NY Giants’ Patrick Graham not taking Patrick Mahomes’ slow start for granted

The NY Giants aren’t counting on Patrick Mahomes’ struggles continuing during Monday night’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs

NY Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham isn’t taking the bait.

When faced with the suggestion that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is somehow less of a quarterback today than he’s shown in his career, because of an uncharacteristically slow start, Graham was having none of it.

"“Not if you’re watching the tape,” Graham told reporters Thursday, on the suggestion Mahomes is having a down year. “I understand how someone – not the tape I’m watching. I’m telling you, hair has been pulled out a little bit. (Head) Coach (Joe Judge) had had to talk me off the bridge a little bit, but this guy is good. He’s the best player in the league for a reason. I mean, he’s the best player in the league.”"

Mahomes has underperformed compared to his track record to date, this season, completing 67.5 percent of his passes for 2,093 yards with 18 touchdowns but nine interceptions.

Despite Mahomes’ slow start, Graham says that the big-play threat of the Chiefs’ offense is still present on every snap.

“Anytime they get the ball in their hands,” Graham says. “There’s a chance for them to score, there’s a chance for them to get an explosive play to put them in position to score.”

Graham’s NY Giants defense enter Monday night’s game ranked 14th in the NFL, surrendering an average of 243.1 passing yards per game and 14 passing touchdowns, tied for seventh in the league.

If the NY Giants defense is going to slow Mahomes and the high-powered Chiefs, who despite this season’s struggles, enter with the fourth-ranked passing offense in the league, it is going to start with an improved pass rush. New York must build on last weekend’s six-sack outburst against the Carolina Panthers.

The Chiefs, though, the Panthers are not …

“They have the best player in the league at the quarterback spot,” Graham says. “It’s hard, it’s going to be hard, and the best offensive minds between (Chiefs Head) Coach (Andy) Reid and (Chiefs Offensive Coordinator) Coach (Eric) Bieniemy. It’s going to be a challenge. This is the most explosive offense, I think. I don’t know statistically, but if you just go off of SportsCenter in the last four years, they’re the most explosive offense, so it’s going to be a challenge. They’ve got good blockers, they’ve got good receivers. It’s going to be tough.”