Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes didn’t hesitate to take responsibility for his miscue. With the game tied 6-6 late in the second quarter against the New York Giants, he threw a screen pass behind running back Isiah Pacheco, who was trying to get out of a tackle. This blunder nearly handed New York a touchdown. Mahomes hustled to recover the loose ball from Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke to avoid what could’ve been a disaster. Head coach Andy Reid opened up about what went down during the play.

“Yeah, we weren’t trying to. Not once or twice,” the coach clarified. “So, we don’t want that. But he (Pacheco) was trying to chip on the tackle and got caught up in there, and it bumped him out too wide. So, we’ll we’ll fix that,” he explained during the press conference. Coach Reid simply explained Pacheco and added that he will be better next time. Reid clarified that the running back’s blunder wasn’t intentional. Though former Chiefs offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz believes the coach prefers to point out the players’ mistakes behind closed doors.

Fortunately, Mahomes’s presence of mind saved the day for the team. And while the team may have finally secured a win after two back-to-back losses, coach Reid admitted that there were several moments when it was “hard to watch” the game.

The Chiefs struggled against the Giants’ defense in the first two quarters before taking over completely late in the game. Coach Reid agreed that the team came together to deliver a stronger performance in the fourth quarter. Mahomes had 22 completions out of 37 attempts for 224 yards and a touchdown. And while the QB could recover the fumble, he knows that the Chiefs can’t afford the same mistake.

“That was a great tackle. . . I’m not going to try to do that again. . . We’ll throw the ball forward next time,” Mahomes said, as per Charles Goldman. He had another fumble, which was also recovered.

While many criticised the Chiefs’ QB for the fumble, NBC commentator Cris Collinsworth praised Mahomes for his efforts to help the team.”I can’t tell you how good of a play that is. So many quarterbacks would have done nothing here.” Collinsworth said that he even went on to add that many QBs wouldn’t have gone so far to recover the fumble. “Not only did he save the touchdown, but he also got the ball back.”

Not just for the fumbles, Patrick Mahomes called for accountability, taking charge, and making sure the team stays locked in and brings their best game.

Patrick Mahomes holds himself accountable

Mahomes admitted and accepted the tough reality that the offensive line still has work to do, including him. “I asked my teammates to hold me accountable. I need to give them chances to make plays, and they’ve shown they can make them,” the QB said. And before facing the Ravens, the Chiefs must overcome these hurdles.

The team struggled with the passing attack in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers. There wasn’t much difference in Week 2 with turnovers and stalled drives as the team lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, with turnovers and stalled drives dominating their performance. Week 3 brought a win over the Giants, but finishing drives remained an issue, as they leaned on field goals.

Accepting the mistakes of offense, Mahomes said, “We’ve got to start faster. We were moving the game early last week, but we were settling into field goals.” The QB has also struggled with efficiency through three weeks, posting a career-low 59% completion rate. The offensive struggles extend beyond backfield issues, with the receiving corps significantly depleted. WR Rashee Rice remains suspended, while WR Xavier Worthy has been limited by a shoulder injury suffered in Week 1.

Mahomes will have to rely heavily on wide receiver Hollywood Brown, tight end Travis Kelce, and wide receiver Tyquan Thornton to lead the passing attack for the next game. If the Chiefs want to stay competitive, Mahomes and his supporting cast will need to tighten up their game.