Patrick Mahomes’ performance in the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 4 matchup against the New York Jets was underwhelming, to say the least.
The 28-year-old quarterback threw two uncharacteristic interceptions in a game in which the Chiefs were mostly outplayed. Despite his struggles against a great Jets defense, Mahomes’ teammates came up big in crucial moments.
“That’s what makes this team so great, and it’s a great job by Brett Veach and Coach Reid of bringing in great players,” Mahomes explained. “Even when I’m not playing my best, we have guys like Isiah [Pacheco] who can dominate the run game. We have offensive linemen that can block the run game, [the] defense that can play great defense throughout the first four games of the year, and so it’s not all on my shoulders to go out there and win the football game.
“I can rely on my teammates to do stuff and throughout last game, Isiah was working, and even though we might’ve had some of those RPO advantage throws or whatever you want to call them, it’s like ‘Man just give this man the football and let him go.’ He accepted the challenge, and that’s what makes this team great. It’s not just me, it’s everybody. I think we are finally seeing that as the season goes on.”
Mahomes will need to step up his game if he intends to win his second-straight MVP award in 2023. His reliance on teammates won’t be viable as a long-term strategy, so fans should expect Mahomes to play with a chip on his shoulder moving forward as he looks to quarterback the Chiefs to another Super Bowl.