Patrick Mahomes continues to set records for the Kansas City Chiefs this NFL season, but they are primarily negative ones. No question: the superstar is experiencing his first crisis in the NFL.

Munich/Kansas City – The departure was a symbolic one. It’s only a few seconds, but they fit Patrick Mahomes’ situation like a glove.

Or like the leg in the face, to stay in the picture.

For the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was literally knocked out by the leg of Titans defender Jeffery Simmons after a fumble. By then, however, the game was already over for the Tennessee Titans.

Visibly dazed and with his head hanging, Mahomes left the field and had to be supported by his teammates. At least the all-clear was given after 3:27 at the Titans, Mahomes did not suffer a concussion.

Patrick Mahomes: “Just lying there “

“When you get hit that hard, sometimes you just want to lie there,” said a frustrated Mahomes. “It was a disappointing day that ended disappointingly as well.”

But the sigh of relief only applies health-wise; athletically, the superstar has gone from being a shining light to a problem child – the 26-year-old, who has only known one direction in the NFL since 2018, is experiencing his first crisis. And the NFL is experiencing the other, flawed side of the top quarterback.

The crisis is expressed in numerous numbers. And as we all know, they don’t lie. The 24-point defeat was the worst under Mahomes to date.

Only three points and no Mahomes touchdown so far either. He’s already had nine interceptions – 11 combined in 2019 and 2020 on the way to Super Bowls in the Regular Seasons.

His records in his three seasons as a starter: 12-4, 11-3, 14-1. Currently, the Chiefs are 3-4, which puts them tied for last in the AFC West with the Denver Broncos. They are eleventh in the conference and the playoffs, the minimum goal after the past two extremely successful years, seem far away.

Just as far away as Mahomes from his best form. With the Titans debacle and a quarterback rating of a subterranean 6.1 as a temporary low point.

The superstar wants to grow from the slump

The good thing: He knows that. And he wants to grow from it.

“The past few years have been all rainbows and flowers, but if you want to build something substantial and great, you have to go through phases like this,” Mahomes said, according to the Associated Press. “We have to get better every single day.”

Admittedly, that doesn’t just apply to Mahomes, who as a playmaker, big earner and superstar is the face of the franchise and, by extension, the crisis, but is still only part of the problem.

“It’s been this, that every week,” Mahomes said after the Titans loss. “It’s not like it’s an overarching thing, and this time it was probably me. I just pressed a little bit too early in the game and then we were in that mode where we had to play no huddle, which you don’t want in the NFL. “

The question now is not whether the Chiefs will reach the Super Bowl again, but whether there will even be enough to make the playoffs. The 2021 plans haven’t panned out: The defense is arguably the worst in the league, which is now even more painful to watch with an offense that has been the focus but is underachieving.

Often lacks patience

The O-line lets Mahomes down too often with 14 sacks already, while the signal caller often has to take a risk and does so unnecessarily, muffing or lacking luck. He too often lacks patience. If the running game is also lame, the entire offence becomes too transparent and vulnerable, just like Mahomes. One thing is clear: phases like these shape careers – they can make players even more complete. In a crisis, true greatness is revealed.

Most recently, Mahomes announced that he would re-evaluate his decision-making in view of the turnovers. We haven’t seen that yet. The Chiefs have committed 16 turnovers in seven games – as many as in the whole of last season.

“We’ve got to cut down on the turnovers and the penalties,” coach Andy Reid said. “Those are things that are not commonplace for us. I’m seeing things I haven’t seen before. And we just have to fix that. And the players know that.”

What helps?

Only a winning streak helps

Results. A winning streak, then, which the team will likely start against the New York Giants (2-5). The problem: After that, the Green Bay Packers (6-1), Las Vegas Raiders (5-2) and Dallas Cowboys (5-1) await.

The Chiefs need that winning streak. Urgent. So that Mahomes’ departure doesn’t become symbolic of the entire season.