When the Kansas City Chiefs lost 22-19 to the Denver Broncos in Week 11, many were shocked by Patrick Mahomes’ admission that the Chiefs may not win the AFC West this season. This reaction reflects the high standard the Chiefs set over the last 10 seasons. During that span, they won nine straight division titles. As performance dips, fans naturally blame the team’s best player, Patrick Mahomes.
This scrutiny has extended to Mahomes’ own acknowledgement of his lack of efficiency on deep passes this season. Rather than trusting receivers like Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice, Mahomes admits he focuses on making the perfect throw. This shift has hurt the Chiefs, as their offensive game plan increasingly relies on deep passes, making Mahomes’ declining deep-ball success more apparent.
Contributing to this challenge is the Chiefs’ lack of balance in the running game. Rather than mixing plays between passes and runs, Matt Nagy relies more heavily on Mahomes’ arm to move the ball. That predictable approach has allowed defenses to take away Mahomes’ high-percentage pass options, leaving Mahomes forced to throw deep passes. However, additional factors complicate these deeper passing attempts.
Pass protection has also been a factor, which has suffered this season due to the absence of Chiefs’ offensive tackles Josh Simmons and Jawaan Taylor. This has enabled opponents to apply more pressure on Mahomes. It is now widely recognized that, under pressure, he often escapes the pocket to create a throwing opportunity. The Chiefs’ offensive game plan has failed to capitalize on their receivers’ skills in man coverage for Mahomes to exploit.
