Marquez Valdes-Scantling breaks silence on parade of Chiefs’ dropped passes
Marquez Valdes-Scantling had a chance to dominate the conversation on Tuesday morning for all of the right reasons. Instead, he is dominating the conversation for all of the wrong reasons, it would appear.
The Chiefs wide receiver broke wide open late in the Monday Night Football contest against the Philadelphia Eagles but dropped a potential game-winning touchdown. The drop left Chiefs fans stunned and launched a volley of criticism after the team lost the contest 21-17.
Taking to Twitter/X on Tuesday, Marquez Valdes-Scantling spoke out on the outpouring of positive and negative interactions.
Here's what he said:
"I’m grateful, I’ll be better. And I appreciate the criticism and the support. God put this on me because he knew I could handle it. Gratitude for everything that comes with it."
Fans leaned on the negative side with their responses to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. One fan wrote: "God put this on you but you dropped it," earning the most likes by a comment on the post.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling's drop emblematic of Chiefs' struggles in 2023
At 7-3, the Chiefs are chasing the one-seed for the first time in seemingly eons. While the defense has stepped up amid the offensive struggles, it hasn't been able to cover up the team's troubles at wide receiver. According to the Monday Night Football broadcast, the Chiefs lead the league in dropped passes.
Even Travis Kelce, who has been a pillar of the team, has looked out of sorts in recent weeks. He hasn't crossed the 60-yard mark since October 22 and, despite earning a touchdown in the game against the Eagles, his fumble could have been the difference in the contest.
Many believe the loss of Tyreek Hill is the direct cause of the team's offensive struggles this season. While Kelce was able to hold down the fort last season, he has been unable to do so as consistently as the season has gone on.
At this point, the blueprint for beating the team might be out in the wild. Simply double-team Kelce and then allow Chiefs receivers to drop the ball in single man-to-man coverage or in zone coverage. Fortunately, the Chiefs' upcoming schedule appears to be much more forgiving.
Not a single remaining opponent is over .500 at the time of writing, which means that the team might not lose a game. However, if the blueprint holds true and the Chiefs struggle as they did against the Eagles and the Broncos, it might be a shocking December for Patrick Mahomes as he learns just how ruthless the league can be for mortal teams.