The Chiefs' offense has looked great in recent weeks, but quarterback Patrick Mahomes still sees a need for the team to make the winning play during games. By Dominick Williams
The Chiefs defeated the Lions 30-17 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, improving to an even 3-3 with the victory.
Here are some immediate observations about KC’s win on “Sunday Night Football”:
Turning point: Chiefs successfully ‘double dip’ and pull away
In what seemed like early the 2020s, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid began to near-religiously defer to the second half when he won the coin toss. On Sunday night, while the Lions won the toss, the result was the same, as they opted to take the ball to open the game.
Fast forward to the end of the first half, and the Lions’ decision (and what would have been Kansas City’s usual strategy) paid off for the home team.
After Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown dropped a fourth-down pass with less than three minutes remaining in the second quarter, Patrick Mahomes and the offense took over at their own 45-yard line, trailing by four. Back-to-back throws to Travis Kelce — one benefitting from a 14-yard pass interference penalty and another for 17 yards — set up Mahomes’ one-yard rushing touchdown that gave Kansas City a 13-10 lead
Mahomes and the Chiefs left just 37 seconds on the clock, leaving the Lions without enough time to answer before halftime.
The Chiefs’ opened the third quarter at their own 19-yard line, but Mahomes guided the offense with chunk gains to five different pass-catchers on an eight-play touchdown drive that took less than four minutes.
Kansas City pulled off the elusive “double dip,” taking a 20-10 lead and never really relinquishing control.
Rapid reaction: Kansas City’s vintage offense feels back — as the defense did enough against one of the NFL’s top units
Mahomes finished 22 of 30 for 257 yards and four total touchdowns (three passing, one on the run) against the Lions, looking every bit like to the player who won the NFL MVP in 2022. On Sunday night, did it all — throwing from inside the pocket, rolling out, improvising on the run and even tossing a no-look pass.
He took advantage of an offsides penalty with a mad dash for a crucial first down and later orchestrated another touchdown drive when the Lions drew within three early in the fourth quarter.
Hat tips go to Jaylon Moore — who stepped in for Josh Simmons at the last minute, against one of the most dangerous pass rushers in the league — and of course, tight end Travis Kelce. If we’re referencing that vintage Chiefs offense, you can’t leave out Kelce, who looks for more like his 2023 self than the version we saw last season.
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield will draw the national love this week, but quietly, Mahomes has returned to his MVP form. And he will only look better once receiver Rashee Rice returns to the lineup next week.
The Chiefs’ defense took lumps early and then late, but it’s important to remember that on Sunday night, it faced the league’s top offense — one that came in averaging 35 points per game
Detroit was intentional in forcing Steve Spagnuolo to keep three linebackers on the field to attack the intermediate zones, and the result saw Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta combine for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
But again, still, against the league’s best offense, the Chiefs allowed just XXX points, more than enough when paired with an offense finally humming.
To be clear, the unit isn’t without concerns.
Too often, when Spagnuolo opts not to blitz, the opposing quarterback ends up with too much time to throw. Against the league’s elite (like in the postseason), that is a recipe for trouble
But if Mahomes’ offense is going to play at this level, opponents will find themselves in one-dimensional situations sooner rather than later. This is something we saw in Sunday night’s final defensive drives.
Maybe that — combined with the steady growth of young defenders like Ashton Gillotte, Omarr Norman-Lott and Nohl Williams — will be enough to put KC back in position to lift its third Lombardi in four years.
Critical stat: Red-zone dominance
The Chiefs took six trips to the red zone on Sunday night, scoring four touchdowns.