The Telegram (St. John's)

NFL overreacti­ons

Mahomes can save Kansas City Chiefs’ season?

- BY ROB MAADDI

It’s time for Patrick Mahomes to save Kansas City’s season.

Alex Smith was an MVP candidate after leading the Chiefs to a 5-0 start with impressive wins at New England (9-2) and over Philadelph­ia (10-1) in the first two weeks. Smith had 18 touchdown passes and zero intercepti­ons at one point. Since then, he’s thrown four picks and only TD.

Mahomes was drafted to be the quarterbac­k of the future. Teammates rave about his practice performanc­e. The season is slipping away from Kansas City (6-5).

Coach Andy Reid has to bench Smith and start Mahomes if the Chiefs want to make the playoffs, right? Wrong!

Reid and offensive co-ordinator Matt Nagy need to let Smith do the things he did early in the season when the offence was unstoppabl­e. Smith took shots deep, the game plan featured creativity and defences couldn’t figure them out.

Now, the Chiefs are boring and predictabl­e.

The problem isn’t Smith. It’s the playcallin­g.

Here are more overreacti­ons following Week 12:

OVERREACTI­ON: AJ Mccarron will be the next quarterbac­k for the Browns (0-11). Hue Jackson’s pre-game hug sealed it. REALISTIC REACTION: Jackson is 1-26. Will he be around to make that decision?

OVERREACTI­ON: The Falcons (7-4) are going to win the NFC South thanks to the return of an explosive offence . REALISTIC REACTION:

Check back after they play Minnesota’s stingy defence this week.

OVERREACTI­ON: Tom Brady threw an intercepti­on because Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills says he got in his head. REALISTIC REACTION: Stills should focus on catching the ball instead of trash-talking Brady. OVERREACTI­ON: Jay Ajayi

is not happy with his role in Philadelph­ia. REALISTIC REACTION: Ajayi will not become a distractio­n.

OVERREACTI­ON: Blake Bortles proved against the Cardinals why the Jaguars (7-4) can’t win with him at quarterbac­k. REALISTIC REACTION: They’ve managed to win seven

games with a strong defence, a solid run game and Bortles under centre.

OVERREACTI­ON: Dak Prescott is an ordinary quarterbac­k without Ezekiel Elliott. REALISTIC REACTION: Spread the blame around.

OVERREACTI­ON: The Broncos have a better chance with Tim Tebow than Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch or Brock Osweiler. REALISTIC REACTION: Beating the Steelers in the playoffs wasn’t enough for John Elway to keep Tebow around six years ago.

OVERREACTI­ON: Michael Crabtree and Aqib Talib will headline Wrestleman­ia 34.

REALISTIC REACTION: Ric Flair, at 68 years old, is more entertaini­ng.

 ?? AP PHOTO ?? In this Aug. 31 file photo, Kansas City Chiefs quarterbac­k Alex Smith (left) and quarterbac­k Patrick Mahomes II stand on the sidelines during an NFL preseason game against the Tennessee Titans in Kansas City, Mo.
AP PHOTO In this Aug. 31 file photo, Kansas City Chiefs quarterbac­k Alex Smith (left) and quarterbac­k Patrick Mahomes II stand on the sidelines during an NFL preseason game against the Tennessee Titans in Kansas City, Mo.

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