Patrick Mahomes refuses to throw Chiefs receivers under the bus after crucial drops

After Monday night’s loss to the Eagles, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was asked several questions about several dropped passes, but he refused to criticize his receivers.

Perhaps the biggest drop was the deep ball thrown to Marquez Valdes-Scantling that could have been a game-winning touchdown. Mahomes hit Valdes-Scantling in the hands, Valdes-Scantling couldn’t hold on, and Mahomes said afterward that he wished he had made the catch a little easier for his receiver.

“They teamed up with Travis (Kelce), so I went to the guy who won on the court and Marquez won. He just didn’t come away with the ball. I probably could have thrown it a little shorter, it was so open,” Mahomes said.

Mahomes’ final pass, to Justin Watson on fourth-and-25 on the Chiefs’ final offensive play, hit Watson for what should have been a gain of about 27 yards, but the ball slipped into Watson’s hands. Mahomes said his receivers knew he remained confident in them despite plays like that.

“They know I’m going to keep shooting,” Mahomes said. “Usually, they are the ones who make the plays. It happens.”

Mahomes repeatedly refused to say dropped passes were the Chiefs’ problem.

“It not only lost the game, a lot of things happened,” Mahomes said. “It starts with me. I have to make better throws at times.

Mahomes again: “I didn’t pass good enough in certain situations.”

Mahomes praised the Chiefs defense for its strong play this season and said he was confident the offense could play better.

“I know how hard guys work at the end of the day,” Mahomes said. “We had times where we played good football offensively. All you can do is go to work and keep improving.

Mahomes continues to play at an MVP level, but his receivers need to put in the work and improve a lot.