Welcome Home Mahomes

It has been far too long, since the “Loudest Stadium in the World” was filled with roaring fans and the intoxicating smell of barbecue.

Not only was September 22 the home opener for the Chiefs, it was the first game for Chiefs starting QB and the NFL’s most interesting man Patrick Mahomes. He made his first appearance, walking out onto the field through clouds of smoke and lights, to the rowdy cheers from his fans and team mates. He would wait as his defense forced a quick 3 and out to begin the first half, then he and his arsenal would took field and proceed to tear the record books apart.

When comparing Mahomes’s stats from Sunday to his two previous games, it would appear that statistically speaking, Mahomes had his worst game. 

 Yesterday’s game saw Mahomes have a passer rating of 115.5. This time last year, Alex Smith led the league in passer rating with a rating of 104.7. 

 Against the Chargers, Mahomes QBR was 127.5 and against the Steelers it was 154.8.

Against the 49ers yesterday, he completed 24 of 38 passes for 314 yards with 3 touchdowns and no picks. He broke a record, previously held by Payton Manning, for most scoring passes in the first three games of the season, with 13 touchdown passes over Manning’s 12.

Mahomes is spreading the wealth among his receivers, adding wide-out Sammy Watkins and tight-end Demetrius Harris to the list of Chiefs to get a touchdown pass, hand wrapped from their QB, adding to the total of 9 Chiefs to catch a TD pass, with 11 receivers total who had a reception, including Travis Kelce. The Chiefs are only the second team in NFL history, to have 9 different players catch touchdown passes (the first being the 1997 Patriots). 

The Chiefs have now scored 118 points this season - the most in team history (closely followed by the 1966 AFL Championship team who scored 117) The Chiefs would hang 35 points on the 49ers by half time. The last time this feat was accomplished, was against the Oakland Raiders in 2013. 

The defense turned into a red brick wall the 49ers had trouble breaking down. Justin Houston logged two sacks and two forced fumbles against the 49ers on Sunday. A total of 4 sacks were recorded, with the other going to Dee Ford and Allen Bailey. This pressure was added when it counted the most. With the 49ers in the red zone, trying to make it a one score game in the fourth quarter, Allen Bailey rolled out the welcome mat for quarterback Jimmy G by sacking him for an 8 yard loss. One play later, Houston would decide that that looked like fun, and also took a run at Jimmy G for an 8 yard loss. Houston would also run Jimmy out of bounds, in what would unfortunately end in what is possibly an ACL tear for the QB.

All and all, eye popping offensive numbers, mixed with the red brick wall defense, and Jedi Master and QB Pat Mahomes, made for a stunning 38-27 win over the 49ers for their first home game of the season. 

Every week the stakes get higher! None so much as in Mile High Stadium next week for Monday Night Football against Von Miller and the Denver Broncos.

Parting the Steel Curtain

This past Sunday I began the game, calm and relaxed sitting in my chair.
By the third quarter, I was standing up and lightly pacing.
And by the fourth quarter, I was franticly and furiously pacing. 

The “Voice of the Chiefs”, Mitch Holthus, described every play in stunning detail, from the glorious touchdowns (there were six) and the heart-wrenching penalties that would wipe out an interception and even a defensive touchdown. His tone would cover the entire gamut of human emotion, from excitement to disappointment to urgency to concern to relief - sometimes all at the same time.

Patrick Mahomes started his third game as the QB. He might as well have wrapped himself in a Jedi cloak and ignited his lightsaber – according the Mitch – due to his favor against a Darth Vaderr Steeler Defense. 

Mahomes passed for 326 yards, rushed for 18 yards and completed 23 out of 28 of his passes. But that’s not all from this Jedi Master. He tied Len Dawson’s 1964 record for touchdowns in a single game! It was also the most touchdowns given up by the Steelers since 1991. Mahomes also broke the record for most touchdown passes in the first two weeks of the season with 10, previously held by Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Charles Johnson. 

Mahomes would light the Steelers up for three of those touchdowns, before the first quarter had expired, throwing those passes to Travis Kelce, Chris Conley and Kareem Hunt. The first quarter would be all Chiefs, with a first quarter score of Chiefs 21, Steelers 0. 

A defensive holding call would wipe out a defensive touchdown, and from that point forward, the Chiefs would struggle in the second quarter, leaving the halftime score all tied up at 21. 

In the third quarter, the Chiefs defense would step up and force some crucial 3 and outs. Mahomes and Kelce would connect for their second touchdown of the day, as well as with Demarcus Robinson. 

By the fourth quarter, with 12 seconds left on the clock, and a score of Chiefs 42 Steelers 37, Dustin Colquitt would prepare to put toe to leather in a punt, giving the Steelers back the ball for one more glorious drive, when he was tackled, and the penalty gave the Chiefs another 15 yards and the victory. The Chiefs would walk away from Hynes Field with a win, for the first time in 32 years, and a win by a margin of 5 points.

Game 3 is almost upon us with a home game at Arrowhead. Jimmy G and the 49ers will also be at that party, with every intention to crash it, but we will just see what records Mahomes breaks next.

Stay tuned, football fanz!

The Cheetah is On the Loose

After seven long months of waiting, and wading through hours of poor substitutes the Chiefs regular season sprang out of the gate!

This past Sunday, in Carson, California had a resounding victory over the L.A. Chargers.

After a quick three and out, by the Bolts, the ball would be punted to none other than Tyreek, “The Cheetah,” Hill.  He fielded the ball at the nine yard line, and the show began.

Mitch Holthus used his typical quick, accurate descriptions, to paint a picture, for me of a glorious punt return.  

“Tyreek gets a helpful block by Marcus Kemp, turns on the jets, and The Cheetah is loose.”

“30-40-50-40-30-20-10-5—TOUCHDOWN KANSAS CITY!”

This return set up what would become a huge day for “The Cheetah”.  He caught 7 balls, for 169 yards and two touchdowns; one on a 58 yard reception, and one on a one yard Jet Sweep.  All described to me in vivid accuracy from the voice of the Chiefs.

Strangely enough the huge day by “The Cheetah” may have overshadowed a great day, by new Chiefs starting quarterback; Pat Mahomes.  Mahomes was 15 for 27 for 256 yards, 4 Touchdowns and, just as importantly, ZERO interceptions.  This Touchdown production, in an opening game at Quarterback, tied a Chiefs record.  As a matter of fact, he more than held his own against a Quarterback that will almost certainly be a first ballot Hall of Famer, in Philip Rivers, of the Bolts.

Sunday the Chiefs offense was efficient, with 38 points on 55 plays from scrimmage.  Although outgained by the Bolts, the Chiefs held a +2 turnover advantage.  A special teams fumble recovery, on the Bolt 3 yard line, just when the Bolts were climbing back into the game, and a pick by free safety Ron Parker.

The Chiefs defense got off to a strong start, pressuring Rivers, and forcing some three and outs, and field goal attempts. It came to the attention of Mitch Holthus, that some of the Chiefs defenders were tiring in the heat.  The defense was fairly stingy early in the game, later in the game the Bolts started doing some damage, and closing the large lead that the Chiefs had built.  But when they needed to, the defense stepped up and made plays to close the game out.

In some darker news: the Cleveland Browns DID NOT do our Chiefs any favors, by playing the Pittsburg Steelers to a 21-21 tie today.  Our Chiefs have to visit Hines Field, before they return to the friendly confines of Arrowhead.  

That will be next Sunday, and the Steelers will be upset… to say the least.