Getty Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II in Week 4.
The Kansas City Chiefs are 3-1 to start the season, but the wide receiver corps has been inconsistent, to say the least.
Veteran Justin Watson leads all KC pass-catchers with 163 receiving yards over the first four games, while Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Kadarius Toney have all struggled with totals ranging from 112 receiving yards (Moore) to 57 (Toney). Quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ reason for the slow start?
“I just haven’t played very good to start the season,” Mahomes told reporters on October 4 when asked about the lack of production from his WRs. “So, I think if I start playing better, everybody will start playing better.”
The total selflessness is not unexpected from the Chiefs team leader, but it is admirable. Few actually blame Mahomes for the dropped passes and lack of separation in routes — except maybe the QB himself, who looked as serious as ever while completely taking the fall.
“I think you just have to go out there and keep shooting it down the field,” the Chiefs signal-caller voiced after a follow-up question. “That’s how I’ve always been wired. You just come in every single day and work, and try to continue to get better, and usually that stuff kind of figures itself out.”
“I’ve had spots like this throughout my career where I haven’t had the best few weeks in a row,” Mahomes continued. “So, I have to make sure that I just go back to the fundamentals and try to be better for the team, and then rely on other guys to make plays. I think that’s somewhere where I can be better, just getting the ball out of my hand and letting these other guys make plays.”
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Shows Patience as Second-Round WRs Rashee Rice & Skyy Moore Learn as They Go
Mahomes was later asked about the development of second-round wide receivers Rashee Rice and Moore. The rookie has been the better of the two so far in 2023, but he has struggled with drops.
“Yeah, I mean, he’s just learning,” Mahomes replied, regarding Rice. “He has all the talent in the world, but he’s just learning how to read coverages, how to be in the progression of this offense, and I think y’all see how talented he is once he makes the catch and he’s moving down the field.”
“[Rice is] a tough, physical runner, he’s explosive,” the QB added. “I think as the season goes on, he’ll continue to get better and better.”
When asked about Moore, Mahomes had a similar answer.
“Yeah, I mean, same thing,” the superstar began. “[These are] a lot of young guys that are learning as they go.”
Continuing: “Skyy has a lot of talent, he’s done a great job of getting better — even from last year and throughout this season… We’re going to keep finding a way in this offense [and] like I said, I think if I play better and throw some of those passes at the right time and in the right spot, it’ll let these guys go out there and make plays.”
The Chiefs appear to be rolling with this youthful receiver room for the foreseeable future, but if players like Toney and Moore don’t begin making strides, Mahomes can only defend them for so long.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Remembers Brian Flores Well, Says Vikings Defense Will Be ‘Great Challenge’ in Week 5
The Minnesota Vikings defense ranks in the middle of the pack in yards and points allowed so far in 2023, at the 19-to-20 range for each statistic. For a Brian Flores-run unit, you might say that’s underperforming — and Mahomes refuses to take this opponent lightly heading into Week 5.
“This is going to be a well-coached defense,” Mahomes expressed to the media. “Coach Flores I’ve played a couple of times — him as a head coach, him as a coordinator and all different positions. They’re very well-coached, they [do a great job] of knowing the scheme and being in the right spots. They do a good mix of pressure and dropping out of pressure and try to make it look the same.”
The Chiefs QB concluded that the Vikings defense will “be a great challenge” for the KC offense, stating that he and his teammates will have to “execute at a high level in order to have success this weekend.”