NEW ORLEANS – This one will stick with Patrick Mahomes.
Like, forever.
Just a whole lot of heartbreak and soul-searching for the Kansas City Chiefs and their fearless leader.
“I take ownership in the loss, probably more than any one in my career,” Mahomes said in the bowels of the Caesars Superdome while the Philadelphia Eagles could be heard celebrating their Super Bowl 59 triumph. “I put us in some bad spots.”
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What, did Superman leave his cape at home?
Mahomes was harassed, bruised, bullied and battered on Sunday night, which sums up what happens when you’ve absorbed a career-high six sacks. And when it’s 24-0 at the half and 40-22 at the finish, it’s pretty hard to pin it on one player.
Even one as magnificent as the Chiefs quarterback.
Then again, Mahomes knows. The two first-half interceptions were the last elements his team needed on a night when it was apparent his O-line was woefully overmatched. And if Mahomes, 29, is not bringing his A-game to the NFL’s biggest stage with all of that glory and history on the line, good luck, Chiefs.
The first pick was returned 38 yards for a touchdown by rookie Cooper DeJean. The second one, by Zack Baun on Mahomes’ next throw, gave the Eagles possession at the Chiefs’ 14-yard line.
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“We didn’t start how we wanted to,” Mahomes said. “I take all the blame for that. Those early turnovers swung the momentum of the game. That’s 14 points I kind of gave them.
“Just didn’t play up to my standard.”
No argument here. Consider how the first nine drives went for the Chiefs: Punt. Punt. Punt. Interception. Punt. Interception. Punt. Punt. Turnover on downs.
No, that’s not Mahomes’ standard. Or maybe it was an imposter. That couldn’t have been the real Mahomes.
OK, it wasn’t, but it was. He’s human, capable of a bad day, even on the big stage. Admittedly, given the pressure of trying to seize a third straight crown, Mahomes kept pressing. And that sure didn’t work.
“I can’t make bad plays worse,” he said. “I think that’s something you saw today.”
Mahomes wound up passing for 257 yards and three touchdowns, with a respectable 95.4 efficiency rating. But those numbers kind of lie when juxtaposed against what really happened. In addition to the two picks, he committed another turnover off a strip-sack.
“There’s times when guys aren’t open, I need to throw the ball away or check it down and let guys make plays happen,” Mahomes said. “Sometimes, I get to where I want to make a big play to spark us. That’s something I’ve dealt with my entire career. If I don’t show I’ll take what’s there in the game, the defenses are going to stay in the coverages they’re in.”
Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl MVP, admitted during the week that the one game that has kept him up at night was the Super Bowl 55 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers four years ago, a 31-9 setback when he was sacked three times, hit nine times and intercepted twice.
If that one kept him up, this one might wake him up with nightmares.
“They both suck,” Mahomes said of the Super Bowl losses. “There’s no way around it. Anytime you lose the Super Bowl, it will stick with you the rest of your career. These are two losses that will motivate me to be even better the rest of my career. You only get so few of these. You have to capitalize on these.”
Mahomes, of course, started with the turnovers when he assessed the hard lessons he’ll take from Sunday. He said, “I can’t turn the ball over when it’s not going our way. I have to learn from that.”
Even deeper, he explained, will be learning to combat how defenses are scheming against him. The Eagles used a heavy dose of shell coverage on early downs – zone coverage with two high safeties – then supplemented that with man-to-man schemes on third downs. And with the deep, active defensive line manhandling Mahomes’ wall of protection, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio blitzed on just one, or maybe two of Kansas City’s 32 pass attempts.
“They were going to make me be a fundamental quarterback from the pocket and take what’s there,” Mahomes said. “That’s something I can get better at.”
While Mahomes struggled and the Eagles unleashed a different type of “Philly Special” on KC’s O-line, it didn’t help that the Chiefs had a non-existent rushing attack. When Mahomes is the leading rusher (four carries, 25 yards), you know that’s trouble. He ran for more yards than the three running backs combined.
On the other side, the Chiefs defense couldn’t contain Jalen Hurts when it mattered as the Eagles quarterback ran 11 times for 72 yards. And the Eagles stung KC for five big-play passes covering at least 20 yards, including Hurts’ 46-yard touchdown strike to DeVonta Smith.
Superman, it turns out, needed a lot more help.
Follow Jarrett Bell on social media @JarrettBell
