How Patrick Mahomes is taking the NFL by storm:

First signs in the NFL

Kansas City Chiefs v Pittsburgh Steelers

Unlike most guys from Air Raid systems, Mahomes actually came out of school with elite size for the league and when he first put on that red Chiefs jersey in last year’s preseason, he looked like an NFL quarterback. In limited playing time (54 pass attempts through four games), the then-rookie already looked very intriguing.

The accuracy was wildly inconsistent and there were still some reckless throws across his body, but you saw the tools he has work against pro defences. Mahomes showed touch over the top, hip flexibility to get himself into position to hit a crossing route while sprinting to the outside, the anticipation to rifle in some passes into the intermediate level and just the pure throwing power to deliver passes other guys wouldn’t attempt at all. Yeah, his numbers looked better due to several screen passes and he ran around as if this was this college, but he would come back with a much better understanding of this offense.

With Alex Smith in the driver’s seat for all of the 2017 season, Mahomes had plenty of time of learn the system and how to be a pro behind the 13-year veteran. However, with the Chiefs big win over the surging Chargers and another dub to seal the AFC West title, Kansas City decided to sit most of their starters and including their number one QB who had maybe his best season yet in week 17 and let their young guys get some live-game experience. While the Broncos had been eliminated for a while at that point, this was a Divisional matchup with nothing to play for other than pride and you could tell they wanted to win that game. So what did Patty Mahomes do versus Von Miller, Brandon Marshall, Chris Harris and company?

Well, the numbers didn’t jump out to anybody, but when you put on the All-22 you see a playmaker. After two drops by his receivers, Mahomes faced the first third down of his career and completed a beautiful ball down the seams for 30 yards against cover-two with the dime backer in perfect trail position, followed up by a long touchdown run by Kareem Hunt (his only carry of the game). The ensuing drive, the rookie quarterback and his offense were set at close to midfield after a poor punt. Followed up by a bubble screen out of a bunch formation, Mahomes made his only big mistake of the day. Denver ran cover-one and De’Anthony Thomas had a step on Chris Harris one a post route out of the slot, but instead of leading him to the sideline, the throw went upfield and right into the arms of the free safety.

After a high snap to start the next drive and a sack on 3rd & 18, the Chiefs were set up at their own five the possession after that. On the next third down they needed 14 yards for a conversion and it already looked like they would punt again, but Mahomes shook off an unblocked blitzer in Will Parks and completed a deep curl with a defender right on the receiver, while that rusher had him by his ankle. The next third down opportunity he did something I loved – he didn’t like anybody defeating man-coverage downfield, but he knew that he had equal numbers to the trips-side, so he checked to a swing screen with his back because they could block everybody over there. They were stopped short, but if it wasn’t for the backside linebacker sprinting all the way across the field, this should have easily resulted in a new set of downs.

When KC got the ball back down 10-7, Mahomes did something that let me know he’s just a different dude. The Chiefs faked a dive play, but Brandon Marshall did an excellent job not falling for it and got depth as well as width on his drop into cover-three. The young signal-caller wanted to go to Albert Wilson on the crosser to the weak side all along, but knew he needed to clear out the linebacker dropping into the flats. So he stepped up into the pocket with his eyes down the middle and gave everybody the idea he could only throw in-between the hashes or tuck it, but at the last moment he flicked the ball out to Wilson near the sideline, almost as a no-look pass. I had never seen that before from a rookie.

Mahomes took them down to the opposing one-yard line and Anthony Sherman got the cheap TD after a scramble by the quarterback. For the rest of the contest, the new Chiefs franchise QB defeated Broncos’ single-high safety coverages with his mobility to extend plays and unbelievable arm talent to complete high-difficulty throws, combined with the smarts to understand when one his receivers can clear out that area for another one of his guys. He also should have had a passing touchdown, but his receiver dropped the back-shoulder pass on the goal-line. Once again, Andy Reid took some pressure off the shoulders of his rookie by calling easy screen passes and rub-routes, but Mahomes led his team to an impressive victory despite a multitude of starters resting, including their best skill players offensively, while the Broncos had most guys out there. Yes, he still attempted some passes you would say he can’t continue to if he wants to stay in this league, but this was only the start of something special.