Q: With a 0-2 start what is the feeling in the locker room after this game?
MAHOMES: “Yeah, I think just after the first few weeks now, you just let games slip away. We played two good football teams and made mistakes in big moments – stuff that we’re not used to doing. But I think we’re coming together as a team, man. I mean, when you deal with adversity it’s about how you deal with it and obviously, this isn’t how we wanted to start. But how are we going to respond? So, I’m excited for the next few weeks to see who wants to be challenged and how we can get back and really get after it.”
Q: Does it feel disjointed offensively?
MAHOMES: I mean there’s times. I think just little things here and there. Getting the ball batted, big play (and) missing some deep shots. Things here and there that we just didn’t do at a high enough level. Even like the first throw – overthrowing Noah (Gray) on that Cover 2 look. I mean, (I’m) seeing it right (and) just not making the throw. In this league you (have) got to make those throws and I’ll be better as the season goes on.”
Q: What went wrong on the goal line play with Travis Kelce?
MAHOMES: “We got the defense that we wanted. We expect them (Philadelphia Eagles) to play that zero-zero (defense) with the hole player – with the safety. I think I threw it just a tad too early, just trying to put it on his (Travis Kelce) body low before that hole player got there and I think if I can put it more on his body and not so far out in front of him then he can catch it, take the hit and get in the endzone.”
Q: Did you want to throw it that low at the goal line?
MAHOMES: “Yeah, you want to put it low, but more on his (Travis Kelce) body. Whenever you’re in those tight quarters like that, you want to give it to him – especially a bigger guy – more on his body (so) he can catch and brace for that contact. We knew the hole player would be looking for him. I mean that’s one of our big targets down there in the red zone. He was breaking to kind of make a hit, and it was just unfortunate (that) the ball bounced up in the air and went right to him (Eagles S Andrew Mukuba).”
Q: On the slow start to the season.
MAHOMES: “I think this week missing that throw to Noah (Gray) hurts. We got covers that we expected and when they (Philadelphia Eagles) played that zone coverage into the boundary, it’s kind of a high-low with Trav (Travis Kelce) or Noah. Obviously, the corner bit down on Travis (Kelce), then you miss that throw and it kind of just kills the momentum of the first drive. Obviously, we didn’t get the third down right there. So, it’s just me executing in that moment, but it’s kind of been throughout the whole team. We just – it’s one guy here or there, it’s not like we’re missing by much. I know it sucks to hear it, for the
fans, but I feel like we’re close. So, all we can do is just continue to work and get after it and be ready to play the (New York) Giants next week.”
Q: How do you expect the team to respond?
MAHOMES: “Knowing the guys in the locker room, man, I think they’re just going to respond by working. That’s how we’ve gotten to the point that we’ve gotten to and our career here in Kansas City, is that we believe the work kind of puts out the product. Obviously, we’ve never been 0-2, but we’ve had times where we’ve dealt with challenges before and lost games. I think the guys that we have in this locker room will go back to work with that mindset of, ‘we’re going to continue to work even harder,’ so that when we step on that field this next time, we can find a way to win in those big moments, like we haven’t in these first two weeks.”
Q: Do you think you might start lobbying for quarterback sneaks in those short yard situations?
MAHOMES: “Yeah, I mean I’m always up for it. We’ve put it in, in certain games. I think you saw on another fourth down we got it, which is run with Kareem (Hunt). So, I just trust in (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid, (with) whatever he calls. We’ve put it in and you kind of have to get the right look and we didn’t think they (Philadelphia Eagles) were going to give us that right look this week.”
Q: You’ve been running more and earlier in this season than in the past. Is that by design, philosophy or just opportunities?
MAHOMES: “I think it just kind of happened. They (Philadelphia Eagles) came out and played a little bit more man coverage there early in the game, and you saw I was able to use my feet because the guys were covering guys down the field. And so, it just kind of has happened. But at the end of the day, I’m just a competitor. I’m just trying to win and so whatever it takes I’ll do. It’s been running a few times earlier this season, but we’ll get back to passing the ball again and hopefully be better at it as the season goes on.”
