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We all know Patrick Mahomes threw for 270 yards as a result of that’s a class that at all times is represented in an NFL field rating, however the one statistic that genuinely would seize the story of Tremendous Bowl 55 will not be obtainable and not using a Fitbit.
Mahomes lined a lot floor whereas working from Buccaneers cross rushers he may need, when you stitched all these determined scrambles collectively, made it again to Kansas Metropolis on foot.
It was a sorry image, this lone genius unable to current a real image of his artwork. It was as if Meryl Streep had wandered into an episode of “Chicago Hearth.” It was harking back to younger LeBron James winding up within the 2007 NBA Finals with a crew you couldn’t recall if it meant profitable Ultimate Jeopardy — and getting swept out in 4 video games.
Besides these have been the defending Tremendous Bowl champions, these Chiefs.
How may a defeat like this, 31-9, presumably occur?
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“I simply don’t suppose we have been on the identical web page as an offense typically,” Mahomes instructed reporters after the sport. “I wasn’t getting the ball out on time. The receivers have been working routes not precisely the place I believed they have been going to be at. And the offensive line, they have been good at some occasions, and generally they let guys via. Whenever you’re enjoying a superb protection like that, you’ve acquired to be on the identical web page as an offense. And we weren’t in the present day. And that’s why we performed so dangerous.”
Mahomes entered the NFL in 2017. He since has began 54 video games, together with postseason play. This was the primary time he quarterbacked a group that failed to attain a landing. There have been three Harrison Butker subject objectives to indicate for Sunday night’s work. That’s it.
The Chiefs scored 9 factors tonight. I feel that is the fewest factors ever by Patrick Mahomes
Lowest level totals by season for Mahomes:
KC
2020: 17
2019: 13
2018: 26
2017 (simply performed 1 sport): 27Texas Tech
2016: 10
2015: 26
2014: 13Whitehouse HS
2013: 38
2012: 29— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) February 8, 2021
“We simply didn’t execute, particularly on third down and within the pink zone,” Mahomes stated. “These are the 2 most vital elements of the sector. They have been simply higher than us in the present day. I don’t know what else to say. They executed at the next degree defensively, had a superb sport plan, and we weren’t in a position to make changes and discover methods to get into the top zone.
“They have been the higher group in the present day. They beat us fairly good, the worst I feel I’ve been overwhelmed for a very long time.”
Mahomes’ journey to the Tremendous Bowl had been so benign it appeared his success solely would proceed as soon as he arrived in Tampa. There had been the obvious concussion, certain, and the toe damage that was bothering him, however he’d gained 16 of his 17 begins this season. It appeared a pure development that the Tremendous Bowl can be a breeze to beat.
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“That they had a superb gameplan. They form of took away deep stuff. They took away sideline,” Mahomes stated. “We weren’t executing early. I had a couple of miscues. Guys … we weren’t on the identical web page.”
So many people have been conscious of the mess that had grow to be of KC’s offensive line, significantly for the reason that season-ending knee damage to left deal with Eric Fisher, however have been too distracted by Mahomes’ customary brilliance to pay it a lot heed. To say the Bucs punished the Chiefs’ retrofitted O-line can be like saying Usain Bolt is kinda quick.
Patrick Mahomes dropped again to cross 56 occasions and confronted a blitz on simply 6 of these dropbacks (11%).
Of the 29 pressures he confronted Sunday, 27 got here towards a cross rush of 4 or fewer defenders.
That is the 2nd most pressures towards 4 or fewer rushers during the last 10 seasons. pic.twitter.com/Qo8XQUFL60
— ESPN Stats & Data (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 8, 2021
Mahomes was sacked thrice for mixed losses of 27 yards, however this was solely as a result of he occurs to be a magician. A quarterback working on common wheels may need gone down a dozen occasions or extra. Linebacker Shaquil Barrett spent a lot time in KC’s backfield he ought to have been given a Chiefs uniform.
“Their entrance seven, they have been coming,” Andrew Wylie, transformed from guard to deal with on this emergency, instructed reporters. “It wasn’t only one man getting free, it was a couple of of them. So, us on the offensive line, we take that one private.”
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The Chiefs transformed solely thrice in 13 third-down conditions. As a result of third-and-whatever was the best time for Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to deliver overwhelming stress towards the depleted Chiefs line, playing their blocking would crumble earlier than somebody like Hill or tight finish Travis Kelce broke free within the secondary.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid by no means adjusted to this siege by placing Mahomes on the transfer to begin performs. Mahomes would drop again into the pocket, then drop farther as the frenzy neared, then nonetheless farther because the pursuit refused to relent. Mahomes threw some preposterously nice passes below all of that stress, however simply because they have been the work of a virtuoso doesn’t imply they have been caught.
“We’ve a younger group of fellows. Once we joined collectively, we knew it wasn’t at all times going to achieve success and also you weren’t going to have the ability to win 1,000 championships in a row. We knew we have been going to undergo occasions like this, and adversity.
“Clearly, we didn’t finish the season the way in which we needed to. We will study from that. We will study from the successes we had in the course of the season. And on the finish of the day, we’ve got to return into this subsequent 12 months with a clean slate and try to get to the Tremendous Bowl once more.”
Mahomes made all of it look simple for 3 years. It’s not, although, even for essentially the most gifted and most decided. James has misplaced six occasions within the NBA Finals. Tom Brady has misplaced three Tremendous Bowls. He didn’t lose Sunday. He stayed on his toes, right through the postgame celebration, when he stood on a “socially distanced” podium and held aloft the Lombardi Trophy, once more. Mahomes was miles away from that celebration this time.
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