Mahomes burst onto the scene in 2018 with a gunslinger mentality that produced an NFL-high 50 touchdown passes and numerous shots down the field. That type of offensive approach would continue for the next few years, but things have slowed since the start of the 2023 season.
The 29-year-old’s numbers have decreased across the board, the deep throw in the Chiefs’ offense has all but disappeared, and the quarterback acknowledges Kansas City’s offense isn’t as entertaining as in his early days as a starter.
“You’re not going to see a lot of one-play touchdowns unless you hit, like, a crazy shot. So, we have to keep working so that we can execute at a high level. And I think that has been something I’ve worked on with how teams are playing us.
“I have to continue to do that and show that we can drive the ball all game long.”
Losing a game-breaking receiver with Tyreek Hill’s speed certainly changed things for Kansas City. As of Mahomes’ 15 career touchdown passes of at least 50 yards, seven were to Hill, compared to eight of all other Chiefs combined. Additionally, 14 of those 15 touchdown passes of 50-plus yards came from 2018 to 2022, while just one has come since the start of the 2023 season.
While the offense has evolved with different personnel, the defenses facing Mahomes and the Chiefs have also adapted. They are playing more shell coverage with deep-lying safeties to prevent the big play, which forces Kansas City to utilize a more methodical approach to move the ball down the field.
But not only has Mahomes’ style of play evolved, so has his mindset and approach to playing football. He noted that he relied more on pure instinct than using an analytical view on the game in his younger days, but now his mind is catching up with his raw talent.
“There’s some points now where you almost know too much,” Mahomes said.
“When I was younger, I would just cut it loose. Like, I‘d just go through the reads the way they sat on paper, and I’d throw the deep shot if it was there. I gave it chances, and now there are times where I’m like, ‘Well, they’re supposed to be in this coverage, and that’s not supposed to be there,’ and it is.
“So you’ve got to have the balance of, I don’t want to say being naive, but in reading the play the way it’s supposed to be read, even if the coverage says it’s not going to be that guy, and then when it’s there, you take your chances.”
He took one of those chances a week ago versus the Los Angeles Chargers. After a sluggish start to the game that had Kansas City trailing 10-0 late in the second quarter, Mahomes hooked up with rookie Xavier Worthy on a 54-yard touchdown pass, which was the quarterback’s longest since Week 14 of the 2022 season.
Worthy is not yet the receiver that Hill was for the Chiefs, but the speed element is something he provides and could allow for a “more fun” Chiefs offense.
Making matters worse for Mahomes is that he was the one who hurt his teammate. After throwing an interception against the Chargers, Mahomes crashed into Rice’s leg when the latter was attempting to make a tackle on the defender.
The second-year wideout was leading the NFL in receptions entering last week’s game but lasted just four plays before getting injured. He won’t be eligible to return until Week 10 on Nov. 10, so Mahomes and the Chiefs offense will have to evolve yet again without the services of the team’s top wideout.
