How much did Chiefs QB Mahomes run for his life?
Next Gen Stats says pivot had 497 scramble yards in his worst NFL game
TAMPA, FLA. — Patrick Mahomes entered Super Bowl LV bidding to become the third player in National Football League history to win successive Super Bowl MVP awards.
Instead, Mahomes had one of the roughest games of his NFL career in a 31-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The MVP award went to Tom Brady, who won his seventh Super Bowl trophy and collected his fifth MVP honour. The award should be named for Brady.
Mahomes’ evening ended on an interception in the end zone by Devin White. That left Mahomes’ final numbers: 26 of 49 for 270 yards passing with two interceptions, zero touchdowns and a 52.3 passer rating — the lowest of his career.
Also, the Chiefs hadn’t lost a game Mahomes had started in his career by more than one score. The eight-point loss to the Raiders earlier this year was the greatest margin of defeat.
“It’s the worst I’ve been beaten in a long time,” Mahomes said.
The last time a Mahomesquarterbacked team lost by more than one score: Nov. 19, 2016, while playing for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders lost to Iowa State 66-10.
The quarterback owns the numbers and will wear the loss. But there is plenty more to this performance. It’s possible Mahomes ran about 500 scramble yards — 497 according to Next Gen Stats. The Chiefs offensive line was no match for the Buccaneers’ pass rush.
Mahomes was sacked three times. A less mobile quarterback would have gone down much more often. He’s among
the best in the game’s history eluding pressure and finding receivers.
But the Bucs excelled on the back end also. While Mahomes was scrambling, receivers were covered by defensive backs and linebackers who weren’t going to be burned for a second time.
In a 27-24 loss to the Chiefs during the regular season, Mahomes passed for 462 yards, with 269 going to Tyreek Hill. Hill constantly got behind the Buccaneers defenders.
That didn’t come close to happening Sunday. Also courtesy of Next Gen Stats: Mahomes went 1 for 10 with both of his interceptions while throwing into a tight window.
“We weren’t all on the same page,” Mahomes said.
That is, the offensive line didn’t do its job, wide receivers weren’t where Mahomes expected them and the quarterback said he held the ball too long at times.
The Buccaneers took away spots were Mahomes likes to operate, the deep middle and the sidelines. Also, the Chiefs
excel at yards after the catch. There was little of that Sunday.
“Especially 87 (Travis Kelce) and 10 (Hill),” said Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis. “They’re guys who take advantage of yards after the catch and we made it our job to limit them, keep them in front of us.”
Through three quarters, with the Bucs comfortably ahead, Mahomes’ longest completion had been 14 yards to Hill.
Mahomes said he didn’t believe the game was lost until the final interception, but this wasn’t like last year when the Chiefs trailed the San Francisco 49ers 20-10 midway through the fourth quarter. At that point, Mahomes and the offence had been largely stifled.
But, over the final seven minutes against the 49ers, the Chiefs scored three touchdowns, two on Mahomes passes, and roared to their first Super Bowl triumph in 50 years. There was no coming back this time.
“They were just better than us today,” Mahomes said.