Mahomes Focused on Improvement Following Win Against Rams
The Kansas City Chiefs' Week 12 win over the Los Angeles Rams saw the home team put up 26 points and allow just 10, yet it was still viewed as an underwhelming performance by many. As things turn out, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was one of those people as far as the offense was concerned.
On the afternoon, Mahomes completed 27 of his 42 pass attempts for 320 yards and a touchdown while not being sacked even once. On the flip side, he did throw an ugly interception in the fourth quarter and missed a few throws over the course of the game. It didn't matter a ton in the grand scheme of things but after the game, Mahomes praised his defense while adding that he needs to be better in order for the offense to run smoother.
"I thought the defense played well," Mahomes said. "Obviously, some special teams and some offense [things] we've got to clean up. The defense kept us in the game, got some turnovers for us and got some big stops after some turnovers that we made. Especially in the red zone, we've got to execute at a higher level — I've got to execute at a higher level. I need to take out the one dumb play I make every game, it seems like. If I can take that out, I think we'll be alright."
Despite now being on a five-game losing streak, the Rams' defense captained by defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is still a formidable unit. Star talents like Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald remain, as does a solid supporting cast amidst some injuries. The group did a decent job of holding Mahomes and company to 13 points in each half, as well as being just 1-for-6 in the red zone. When asked about why things went south in an area the Chiefs have normally thrived in this year, Mahomes tipped his cap to the opposition.
"I mean, they did a good job," Mahomes said. "At the end of the day, they've got great players. They still have a great defense over there. They did a great job of kind of passing off crossers down there. They were in the right spots where I wanted to go. They had a good game plan. I have to find ways to execute at a higher level, get it to those guys in space and when we do have chances, we have to make sure we get in the end zone."
The Chiefs don't have a ton of time to get back to the drawing board, and recent history is both on their side and also working against them at the same time. On one hand, Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy's offense entered Week 12 with one of the best red zone offenses in the NFL and still has two of the best playmakers in the entire sport. They should figure things out. On the other hand, a Week 13 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals — a team the Chiefs lost to twice last season — looms large. Emotions and stakes are riding high, and the margin for error is slim.
When asked about Kansas City's January AFC Championship Game collapse, Mahomes admitted that he "played terribly in the second half" and contributed to costing the team a game that "could've sent" them to the Super Bowl. He reiterated that he and his teammates will be ready for the rematch, which seems to be a foregone conclusion at this juncture. Every week presents a series of learning moments, and every win or loss brings a new set of lessons. After a win on Sunday, Mahomes still has the things he learned several months ago fresh in his mind.
"We learned that you've just got to continue to push," Mahomes said. "You can't be satisfied with where you're at. We scored a lot of points in that first half and went in thinking we were just kind of going to coast to the Super Bowl, but they're a team that's going to fight. They're going to fight until the very end, and that's why they were in the Super Bowl. We have to make sure that we go in with two great halves of football and however long it takes."
