Why Patrick Mahomes, Xavier Worthy Can't Connect on the Deep Ball and How to Fix It

Mahomes has to shoulder some responsibility for the struggles in the deep passing game, especially for Worthy. There have been plenty of times when Worthy has been open and the quarterback has missed him. There are a multitude of reasons for the inconsistency. The first – and probably biggest – culprit is Mahomes’s footwork on the throws.

There have been multiple plays where the footwork was either off or rushed while trying to throw deep. Mahomes is so exceptionally talented and gifted that he’s been able to play without always having the best mechanics and technique. With that said, it has also cost him and the Chiefs when it comes to hitting big plays.

Against the Denver Broncos, Mahomes missed Worthy streaking for a touchdown because he rushed his footwork and the ball sailed right on him. Another example is the Buffalo Bills game, where Worthy should have been able to get his feet down on the sideline but the ball should have never been that close to the boundary. Half of the field was green grass for Mahomes to throw the ball into, but his hips were open, causing the ball to go too far left.

Another reason for missteps is the trust and chemistry between Mahomes and Worthy. There have been times when Mahomes waits for Worthy to show him what angle he’s taking. This causes the ball to be late and allows the defender to break up the pass. Getting the break out of the route down is key, particularly when adjusted depending on the coverage look. If the quarterback and receiver aren’t on the same page, it can cause incompletions and prevent explosive plays from happening.

Lastly, some of the disconnect can be attributed to pass protection. When you are constantly getting hit in the pocket, a quarterback can begin to feel rushed, which causes other issues to occur. Mahomes probably rushed that throw against Denver because he was worried about the pressure getting to him off the left side. On the controversial late third down call against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Chiefs got what they wanted but Travis Kelce let the defender waltz into the backfield and hit Mahomes as he was throwing.

The good news for Kansas City is that these issues should be correctable through work and chemistry being built up. Having Worthy become a consistent factor in the offense is great. Now, it’d be excellent to see the Chiefs put his elite speed to use and start generating explosive plays on top of that.