With big postseason, Mahomes continues to transcend the game
I immediately thought of Mike Tomlin on Sunday after Patrick Mahomes perfectly executed Andy Reid's daring play call late in the win against the Baltimore Ravens that sent the Kansas City Chiefs to their fourth Super Bowl in the past five years.
Isn't that curious considering Tomlin and the Steelers haven't won a playoff game in seven seasons?
It goes back to something Tomlin said on multiple occasions late this season:
“Scared money don't make money.”
It couldn't have been easy for Tomlin to make a couple of bold offensive decisions even though the Steelers had nothing to lose when they were 7-7 after consecutive losses to Arizona, New England and Indianapolis. Not when his quarterbacks were Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky.
It is always easy for Reid to make those calls. His quarterback is Mahomes, whom, I believe, is well on his way to be the best to play the position.
Ever.
Yes, better than Tom Brady, who won seven Super Bowls, and Joe Montana, who won four. Better than Peyton Manning, who won five MVP awards and Aaron Rodgers, who won four. Better than John Elway, who might have been the most physically gifted, and Dan Marino, who had an amazing release and amazing arm to go with it.
Better than all of them.
I have to admit I feel better about my Mahomes opinion after seeing a post on Sunday from former Steelers safety Ryan Clark:
“Patrick Mahomes retires today he's the best I've ever seen, there's no conversation. He goes into the Hall with no vote. It's almost become laughable.”
It should be noted Clark played against Brady and the Patriots in 2013 when Brady threw for 432 yards and four touchdowns against the Steelers. The Patriots put up 610 yards in a 55-31 win. It was the worst defensive performance in Steelers history.
And Clark says Mahomes is the best he has seen?
Statistically, it's hard to argue that point.
Mahomes is 14-3 in his 17 postseason starts with 39 touchdown passes and seven interceptions and a 106.3 passer rating. He has been a starter for six seasons and played in the AFC championship game each year. He has won two Super Bowls and two Super Bowl MVP awards. He also has won two regular season MVPs. He is
just 28.
Need more?
In six postseason games the past two seasons, including this one, Mahomes threw 203 passes with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. His past two games — his first on the road in the playoffs — were at Baltimore and Buffalo, two of the more difficult places to play in the NFL. He outplayed presumptive 2023 MVP Lamar Jackson and MVP finalist Josh Allen.
Mahomes played a near-perfect first half in the 17-10 win against the Ravens. There were his perfect back-shoulder touchdown pass to Travis Kelce, and his beautiful lob pass to Kelce over safety Kyle Hamilton on a thirdand-1 play, and his remarkable third-down pass to Kelce after he avoided pressure, stepped up in the pocket and took a big hit.
No quarterback understands the game and sees the field like Mahomes.
Now, to that daring call by Reid.
The Chiefs, with that 17-10 lead, faced a third-and-9 at their 46 with 2:19 left and the Ravens out of timeouts. A safe call would have been a handoff to take the game clock to the two-minute warning. But Reid had Mahomes drop back and heave the ball deep downfield for wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Of course, the play went for a 32-yard gain.
Three Mahomes kneel-downs in the victory formation later, the Chiefs were off to another Super Bowl. They will be trying to repeat as champions when they play the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas. No team has won consecutive titles since Brady and the Patriots in 2003 and 2004.
There is a figurative asterisk next to those Patriots' titles, by the way, because of the Spygate sign-stealing scandal that eventually led to Bill Belichick being fined $500,000 and the Patriots fined $250,000 and stripped of a first-round draft choice.
Have you heard anything about Mahomes and the Chiefs being accused of cheating?
I'm just asking.