Mahomes: Chiefs 'received to win each sport now' – ESPN

ARLINGTON, Texas — Following yet one more one-score loss for the Kansas City Chiefs, this time falling 31-28 to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, quarterback Patrick Mahomes summed up the group’s bleak predicament.
“You have to win each sport now — and hope that is sufficient,” Mahomes stated of the Chiefs’ try to make the postseason with 5 video games left within the common season.
With a 6-6 document and out of doors the AFC’s playoff image, the Chiefs’ possibilities of clinching a postseason berth dropped Thursday from 63% to 47%, in keeping with ESPN Analytics. All 5 video games remaining on the Chiefs’ schedule, beginning Dec. 7 towards the Houston Texans, shall be towards AFC opponents, too. Mahomes understands that each sport for the Chiefs is basically a play-in sport to maintain their playoff hopes alive.
“We’ll play lots of good groups arising,” Mahomes stated. “If we’ll make the playoffs, we’ll need to win all of them. That is received to be the mindset once we step into the [training facility] once we get again.”
Simply 4 days in the past, the Chiefs believed they secured a pivotal win — and their most spectacular one in every of their season — once they rallied from an 11-point deficit within the fourth quarter to beat the Indianapolis Colts.
The Chiefs even began Thursday’s sport properly. A blitz from the Chiefs on the opening possession led to cornerback Jaylen Watson intercepting quarterback Dak Prescott. The turnover arrange Mahomes’ 27-yard landing go to receiver Rashee Rice. In actual fact, in his first NFL begin in AT&T Stadium, a bit of greater than 100 miles from his hometown of Tyler, Texas, Mahomes threw 4 landing passes and sometimes used his legs to flee the pocket.
However Thursday was the primary time within the Mahomes period — since 2018, when he grew to become the starter — that the Chiefs fell in a sport when their quarterback threw a minimum of 4 landing passes and did not commit an interception, in keeping with ESPN Analysis. Previous to Thursday, the Chiefs have been 12-0 in such video games.
“We are able to beat anyone, however we have proven that we are able to lose to anyone,” Mahomes stated. “We have got to be extra constant. We have had huge performs and we have had runs the place we are able to actually rating at any time, however we have to be constant for 4 quarters, particularly while you play good groups they usually have offense.”
For a lot of the second half, Mahomes operated the Chiefs offense with out his beginning proper deal with (Jawaan Taylor) and left deal with (rookie Josh Simmons). Taylor, a seven-year veteran, missed the second half with a strained left triceps.
And Mahomes is anticipated to be with out Simmons, the Chiefs’ first-round choose, for an prolonged interval. Late within the third quarter, Simmons left the sport with a left wrist harm. Simmons exited the locker room with a solid on his left wrist and arm in a sling. Take a look at outcomes confirmed that Simmons sustained a dislocated and fractured left wrist, in keeping with a supply.
The Chiefs additionally started the sport with out Trey Smith, who sustained a sprained proper ankle towards the Colts. Mahomes, although, was nonetheless in a position to lead the Chiefs to 2 landing drives with Jaylon Moore as his proper deal with and Wanya Morris because the left deal with.
“Hopefully we are able to get a few of these guys again and get them wholesome over this prolonged week that we’ve got,” Mahomes stated of the Chiefs’ having 10 days to relaxation and get well earlier than they host the Texans.
Thursday’s sport was additionally the third time this season by which Mahomes watched the opposing offense run out the clock whereas main by one rating.
The Chiefs’ protection struggled towards the Cowboys’ potent passing assault. Prescott was by no means sacked, and the Chiefs’ strain did not have an effect on him a lot. Prescott was pressured on 36 p.c of his dropbacks, his third-highest strain proportion in a sport this season, in keeping with Subsequent Gen Stats. However Prescott, who completed with 320 passing yards and two touchdowns, responded by finishing 11 of his 14 makes an attempt whereas underneath duress, his most such completions in a sport in his 10-year profession.
Whether or not longtime defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo blitzed or did not, his unit allowed a season-high 9 conversions on third down, which tied for the second-most in a daily season sport underneath Spagnuolo, who joined the group in 2019. Watson and fellow cornerback Trent McDuffie could not successfully cowl CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, Cowboys’ two greatest receivers.
“The frenzy and protection started working collectively, and we have to determine a strategy to get them off the sphere,” defensive finish George Karlaftis stated. “That is on the protection. We have got just a few days off and we have to dig deep now.”
As soon as once more, in one other shut loss, coach Andy Reid and nearly each participant within the Chiefs’ locker room talked about one disappointing issue: penalties. The Chiefs dedicated 10 penalties for 119 yards, their most in a sport since Week 14 of 2019 in a win over the New England Patriots (136).
“The underside line is we’re having too many penalties, and we have to ensure we care for that,” Reid stated. “No excuses with it. We’ll work on cleansing it up. The blokes know. They perceive we have to wash up just a few issues.
“We have got to do higher as coaches. We have got to do higher as gamers. You return to the drafting board and you retain working.”

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