Q: How can you find that balance between lowering your shoulder versus protecting yourself?
MAHOMES: “I think I do a good job of it. You said it, I mean, it’s third down in the red zone. You want to get that first down to give ourselves a chance to score a touchdown there. I usually don’t try to run over big guys, so if that was a – he (Eagles S Andrew Mukuba) hits hard but it was a safety, so I can kind of hit and fall over, not necessarily run (them) over. But I think I do a good job at protecting myself, and you have to be smart in those situations and I’ve just learned from experience.”
Q: How many of your scrambles have been caused by not being able to move the ball?
MAHOMES: “I just take what the defense is giving us, you know? I’ll go back and look on tape. I think the one big scramble that I had early in the game down the field, I think if I would’ve waited just a little bit longer JuJu (Smith-Schuster) ends up opening up in the spot that I end up running – I kind of pumped to JuJu and pumped to the running back and then ran. I think if I just stretch my drop a little bit, I probably hit JuJu for the same distance. That’s just stuff I have to be better at. I’ve got to trust in the guys that they’re going to be open and trust in the offensive line and their blocking. Take what the defense is giving you and then let guys makes plays down the field.”
Q: On guys stepping up with others down and overall team performance.
MAHOMES: “I think it’s a little bit of everything. Like I said earlier, it’s just one guy every play. You’ve seen there is me missing throws early in the game and late in the game and then there’s a batted ball where I’m probably hitting Noah (Gray) for a 15 to 20 yard completion over the middle and then missing JuJu (Smith-Schuster) early in the game. I know I was pressured but hitting him (JuJu Smith-Schuster) on that. It’s just little stuff here and there so in this league, especially when you’re playing good teams (and) playing good defenses, if you miss those little opportunities, those drives stall out. We play another great defense this week, so it will be another challenge for us and I mean all we can do is get back to work and continue to work so that we can iron out those wrinkles and be better as an offense.”
Q: On going for it on fourth down early.
MAHOMES: “It’s never surprising for me. I always want to go for it. That’s just who I am and I want to be aggressive and do that and I know our defense and I trust our defense to get a stop and obviously we didn’t get it, and defense holds us to a field goal (it’s) the best we can do in that situation. You always second guess it when it doesn’t work. When it works, it’s a good thing and when it doesn’t work, it’s a bad thing but I’d rather be on the aggressive side of history than the non-aggressive side so whatever (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid does in that situation, I have full trust behind (him) and I have full confidence in it.”
Q: Are you surprised you punted towards the end of the game?
MAHOMES: “No. I think the defense was getting stops and so they were getting stops and it was tough. Fourth-and-7 and they (Philadelphia Eagles) had gotten some pressure on the play before and so just trusting in your defense. I think (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid has done it for a long time and he’s won a lot of football games and I think regardless of the decision, when he (Head Coach Andy Reid) makes that decision, everyone on this team trusts in it and has confidence in it and that’s why I think we have won as many games as we’ve won and so he’s one of the best of all time – if not the best of all time – at making decisions like that and so I just trust that he’s going to make the right decision at the right time.”
Q: On missing Tyquan Thornton on the coverage bust in the fourth quarter.
MAHOMES: “Obviously, I was looking at Tyquan (Thornton) early and then right when I went to throw to Trav (Travis Kelce), because Trav was about to be wide open, I kind of pumped because – I pulled it back out of the corner – dead on Trav and then trying to reset real quick and making the throw – I think in those situations, especially in kind of that two minute type situation knowing that the guy is not as fresh and obviously you don’t know that they’re going to be wide open, but just trying to put the ball on his head and let him make a play and learn from it. Later in that drive – throwing it where he can make a play on the ball and trusting in him. I have stuff that I have to continue to get better at, like hitting those deep shots early – even though we hit the touchdown later, if you hit that touchdown with two more minutes on the clock, you might have a chance to get the football back. Something that I’ll look at (and) learn from and try to be better this next time.”