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

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

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

“They’ve collaborated with Travis three times [Kelce] So I went to the guy who won the field and Marquez won. He just didn’t come out with the ball. “I probably could have thrown it a little shorter, it was that 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 about 27 yards, but the ball passed through Watson’s hands. Mahomes said his receivers know he still has confidence in them despite playing like that.

“They know I’m going to keep shooting,” Mahomes said. “They usually make plays. It happens.”

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

“It wasn’t just losing the game, there were a lot of things that happened,” Mahomes said. “It starts with me. I have to make better throws at certain times.”

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

Mahomes credited the Chiefs’ defense for its stellar play this season and said he’s confident the offense can play better.

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

Mahomes continues to play at an MVP level, but his receivers need to go to work and get a lot better.