Patrick Mahomes hasn’t lived up to his MVP standard in 2023. Some of that can be attributed to a decline in his play. His pressure rate is up slightly, leading to shorter passes than ever in his NFL career (6.8 yards downfield, on average). Despite that, his on-target throw rate is down from 77 percent to 73 percent this fall.
This is not just a Patrick Mahomes problem. It’s an issue owned by the entire Kansas City Chiefs offense — and no position bears more responsibility than the receiving corps that’s struggled to replace Tyreek Hill’s gamebreaking presence the last two years. In 2022, this didn’t matter. Mahomes played coolly efficient football and won his second MVP award and Super Bowl ring.
In 2023, however, it threatens to derail Kansas City’s dream of being the NFL’s first back-to-back champion since Tom Brady and the 2004 and 2005 New England Patriots. The Chiefs aren’t just plagued by an undermanned receiving corps — their losses are littered with examples of dropped passes and stupid decisions that had a meaningful, tangible impact on the final score.
So let’s talk about those. This is a running list and will be updated, assuming Kansas City’s wideouts continue to play football like they’re in the first 60 minutes of an uplifting sports movie about an overmatched gang of misfits who have to overcome their differences and rally together to win the big game.
1
Kadarius Toney drops so many passes, gift wraps a Detroit Lions win in a 21-20 Week 1 defeat
Kansas City began its title defense with a showdown against a rising Lions team. After a slow start, the four-point home favorites appeared to drop into gear. The Chiefs led 14-7 at the half and, after forcing a three-and-out, took over in plus field position with a chance to pad their lead in the third quarter. On third-and-six near midfield, Mahomes hit Kadarius Toney right in the hands on a shallow crossing route that probably wouldn’t have resulted in a first down even if caught.
But somehow, things went as bad as they possibly could have from there.
BRIAN BRANCH PICK-SIX IN HIS FIRST NFL GAME
📺: #Kickoff2023 on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/EBLJ3Rwf5g pic.twitter.com/RzuewZE45n— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2023
Rookie safety Brian Branch took a gift-wrapped interception all the way to the end zone to tie the game. This would not be the last time Chiefs fans would curse Toney’s name on opening night. Two drives later, Kansas City faced third-and-two in the red zone late in a 14-14 game. Mahomes flung a pass over the middle where Toney and Richie James were running mesh routes. It hit Toney in the hands once more and, once more, skittered out of his grasp.
— not highlight heaven (@ABsneurosurgeon) September 8, 2023
This led to a Harrison Butker field goal in a game later decided by a single point. And, lest you thought we were done with Toney non-highlights from this one, single game well …
Yep, that’s a third drop — this one to start a late fourth quarter drive that could have set the Chiefs up for a game-winning field goal. Kansas City lost 15 yards via penalty from there and lost 21-20 to begin its Super Bowl defense 0-1.
2
Everyone implodes vs. the Denver Broncos
The Chiefs course corrected after Week 1. Seven straight wins were convincing evidence this team was, in fact, terrifying once more. After surviving a rock fight with the Denver Broncos at home in Week 6, Kansas City traveled to Colorado where … everyone was garbage.
The team’s 274 yards of total offense were its worst on American soil this year by a significant margin. Mahomes threw 38 passes that afternoon, 33 of which Pro Football Reference rated as catchable. Five of them were dropped — an absurd 13.5 percent drop rate that stands as one of the highest marks of good hands futility in the NFL this year.
No one was safe. Travis Kelce? Dropped a pass. Typically sure-handed tailback Jerick McKinnon? Dropped a pass. Rising rookie Rashee Rice? Dropped a pass. Kadarius Toney? Actually, he was fine, owing in part to the fact Mahomes only targeted him once.
Oh, and Mecole Hardman, back with the team that drafted him after a mid-season trade, thoroughly botched a fourth quarter punt return that led to a Broncos touchdown and turned a 14-9 game into a 21-9 one.
Mecole Hardman muffs the punt and the Broncos recoverpic.twitter.com/fsRoL80qCf
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) October 29, 2023
3
Marquez Valdes-Scantling drops a go-ahead touchdown late vs. the Philadelphia Eagles
The Chiefs trailed the Philadelphia Eagles 21-17 at the two minute warning of their Super Bowl 57 rematch. But with the ball in his hands, Mahomes was primed to do the thing he does so well; absolutely devastate opponents with late-game magic. When he uncorked a perfect 45-plus yard rainbow to deep threat Marquez Valdes-Scantling — signed for this very moment — it looked like the onus would be on Philly to mount a desperate comeback.
Instead…
Chiefs had a chance to score the go-ahead TD on this play 😬 pic.twitter.com/lFR4oMLOna
— ESPN (@espn) November 21, 2023
Valdes-Scantling dropped the ball. One intentional grounding flag later brought up fourth-and-25 with the game on the line. Mahomes nearly pulled it off, too — only for wideout Justin Watson to be unable to withstand Darius Slay’s late breakup. Once again, a key Chiefs loss can be identified by a high profile drop within.
4
You know what? Just all the drops. All of them.
Lest we think drops are only a problem in defeat; nope. The Chiefs drop passes all the time. They drop more passes than anyone else in the NFL, per Pro Football Reference:
Through 13 weeks, here are Kansas City’s drop leaders:
- Rashee Rice: eight (tied for third-most in the NFL)
- Travis Kelce: four (t-29th)
- Kadarius Toney, Jerick McKinnon, Justin Watson: three (t-55th)
- Isiah Pacheco, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justyn Ross: two (t-92nd)
Not great!
5
Kadarius Toney lines up offsides, robs world of the coolest touchdown of 2023
Behold, the flag that broke Patrick Mahomes’ brain and sent him complaining to the refs, the media and, for some reason, to Josh Allen. Toney should have scored a late go-ahead touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in Week 14. But since he lined up a half-yard ahead of the line of scrimmage, all he got was yet another reason for Chiefs fans to lambast him.
All 22 angle of the Kelce lateral/Toney offside play. Doesn't appear Toney once checks with the sideline judge on his side from this.
Also amazing job still from Kelce finding him in space. pic.twitter.com/UyiVABuBSp
— Shaun Newkirk (@Shauncore) December 11, 2023
This one wasn’t as much of a bummer for Mahomes as it was for Kelce, who proved the value of in-game laterals with a pretty much perfect strike to Toney. Still, what could have been a 24-20 lead instead became a 20-17 loss.
