Patrick Mahomes has the Chiefs' offense operating like an amusement park. There have been all kinds of thrilling rides during a 3-0 start in which Kansas City has racked up 118 points. Nine players have combined to catch the second-year quarterback's league-high 13 touchdown passes, the best such start in NFL history.
Mahomes did "cool off" in Sunday's 38-27 win over the 49ers with only 3 TDs to go with 314 passing yards, hitting low marks on the early season with 8.3 yards per attempt and a 115.5 passer rating. Still, he would be the easy choice for league MVP if the season ended before Week 4.
But the unpredictable fun of the 2018 season has just begun, and the Chiefs have a long way to go in sustaining this unprecedented level of explosiveness and efficiency. The Mahomes hype train is at full steam, meaning it can only lose some from here.
AFTER FURTHER REVIEW:
Jimmy G injury, rookie QBs, more Week 3
What Mahomes is doing out of the gate is similar to what we saw from a rookie Deshaun Watson last season. Through his first six starts, the Texans QB passed for a ton of big plays while also doing a lot of damage as a runner. Watson unfortunately saw his immediate impact curbed by a torn ACL in October. He has taken some lumps during Houston's 0-3 start this year as defenses now have some good tape on him, but with his wide receivers healthy, his talent is manifesting again.
The difference in Mahomes' splash is that the Chiefs passer is working with a deeper, more talented supporting cast that includes a much better offensive line. Coach Andy Reid also has had a full year to develop Mahomes behind the scenes.
Now the trick is staying one step ahead of the future competition, which will be trying to find ways to frustrate Mahomes. Week 4 brings a return to Denver, where Mahomes made his first NFL start in Week 17 last season and hinted at his huge upside. That's also where he threw the only career interception thus far.
WATCH: Mahomes' best TD yet?
The Broncos' pass defense has not been great this season; it was carved up by Derek Carr and Joe Flacco in consecutive weeks. But Reid needs to be wary of putting too much on Mahomes. The Chiefs' pass-play percentage (54.8) is actually low in relation to the rest of the league, but that's due in part to their playing with comfortable leads. The Chiefs have been a below-average rushing team even with reigning rushing champ Kareem Hunt, so the concern is that Reid will get too pass-happy like he did years ago with the Eagles.
The Broncos have been shutting down the run early in games and are likely to force Reid's hand toward Mahomes' arm. But, with the way the Chiefs are stretching the field vertically and horizontally, they need to get Hunt going to give Mahomes a more effective balance. In Week 3, the 49ers' zone defense did its best to contain the deep strikes to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and San Francisco was able to stay in the game while Kansas City elected to keep throwing with a 35-10 lead.
Hunt will no longer see teams line up extra defenders at the line of scrimmage, and the Chiefs need to give him more chances with selective ball control. Keeping their defense off the field as much as possible in the second half is a must.
That will be critical in Week 5, when the Chiefs host the Jaguars and their elite pass defense. Mahomes dropping back often and executing in the passing game won't come easy against the "Sacksonville" pass rush and shutdown cornerbacks.
In Week 6 in New England, Reid will be tempted to give Mahomes a high volume of throws against a struggling Patriots pass defense to keep up with Tom Brady, but the Patriots are bound to make Hill "the one guy" they take away. Plus, the Patriots' run defense is even worse, so the situation screams for a repeat of how Hunt debuted in New England last season.
MORE: Full 2018 schedule for Chiefs
Mahomes has opened new offensive doors in Kansas City with his big arm and athleticism tailored to extend pass plays. But the Chiefs' goals don't end with video game-like highlights and happy fantasy football players. Expecting to come through in high-scoring affairs is living dangerously in the NFL, especially when tighter matchups await. Including that Jaguars game, the Chiefs will draw five of the NFL top 13 pass defenses in their final 13 games.
Mahomes will throw some interceptions and have some bad games in 2018; even the most seasoned quarterbacks go through that — see Matt Ryan in Week 1 and Tom Brady in Week 3. For Mahomes to keep the sizzle while the stakes are raised, Reid and the Chiefs need to add another level of comfort.
