Small sample size aside, what Patrick Mahomes has done in the first two weekends of this new NFL season has him on pace to shatter records.
Last season, which was his first as an NFL starter, Mahomes passed for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns, becoming the second quarterback in history to eclipse the 5,000-yard mark while also throwing at least 50 touchdowns. Not surprisingly, he won league MVP for his efforts.
The big picture: At his current pace, Mahomes will not only smash his own best effort, but he’s on his way to re-writing history books and setting benchmarks nobody in their right mind could have seen coming.
Here’s what Mahomes has done so far:
- Week 1 vs. Jacksonville: 378 yards and three touchdowns.
- Week 2 vs. Oakland: 443 yards and four touchdowns (all thrown in the second quarter).
It’s worth noting that Jacksonville rebounded with a stellar defensive performance against Houston, which has a ton of offensive firepower and a terrific young quarterback. It’s also worth pointing out that the Oakland Raiders dominated their Week 1 opponent defensively.
So, what Mahomes has done so far can’t simply be brushed aside as having dominated lesser competition.
The projection: When you extrapolate Mahomes’ first two games over a 16-game season, the results are astounding.
- Averaging 410.5 yards and 3.5 touchdowns per game, Mahomes is on pace to throw for an absurd 6,568 yards and 56 touchdowns.
Previous records for both marks have been set by Peyton Manning.
- During his legendary 2013 campaign, Manning passed for an NFL-record 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns.
Mahomes could get better, not worse: What makes this even more stunning is the simple fact that Mahomes is doing this without Tyreek Hill, who is one of the most dynamic big-play receivers in the NFL. Hill was injured in the first quarter of Week 1 and is likely to be out at least a few weeks longer.
In Hill’s absence, Mahomes has made two other players his go-to receivers.
- Week 1: Sammy Watkins caught nine passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns.
- Week 2: Demarcus Robinson caught seven passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns.
Oh, and don’t forget that Mahomes has at his disposal Travis Kelce, who is one of the most dangerous tight ends in football. Or that Mahomes also has backfield mates Damien Williams and LeSean McCoy — both of whom are dangerous in the passing game.
The bottom line: Simply put, what Mahomes is doing in his second year as the starter in Andy Reid’s quarterback-friendly offense is astounding.
He’s poised to set a new bar for quarterback greatness, and it won’t be the least bit surprising if he ends up making his 2018 MVP season look like child’s play when he’s done this year.