How these two ‘big-boy’ moments gave the Chiefs their best TD drive of the season
Patrick Mahomes stood in the shotgun formation, 11 yards in front his own end zone, 18 yards behind a first-down marker and a world away from the guy he trusts most to bail him out of these situations.
That guy, Travis Kelce, would eventually steal the bold, block-letter headlines in the Chiefs’ 27-20 win Sunday against the Vikings — same as he has for a few weeks now — but what if the best drive of this young Chiefs season came with him standing about six inches from his head coach on the sideline?
It had to be somebody else. That’s kind of what I’m getting at here. The Chiefs’ offense had sputtered along to a mere two field goals over its previous three drives, permitting the Vikings to tie the game before halftime.
Mahomes had spent the previous seven days basically insulting himself, which still didn’t do enough to avert any of our eyes from the wide receiver room. And Kelce had occupied the past 15 minutes with trainers heavily taping his ankle.
If the Chiefs had put together an 11-play, 75-yard drive to open the second half with a go-ahead touchdown, a lead they wouldn’t relinquish on the road, it would probably be noteworthy.
But to do it like this?
Practically by the time Creed Humphrey’s snap reached Mahomes in that shotgun formation, he had a couple of pass rushers barreling toward him. The Vikings brought the house — seven rushers — and Mahomes reared back and launched the throw from 12 yards behind the line of scrimmage.
His previous deep pass had fallen about 10 yards short — that might be generous — and that’s been a bit of a trend lately.
This one got there. Or close enough, anyway. The receiver on the other end of it — well, he’s got a pretty good story to tell about how that unfolded. See, the Chiefs had spent the week working on the all-out blitzes that Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores likes to bring on third downs.
So before the ball was even snapped, “I knew the ball was coming to me, one way or another,” Justin Watson said.
Watson did not yet know, however, the type of play that would be required to complete the catch. He out-jumped Minnesota defender Camryn Bynum, who mistimed his own leap, for a 33-yard completion.
About that jump: Earlier this week, the Chiefs’ wide receivers argued over who might have the best vertical leap on the team, and, “my name wasn’t mentioned,” Watson said.
But at least once during every offseason, Watson makes a point to train with Hall of Famer Randy Moss in Tampa Bay. Moss, you surely remember, had some success in this very city up north.
“Seeing those (No.) 84 jerseys, man, I just had to go up there and emulate Randy Moss,” Watson said.
A big-boy play.
A big-time moment.
But not the last of either on the drive.
The Chiefs were actually still 50 yards from the end zone after the third-down conversion, and they accrued the next 42 of them with Mahomes mixing throws to three receivers — Rashee Rice, Justyn Ross and Marquez Valdes-Scantling — between Isiah Pacheco rushes.
That set up a third-down play from the 8-yard line, returning Mahomes to the comfort of the shotgun. He would later say he knew where he wanted to go, and, sure enough, a quick slant pattern over the middle found the end zone.
The receiver on the other end of this one — well, he’s got a pretty good story to tell about it unfolded. See, Rashee Rice and Mahomes spent last week working on quick slants in the red zone. It’s been a learning curve, if Rice is being honest.
“Everything in the red zone happens a lot faster,” Rice said. “The ball comes out faster. The defender comes at you faster. You just have to be prepared to make a big-boy catch.”
On some reps in practice, Mahomes would talk to Rice about how to adjust to different coverages. In fact, he did it two plays earlier in the game, when he saw an opening in the back of the end zone but Rice stopped his route short.
But here? Rice fought off one defender in the slot and then absorbed a hit from another at the goal line.
Touchdown. Chiefs led. For good.
“Seeing him run that route in practice, every time he ran it, it was a new look and Pat was talking about something new with him,” Watson said. “Seeing him get a funky look in the game and beating that guy across his face and score a touchdown — it was awesome seeing it carry from the week of practice until Sunday.”
In one drive, the Chiefs showed their most evident signs yet of progress, and that it came from the very group that’s been in the spotlight is no small development.
The receivers.
There’s a lot of reason to think they will be better in Week 18 than Week 5, but that’s based on the belief in what they already have on the roster simply getting better. Rice is atop that list.
Well, they’re better than they were last week. He’s at the top of that list, too.