Patrick Mahomes Eyeing Rebound Performance in Week 3: ‘I Have to Be Better'

Patrick Mahomes has been far from perfect to start the year, but he thinks he and the Chiefs know how the offense can get back on track.

Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is interviewed after the win over the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

On the surface, things look great for the Kansas City Chiefs. The team is 2-0, and both of those victories came against projected top competitors in the conference. They rank sixth in scoring entering Week 3's play, and wideout Rashee Rice looks to have taken another step in his development as a sophomore in the NFL.

Context, though, paints a different picture. That same No. 6 scoring mark actually includes a defensive touchdown. The offense is also 15th in yards gained, 20th in red zone efficiency, 25th in the turnover battle and 26th in third-down conversion rate. Similar to stretches of last season, quarterback Patrick Mahomes doesn't quite look like himself. Things aren't firing on all cylinders, to say the least.

What's the middle ground? It's likely the same as it was a year ago: Kansas City will keep working to find its footing and bank on elite-level talents like Mahomes to get them where they want to be. Speaking to the media this week, Mahomes mentioned the need to take advantage of every chance to score.

"I think across the league, teams are just going to make you drive the entire field," Mahomes said. "I think that's just kind of the thought process, and then trying not to let you score in the red zone. But there are opportunities out there, you just have to execute at a higher level. Just not as many as maybe I've had previously."

According to the two-time NFL MVP, he needs to be more timely with his decision-making and play a more efficient brand of football.

"Just with the tight zone coverages, kind of the match zone coverages that you're playing, the windows aren't big," Mahomes said. "So you have to be on time. Even if you look at the first interception I threw, I think Travis (Kelce) had a window there [and] I just was late to that window. Just being on time. If you don't, defenses are collapsing those windows quickly. There are just little things I have to be better at – getting the ball there on time, accurately and not making mistakes the same time. It's just stuff you have to continue to work on throughout the season. We have to be better, I have to be better, as the season goes on."

Two games into the season, Mahomes has thrown for 442 yards with three touchdowns. Those are fine numbers, especially when paired with a 71.7 completion rate. But when a 0.10 EPA/play mark is factored in, things don't look as nice. Then a decreased mark after adjusting for things like offensive line play, drops, fumbles, turnovers, etc. changes the picture even more. The depiction of a less-than-stellar Mahomes makes sense, especially given his two-turnover performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2.

Via the eye test or box score, it was easy to see in real-time that Mahomes was playing one of the worst games of his career. His timing, decisions and pocket presence were all poor. He looked like anything but the NFL's top signal-caller, let alone the best player in the entire sport. As a result, the offense itself seemed out of rhythm.

With a Sunday Night Football matchup versus the Atlanta Falcons on deck, Mahomes is confident that things will turn around. It starts with him, he feels, being accountable and setting the tone.

"I think this last week, in general, I didn't play to my standard," Mahomes said. "So I think I have to be better. There were some opportunities down the middle areas of the field that I think I missed. We hit, obviously, the deep one to Rashee but whenever teams take away the deep stuff, you have to throw it underneath but you still have to have the ability to threaten the middle of the field. That's something I will continue to work [to get better] at, and limiting mistakes for myself."

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