The Kansas City Chiefs are 2-0 at the start of the 2024 NFL season, but Patrick Mahomes knows there’s plenty of work to do. Last time out, the Chiefs claimed a last-second win against Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals.
It wasn’t one of Mahomes’ best days, as the quarterback was held to 151 passing yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Speaking to the media this week, the Chiefs star admitted it wasn’t a great performance from him.
“I think this last week, in general, I didn’t play to my standard,” Mahomes said, via Jordan Foote of Sports Illustrated. “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.“
The Texas Tech product is the first to be self-critical when things don’t go to plan, so it’s certainly refreshing for the Chiefs to see their quarterback admit there’s room for improvement. Especially if the record makes it look like everything is just fine.
Mahomes believes there are “little things” he needs to improve on for the Chiefs
When discussing about the areas to improve on, Mahomes explained he needs to execute better next time. The two-time NFL MVP went 18-of-25 against the Bengals on Sunday, but he knows there were missed opportunities.
“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.“
Mahomes later expanded on which are those opportunities: “Just with the tight zone coverages, kind of the match zone coverages that you’re playing, the windows aren’t big. 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.
Chiefs beat Bengals, but Mahomes knows Burrow almost pulled off the win
A Harrison Butker field-goal saw the Chiefs beat the Bengals 26-25 in the last play of the game, but Mahomes knows Burrow almost left Arrowhead with yet another win against his team.
“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,” Mahomes said.
The Chiefs quarterback will be looking to correct these things when Kansas City travels to Atlanta to play the Falcons on September 22 in an exctiting Sunday Night Football showdown.