The Kansas City Chiefs are now 11-1 on the 2024 season, and on Friday became the NFL's first team to clinch a playoff spot this year.
You may not know it by just listening to Patrick Mahomes's postgame press conference.
"Just too many mistakes at the end of the day," the quarterback told reporters following their 19-17 Week 13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. "I feel like there was times offensively we moved the ball. Didn't execute in the red zone. Didn't execute good enough on third down. Too many mistakes. We've gotta clean that up if we wanna get to where we wanna go."
Mahomes completed 26 of 46 pass attempts on the afternoon for 306 yards and a touchdown. As a unit, the Chiefs' offense converted seven of their 16 third-down attempts. They were, however, just 1-for-5 in the red zone.
“It keeps you hungry," the quarterback went on to explain of his team winning yet another tight, one-possession game—their ninth this season. "We’re not satisfied with where we’re at even though we’re winning football games. We have to get better. I think everyone in our locker room knows we have to get better. We want to go out there and do that and prove that. Our goal over these last few games is to prove [we are] the team that we believe we really are going into the playoffs and play like that throughout the playoffs.”
Speaking of playoffs, Friday's victory puts Kansas City in the postseason for a ninth year in a row.
"That's your first goal is to get into the playoffs and give yourself a chance to go for that Super Bowl," Mahomes explained. "We know we have a long ways to go. We gotta continue to work to get better. To continue to be a better football team going into the playoffs."
A Super Bowl LIX win in February would be Kansas City's third-consecutive Lombardi Trophy, something that's never been done before in NFL history. The Chiefs welcome the Los Angeles Chargers to Arrowhead Stadium next Sunday night.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Patrick Mahomes Candidly Sums Up Chiefs' Mindset After Another Tight Win.