Was QB Patrick Mahomes to Blame for Chiefs' Super Bowl Loss?

The Kansas City Chiefs have set the standard for consistency since quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the starter, winning the AFC West for nearly a decade straight and regularly appearing in most of the recent Super Bowls. Yet, Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles was just not their day, as the Eagles dominated every facet.

Most would agree the Eagles had the better roster from top to bottom, but the Chiefs have a quarterback many were ready to crown as the greatest of all time with a Super Bowl win on Sunday. Winning three consecutive championships is something even Tom Brady and the New England did.

However, Nick Shook of NFL.com noted that the normally accurate and dependable Mahomes was anything but against the Eagles on Sunday. Shook believes Mahomes did not look like himself for nearly the entire game.

"Patrick Mahomes had a total of three snaps in which he looked like himself on Sunday: His first completion of the game on the Chiefs’ first play from scrimmage, his long pass to set up the Chiefs’ first touchdown, and a backhanded flip toon a scramble when the game had already become a blowout. Otherwise, he looked as if he’d left his superpowers in Kansas City," Shook said.

Mahomes has won much more than he has lost over the past five seasons, but there has been a clear blueprint on how to beat Mahomes and the Chiefs. The blueprint consists of making Mahomes uncomfortable in the pocket and hitting him when possible. Then, instead of having to slow down one of the best quarterbacks of all times in Mahomes, opposing teams simply have to attack the Chiefs defense, which is much easier than stopping Mahomes, but less critical.

"Early pressures and a variety of coverages made Mahomes incredibly hesitant, removing his pre-snap reads and speeding up his clock," Shook said. "He threw a number of inaccurate passes -- some while under pressure, some while free from it -- never settled in and made a couple of awful decisions resulting in interceptions.

"It looked a whole lot like the last time the Chiefs were soundly beaten: Super Bowl LV against the [Tampa Bay] Buccaneers, another game in which a superior defense dominated Kansas City. The problems obviously begin with the offensive line, which has been Kansas City’s weakness all season, but it was almost shocking to see Mahomes reduced to a frantic, uncertain quarterback. It also left no doubt as to who would win this game by the middle of the third quarter."

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