Mahomes Endeavors Never to Do This Again

he threw a pass toward his goal line on a frightening second-quarter play. In a tie game with 1:34 left in the first half, Mahomes took a shotgun snap, then looked to his left for Isiah Pacheco.

Brian Burns was a problem

The problem was Giants Pro Bowl edge-rusher Brian Burns. Before beginning his route, Pacheco tried to help left tackle Josh Simmons block Burns on the left edge but Pacheco got knocked several yards backward. When Mahomes saw his first read covered, he looked to his running back. The pass bounced off the turf – ruled a fumble when a pass is backward.

New York linebacker Bobby Okereke knew it, quickly preventing Pacheco from recovering the loose ball at the Chiefs’ 8-yard line. But Mahomes knew it first. The quarterback looked like a kid chasing a foul ball in the stands, snatching it from Okereke’s grasp. Officially, Burns got credit for a sack and forced fumble.

Touchdown-saving play

But Mahomes got the critical fumble recovery – preventing a touchdown that would’ve altered the game’s trajectory. And because Okereke never had possession, the Chiefs didn’t get a fresh set of downs. Matt Araiza punted two plays later.

It was for the Chiefs’ offense, and incredibly it started with a similar play. On the second snap of the period, first-and-10 from the Chiefs’ 32-yard line, Mahomes also threw the ball backward toward Pacheco.

That time, though, the running back picked up the ball -- having heard a whistle -- and chucked it in frustration toward the Chiefs’ line, right to a Kansas City lineman. Needless to say, that ball . Giants coach Brian Daboll challenged the play and got a reversal, ruling it a fumble and team sack, even though the Chiefs maintained possession.

“Yeah, I can't throw the ball backwards,” Mahomes said. “That's not good. So, just letting the rush get to me a bit and trying to throw it out, looking to see if the guy is actually in the spot that we've got to get to.

“Obviously, did it once. I knew immediately it was backwards. You could tell I'm running to go recover the ball even though they had blown the whistle. In the second, did it again. I don't think I've done it maybe ever in my career.”