Patrick Mahomes destroys Raiders with 400-yard epic
On Sunday night, the Kansas City Chiefs moved into first place of the AFC West as quarterback Patrick Mahomes put on a clinic.
For a month, Patrick Mahomes has struggled to find his All-Pro form. On Sunday, he found it.
In a 41-14 demolition of the Las Vegas Raiders, Mahomes threw for 406 yards and five touchdowns without an interception. The former MVP and Super Bowl champion was dominant throughout, finding both tight end Travis Kelce and running back Darrel Williams to the tune of 100-yard receiving efforts. Tyreek Hill also had a huge impact on the proceedings with a pair of touchdown catches to go with seven receptions and 83 yards.
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But this night isn’t about Kelce or Hill. It’s about Mahomes.
After scoring only 36 points over the previous three games, Kansas City’s offense was mired in a rut unlike anything we’ve seen in the Mahomes era. On Sunday night, No. 15 found his brilliance again, converting on short, intermediate and long strikes to stun a capacity crowd at Allegiant Stadium.
For the Raiders, the game plan was reliant on doing what they’ve done all year. Las Vegas blitzes less than any team in the NFL and plays a ton of zone behind a four-man rush, often Cover 3. Mahomes, who has struggled along with the offense all year against Cover 2 with man principles below it, shredded the Raiders in comical fashion, having his way on almost every offensive drive.
In fact, Kansas City had nine drives with Mahomes under center. In the Chiefs’ final eight such possessions, they scored each time with the only empty drive being on a missed field goal from Harrison Butker.
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All told, the Chiefs moved to 6-4 and vaulted into first place of the competitive AFC West. With its third consecutive win Kansas City is a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Chargers and Raiders, while a full game in front of the Denver Broncos.
If Mahomes and the Chiefs continue to play the way they did against the Raiders, the AFC will once again be threatened by Kansas City come January. With the Dallas Cowboys coming to Arrowhead Stadium next weekend, the Chiefs have another test, but suddenly, nothing seems as daunting for the defending two-time AFC champs.
