The ups and downs of Patrick Mahomes’ performance against the Colts

The Downs for Week 3

Inaccuracy

Patrick Mahomes had 35 passing attempts but only connected on 20 of them. The completion percentage equates to 57% — far below his career average of 66%. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was overthrown early in the first quarter when he had easily beaten the defender covering him. Juju Smith-Schuster was forced to make a good adjustment on his 53-yard gain. The pass ended up being a tad bit late and behind him. There were numerous times Mahomes made good plays but he wasn’t the usual accurate player we have grown accustomed to.

Utilizing the Short Game

Once the Colts scored following a muffed punt return by the Chiefs, Kansas City responded by trying to have significant gains too often. This would have been a good time to give Skyy Moore a confidence boost with a quick screen or handoff. Mahomes didn’t have to extend plays as much if the focus was to get the ball out to your playmakers quickly. The running backs weren’t productive on the ground but they were open routinely as the outlet option. Throughout Sunday’s game, the coaching staff matched Mahomes’ desire to find a big play rather than taking what the Colts were giving them.

“Confrontation” with Eric Bieniemy

Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy and Mahomes had a disagreement at the end of the first half. Mahomes stated that he wanted to try and score as opposed to letting time run out. Bieniemy followed the direction of Head Coach Andy Reid to regroup during halftime in that situation instead of pushing for points. Whoever made the decision, Mahomes was not on the same page as his coaching staff. Media and television may have dramatized this as a “confrontation” but the disorganized feeling persisted. Three points were all the Chiefs could muster in the second half.

Overall

Departing from Indianapolis in a losing effort provides context for Patrick Mahomes. By no means should the game be forgotten. If history repeats itself, then the offense will adjust. It seems as if the Chiefs were unprepared at every level. Attention to detail is required for each opponent. Coaches and players were to blame for the result of this performance. All of the issues are easily fixable. The offensive woes from Indianapolis should be an aberration.

Let’s put a positive spin on things: It was just the third week of the season. Blunders are best to get out of the way early before playoff implications are truly on the line. Mahomes will not put multiple sub-par performances together. The schedule is difficult but Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes have demonstrated that they can win against any team. Next up on the schedule are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The last time these two met was in Super Bowl 55. Expect a better showing from Kansas City now that have extra motivation to get back on track.