Before we turn the page on the Kansas City Chiefs’ big-time Week 4 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, it’s worth keeping the spotlight on quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ performance against the Miami Dolphins a little longer.
He completed 20 of 24 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns; including the interception, he registered a 119.8 passer rating without being sacked.
The box score does not correspond to the eye test; Mahomes played with the utmost confidence, using misdirection and play action to exploit soft spots in Miami’s coverage. We looked at what tight end Travis Kelce was getting open for a 48-yard gain to start the game, but there are more examples that show just how well the Chiefs’ leader is playing right now.
Here are some of my favorite examples from the game (using good ol’ .gifs!)
With the big throw to Kelce, it stood out how Mahomes avoided the pressure and dropped the pass down the field. After that, he maintained a calm swagger.
On this misdirection play, Mahomes came out and identified running back Kenneth Walker as covered in the flat. That makes wide receiver Tyquan Thornton the target that comes across the field in the sticks.
With edge rusher Chop Robinson in his face, Mahomes kept his cool by buying time for Thornton to get rid of Robinson, allowing a simple sidearm pass to be completed for a first down.
Off a fake handoff from under center, Mahomes read the Dolphins’ coverage against Kansas City’s two-man route concept on that side. With the pass rusher coming in, Mahomes pointlessly fakes the cornerback in the middle of the routes, so he bites Kelce in the flat and opens a window for Thornton to come down with the sideline catch.
Influences the movements of the defenders
Play action is a great first step in expanding window throws, but Mahomes takes the next step when he’s in a rhythm by using his body language and shoulder fakes to move defenders. He did it playing up top without hesitation, and he continued to play Miami’s zone defense.
Watch the Dolphins defenders in the middle of the field bail when he turns his shoulder to Kelce and climbs the pocket. He sets up tight end Noah Gray with enough space to work on the checkdown.
He’ll do something similar here, approaching the line of scrimmage and grabbing the defenders’ attention, but this time he’s driving them forward, giving wide receiver Rashee Rice room to roam the sideline for a key play late in the fourth quarter.
Then there was a touchdown throw to Kelce that iced the win. Just as he did to get Thornton open on the sideline as previously mentioned, Mahomes stunned the cornerback with a shoulder fake, which opened up enough of a window to give Kelce a jump ball.
He processed everything quickly, delivering a pass before edge rusher Josh Uche laid him down after easily beating left tackle Kahlil Benson.
A fadeaway, downfield dime — just for fun
This was my favorite throw of Mahomes’ performance against the Dolphins, and not just because it was a 40-yard dime as he disappeared from an oncoming defender, but also because he outran a wide-open Xavier Worthy rushing down the field. Worthy has a chance to score if the ball goes to him.
Whether Gray or Worthy receives a confidence boost from the big play, it’s a positive for the pass-catching group moving forward.