Travis Kelce breaks down play to show he’s not on ‘same page’ as Patrick Mahomes
The Chiefs have won 11 of the 12 games they’ve played this season, and tight end Travis Kelce is on pace for 106 catches and 903 receiving yards.
In training camp, who wouldn’t have been thrilled to hear about those numbers? But listen to the New Heights podcast each week and you’ll hear Kelce talk about how he needs to play better.
In the latest episode, Kelce lamented having just two touchdown receptions this season. During the Chiefs’ 19-17 win over the Raiders on Friday, Kelce had a shot at a touchdown reception, but he zigged when quarterback Patrick Mahomes thought Kelce would zag.
That continued the Chiefs’ red-zone struggles. They rank 24th in the NFL having scored a touchdown on 52.1% of their trips inside the opponent 20-yard line.
“Their defense did have a good understanding of what we were trying to do and how to stop us and how to slow us down, or eliminate a lot of the big-time plays that we had, and on top of that, keep us out of the end zone,” Kelce said of the Raiders. “That was the biggest thing for me was, and where I take a lot of pride is, once we get in that red zone, man, I get a little hungrier.
“And right now I just, for whatever reason this year, I just can’t find my way in the end zone. I’m just not on the same page as Pat. And it can get frustrating. It can get frustrating, that’s for damn sure.”
Here is that missed touchdown connection.
“That play specifically (is) cover zero,” Kelce said. “I’m thinking, if I don’t have it right now and the ball is still in Pat’s hand, I need to do something else to get open for him. And I went one way, he threw it the other.”
Kelce is on pace to have his fewest touchdown receptions in a full season since joining the Chiefs. In 2016, Kelce had just four TD catches when Alex Smith was quarterback.
And, oh by the way, Kelce was a first-team All-Pro that season, so perhaps he’s being just a tad hard on himself.
Another missed opportunity came last month in the win over Denver. Mahomes overthrew an open Kelce in the end zone that time.
What do those plays have in common? Both were against AFC West foes, and Kelce said that’s no coincidence.
“Coaches start game-planning those specific details and they scheme way in the offseason before the schedule is even released,” Kelce said of division foes. “You know exactly who you’re playing in your division. Let’s get really good at playing those guys knowing that’s six games that we play right there. It’s over a quarter of the actual season.
“So it’s like, let’s get really good at those games. So you go into the offseason, preparing for those teams specifically.”
