‘I have trust in’ WR Kadarius Toney despite Thursday’s drops
The sport’s largest play got here early within the second half when Mahomes tossed a pristine, on-target throw brief to Toney on the transfer. The wideout appeared to have room to run after the catch. As a substitute, the move sailed proper by his palms, corralled by Lions rookie defensive again Brian Department, and sprinted the opposite means for a pick-6. It was the kind of move that goes down as an INT on the QB however was zero % the passer’s fault.
Toney’s poor out epitomized a receiver corps that entered the season with a number of questions after the departure of JuJu Smith-Schuster (the workforce’s main wideout final 12 months) and Mecole Hardman. The expectation was Toney and second-year receiver Skyy Moore would step into the void.
That did not occur in Week 1.
Toney and Moore mixed for one catch for one yard on eight targets.
As dangerous as Toney’s evening was, it was maybe extra stunning to see Moore put a goose egg (0 catches on three targets). The second-round decide was anticipated to play a essential position in Yr 2, however was silenced Thursday.
“We did not have that connection, we missed connections right here and there,” Mahomes mentioned of Moore. “However (it is) one thing you have to proceed to work on. Like I mentioned, he’s a kind of guys who has a ton of expertise that may make lots of massive performs occur, so we’ll study from it and attempt to be higher subsequent time.”
In all, the Chiefs suffered 5 drops on the evening, tied for essentially the most in any sport in Mahomes’ profession — occurred on two different cases, per NFL Analysis. Eleven Chiefs gamers caught a move, with Marquez Valdes-Scantling main the way in which with 48 receiving yards on two receptions. It marked the fewest receiving yards by a Chiefs game-leader within the Mahomes period.
All of the Tremendous Bowl MVP can do is preserve slinging it — until he finds a strategy to be each passer and receiver.
“I believe they know that I will preserve firing it and so we’ll attempt to get it mounted this subsequent week and proper it going into subsequent sport,” the QB mentioned of the drops.
Final season, following the Tyreek Hill commerce, the Chiefs answered the broad receiver questions by spreading the ball round and leaning on Travis Kelce. With the All-World tight finish not out there Thursday, the message that the transition in 2023 won’t be as simple because it seemed final 12 months.
“It is embarrassing for me to lose any time,” Mahomes mentioned. “Like I mentioned, after the ring ceremony, I moved onto the subsequent season. Clearly, it is cool for the followers to have the ability to see the banner and drop it at GEHA Discipline at Arrowhead Stadium however this can be a entire new 12 months and I believe I do know that and we’re attempting to win one other Tremendous Bowl and that is clearly not the way in which we needed to start out and so anytime I lose I am embarrassed. So, I will attempt to get higher so I do not lose extra because the season goes on.”
To keep away from that, Mahomes will want extra assist from the younger receiver corps even when Kelce returns.
