Sometimes, folks get so enamored with guys like Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Josh Allen, and others that they lose sight of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Pat Mahomes’ greatness. Don’t do it.
Just like you shouldn’t forget, Kansas City, the reigning champs, remain the NFL’s best team — not San Francisco or Philadelphia.
Mahomes and Taylor Swift’s dude, Travis Kelce, reminded us of that Sunday when they beat the Los Angeles Chargers, 31-17, to win their sixth consecutive game. Kelce has been dating Swift for a few weeks, and the pop star has added a new demographic to his fan base.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross arrested on felony charge
“Taylor can stay around as long as she wants,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid told reporters with a smile.
Mahomes passed for 424 yards and four touchdowns. He had 321 yards and three touchdowns in the first half.
It was the 10th 400-yard game of Mahomes’ career. The Chiefs are 8-2 in those games. Just so you know, he was 44 games of more than 300 yards in 87 starts. Wow.
How Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce make the Kansas City Chiefs run
The Kansas City Chiefs, who have won seven consecutive AFC West titles, have played in three of the last four Super Bowls, winning two.
They have seized control of the AFC West, where the Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos are all under .500. The Chiefs have a three-game lead in the division and play the hapless Broncos on Sunday.
Then the Chiefs host the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles, which will tell us whether they can beat good teams, with Kelce being Mahomes’ first option on most plays.
Predictably, Kelce was on the receiving end of most of Mahomes’ targets. He caught a career-high 12 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown. Kelce had 143 yards in the first half.
“I think both Kelce and Pat when they’re on the same page, that’s a challenge for any defense,” Reid said after the game. “I know they work on it. This isn’t, like, a secret. It’s quite a tribute for those two executing the way they do.”
Does Patrick Mahomes have other targets?
It’s not like Mahomes has a lot of options, which makes what Mahomes and Kelce do even more impressive.
Rashee Rice is the Chiefs’ leading wide receiver with 26 catches for 305 yards and three touchdowns. There’s no receiver with more than 18 catches or 219 yards on the roster. That’s why they traded two late-round picks for former second-round pick Mecole Hardman, who signed as a free agent with the New York Jets in the offseason.
Mahomes leans on Kelce much like he has since he became a starter in 2018.
Kelce was a good player in the five seasons he played before Mahomes. He caught 307 passes for 390 yards and 22 touchdowns. In six seasons with Mahomes, he’s caught 555 passes for 6,969 yards and 51 touchdowns.
Related: 4 Kansas City Chiefs trade scenarios to help team repeat as Super Bowl champions
“The main thing with Travis,” Mahomes explained, “is the way he’s able to recognize coverage and adjust on the fly. We always talk about it, but you can’t take it for granted. He can read the coverages, stop in the windows, and be on the same page as me.
“It does seem like he does this week in and week out, which is why he’ll be a Hall of Famer one day.”
Jean-Jacques Taylor is the NFL Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter. He’s the author of Coach Prime: Deion Sanders and the Making of Men.