Five turnovers tarnish Mahomes’ effort
Patrick Mahomes threw for the most yards in the NFL this season and had his second six-touchdown game. But it is the five turnovers the Kansas City quarterback committed that led to the Chiefs dropping their second game this season.
Mahomes threw three interceptions and had two fumbles in Monday night’s 54-51 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at the LA Memorial Coliseum. Three of the turnovers resulted in Rams touchdowns, including a fumble and interception return for TDs by Rams linebacker Samson Ebukam.
“I gave them 21 points through turnovers,” said Mahomes, who completed 33 of 46 passes for 478 yards. “It sucks right now, plain and simple. You wanted a win like that over a playoff team.”
It is the first three-interception game of Mahomes’ career. The first pick came when Ebukam stuck his left hand up at the line of scrimmage and came down with the ball before returning it for a touchdown.
Mahomes said he was intending to throw to tight end Demetrius Harris, but that he babied the throw instead of putting more velocity on it.
The last two picks came on the final drives as the Chiefs were attempting to tie the game with a field goal.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said the Marcus Peters interception with 1:18 remaining was mostly the result of pressure by Ebukam. The last one, which was picked off by LaMarcus Joyner with 13 seconds remaining at the Rams 28, was Mahomes trying to make a play late.
The two fumbles were the results of strip sacks by Aaron Donald, who has a league-leading 14.5 sacks.
“He’s made enough of those plays where you have full trust in him,” Reid said. “We always talk about protecting the ball and he usually does a good job of that.”
GAME OVER FOR PACMAN IN DENVER >> Adam “Pacman” Jones’ short stint in Denver is over.
The Broncos waived the 14-year veteran after he’d appeared in seven games, posting nine tackles and one interception and three pass breakups.
At 35, Jones might have a hard time finding another team in need of a cornerback/kick returner.
He signed with Denver in August. Coach Vance Joseph, who once served as an assistant in Cincinnati, vouched for Jones, who spent eight seasons with the Bengals.
Jones was the Broncos’ leading punt returner with 10, albeit for a 2.5-yard average, and he returned four kickoffs for a 21.3-yard average. FOURTH-AND-SHORT >> Chase Daniel promises to be ready to step in at quarterback for Mitchell Trubisky on Thursday when the Chicago Bears play the Detroit Lions.
The Bears’ backup might need to clear away some rust.
Daniel hasn’t started or played extensively in an NFL game since 2014 and might start for Trubisky because of a right shoulder injury sustained in the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s 25-20 Bears victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
• The Miami Dolphins plan to start quarterback Ryan Tannehill for the first time in six games Sunday at Indianapolis.
Tannehill threw at practice Tuesday for the first time since mid-October. Coach Adam Gase said Tannehill has progressed enough in his recovery from a throwing shoulder injury to rejoin the lineup.
His replacement, Brock Osweiler, went 2-3 as the starter, and the offense has gone nine quarters without a touchdown.
Last week’s bye gave Tannehill extra time to heal. He has said he’s resigned to throwing with pain the rest of the year because of an injury to his shoulder capsule in Week 5.
GONZALEZ LEADS 25 HOF SEMIFINALISTS >> Tony Gonzalez, John Lynch, Ed Reed and Champ Bailey are among 25 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In all, 13 defensive players, nine on offense and three coaches — Jimmy Johnson, Tom Flores and Don Coryell — made the cut. Making it to the semifinals for the first time, although previously eligible, are Flores and linebacker Zach Thomas.
Already finalists for the hall are contributors Gil Brandt and Pat Bowlen, and senior committee nominee Johnny Robinson.
The 25 modern-day finalists from an original group of 103 will be reduced to 15 on Jan. 3. The selection meeting will be Feb. 2, the day before the Super Bowl, in Atlanta.
Inductions will be on Aug. 3 at the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.