Patrick Mahomes’ awful passes are proving Chiefs critic right

At the most fundamental level of his nature, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a gunslinger. He possesses a strong arm that's capable of making any throw from any spot on the field, and from any arm angle imaginable. Mahomes has thrown with accuracy when his mechanics are right, and sometimes even when they have wavered.

Mahomes has defied many of the unwritten rules of playing quarterback, but his creativity can also lead to trouble when left unchecked. He has created his most magical moments outside the structure of the play design, but his heroic efforts often produced undesirable outcomes early in his career, such as a fourth-and-42 after a 30-yard sack.

Those are the sort of negative plays that Chiefs coach Andy Reid had to live with, and it was easy to do so when they were outweighed by positive plays.

Mahomes has improved on many of his weaknesses since he entered the league in 2017, but there are some areas that could use some fine-tuning. A high-ranking NFL executive told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler in July that Mahomes could be even better if he improved his footwork.

"He's never truly improved his footwork since he's been in the league," the anonymous source told Fowler. "It hasn't mattered because he's so good."

A closer look at Mahomes' performance this season reveals some truth to the NFL executive's claims.

Patrick Mahomes' sloppy footwork has justified some criticisms

The Chiefs are undefeated through the first three games of the 2024 season, but it's no secret that Mahomes has played poorly. The Chiefs quarterback admitted as much after Kansas City's 22-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3.

Mahomes had an underwhelming statistical performance in Week 3, particularly by his standards. He completed 26-of-39 pass attempts for 217 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Regardless of his statistical output, Mahomes struggled to get the ball to his receivers with accuracy and in rhythm. He inexplicably missed several throws due to sloppy footwork, late throws and some questionable decision-making.

The Chiefs offense was unable to generate a single first down in the fourth quarter as Mahomes' mechanics deteriorated.

"I feel like I haven't played very well, and that's not a stats thing," Mahomes said after the game. "I just feel like I'm missing opportunities whenever they're out there and not throwing the ball in the exact spot I want it to be at."

Defenses have focused on taking away the explosive plays that come naturally to Mahomes, instead forcing the gunslinger to show patience. Only eight of his 39 pass attempts traveled more than 10 air yards, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. He completed just four of them for 74 yards and an interception.

Mahomes' unique abilities have masked some of his flaws and justified his unconventional mechanics, but the Chiefs have been aware that his footwork needs to improve. Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy told reporters during organized team activities that timing and footwork would be points of emphasis for Mahomes' offseason training, according to SB Nation's Ron Kupp.

Early in his career, Mahomes frequently generated pressure by drifting too far back in the pocket, which caused pass protection to break down. In other instances, he simply attempted to do too much. These issues have crept back up when Mahomes has gotten jittery in the pocket, as he did in Super Bowl LV. This season, the struggles seem to be self-inflicted.

Ultimately, it's likely only a matter of time before the Chiefs' coaching staff helps the two-time MVP get back on track. After all, early-season struggles are nothing new for Kansas City.