DO THE ’TRICK
Gang looking to pressure, sack elusive Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes has long established himself as the best quarterback in the NFL, but this year he’s become the most elusive as well.
For what is supposed to be the Jets’ greatest strength, it presents an opportunity to deliver a loud statement.
Mahomes and the Chiefs enter their Week 4 clash against the Jets having allowed just one sack this season, tied with the Dolphins for the fewest in the league. Mahomes has been pressured on just 25.4 percent of drop-backs, the lowest rate of his career, according to ESPN Next Gen Stats. In the Chiefs’ Week 3 win over the Bears, Mahomes threw 24 of his 33 passes from inside the tackle box without being pressured, completing 18 of them for 212 yards and three touchdowns.
“When you look at how many times he’s been sacked and this and that, we don’t know none of that stuff until it’s brought up to us, because it doesn’t f---ing matter,” edge rusher John Franklin-Myers told The Post after practice on Wednesday. “They do a good job up front, I’m not gonna lie. Overall they do a good job protecting him, but what a challenge. We have to go in there and stop that and put more sacks on the board, put more pressure on the board and change the narrative of that.”
The Jets’ pass-rushing unit certainly talked themselves up before the season and was expected to be the teams’ deepest group. But they have just six sacks this year, tied for 10th-least in the league. In their Week 3 loss to the Patriots, the Jets did not record a single sack.
Now, they’re up against the NFL’s best.
For the Jets to have any chance against the reigning champions, it’s time for the pass-rush to back up all that talk.
“Mahomes is just a dynamic quarterback,” edge rusher Jermaine Johnson told The Post. “He’s gonna extend the play, that’s his superpower, that’s where the magic lies. …We look forward to the challenge.”
But it’s not just Mahomes’ ability to elude tacklers that has the Chiefs where they are.
Kansas City invested heavily in their offensive line this past offseason, most notably signing right tackle Jawaan Taylor to a four-year, $80 million deal. The Chiefs also signed left tackle Donovan Smith to a one-year deal worth up to $9 million.
Left guard Joe Thuney is in the third season of a fiveyear, $80 million deal he signed as a free agent. Center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith are in their third seasons after being drafted in the second and sixth rounds, respectively.
“They’re really good in the interior three, the tackles are experienced and athletic,” head coach Robert Saleh said. “It’s just a really good group. … There’s definitely not a weakness in the offense.”