Mahomes Explains What Went Wrong vs. Eagles

On the feeling in the locker room after starting 0-2 for the first time in his career:

“Yeah, I think just after the first two weeks, you let games slip away. We played two good football teams and made mistakes in big moments, stuff that we're not used to doing. But I think we're coming together as a team, man. I mean, we need to deal with adversity. It's about how you deal with it. And obviously this isn't how we want to start, but how are we going to respond? So, I'm excited for the next few weeks to see who wants to be challenged and how we can get back and really get after it.”

On feeling disjointed offensively:

“I mean, there's times, I think just there's little things here and there. I mean, getting a ball batted, big play, missing some deep shots, things here and there that we just did, we didn't do at a high-enough level. Even like the first throw, over throwing Noah (Gray) on that Cover 2 look. I mean, 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.”

On the fourth-quarter interception intended for Travis Kelce in the end zone:

“Yeah. I mean, we got the defense that we wanted. We expected them to play that zero-zero, with the hole player, with the safety. I threw it a tad too early, you know, just trying to put it on his body, too low before that hole player got there. And I think if I can put it more on his body and not so far out in front of him, then he can catch it, take the hit get in the end zone.”

On whether he wanted the throw to be low:

“Yeah, you want to put it low, but more on his body. You know, whenever you're in those tight quarters like that, you want to give it to him, especially a bigger guy, more on his body. If he can catch it, then he can brace for that contact. We knew the hole player would be looking for him. I mean, that’s one of our big targets down there in the red zone. And so, you get he was breaking to kind of make a hit, and just unfortunate the ball bounced up in the air, went right to him.”

On trying to pinpoint a reason for starting slowly over the first two games:

“I think this week, I mean missing the throw to Noah (Gray) hurts. I mean, we got a coverage that we expected, and when they played that zone coverage into the boundary, either it's going to kind of a high-low with Trav (Kelce) or Noah. And obviously the corner bit down on Travis, and you miss that throw, and it kind of just kills the momentum of the first drive.

“And obviously we didn't get the third down right there. So, just me executing at that moment, it's kind of been throughout the whole team … one guy here or there. It's not like we're missing by much. And so, I know it's sucks to hear for the fans, but I feel like we're close. And so, all we can do is just continue to work and continue to get after it and be ready to play the Giants this next week.”

On how he expects the team to respond:

“I mean, I know the guys in the locker room, man, I think they're gonna respond by just working. I mean, that's how we've gotten to the point that we've gotten to, and in our career here in Kansas City, is that we believe the work kind of puts out the product.

“And so, obviously, we've never been 0-2, but we've had times where we've dealt with challenges before and lost games. And so, I think the guys that we have in this locker room will go back to work with that mindset of, ‘We're gonna continue to work even harder so that when we step on that field this next time, we can find a way to win in those big moments,’ like we haven’t these first two weeks.”

On whether he will lobby to carry the ball more in short-yardage:

“Yeah. I mean, I'm always up to it. You know, we've put it in, in certain games. And I think just we saw another fourth down, we got it running with Kareem (Hunt). And so, I was trusting Coach (Andy) Reid, whatever he calls. And we've put it in, and you kind of have to get the right look. And we didn't think they were gonna give us that right look this week.”

On whether his rushing is more by design or opportunity:

“I think it just kind of happened. They came out and played a little bit more man coverage there early in the game, and you saw I was able to use my feet because the guys were covering guys down the field. And so, it just kind of happened.

“But at the end of the day, I’m a competitor. I'm trying to win. And so, whatever it takes, I'll do. And it's been running a few times early in this season, but we'll get back to passing the ball again and hopefully be better at as the season goes on.”

On knowing when to slide and when to drop his shoulder on a defender, like the third-down carry in the red zone:

“I think I did, I do a good job of it. Just you said it. I mean, it’s third down in the red zone. You have to get that first down to give ourselves a chance to score a touchdown there. And so, I usually don't try to run over big guys. He hits hard, but it was a safety. So, I can kind of hit and fall forward, not necessarily run over, but I think I do a good job of protecting myself, and you have to be smart in those situations. And I'm smart from experience.”

On how many of those scrambles are because the offense isn’t able to move the ball:

“I just take what the defense is giving us, and I'll go back and look on tape. I think the one big scramble that I had early in the game, down the field, I think if I wait just a little bit longer, JuJu (Smith-Schuster) ends up open, in the spot that I end up running.

“I kind of pumped to JuJu, pumped to the running back and then ran. I think if I just stretch my drop a little bit, I probably hit JuJu for the same distance. And so that's the stuff I got to be better at. Got to trust in the guys that they’re gonna get open, and trust the offense line and their blocking. And so, take what the defense is giving you and then let guys make plays down the field.”

On pinpointing why he hasn’t been able to find rhythm with receivers, something he was able to do during the preseason:

“I just think it’s a little bit everything. Like I said earlier. I mean, it's like kind of one guy every play. I mean, you've seen there's me missing throws early in the game and late in the game, and then there's a batted ball, and I probably hit Noah (Gray) for a 15- to 20-yard completion over the middle. And then missing JuJu (Smith-Schuster) early in the game, I know I was pressured, but hitting him on that. I mean, it's just little stuff here and there.

“And so, in this league, especially when you're playing good teams and playing good defenses, if you miss those little opportunities, those drives stall out. And so, we'll play another great defense this week, and it’ll be another challenge for us. And all we can do is get back to work and continue to work so that we can kind of iron out those wrinkles and be better as an offense.”

On whether he was surprised that the Chiefs went for it on fourth down early in the second half:

“It's never surprising to me. I mean, I always want to go for it. Like, that's just who I am, and I want to be aggressive and do that. And I know our defense, and I trust our defense to get a stop. And obviously we didn't get it. Defense held them to a field goal, best that we can do in that situation … You always second guess it when it doesn't work, you know? I mean, when it works, it's a good thing, and when it doesn't work, it's a bad thing. But I'd rather be on the aggressive side of history than the non-aggressive side. So, whatever Coach (Andy) Reid does in that situation, I have full trust behind it, full confidence in it.”

On punting and not going for it on fourth down later in the game:

“No, I think the defense was getting stops, you know, and so they were getting stops, and we were stopped, fourth-and-7. They had gotten some pressure on the play before. And so just trusting in your defense. Coach Reid, he's done it for a long time, and he's won a lot of football games.

“Regardless of the decision, when he makes that decision, everyone on this team trusts it and has confidence in it, and that's why I think we've won as many games as we’ve won. And so, he's one of the best of all-time, if not the best of all-time, in making decisions like that. And so, I just trust him. He's going to make the right decision at the right time.”

On what happened on the fourth-quarter drive when Tyquan Thornton broke wide open down the left side, and he overthrew him:

“Yeah, I think obviously I was looking at Tyquan early, and then right when I went to throw to Trav, because the guy with Trav, thought he’d be wide open. I kind of pumped, because I kind of pulled it, not even pumped, I pulled it back. The corner bit on Trav, and then trying to reset real quick and making the throw.

“I think, in those situations, especially kind of that two-minute-type situation, knowing that the guy's not as fresh, and obviously you don’t know it's gonna be wide, wide open, but just trying to put the ball on his head and let him make a play. And, learn from it. I mean, later in that drive, just throwing it where he can go make a play on the ball and trust in him.

“So, stuff I got to continue to get better at, like hitting those deep shots early, because even though we hit the touchdown later, if you hit that touchdown with maybe two more minutes on the clock, you might have a chance to get the football back. And so, about something that I'll look at, learn from and try to be better this next time.”