Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes had worst game of his career vs. Raiders in Week 16
The Kansas City Chiefs hit rock bottom in their Week 16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Day. Part of that was due to the performance of their all-world quarterback. The box score might not necessarily reflect it, but this was perhaps the worst game of Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs career. He finished the game […]
The Kansas City Chiefs hit rock bottom in their Week 16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Day.
Part of that was due to the performance of their all-world quarterback.
The box score might not necessarily reflect it, but this was perhaps the worst game of Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs career. He finished the game with 27 completions on 44 passing attempts (61.4%), 235 yards passing, one touchdown, one interception, a fumble lost, and a second fumble that he was lucky to recover. He also managed 10 carries for 53 yards on the day, which was probably the biggest bright spot.
Mahomes was responsible for the two turnovers that produced 14 points in just 12 seconds for the Raiders. Even with the Chiefs' defense pitching a virtual shutout (six points allowed), Mahomes was unable to get the offense into any sort of a consistent play or rhythm.
If you don't believe the eye test, just look at the analytics community and their response to this performance. Pro Football Focus awarded Mahomes the lowest overall grade (34.9) in his 109-game NFL career as a starter.
According to The Ringer's Sheil Kapadia, the Chiefs' offensive EPA per drive ranked the worst of any in Mahomes' career as the team's starting QB. The offensive success rate came in at 103rd out of 109th.
The Chiefs might have some more pressing issues than the reigning league MVP, but his performance in Week 16 compounded the issues on offense in a way that we've rarely seen. While everyone shares in the blame, he also knows that a better performance from him could have changed the outcome against the Raiders, especially when it comes to the turnovers.
Mahomes knows he was part of the problem
Just after the Chiefs took a 7-3 lead over the Raiders in the first quarter, things quickly got out of hand due to turnovers. Penalties, drops, and turnovers have burned this team often this year. It all started with the team attempting a trick play with a direct snap to Isiah Pacheco, but even as one of the most practiced plays throughout the week of practice, the execution went horribly wrong.
“I was supposed to take the handoff and we just didn’t have a good exchange, just like any other way," Mahomes said. "(We) worked on it all week, they had got some penetration with their defensive line, and we just didn’t make it happen. Those are things that you just can’t let happen, secure the handoff first and then let the rest of the play develop.”
That play was followed up with a bad read by Patrick Mahomes, where he targeted Justin Watson on a comeback route outside the right hash. Watson failed to attack the ball and Raiders CB Jack Jones managed a pick-six.
“He made a good play, man," Mahomes explained. "He was off coverage, read it, probably by the alignment or something like that, and just made a good play. I just can’t make that throw, I try to be on time with it but he obviously made a great play there and got the pick-six.”
During the loss, Mahomes was seen having some stern conversations on the sideline and after the game with his offensive line and receivers. He says those conversations were all about keeping guys in the right place when things weren't going right. At the same time, he recognized his part in the team's struggles on offense.
“I think you just want to keep guys in the right spirit," Mahomes said. "We know we weren’t executing at the level that we wanted to throughout the game but I feel like the guys did a great job of fighting till the very end. We just have to continue to get better and better, these self-inflicted mistakes – and it’s not just one person, I made a couple of them today but it’s just like one here and there but from everybody. If we can just all be on the same page and execute at a high level then we can get that Chiefs offense that y’all are used to seeing. Like I said, we have to prove it, that’s going to be it at the end of the day but we have the guys to do it, we just have to go out there and do it.”
Sixteen weeks into the season and this team has rarely been able to go out there and do it. Maybe this game will be the jolt they need to propel the team heading into the playoffs, but the entire offense, Mahomes notwithstanding, needs to take a long look in the mirror after this one.
Chiefs’ wide receiver snap distribution doomed the team in Week 16
The Kansas City Chiefs had a bad plan at the wide receiver position going into their Week 16 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
