Chiefs Explain ‘Investment Throws,’ Why They’re Committed to Them

The pass to Noah Gray

On multiple occasions this week, Mahomes referred to his first pass of the Eagles game, a deep corner route that sailed out of the reach of tight end Noah Gray on the sideline. One play after Isiah Pacheco began the game with a 7-yard run, completing that pass would’ve changed the game in Mahomes’ eyes.

“Overthrowing Noah on that Cover 2 look,” Mahomes said after Sunday’s game, “seeing it right, just not making the throw. And so, in this league, you got to make those throws and I'll be better as season goes on.”

As Sunday’s game went on, Mahomes hit several critical passes, but the ones most remember were the incompletions. Two of those were deep shots to Tyquan Thornton, one in the fourth quarter that – like that first-quarter pass to Gray -- would’ve completely altered the game. But Nagy clarified that the Chiefs are putting their money where their aggressive mouth is, taking more deep shots than they did last year. They’re just not executing.

“Probably it's magnified when you're 0-2,” the offensive coordinator said Thursday. “I think that's probably something we focus on more, and we look at it every game.

“Sometimes the incompletions are still investment throws for stretching the defense, and not just letting them play 10 yards downfield. … But we're on it every day, making sure that we we're not going to stop with that. We got to keep that going.”

They can keep it going with two key additions on Sunday. Rookie wide receiver Jalen Royals is expected to make his NFL debut, healthy from knee tendinitis. And Xavier Worthy is tracking to return from the dislocated shoulder and labral tear he sustained in a friendly-fire collision with Travis Kelce on the season’s third play.

But don’t expect anyone at Chiefs headquarters to use their absence, or the suspension of Rashee Rice, as an excuse for starting 0-2. Andy Reid would run them out of the building.

“Probably one of the first things that – what I love about Coach Reid -- is what he instills in his players and coaches, is we stay away from the excuses of the personnel part of it, or you don’t have this or don’t have that. So, we’re all engraved that way.

“What’s real is that you go through training camp and go through OTAs, timing is important. At the same point in time, the next-guy-up mentality for when there are issues or a suspension or whatever when you don’t have guys, we got to roll. That’s who we have. That’s what I think for us as coaches, is how do we put the players in the best position to do what they do best to succeed.”