Does anyone else get the feeling that KC are perhaps having too much fun?
Not exactly trolling us but saying: "look what we can do, we don't even need Mahomes to win"
From 2018-2022 they won on the back of Mahomes' passing.
They averaged 28+ ppg with Mahomes' averaging 35+ pass attempts per game.
Then last year they averaged only 21.8 ppg and Mahomes only 25 attempts per game.
They won off the back of their defence which limited opponents to only 17.3 ppg after conceding 21+ ppg in previous seasons.
Now this year is more of the same.
KC are scoring 23.0 ppg and their opponents 18.0 ppg.
Mahomes is averaging 30 attempts per game - more than last year but with an arguably better receiving corps - with his 39 last week an outlier.
Instead of throwing deep, his average depth of target is the lowest of his career and, after wk.3, 3rd lowest of all QBs.
2018: 9.1 yds. 2019: 8.8, 2020: 8.3, 2021: 7.3, 2022: 7.3, 2023: 6.5, 2024: 5.2
That's a complete change of game plan.
I have read commentary often over the past few years on how Mahomes and KC have been able to change the gameplan several times over the past 6 years. I think it comes from Mahomes ability to excel at so many different aspects of the QB game. He can get out of the pocket when pressured, throw laser passes to just about anyone he likes AND he can do it consistently. Not surprisingly many teams spend lots of time thinking up tactics to kill his effectiveness so I guess changing plans goes with the territory.
Back in 2021 against the Eagles, the defense stopped trying to put him under pressure and just dropped into defending against the throw at all costs. You can take all the time you like Patrick you just won’t have anyone to throw to. That worked for a while and into the start of 2022 as well. To week 9 2022 he completed 71 of 106 passes against two-deep defense for 906 yards, 523 air yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions. But then he and KC just reinvented themselves. From week 10 to the Super Bowl he completed 94 of 124 passes against split safeties for 1,249 yards, 752 air yards, six touchdowns and one interception.
Andy Reid just changed the game plan and Mahomes is so good he can play anything required. Apparently the gameplan used horizontal and vertical threats to stretch the coverage and having them run patterns that confused the defense. And Mahomes passing is so elite he only needs half a chance to hit a target.
When you have a great strategist combined with great QB that can do anything and do it well, I am not surprised they can reinvent their gameplan on a regular basis. And I think Mahomes does not care about what his role is in the plan as long as KC win.