Is Patrick Mahomes having the worst statistical season of his career?
If you look at the body of work of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes through the first 13 games of the season, you can see that Mahomes is having a Patrick Mahomes year—but that year is 2021. That just happens to be the worst statistical season of Mahomes's career.
At times in 2023, Mahomes has looked off and this has forced many in the Kingdom to lose faith in the quarterback who, less than a year ago, led the Chiefs to their third Super Bowl appearance and second Super Bowl victory.
At this time, 2023 is on pace to be the worst statistical season Mahomes has recorded, but it is essential to remember that even in his worst season to date, he still led his team to a Super Bowl. For those who are unaware, the Chiefs lost that championship game by a final score of 31-9 to the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers after losing key offensive linemen in the AFC Championship game.
Patrick Mahomes Career Stats Through 13 Games
Take a second to relish in the glory that is Patrick Mahomes after seven seasons in the NFL.
Season | Comp % | Yards | TDs | INT | Scks | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | 66.8 | 4300 | 43 | 11 | 23 | 115.2 |
2019 | 66.0 | 3857 | 25 | 4 | 17 | 106.6 |
2020 | 68.4 | 4208 | 33 | 5 | 18 | 112.3 |
2021 | 65.5 | 3642 | 27 | 12 | 24 | 94.9 |
2022 | 65.8 | 4160 | 33 | 11 | 21 | 103.4 |
2023 | 66.9 | 3398 | 23 | 11 | 18 | 93.3 |
The Good
In 2023, many things are going wrong for Mahomes and the Chiefs, but some positives can be pulled from the statistics. The most surprising statistic was that Mahomes is having his second-best season regarding completion percentage. Another positive is that, outside of Mahomes' 2019 and 2020 seasons, Mahomes is having a statistically average season regarding interceptions.
At times, though, statistics can be deceiving. This number alone is promising, but the timing of these interceptions makes 2023 feel a little different. Even in 2021, it was easy to point at the 12 interceptions and be okay with the number because an above-average amount of tipped passes into the hands of defenders led to the inflation of interceptions. Unfortunately, interceptions are not the only bad statistic that can be gleaned from this data.
The Bad
This season has a different feel to it, and the statistics show that this is similar to the 2021 campaign that ended in a devastating Super Bowl defeat, but also Mahomes is on pace to have his worst season to date. Through 13 games, Mahomes is having his worst statistical season in passing yards, touchdowns, and overall passer rating.
Reality
The truth is that the numbers do not paint the complete picture here. Mahomes is throwing the ball well, but the many drops have skewed the statistics. In 2023, the Chiefs have a league-leading 30 drops from their wide receivers. These 30 drops contribute to 21% of Patrick Mahomes incompletions. These drops also contribute to the lower amount of touchdowns by Mahomes. If the receiver is not Rashee Rice or Travis Kelce, there is a good chance the receiver has dropped a touchdown pass.
There is Hope
As a Chiefs fan, it is hard to look at how the season has played out and not be worried about the Chiefs in the postseason, but the Chiefs need to get to the playoffs, and once they are there, they are a different team. The Kansas City Chiefs, under Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, are never out of a game, and there always seems to be a chance for Patrick Mahomes to lead his team to victory.
This will not change in 2023, and Chiefs fans need to invest in some antacids and Dramamine because this season will continually be determined by close games that have Chiefs fans worried til the end.
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