Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs search for answers on offense as losses and criticism mount

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – You can listen to almost any NFL analyst about the continuing struggles of the Kansas City Chiefs offense and they will give you a different perspective.

Kurt Warner, Hall of Fame quarterback and NFL Network analyst, offered a little analysis Monday night via his . Warner said the unit had one of its worst performances in the Patrick Mahomes era, which began six years ago. Warner wrote that the crime It was bad all around.

On Tuesday's episode of “The athlete Football Show,” Nate Tice, a former NFL offensive quality control assistant and former college quarterback, expressed harsh criticism of Mahomes’ teammates.

“It's pretty sloppy,” Tice said of watching the unit led by coach Andy Reid. “This team led the league in penalties per offense last week and I don't think their numbers are going to change much. This Chiefs skill set — receivers, tight ends a little bit because (Travis) Kelce can be a little loose and running back — is probably the lowest collective IQ for Ball.” The foot I've ever seen, at least from a competitor.

Despite Mahomes throwing a pick-six, getting sacked four times and loudly challenging his offensive linemen on the sideline to perform better, analyst Shail Kapadia of The Ringer exonerated the league's reigning MVP for the less-than-ideal conditions he had to perform.

“I don't have time for those Mahomes arguments,” Kapadia said Tuesday.NFL Ranger Show“I don't want to see any clips this week that say, 'Oh, this is the way the play was set up (or) he should have followed the structure here.' They ruined his season. He aspires to be the greatest quarterback of all time. He's at his best, healthy, and they've saddled him with pass-rushing, offensive tackles, and coaches with no answers on how to help him.

Even former receiver Dante Hall, the Chiefs' newest member of the Ring of Honor, pleaded with Mahomes Wednesday morning to change his playing style — from a less glamorous, backyard-like gunslinger to more captain-checking — to help improve the offense's effectiveness.

“I love you; you're my favorite quarterback,” Hall said inGood morning football“But I think you need to fall in love with worldly things. Yeah…we're used to (receiver) Tyreek (Hill)'s big play, for Kelce. It's time to check out Tom Brady. Fall in love with the swinging road and the inspections. These plays were there for the taking. …Get into a rhythm.

Before Wednesday's practice, Mahomes had the opportunity to share his thoughts on his worst performance of the season. After rewatching his effort against the Raiders, Mahomes admitted he struggled with almost every task required of an NFL quarterback. His feet were not sharp. His movement inside the pocket was missing. And he missed more open receivers down the field — when he wasn't getting pressure or coming out of the pocket — than he often does.

With a season-high 58 punt returns, Mahomes finished with 235 rushing yards, 53 receiving yards and one touchdown. Mahomes' performance grade at Pro Football Focus was just 34.2, the lowest of his career.

“I have to play better, read the field better,” Mahomes said. “You have to be critical of yourself. You have to be true to what's in the film. A lot of people will make excuses, and that's why they don't take the next step or become better because of it. Look at the film, I made a lot of mistakes that you can't make.” In this league if you want to succeed, you have to learn from them.

Mahomes spent most of Monday's game throwing short passes, including 18 attempts that were either behind or at the line of scrimmage. When asked to throw the ball across the line of scrimmage, Mahomes said he drifted too far into the pocket, making it more difficult for right tackle Juwan Taylor and rookie left tackle Waniya Morris to contain Raiders forwards Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Konce. .

The last time Mahomes struggled this much was during the 2021 season when the Chiefs were blown out by the Tennessee Titans, a game in which Mahomes completed just 20 of his 35 attempts for 206 yards and one interception while being sacked four times.

“I gotta help him,” Reid said of Mahomes. “He realizes what he has to work on. He's a very positive thinker, so he's very focused. He understands that he has to do his part and the other players have to do their part. It's fun for the coach.”

However, Mahomes' perimeter is an offense that leads the league in drops from receivers (26). Of course, Kelce and teammate Noah Gray both dropped a pass in Monday's loss as well. One of the biggest issues is that the Chiefs are tied for last in the league, with the 4-11 Washington Commanders, in turnover differential (-10). And even though the Chiefs played 15 games, Mahomes still couldn't find a reliable third pass rusher behind Kelce and rookie receiver Rashee Rice, an issue that made it easier for opposing defenses to counterattack the Chiefs' play calls.

On several plays during Monday's game, Mahomes didn't notice receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was open down the field or refused to target him. No receiver on the active roster had a more disappointing season than Valdis Scantling, a six-year veteran who generated just 20 receptions on 39 targets for 312 yards and one touchdown.

Valdes Scantling was on the field for 61 snaps Monday, the most by any receiver, yet Mahomes targeted him just once, an incompletion where the ball touched one of his hands.

“I have to find ways to get the ball to him,” Mahomes said of Valdes Scantling. “There are times when he's open and I can see it on tape. If you look at the two games we played against the Bengals last year, he was a big part of those games (combining eight receptions, 187 yards and a touchdown).

“The best thing about him is that he is a professional. Even though I didn't get the ball in some of those moments, he was tailgating and doing everything he could to help the team.

The Chiefs have lost four of their last six games, averaging just 20.8 points in that stretch. The team that led the NFL in scoring last season has fallen to 11th in 2023.

During Monday's game, Kelce showed his frustration by banging his helmet on the sideline. Reid responded by not letting Kelce get his helmet back immediately from equipment manager Allen Wright. Kelce returned to the field a few plays later after a quick conversation with Reid.

“He's not just one guy,” Kelce said on his New Heights radio show with his brother Jason, the Philadelphia Eagles center. “It's not just me playing like a dog. It's not just that we can't get the run game going. It's not just that we're not on the same page, passing-wise. Everybody is in this thing together. Everybody at some point is not accountable.”

Before Wednesday's practice, Reid confirmed that he had already addressed the Kelce incident.

“We talked,” Reid said. “I'm talking to everyone. This is between me and the players. Kelce and I have a great relationship. I think that's important. These guys are emotional and want to do well. That's what you see. There's a feeling of frustration. That urgency will help us get better.”

“The guys know me and how I present things. I talk to the team every day so I can get my points across.”

One issue that irritated Tice against the Raiders was the number of times the Chiefs' skill position players made pre-snap errors — whether in their initial alignment, when they were supposed to move or change formation or when one of them needed to help Mahomes in place Queuing up after receiving the operating call.

“It's my fault,” Reid said of such mistakes. “I have to make sure this is true.”

Reid and Mahomes acknowledged that the Chiefs need to correct several areas of the offense, which will be difficult for them, coordinator Matt Nagy and everyone else in the unit to accomplish in a short week before facing the Cincinnati Bengals.

Reid's message to his players, including Mahomes, was simple and direct: Keep working, stay positive, and move forward.

“I know we won't be the No. 1 seed, but we can still win the AFC West,” Mahomes said. “Once you get to the playoffs, it's open for everyone to go out there and win it. That starts with (Wednesday's) practice.”

Injury update: Running back Isiah Pacheco (concussion protocol), left tackle Donovan Smith (neck), receiver Kadarius Toney (strained hip) and cornerbacks Larios Snead (strained calf) and Jaylen Watson (illness) did not participate in Wednesday's practice. Right guard Trey Smith (left ankle and knee) was limited while receiver Mecole Hardman (thumb) was a full participant.

(Photo: Denny Medley/USA Today)

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