getting it out of my hand like I was in the earlier games in the season and not getting into some old, bad habits.”
So far this season, Mahomes has the sixth-fastest time to throw (2.7) among qualified NFL quarterbacks according to NFL Next Gen Stats. In Las Vegas, the quarterback’s average time to throw was a season-high 3.04 seconds.
Finding more consistency
It will be a challenge for the Chiefs’ offense to “continue to hit deep shots” without its No. 1 big-play receiver: Tyquan Thornton. He suffered a serious ankle injury that is expected to sideline him for the season.
Still, the top factor in Mahomes’ mind will be finding a rhythm and staying in it for all four quarters.
“The biggest thing is about being more consistent throughout the game,” Mahomes said. “There have been spells in each game where we necessarily haven’t played our best football. Having those explosive plays helps out a ton, so we have to continue that and then be more consistent throughout the entire game. That will kind of take us to the next level.”
To avoid droughts and three-and-outs, Mahomes understands the team needs to keep leaning on running back Kenneth Walker, who still has the second-most rushing yards (537) in the NFL after the bye week. He has understood that since before Chiefs Kingdom understood how special Walker could be.
“It was easy once I saw Kenneth running the football,” Mahomes reflected about the offseason. “I was like, ‘We have to make sure we give him the best chances to succeed.’”
“Obviously, he has run the ball terrific under center, and the offensive line has taken it upon themselves to fire off the ball and get that stuff down,” Mahomes continued. “I knew if we were able to do that, the play action game would open up even more. Then it’s about me just being the best quarterback for this team. It’s always going to be different, and this team was about being under center, getting him going and then play action off of it. I’m sure the defenses will adjust, and we’ll adjust off of that as well.”
Mahomes says this year’s Chiefs are “about being under center,” and that theme has been successful. No team averaged more yards per play than Kansas City (7.3) does on under-center plays this season.
Still, Mahomes leaves plenty of room for self-improvement, and he believes there’s another level of effectiveness Kansas City’s offense can reach as he and the unit move forward.
“I have to be more consistent getting the ball out of my hand,” Mahomes said. “I have to be more consistent going through my reads and getting to the right progressions, but guys are getting open. I think that’s the most important thing, and as I get more and more comfortable getting back at it, I can start getting through those progressions and hitting those guys.
If we can take that consistency to another level, I think the offense will even take another step.”
