Patrick Mahomes is Getting More Comfortable
It’s been a weird year for Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs are 7-0, which is their best start since he took the reins in 2018. But we’re also almost halfway through the season and he’s still thrown more interceptions than touchdowns (8 TD, 9 INT).
Mahomes hasn’t been as bad as those numbers suggest. Many of those interceptions were somewhat flukey (tipped balls at the line, arm hit as he threw, receivers falling down, etc.).
However, he also hasn’t been great. One of the main issues is that he hasn’t been hitting his back foot and getting the ball out on time. Instead, he’s been more prone to holding it and then leaving the pocket when there isn’t really any pressure. That’s led to some inconsistent offense and missed opportunties.
This is an issue that has popped up periodically throughout his career. It happened during the first half of the 2021 season, which was the first time the general public saw Mahomes go through any real struggles. It popped up later that season in the AFC Championship Game that the Chiefs lost. It was also an issue during certain stretches last season.
I can’t tell you why it happens or what makes it go away. I have no doubt that the injuries to KC’s skill players this year have played some kind of a role. Perhaps he doesn’t trust that his receivers will be in the right place?
Still, it’s an issue that has to be corrected. Yes, Mahomes can make some spectacular plays on the run, and he’s probably the best anyone has ever seen at consistently generating offense on off-schedule plays. But he’s still at his best as a quarterback when he’s playing from the pocket consistently with timing and rhythm.
And if any team is going to beat the Chiefs in the playoffs this year to deny them the three-peat, it will be because Mahomes had a game where he was prematurely bailing from the pocket early and leaving plays on the field, similar to that aforementioned 2021 AFC Championship Game.
The good news for the Chiefs is that whenever Mahomes goes through a stretch like this, he generally gets it corrected. The even better news is that last week’s win against the Raiders was a big step in the right direction.
Mahomes was far more decisive and played within the rhythm and timing of Andy Reid’s offense. It certainly helped to have DeAndre Hopkins on the field, even if it was only for 23 snaps.
Hopkins isn’t the same player he was 5 years ago, but he’s still good within 20 yards of the line of scrimmage. He can win at the line and in tight spaces, use his body to box out defenders, and find the soft spots in zone. He’ll help create more quickly defined and reliable throws that can help keep Mahomes on time more frequently.
Against the Raiders, you could see a glimpse of what Hopkins offers. The example below was Kansas City’s first 3rd down of the game. Hopkins started off as the inside man before motioning to the outside of trips bunch. The Raiders would play quarters coverage to that side:
The point man of the bunch would release to the flat in front of Hopkins before taking his route vertical. The inside receiver would run an over-route. Hopkins then ran his route at the middle linebacker before breaking back to the outside and then sitting perfectly between both underneath defenders:
Mahomes hit his back foot and immediately delivered the ball to Hopkins for 13 yards and a first down:
Everything about Hopkins’ route was perfect, from the pace, to how far inside he took his stem, to how he settled out of his break almost exactly in between the two underneath defenders. You could tell by the fact that Mahomes was looking that way immediately and got rid of this ball on time that it worked out just as it was supposed to. That’s what Hopkins will be able to bring to this Chiefs’ passing game.
His other reception came just before the end of the first half. Watch him shake his man at the line of scrimmage, enabling him to maintain the timing of the play:
Mahomes again was able to plant his back foot and get this ball out immediately with good anticipation. Look where Hopkins was in his route when Mahomes had already started his throwing motion:
Reliability leads to consistency.
These were just two examples, but it will be interesting to see how quickly Hopkins can acclimate himself and learn all the ins and outs of the Chiefs’ passing game.
It wasn’t just Hopkins that led to Mahomes’ ability to play with more decisiveness on Sunday, however. As I mentioned earlier, Mahomes has been able to correct any issues he’s had in the past on his own. And he seemed to do that against the Raiders. He was dialed in from start to finish.
Watch him get his head around quickly off of this play-fake, enabling him to hit his back foot and get this ball out on time: