Patrick Mahomes Faces Unprecedented Pressure as Chiefs Prepare for Browns
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It’s no secret that Patrick Mahomes is one of the most electrifying quarterbacks in the NFL, but this season, he’s been forced to adapt to challenges that even he hasn’t consistently faced before. The Kansas City Chiefs’ superstar has been under siege from opposing pass rushes, and the numbers tell the story of a quarterback who’s had to fight through adversity week after week.
“It’s a part of football,” Mahomes said with his usual calm demeanor. “We’ve played a lot of good defenses this year. That’s the one bad thing about when you win the Super Bowl. You play the best schedule, and we’ve played a lot of good defensive ends and defensive linemen.”
While the Chiefs have faced tough schedules in the past, this year has been particularly brutal for Mahomes in terms of protection. Over the past three games, he’s been sacked 13 times. Stretch that out to the last six games, and the number jumps to 23. In total, Mahomes has been sacked 35 times in 13 games this season, already surpassing his previous career high of 28 sacks in a full season. And here’s the kicker: it’s not because teams are blitzing him more. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Mahomes has been blitzed on just 24.4% of his dropbacks, the fifth-lowest percentage in the league.
Offensive Line Struggles Continue
The Chiefs’ offensive line has been a revolving door at left tackle, and it’s been a major factor in Mahomes’ struggles. Kansas City has already started three different players at the position this season. Rookie Kingsley Suamataia and Wanya Morris both struggled so much that they were benched. Last week, the Chiefs turned to veteran D.J. Humphries, who was signed as a free agent just two weeks ago. Unfortunately, Humphries didn’t fare much better, allowing eight pressures in 40 pass-blocking attempts against the Los Angeles Chargers. His 20% pressure rate was the second-highest allowed by a Chiefs left tackle in a game this season, according to Next Gen Stats.
Now, the Chiefs face an even bigger challenge as they prepare to take on the Cleveland Browns this Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS). Waiting for them is Myles Garrett, one of the most dominant pass rushers in the league. Garrett is tied for second in the NFL with 11 sacks, and he’s sure to be a nightmare for Kansas City’s struggling offensive line.
“You have to give him different looks,” Mahomes said of Garrett. “You can’t let him just pass rush over and over again. He’s won defensive player of the year for a reason. He’s going to win a lot of those matchups. So we will throw him changeups. We’ll throw him different pitches that he can hopefully keep his mind racing, but at the end of the day, he’s going to make plays happen.”
Mahomes Takes Accountability
Despite the offensive line’s issues, Mahomes isn’t shying away from taking some of the blame for his high sack total. He admitted that on certain plays, he’s held onto the ball too long, trying to make something happen downfield. He pointed to the first sack he took against the Chargers as an example, a third-down play on the opening drive that forced the Chiefs to settle for a field goal.
“There are times where I’m trying to be greedy and trying to take a shot downfield,” Mahomes said. “Look at the early sacks in this last game. On that first third down, I probably [should] just hit [Travis Kelce] and he maybe or maybe not gets the first down, but I’m trying to really hold onto it and then I rush up in the pocket, try to make a play and run into a sack.”
Adapting to the Quick Passing Game
To counter the relentless pressure, Mahomes has leaned more on the quick passing game this season than ever before. Against the Chargers, he completed 17 of 19 passes (about 90%) when throwing within 2.5 seconds, according to Next Gen Stats. However, when he held the ball for more than 2.5 seconds, his completion rate dropped to 7-of-18.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy have praised Mahomes for his ability to adapt. Nagy noted that this level of adjustment might have been more difficult for a younger Mahomes, who was focused on making explosive plays and throwing for record-breaking numbers.
“He’s really maturing and growing as a quarterback,” Nagy said. “His mentality is not changing. Don’t get that part twisted. He’s still trying to go downfield. But if they’re not going to give it to him, grow as a quarterback and don’t throw 30 interceptions. He’s done a great job with that.”
Can the Chiefs Overcome Their Struggles?
Last season, the Chiefs faced a different set of offensive challenges, including a lack of reliable wide receivers and leading the league in dropped passes. Despite those issues, they managed to win their second consecutive Super Bowl. Mahomes believes this year’s team is closer to solving its problems than last year’s squad was at this point in the season.
“We have to be able to hit some of these explosive plays,” Mahomes said. “Once you do that, it opens up everything else. It seems like we stall out on drives [and] on little things, and I’ve said that kind of all year long, but it is close. I truly believe we are close, closer than we were last year at this point.”
With the playoffs looming, the Chiefs’ hopes of a third straight championship may rest on Mahomes’ ability to continue adapting and finding ways to thrive under pressure. Sunday’s game against the Browns will be a critical test for Kansas City’s offensive line and their star quarterback.
Originally Written by: Adam Teicher
