KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Gulp.
That's likely the sound NFL defensive coordinators are making around the league hearing Andy Reid say his star quarterback should get even better.
"He had a couple [throws] where he was over-striding," said Reid. "Ball was moving about 100 miles per hour. One of those."
Mahomes did have 14 incompletions Sunday, his most in a regular season game. It was also his first home game.
"Probably was a little extra adrenaline," said Reid.
Keep in mind Mahomes also threw for 314 yards (his second 300-yard passing game of the season), three touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He's got 13 TD passes and zero interceptions on the year. He's also the NFL's highest-rated passer.
In the Red Zone
In 2017, the Chiefs were 29th in the league in touchdown red zone efficiency, meaning when they got inside the opponent's 20-yard line, they didn't score a lot of TDs. In fact, they scored touchdowns just 45% of the time. It's no coincidence the Chiefs lead the NFL in field goals last season, hitting 41 of them.
Translation: Chiefs drives stalled last season. A lot.
Enter 2018 and a different story. The Chiefs are scoring touchdowns at a 92% rate once they hit the red zone. That's second best in the league. Once again, directly related are just two field goal tries for poor Harrison Butker.
"First off, the scheme, Coach Reid's been drawing up really good plays," said Mahomes on his team's red zone success. "And then just trying to get the ball out of my hand. We have so many play-makers around here."
You can say that again. Mahomes has found nine different targets for touchdowns in just three games. Baltimore is the only team with a better touchdown red zone percentage (100%) than the Chiefs.
All told, the Chiefs have made 12 trips to the red zone and have 11 touchdowns to show for it.
"The offensive line's blocking well. I'm getting it to those guys and they're putting it in the endzone," said Mahomes.
