Patrick Mahomes has rewritten just about every record book since he became the Kansas City Chiefs’ starter. On Thanksgiving, he added one he never wanted.
According to ESPN Research, the Chiefs had gone 12-0 in games where Patrick Mahomes threw at least four touchdown passes with no interceptions, including the playoffs. That perfect mark died in Thursday’s 31-28 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, a career-first gut punch for the two-time MVP.
Mahomes did everything you usually need to win. He completed 23 of 34 passes for 261 yards and four scores, hit Rashee Rice for two touchdowns, and converted a pair of ridiculous fourth-down strikes to Travis Kelce and Rice to keep Kansas City alive.
Down 10 in the fourth quarter, Mahomes spun away from pressure and launched a 42-yard shot to Xavier Worthy, setting up a 10-yard touchdown to Hollywood Brown to cut the deficit to three. Dallas never gave him the ball back. Two pass interference flags on the Chiefs and one Dak Prescott dart to George Pickens allowed the Cowboys to kneel out the final minutes.
Afterward, Mahomes sounded equal parts frustrated and realistic. He pointed to the same issues that have haunted Kansas City all season. Lulls in the middle quarters, penalties, and missed chances. “We’ve got to execute at a higher level… we’ve got to be consistent for four quarters,” he told reporters via the Chiefs.
On the playoff race, he did not mince words. “At the end of the day, you just got to win every game and hope that’s enough,” Mahomes said, acknowledging the razor-thin margin for a 6-6 team sitting behind the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West.
