KC Chiefs Need Patrick Mahomes to Help Answer Their Current Questions
The Kansas City Chiefs' offense has been out of whack all season, and not even Patrick Mahomes has been able to elevate the team to the heights it reached just one year ago.
Entering play in Week 10, the Chiefs' offense ranks 12th in scoring with an average output of 23.1 points per game. Mahomes is posting a passer rating of 96.7, a respectable grade. With that said, that qualifies as his lowest full-season mark as a starter thus far. He's also putting up career-low production in touchdown percentage (5.1), success rate (50%), adjusted net yards per attempt (6.74) and yards per completion while throwing interceptions more often than he ever has (2.4%).
Mahomes has shown occasional flashes of tapping back into his normal MVP-level form, although he's been largely inconsistent on the year. His supporting cast isn't doing him any favors, either. The Chiefs' quarterback room is naturally one of the strongest in the league with Mahomes at the helm, but is there room for improvement?
Joshua Brisco and Jordan Foote start an Arrowhead Report bye-week discussion to assess where Kansas City is at with the position as the season passes its midpoint.
Biggest success
Brisco: The Chiefs still have Patrick Mahomes! However, in a year that has been more about defensive success and offensive questions, the positives have been clouded. The Chiefs' offense is sixth in DVOA entering the bye and they're 7-2. Mahomes has kept the offense on track despite an underwhelming start at wide receiver and an offensive line that has struggled at unfortunate moments. That's a win, even in a frustrating season.
Foote: Agreed. Even with Mahomes not necessarily being himself and some other elements (wide receiver and offensive line play, as well as in-game scheme dynamics) working against him, the Chiefs can't ask for a better player to see this through. Mahomes ranks third among all quarterbacks in EPA per play as he hits the bye, which is a testament to his effectiveness despite ranking 30th in air yards.
Biggest shortcoming
Brisco: How much of the Chiefs' offensive issues fall on Mahomes? It's hard to evaluate with so many moving parts, but the offense has been inconsistent despite only losing JuJu Smith-Schuster from last year's wide receiver room. Mahomes has missed a handful of open receivers and bailed from clean pockets on occasion, though it's not hard to understand why his process has been sped up and a bit sloppier at times.
Foote: Those are interesting sentiments, albeit ones that some will vehemently disagree with. You're accurate, though, in my estimation. Mahomes's blend of decision-making prowess, pocket/drop depth presence and overall consistency just haven't been the same as the 2022 campaign. It's hard to be too harsh considering his situation, but even the face of the league shouldn't be immune to some accountability. Luckily, he's been the first one to admit that he can also help Kansas City get on more solid footing offensively.
Biggest question(s) remaining this season
Brisco: Can Mahomes learn to trust his unproven teammates? Rookie WR Rashee Rice needs to see the football significantly more. Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney and Marquez Valdes-Scantling have let Mahomes down at times, but DeAndre Hopkins isn't walking through that door. The new tackle duo hasn't been great, but Mahomes can't live in fear of contact every snap. It's a team effort, but Mahomes has put that team on his back before. Can he do it down the stretch if his supporting cast doesn't step up?
Foote: It's a "chicken or the egg" phenomenon, right? Is Mahomes passing up open receivers because he doesn't trust them, or is he forfeiting on giving them a chance due to his progressions within the play? Is it something else? The answer is probably somewhere in the middle, and the trust element only carries so much weight given that Smith-Schuster is the only member of the 2022 wideout group to shake things up by leaving. At a certain point, Mahomes has to throw caution to the wind a bit. He's already doing it on a more ill-advised basis on other plays that have a seemingly lower chance of converting.
