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Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes nears another milepost game. Here’s the deal

blair kerkhoff
·4 min read

Travis Kelce didn’t play in Patrick Mahomes’ first game.

The Chiefs’ star tight end, along with a handful of other starters (including QB Alex Smith), watched from the sideline as KC finished the 2017 regular season at the Denver Broncos.

“I remember it was like five degrees,” Kelce said of the weather in Colorado that day.

On the eve of Mahomes’ 100th start, which comes Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles against the Chargers, Kelce recalled the anticipation of finally seeing Mahomes in action. Mahomes had impressed them all during practices that season.

“We were all excited to see him go out and cut it loose,” Kelce said. “He had worked his tail off. The ability to see the field and be comfortable out there ... He had a lot of energy and it felt like he took over the game.”

That’s precisely what happened. Mahomes led the Chiefs to a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter and was removed. The Broncos rallied to tie, but Mahomes came back into the game and led the Chiefs on a game-winning field goal drive.

Such dramatic finishes, especially in the team’s three recent Super Bowl victories, defines this portion of Mahomes’ career. It’s fair to say he’s had the most successful first 99 games in NFL history.

He already tops these lists:

  • Victories: 77

  • Passing yards: 29,083

  • TD passes: 224. Kelce (51), Tyreek Hill (41) and Mecole Hardman (15) are his top three TD targets.

Here are a few more Mahomes details from the almanac:

  • He’s defeated Derek Carr eight times, more than any other quarterback. And he’s beaten the Denver Broncos (12-1) more than any other team.

  • Among quarterbacks with at least 99 starts, Mahomes owns the highest winning percentage (.778) in NFL history. His playoff winning percentage is .833 (15-3) — tops among active quarterbacks — but it will be tough to top the all-time record held by Bart Starr, who went 9-1 (.900) for the Green Bay Packers, winning five NFL championships.

  • Mahomes is off to the slowest start to a season of his career, in terms of touchdowns. But for the first time four years, the Chiefs are 3-0.

“There’s nothing he can’t do,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said.

Here’s who else to watch for Sunday’s game, which kicks off at 3:25 p.m. (Central) at SoFi Stadium in L.A.

Chiefs player to watch: safety Chamarri Conner

More is being asked for Conner in his second season, and he’s delivering.

After three games he’s tied for the team lead with 22 tackles. He returned a fumble for a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals and grabbed the Chiefs’ first interception of the season last weekend against the Atlanta Falcons. Also against the Bengals, Conner recorded the sack that led to the Chiefs’ game-winning field goal drive.

Conner always seems to be around the ball, and Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said one of his strengths is an ability to shed blockers.

“The one thing he does all the time is gets off of blocks,” Spagnuolo said. “He has a physical mindset. He’s a safety playing a corner position at nickel.

“He’s earned the right to play that, and I put the challenge on him a while back. I didn’t know if he’d be able to do it — that wasn’t what he played in college — but I think he stepped in there and (he’s) done a real nice job for us. He’s another one of those guys that I think just likes mixing it up physical-wise.”

Chargers player to watch: OLB Khalil Mack

Mack is about to suit up for the 14th time against the Chiefs. The first four years of his career he played for the Raiders; this is his third season with the Chargers.

He even got to play the Chiefs once as a member of the Chicago Bears. He has 8 1/2 career sacks against Kansas City.

Mack is off to a good start this season and is coming off a game (at the Pittsburgh Steelers) in which he recorded 1 1/2 sacks. He ranks fifth among edge rushers/outside linebackers, with a PFF grade of 87.4, and seems an ideal fit for Jim Harbaugh’s physical approach.

Special teams player to watch: Chiefs P Matt Araiza

The punting has been solid for the rookie Araiza, with a 42.1-yard net average, and there hasn’t been an issue with Araiza’s holding for kicker Harrison Butker, either.

Somewhat lost in the Chiefs’ victory last week, however, was Araiza’s athletic play in the fourth quarter. He leaped to snare long-snapper James Winchester’s high snap, then got off the punt.

“That would have cost us the game, possibly, if the ball got over his head,” Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub said.