The Kansas City Chiefs entered Week 13 favored over the hosting but 5-6 Green Bay Packers but left Lambeau Field following Sunday Night Football with a 27-19 loss and an 8-4 record which threatens to knock them down to the No. 4 seed in the AFC. And it appears quarterback Patrick Mahomes is at fault for tipping his hand.
“We were watching mannerism tape earlier in the week and (Mahomes) tapped his knee and they put two off the ball and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’ve seen this before,’” Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon said via Matt Schniedman of The Athletic. “I knew he was gonna run it and he ran it.”
Patrick Mahomes Tipped Off Packers’ Keisean Nixon on INT in Chiefs’ Loss
Patrick Mahomes: ‘Can’t Make That Mistake’
It was a game that saw the Chiefs get punched in the mouth from the Packers’ opening drive. Kansas City still had a chance to tie late. But Patrick Mahomes’ interception on their second-to-last drive proved costly, forcing them into a Hail Mary situation on their final drive.
.@keiseannixon with the INT!#KCvsGB | #GoPackGo
: NBC pic.twitter.com/1dwoYzleKw
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 4, 2023
There were many things the Chiefs can point to as pivotal in this contest. But this is the one most under their control. For an offense that has struggled to do much of anything consistently, Mahomes has to almost be perfect on every dropback.
He was not on Sunday night and it cost the Chiefs.
“You can’t make that mistake,” Mahomes said via the team. “I saw they were in man coverage, tried to get to one of our man checks. The guy went over the top. I probably should have tried to back-shoulder Skyy. So it’s just that’s a mistake on my part that you can’t make in that situation.”
Mahomes completed 63.6% of his passes for 210 yards, one touchdown, and that interception.
This was Mahomes’ fourth game this season without multiple touchdowns, tied for the second most in any season of his career. His career-high is six games set in 2019, per Stathead.
He also absorbed three sacks, the fifth time he has endured multiple sacks this season. Both numbers are notable with five games to go and a tough matchup against the Buffalo Bills on tap for Week 14. Buffalo is coming off a bye week to stew about their 37-34 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12.
“All you can take when you lose football games is you go watch the tape, you try to learn from it learn from your mistakes, and get better,” Mahomes said. “That’s all you can do – that’s win or loss.”
Chiefs on Track for Wild Card Appearance
This certainly makes their road back to the Super Bowl tougher. Their standing as the No. 4 seed would put them in action on Wild Card weekend, hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Obviously, we haven’t dealt with a ton of losing here. But everything’s out in front of you. We still can win a division. But it’s going to take us getting better and better each and every week. And we’re going to have a great challenge coming up in Buffalo. So just get back to get back to football practice and see if we can get better next week.”
Keisean Nixon gets the INT!
: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/CQH1cx3gZS pic.twitter.com/axlUGsIoFM
— NFL (@NFL) December 4, 2023
The notion of facing the Steelers and a soft closing schedule after the Bills should allay some concerns about any significant slide. And there have been No. 4 seeds — and Wild Card teams — to win the Super Bowl.
Still, Week 14 is a big one. Not only for that week but for the Chiefs’ big picture.
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