The Kansas City Chiefs' offense has yet to find its footing this season, and the play of quarterback Mahomes is one of the main reasons why. In an uncharacteristic start to the year, the NFL's best player isn't performing like it.
Four games into the 2024-25 campaign, Mahomes has completed just under 69% of his passes (a career-high mark) but tossed six touchdowns to five interceptions. He's turning the ball over at a high rate, also struggling to push the ball down the field with consistency despite having the desire to do so. Last weekend's win over the Los Angeles Chargers saw the best and worst of Mahomes, as he uncorked a 54-yard touchdown to Xavier Worthy but also got picked off.
What's the secret to getting Mahomes back on track? Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy explains that so many aspects go into a play that maintaining mental composure is paramount.
“Staying calm and going back the basics," Nagy said. "We’ve had a lot of great things happen in this offense because of him. There’s a lot of things that happen within one play, whether it’s a protection, whether it's a throw or whether it’s a wrong route that happens on an interception. So, just understanding that part of it and then resetting and using that next-play mentality. There’s no one better than him because he’s so competitive and he wants to be great, so he puts a lot of pressure on himself in a good way. It’s a healthy pressure because he wants to do great, so we just want to make sure that we balance that, keep it contained and then go out there and cut it loose.”
That calmness is a good call by Nagy, especially given Mahomes's pocket presence thus far. On plenty of occasions, the two-time NFL MVP has bailed from a clean pocket or maneuvered his way directly into pressure. Thanks to the Chiefs' left tackle plan not going accordingly to open 2024, he also might not be totally comfortable with that just yet. Add in the injuries to wideouts Rashee Rice and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, and you get a formula that isn't perfectly conducive to quarterback play.
Still, though, the football world has seen Mahomes work through mini-skids before. He's too good to let some external factors slow him down. Heck, even a season ago he didn't play his best but the reason could be tied (and was tied, by many) directly to a lack of receiver talent. Until Rice comes back – and if Rice comes back – is it reasonable to expect him to play his way out of a more prolonged slump?
Monday night's game against the New Orleans Saints will be a big-time test. If Mahomes shows out under the bright lights, perhaps he's en route to finding his way and helping Kansas City maintain a perfect record.
