Patrick Mahomes: Game Manager

[DJ's left nut]

So i re-watched the 2nd half last night just for grins.

And during the game I was just aggravated that we simply wouldn't push the ball. But on re-watch and after listening to the post-game, it's clear that this was Mahomes just going full Alex Smith out there.

He wasn't concerned anymore about scoring points. He (and Andy) were wholly content bleeding clock and leaning on their lead. He knew that if he just didn't make a mistake, the Ravens weren't going to come back and win it. So he took ZERO risks.

Contrast that with how he played on the first two drives. And hell, the throw he made on 3rd down when they had to have it. He HAD big plays. He HAD yards and probably points on the board. But he dialed that risk/reward calculus waaaaaaay down because he wanted to make sure there were zero mistakes.

And I think part of it was because he knew that if he needed to pick things back up, he could. He would. He was in complete command of the game and game script.

It was part of a continued evolution from Mahomes. If he needs to breath fire, he will. But when he doesn't need to, he knows how to just keep the game under control. He can be Rodgers OR he can be Brady.

He's a scary scary dude even when he isn't.

[Gary Cooper]

Let's give the Ravens credit. I think Mahomes and Reid realized early in the second half that it would be difficult to move the ball. It's not like they went fetal without trying.
Baltimore made adjustments after the first several possessions. They ramped up their physical (dirty) play. They weren't missing tackles. Putting more pressure on Mahomes with the pass rush. We still have the same personnel as the regular season. Same shortcomings at the #2 WR position. It's Kelce, Rice, and Pacheco. Pacheco averaged 2.8 YPC in the game.

The Chiefs played smart in the second half offensively. Did what they needed to protect the lead. Baltimore's defense had a lot to do with it though. We should be proud the offense didn't turn it over against the league's top defense at forcing turnovers. That wasn't easy.

[TripleThreat]

I don’t know. Yesterday seemed like a gift between the van noy penalty, then another penalty right after to give us 30 free yards. Then the zay flowers taunting followed by the fumble and then Lamar endzone INT and we still only won by a score.

[Jerm]

Originally Posted by TripleThreat

I don’t know. Yesterday seemed like a gift between the van noy penalty, then another penalty right after to give us 30 free yards. Then the zay flowers taunting followed by the fumble and then Lamar endzone INT and we still only won by a score.

Who gives a shit...we won.

And those penalties you're talking about were 100% penalties.

[petegz28]

Also, if it hasn't already been mentioned, keep in mind that twice when we were pinned deep and went 3 and out, CEH missed 2 key blocks that led to sacks.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by TripleThreat

I don’t know. Yesterday seemed like a gift between the van noy penalty, then another penalty right after to give us 30 free yards. Then the zay flowers taunting followed by the fumble and then Lamar endzone INT and we still only won by a score.

Kelce got under their skin, and won the mental battle.


He was talking serous smack.

[Spott]

I think they learned a lot from the Cincy game. Take the points when they are there, even if it’s half a dozen fg’s, and don’t force plays that lead to turnovers and lost possessions. The defense has proven all season long that we can rely on them.

I don’t mind us going for it on 4th and a foot, but I would have been ok with taking the FG there. I kind of wish Reid would have challenged the spot on third down before that, because even if we didn’t get the call we would have had a full timeout to come up with a play on that 4th down.

[wachashi]

Reid and Mahomes both played a lower-risk second half for sure, but the Ravens keyed in on stopping our running game and switched to playing more man in the second. The Ravens adjusted.

We basically tore apart their vaunted Cover 4 and Cover 6 zone stuff in the first half. That's what Kelce is built for and Andy outclassed Macdonald in that first half.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by TripleThreat

I don’t know. Yesterday seemed like a gift between the van noy penalty, then another penalty right after to give us 30 free yards. Then the zay flowers taunting followed by the fumble and then Lamar endzone INT and we still only won by a score.

That's what losing teams do.
That's what we did when we were losing.

We don't do that and we win. We won.
Not doing stupid shit is a big reason why...

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Spott

I think they learned a lot from the Cincy game. Take the points when they are there, even if it’s half a dozen fg’s, and don’t force plays that lead to turnovers and lost possessions. The defense has proven all season long that we can rely on them.

I don’t mind us going for it on 4th and a foot, but I would have been ok with taking the FG there. I kind of wish Reid would have challenged the spot on third down before that, because even if we didn’t get the call we would have had a full timeout to come up with a play on that 4th down.

Had we challenged that call not only would we have lost but we also would have lost a challenge we might have needed later.

[Mecca]

The Ravens were shitting down their legs, going to a strategy of don't give them any momentum, worked.

In the other game Detroit absolutely gave the 49ers momentum with their mistakes.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Originally Posted by TripleThreat

I don’t know. Yesterday seemed like a gift between the van noy penalty, then another penalty right after to give us 30 free yards. Then the zay flowers taunting followed by the fumble and then Lamar endzone INT and we still only won by a score.

Yeah, that's the same shit teams used to do against New England in big moments and it drove everyone nuts. But, now as we sit here, I get it now.

Teams melt against a poised, well-oiled machine like the Chiefs for a reason.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Rausch

That's what losing teams do.
That's what we did when we were losing.

We don't do that and we win. We won.
Not doing stupid shit is a big reason why...

How many times do we hear the old cliche that the team that makes the fewest mistakes usually wins the game?

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Mecca

The Ravens were shitting down their legs, going to a strategy of don't give them any momentum, worked.

In the other game Detroit absolutely gave the 49ers momentum with their mistakes.

Yep...got greedy and cocky...cost themselves what should have been an easy win.

[TripleThreat]

Originally Posted by Jerm

Who gives a shit...we won.

And those penalties you're talking about were 100% penalties.

Just because they are penalties doesn’t mean we weren’t lucky in getting them lol. They were poorly prepared and poorly coached for that game. No one could have predicted those dumb penalties which again is why I don’t necessarily agree with the OP or this stance of we were playing and not scoring points because that was the game plan?

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by petegz28

How many times do we hear the old cliche that the team that makes the fewest mistakes usually wins the game?

Never, in all of sports commenting, has anyone ever said "Great win. All that stupid shit they did was a big reason why..."