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So just watched the coaches film of the throw to Hardman that should've been a TD.
Turns out Mahomes wasn't just being nice; Hardman ran the right route which was basically a dagger concept right up the left hashes.
Patrick wasn't pressured at all (for once the OL held up perfectly), and I can't figure out who for TB was supposed to be covering Mecole there as they were running some kind of short zone with what looked like a single high safety that was lined up to the right side, so nowhere near Hardman's route.
Mecole initially has a DB lined up about 5 yards off at the snap, but when he goes, the guy doesn't go with him but instead stays short. Mecole runs untouched and slants slightly to his right, putting himself right on the leftside hashes. He looks over his right shoulder once he's past his DB, and Patrick, a little flat footed and facing directly upfield, zips the ball across his body at him at about 80 mph (slight exaggeration), but the ball is low and behind Hardman, like a fast-moving fading quail.
Mecole is forced to try and stop and turn completely around to make a stab at the ball.
However, the ball is going so fast that he never gets all the way around before it's on him. He never has much of a chance to catch that ball, due to its location and velocity. It was a minor miracle that he got his fingertips on it at all. If Hardman happened to have about another 10 inches of reach maybe he comes up with that reception.
But Mahomes needed to put that ball about a foot higher and at least two feet farther right, so Hardman could catch it and continue running to score. The location killed all of Hardman's speed by making him turn all the way around, and might've given the safety enough time to make the tackle even if he'd caught it.
Hell, if Patrick had just put a little air under that ball and taken about a third of the heat off of it, Hardman would've had time to make the adjustment, get himself turned around and composed himself to snatch it and run basically a corner type route and score.
Or even just throw it right over Hardman down the hashes, but again put some loft on the ball, and just let Mecole run under it, and he scores.
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