KC carries Patriot-like confidence
Mahomes displaying Brady-esque aura
Along with simply being the best team, the Patriots of the Tom Brady-era possessed a mindset that made them nearly impossible to beat.
They projected a vibe that no opponent was too tough to take down, and no deficit was too large to overcome.
The Patriots of the Brady era had an inner confidence that was at the core of their identity.
It was generated by knowing Bill Belichick would always put them in position to win, and greatly influenced by having Brady in the huddle. Given his performances in the clutch, starting with the upset win over the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, the former Patriots quarterback inspired the belief that anything was possible, any goal was achievable.
Watching Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs since the former Texas Tech star took over the starter’s job in Kansas City, it’s hard not to draw a parallel with those Patriots teams of the past two decades.
Why?
The Chiefs are the best team in the NFL, and they have a quarterback who triggers the same aura of invincibility Brady did during his prime with the Patriots.
In a short time, Mahomes has given his team the same gift Brady provided.
Just as Brady was the king of comebacks, engineering 36 fourth-quarter rallies in New England, Mahomes has also instilled that same power and belief within the Chiefs with his ability to bring the team back from any deficit.
Last season, Mahomes constantly dug the Chiefs out of holes, especially during the playoffs. He authored impressive comebacks against the Texans, Titans and 49ers en route to winning the Super Bowl.
And that inner confidence and belief has carried over into the 2020 season, where the Chiefs have jumped out of the gate at 3- 0.
“That kind of confidence is forged through fire. You have to have done it, to believe you can do it,” Siriusxm NFL radio analyst Solomon Wilcots said of the Chiefs. “And the more (Mahomes) does it, the more believable it becomes. You saw it with Brady ... you saw it in the Super Bowl against the Falcons. It was a foregone conclusion. Even after the Falcons got to 28-3, I’m thinking, ‘ that’s still not enough.’
“And then there’s the Chiefs,” Wilcots went on. “If you look at all of their postseason games, I think they were down by 10 or more points and came back. They were down by 10 with eight minutes to go in the Super Bowl. People were starting to engrave the name of the Niners on the trophy, but they came back. So they’ve done it on the big stage.”
During Week 2, the Chiefs had to erase an 11-point deficit in order to beat the Chargers on the road.
Given Mahomes’ history, did anyone really think they were going to lose that game? The Chiefs sure didn’t.
Just like the Brady-led Patriots, the Chiefs have become a team that’s hard to close out, if they’re not blowing you out.
Call it the Mahomes Factor. He’s so good, so magical, so confident in his abilities, that everyone feeds off him and his talent. Combine that with Reid’s ingenuity on offense, and it’s another great coach/quarterback combination.
Wilcots, a former NFL defensive back, already puts Mahomes in the pantheon with Brady, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and Seattle’s Russell Wilson in terms of having the ability to will their respective teams to victory.
“You give them the ball on that last possession and they need seven points, they’re gonna get it,”
Wilcots said of the elite quarterback group. “They have a way of willing their team into the end zone, and this guy is very young to have that gene, and to have proved it at such an early age in his career.”
Like Brady, Mahomes very much believes he can take another team’s best shot and still win. And that mentality not only rubs off on his team, but the opponent as well.
“It’s psychological,” said Wilcots. “While it lifts your team and gives them this belief, it deflates the other team. It creates a psychological anxiety for your opponent. They know this guy is special.”
The roles have reversed a bit, with the Patriots now on the other side. They’re talking about Mahomes with the same reverence -and anxiety -- other teams had before a matchup against Brady and the Patriots.
Cornerback Jason Mccourty pretty much captured the internal struggle and mind game teams go through having to go up against Mahomes and the Chiefs offense.
“When you have an offense as explosive as theirs, you can shut ‘em out, then next thing you know, two plays later, there can be a 60-yard touchdown and an 80yard touchdown,” said Mccourty. “So I think when you know your opponent has that capability, there’s not really a point where you feel comfortable, and you’re, ‘Oh, we got him.’ Because that just doesn’t exist. They’re always capable of huge plays.”
When the Chiefs are on, other teams have virtually no chance. That’s how it was for the great Patriot teams in the recent past. Even more to the point, if the Chiefs don’t have their ‘A’ game, opposing teams still have to hold on for dear life to come away with a win.
How long the Chiefs can sustain that ability, and have that intangible quality, is another story, because the Patriots carried it during a very long stretch.
Mahomes has made no secret he wants to emulate the Patriots in that regard.
By the sound of it, Mahomes has studied the Patriot Way. He’s hoping to copy the Patriots formula for gaining multiple championships.
“If you watch how (the Patriots) run their organization, how they run their football team, how they’re coached, how they play -they give 120% every single rep, every single practice,” Mahomes said during his weekly appearance on 610 Sports Radio in Kansas City. “That’s what we have to try to do, try to strive for. That’s why it doesn’t happen a lot in the NFL -- it’s because you can’t have that culture every single year it seems like.”
The Brady Chronicles
Rob Gronkowski still isn’t the Gronk of old. But last week, there were at least reminders that the tight end might still prove to be a weapon for Tom Brady.
Now, this wasn’t the BradyGronk show from years past. Gronkowski, however, seemed more engaged and involved in the offense.
He was in for a majority of offensive snaps, and Bruce Arians worked in more plays for the tight end group as a whole.
Gronkowski benefited, making six catches for 48 yards. The previous week against the Panthers, he had no catches, while his output in the season opener against the Saints was two catches for 11 yards.
Speaking with Tampa insiders, it’s been a slow transition for Gronkowski, who left the game for a year. It’s not only been a physical process, but a mental one getting back on the horse.
Newton documentary
The trailer for Cam Newton’s “86 Nights” documentary has a bit of a “Rocky” feel to it. Yes, he’s Superman, but the trailer portrays a quarterback down on his luck, who’s doubted for the first time, but ultimately rises.
“I haven’t been here before. I haven’t been doubted, I haven’t been counted out, I haven’t been overlooked, and why I’m not picked up by a team right now, who knows?” said Newton in a voiceover. “But the one thing you’re not going to get from me is a pity party, is a blame game, is a person who is not going to look himself in the mirror first and find a way. That’s it.”
The 86 nights represents his time as a free agent following the Panthers releasing him in March. There’s quite a bit of behind-thescenes views of Newton, working his tail off, to make his way back.
Buffalo bandwagon growing
Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” had a discussion about the 3- 0 Buffalo Bills and if they’re legitimate with quarterback Josh Allen, who has thus far harnessed his erratic arm, and hit targets with regularity.
Former NFL receiver Brandon Marshall is on board.
“I think they’re serious. I don’t understand why people overlook them and disrespect them. This team is good,” said Marshall. “They love (Josh Allen). They love him being one of the guys. They think he has a lot of ability. But the biggest thing is, he’s relatable and you don’t get that a lot at the quarterback position when you’re playing lights out like Josh Allen. Some think it’s too early to throw him in the MVP discussion but he’s right there.”
Over at NFL Today, former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason is also a card-carrying member of the Bills bandwagon.
“Buffalo is one of the more complete teams in the NFL. Josh Allen is fully in lock-step with his offense,” said Esiason. “The addition of Stefon Diggs has completely made them a dynamic offense not just one-dimensional. Allen’s play is reflective of when a young quarterback finally figures it out.”