After Monday night’s loss to the Eagles, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was asked several questions about several dropped passes, but he refused to criticize his receivers.
Perhaps the biggest drop was the deep ball to Marquez Valdes-Scantling, which could have been a game-winning touchdown. Mahomes hit Valdes-Scantling in the hands, Valdes-Scantling couldn’t hold on, and Mahomes said afterward that he wished he had made the catch a little easier for his receiver.
“They made Travis a three-man team [Kelce] So I went to the guy who won downfield and Marquez won. He just couldn’t get away with the ball. I probably could have thrown it a little shorter, he was so open,” Mahomes said.
Mahomes’ final pass to Justin Watson on fourth-and-25 on the Chiefs’ final offensive play hit Watson and should have gained about 27 yards, but the ball passed through Watson’s hands. Mahomes said his receivers knew that despite such plays, he still had confidence in them.
“You know I’m going to keep shooting,” Mahomes said. “Usually they will make the plays. It happens.”
Mahomes repeatedly declined to say that dropped passes were the Chiefs’ problem.
“Not only did it lose the game, but a lot happened,” Mahomes said. “It starts with me. I need to make better throws at certain times.”
Mahomes again: “I didn’t pass well enough in certain situations.”
Mahomes praised the Chiefs defense’s outstanding performance this season and said he is confident the offense can play better.
“I know how hard the guys work at the end of the day,” Mahomes said. “We had phases in which we played good football offensively. All you can do is go to work and keep improving.”
Mahomes continues to play at an MVP level, but his receivers need to put in the work and get much better.