"I think it’s just the execution" - Patrick Mahomes opens up on Chiefs' tumultuous start to 2021 NFL season
Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs, and Chiefs fans saw 2021 as their revenge tour that would culminate in correcting what went wrong against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in last year's Super Bowl. However, it seems that the entire NFL has been getting revenge instead. The Chiefs are 3-4 and a shell of their 2020 selves.
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Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans was arguably the worst loss of the Patrick Mahomes era and one of the worst since Andy Reid became head coach. The first few weeks seemed like just a slow start, but now almost halfway through the season, Mahomes and co are analyzing themselves while looking for improvements.
Patrick Mahomes on his teams' struggles through the first half of the season
Speaking on the Rich Eisen Show, Patrick Mahomes kept his assessment of his team simple.
"I think it's just execution. I believe that we have the guys, we have the players, we have the coaches to do whatever we really want but I think it's how we execute and in the NFL, if you don't execute, you lose football games. You've seen that from us when we play good. I think we can play with anybody but when we don't execute and when we don't have great games and we don't play to the way that we've been coached into our ability, we lose and you've seen that over this season."
Put simply, Patrick Mahomes said he and his team need to play better, try harder, and maintain a strong level of focus. This is an acknowledgement by the quarterback that the NFL is a tough place to play, especially with the size of the target on the Chiefs' backs. The Chiefs have come into 2021 with the expectation that wins are simply going to happen.
Patrick Mahomes learning about what life is like when your defense can't get stops and your offense loses something off a historically loaded group.
Welcome to the Aaron Rodgers experience.
However, while the Chiefs have been letting their foot off the gas a little bit, other teams have been flooring it. For many opponents, defeating the Chiefs could be the biggest accomplishment of the season. While the Chiefs haven't been showing up, opponents are putting extra effort into their preparation and focusing on game day and it is translating into wins.
In other words, the Chiefs are having a Super Bowl hangover. Typically, Super Bowl hangovers come after winning a Super Bowl. However, having been to two Super Bowls and an AFC Championship game in recent years can build up the same level of expectations for anyone. Will the Chiefs right the ship before 2021 is over?