Getty Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The Kansas City Chiefs won their fifth straight game over the Denver Broncos Sunday night, but it didn’t come without a healthy dose of criticism.
The road to victories this year has not been as easy as it was during the past three seasons of the Patrick Mahomes era in Kansas City. Nevertheless, the Chiefs have gotten the job done.
However, one prominent football analyst had a lot to say about how the team’s MVP quarterback went about doing his job in Week 13.
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On a third-down play during the third quarter, while the outcome of the game was still very much in question, Mahomes attempted a sidearm pass around a rushing defender that fell out of reach of his intended wide receiver. Cris Collinsworth, the color man on NBC’s Sunday Night Football broadcast and a former three-time Pro Bowl receiver himself, took issue with Mahomes’ method of pass delivery.
“It’s not needed. It’s just not needed,” Collinsworth said of Mahomes’ sidearm pass, contending that the Chiefs quarterback could have delivered the ball more accurately throwing overhand and above the rushing defense.
“I think they practice so much off-balance, sidearm (passing) … but I think sometimes you can fall in love with that,” Collinsworth said. “Sometimes (you need to) just take the easy plays that are there.”
Mahomes’ Method Has Translated Into Winning Streak
GettyThe Denver Broncos’ defense gets to chase Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes in prime time, December 5, after the game was flexed to a later time slot.
There is no question that defenses have clamped down somewhat on Mahomes and the Chiefs offense this season, frequently playing two deep safeties and taking away some of the big-play opportunities upon which Kansas City has thrived since the QB arrived in the starting lineup three and a half seasons ago.
While the transition has led to less impressive and less efficient statistical outputs from Mahomes, it has not materially changed the Chiefs’ level of success.
They are losing at a slightly higher clip than in previous seasons, but the winning ways are far from gone.
Chiefs Potentially 1 Win Out of Top Spot in AFC After Defeat of Broncos
GettyKansas City Chiefs superstars Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill celebrate a touchdown on November 22, 2020.
The Chiefs are currently tied for the best record in the AFC with three other teams — the New England Patriots (No. 1 seed), the Tennessee Titans (No. 2 seed), and the Baltimore Ravens (No. 3 seed).
Kansas City lost a one-point shootout to the Ravens in Week 2 and was later trounced by the Titans, 27-3, in Week 7. However, Tennessee is hampered, with running back Derrick Henry likely out for the remainder of the regular season and wide receiver A.J. Brown on injured reserve.
The Patriots, who would win home-field advantage were the NFL playoffs to begin today, are led by a rookie quarterback in Mac Jones.
Say what you will about the Chiefs’ struggles this season, they are the hottest team in the NFL aside from the Patriots, winners of six straight heading into Week 13, but a team that has played an easier schedule and will rely on a first-year signal-caller who is absent anything close to Mahomes’ natural talent under center.
Kansas City is one game up in the AFC West division and could easily find themselves atop the entire conference by the time the season ends five weeks from now.
Rest assured, all struggles aside, no one wants to travel to Kansas City on their way to a potential Super Bowl berth in Southern California this February, regardless of what style Mahomes employs throwing the football.