The Chiefs escaped Foxborough with a win over the Patriots last Sunday, but it wasn’t without some fireworks on Kansas City’s sideline.
A visibly upset Patrick Mahomes was seen fuming following another drop from embattled Chiefs receiver Kadarius Toney, who has been in the crosshairs of fans throughout the season, as the play resulted in a turnover.
Reflecting on the matter Tuesday, Mahomes said the catalyst of his frustration boiled down to his interception putting the defense in a “bad position.”
“I think the biggest part is you’re frustrated because you’re putting the defense in a bad position. I had two interceptions, both of them put the defense in short fields and they were able to hold them to a field goal on one of those,” the 28-year-old quarterback said on “The Drive” on Kansas City’s 610 Sports Radio.
“It’s hard whenever a defense is playing that well to give the offense a short field. You want to make sure that even if you don’t have success as the offense, you want to make sure you’re backing their offense up and giving the defense the full field to work with.”
Mahomes was first intercepted in the second quarter with the game tied, 7-7.
New England was able to take a brief three-point lead following a 25-yard field goal to edge the Chiefs, 10-7.
Then in the fourth quarter, Mahomes tossed a pass to Toney, who bobbled the ball before it was picked off by Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai.
The Chiefs saw their 27-10 lead dwindle two plays later when New England capitalized on the turnover with a touchdown.
“I was frustrated at the interception and doing that to our defense when they really played a great second half,” said Mahomes, whose Chiefs staved off the Patriots to win, 27-17.
Despite disappointing events on Sunday, Mahomes’ faith in Toney, 24, hasn’t waned.
“You keep believing in him, man. I think that’s the biggest thing with anything in sports or in life. Mistakes happen,” the two-time Super Bowl champion said of the former Giants first-round pick, who was traded to the Chiefs in October 2022.
“I’m not always perfect. I have a lot of interceptions this year and I think it’s something where you just got to keep believing cause I know the guys believe in me and I keep firing.”
Toney has been at the center of several Chiefs blunders this season.
Not only did he have three dropped passes in Kansas City’s season-opening loss to the Lions in September, but he was flagged for lining up in the neutral zone on what would have been a go-ahead touchdown in the Chiefs’ 20-17 defeat to the Bills in Week 14.
With the postseason ahead, Mahomes knows “it’s going to take everybody” if the Chiefs hope to have a Super Bowl repeat.
“We’re going to keep having that confidence in everybody that’s on that football field that they’re going to go out there and give everything they have to the team,” he said.
The Chiefs (9-5) host the Raiders (6-8) in a Christmas Day AFC West clash on Monday at 1 p.m.
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