Patrick Mahomes finds your blitz adorable: Here’s how he beat the Steelers’ defense

By Sam Mellinger

Updated September 19, 2018 1:18 PM

Patrick Mahomes is the story of the NFL this week, barely 23 years old and two starts into what’s already a record-breaking season. As it turns out, the details are even more encouraging.

Heinz Field has essentially been a haunted house for the Chiefs. It’s where they were neutered 41-13 two years ago, and once drew a flag for celebrating a touchdown that did not count. They had not won in Pittsburgh since 1986, and the 42-37 win included four fewer points than the Chiefs had scored in four previous losses at Heinz Field combined.

The Steelers are a mess right now. They tied the Browns in Week 1, and now Antonio Brown is apparently playing hooky. Context is always important.

But there is nothing in the tape to suggest any of the Chiefs’ success on Sunday was a fluke, and to the contrary, there is evidence that Mahomes and the offense are way ahead of schedule.

The Chiefs have always expected Mahomes will be a star, but internally, they also expected some dark moments. Particularly against the blitz, Mahomes had simply never faced defenses as well-disguised or fast as he would in the NFL.

Those adjustments are supposed to take time, and as good as Mahomes was in the opener at the Chargers, completing zero passes against four blitzes (according to Pro Football Focus) was at least a crumb of support for the idea that Mahomes could be pressured and confused.

That was certainly the Steelers’ plan. The Steelers blitz everyone — not with extra men as much as with different looks — and it figured to be a telling matchup against a first-year starter.

Well, Mahomes shredded that plan with one of the most efficient performances in recent league history: 23 of 28 for 326 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions.

Mahomes completed eight of 12 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns against the blitz, according to Pro Football Focus. It really didn’t matter what the Steelers showed. Mahomes beat it all.

“I don’t think we gave him enough credit,” Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree said, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “I think he was better than we thought. I feel like his intelligence was better than we thought. We thought since he was a young quarterback we could trick him, but he kind of spread us out. He didn’t snap the ball fast so he was really trying to read us, seeing where the weaknesses were before he snapped the ball. Many young quarterbacks can’t really check like that. He showed us otherwise.”

The reality expressed in that quote is essentially a dream for the Chiefs, and a rocket grenade against some of the questions of whether Mahomes’ football IQ could match his arm.

To be fair, it’s worth noting here that Mahomes is running with a significant tailwind. He has, perhaps, the greatest collection of skill position weapons in the NFL. Andy Reid gave Mahomes a lot of empty backfields against the Steelers, which spread the defenders and created opportunities for quick wins in coverage.

The biggest part of this may have been the protection. The Chiefs’ offensive line was terrific in Pittsburgh, allowing just one sack. The Steelers have their problems, but it’s not a front led by Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt.

A review of the tape shows the Chiefs’ line consistently communicating, passing off blitzes, and making the right decisions. In fact, the one sack was more on Mahomes than the line, the quarterback stepping too far into the pocket.

Mahomes was making complicated, real-time, pressure-soaked decisions smoothly and relatively simply. Somehow, a performance that looked nearly perfect on Sunday is even more impressive watched again.

For starters, Mahomes actually could have been even better.

Here, with the aid of the all-22 film at NFL Game Pass, is a breakdown of the Steelers’ 12 blitzes against Mahomes.

Seven times the Chiefs beat the blitz, twice the Steelers won with it, and the four remaining were essentially a wash — including two where Mahomes simply overthrew potential touchdowns*.

*You’ll notice that’s 13 plays total, and PFF noted just 12. There was one play I saw as a blitz that they did not. It’s noted below.

Chiefs win

First quarter, 5:04 left. First-and-10. This is essentially perfect, and impossible to defend. The Steelers bring an extra linebacker and pressure on the edge. Kareem Hunt picks up Dupree rushing from the edge, and Demetrius Harris slows down the blitzing linebacker. But watch Mahomes, backpedaling, off-balance, awkward platform, and throwing a back-shoulder bullet to Sammy Watkins, who knew the route was hot and makes a 17-yard catch. It’s not supposed to look this easy.

First quarter, 2:29 left. Third-and-goal from the 5. The Steelers show seven, and bring five. The Chiefs’ line holds up well, and the coverage is sound. Mahomes knows the hot route here is Kareem Hunt in the flat, and safety Terrell Edmunds is there for an open tackle but eats Hunt’s stiff arm.

Third quarter, 15:00 left. First-and-10. This is essentially a replay of the throw to Watkins earlier. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Mitchell Schwartz do a good job slowing the corner blitz (Mike Hilton didn’t make it difficult, but whatever). Edmunds is coming around the edge unblocked, but Mahomes sees it, buys an extra half-second by drifting to his left, and puts that absurd arm talent to use with a — stop me if you’ve heard this before — backpedaling, off-balance, awkward platform, back-shoulder bullet to Tyreek Hill, who made a nice cutback for extra yardage.

Third quarter, 5:26 left. Second-and-4. This is the right play call, and good communication. The Steelers blitz a linebacker, which Mahomes and his blockers recognize. Hill’s speed demands off coverage on the top of the screen, which creates space for a dig route. First down, and if the corner cheats on that he risks a pump fake and an easy touchdown behind him on a double move.

Third quarter, 3:58. First-and-10. This is a good blitz, designed to give Mitchell Schwartz two men to block. When Schwartz sees Jon Bostic coming up the middle, he shoves Anthony Chickillo outside, impeding as much as possible and giving Mahomes the split-second he needs for a good throw. Mahomes actually has two open receivers on that side, but goes with his first read. This is the snap where PFF and I differ.

Third quarter, 1:46 left. First-and-10. This blitz is delayed, both by design and Travis Kelce getting in the way of 42. He’s coming from the backside, but even if Mahomes didn’t see him the ball is out too quickly to matter. Sammy Watkins makes the first guy miss, and it’s a 25-yard gain.

Fourth quarter, 13:47 left. Second-and-13. Another delayed blitz, this one purely by design, but the pressure comes from Cam Heyward’s stunt around the left side. T.J. Watt also ducks under Mitchell Schwartz at the corner, but the ball is out too quickly for that or the delayed blitz to matter. Tyreek Hill is against press coverage with a single high safety in the middle of the field, which, well, at some point teams are going to stop doing that. They should also probably stop delayed blitzes. Strong and accurate throw in the face of pressure by Mahomes.

Steelers win

First quarter, 2:33 left. Second-and-goal from the 5. The Steelers show seven, and bring six, overwhelming the Chiefs’ line. 90 is unblocked on Mahomes’ front side. Credit Mahomes for sensing the pressure, but waiting for the play to develop. Travis Kelce is open, but T.J. Watt gets there in time to cause an off-target throw. Really, the Chiefs do everything right here, including the protection. Throw’s just a little off. Good defense.

Second quarter, 3:26 left. Third-and-12. A six-man rush collapses the pocket quickly, and a stunt by Cam Heyward beats Mitch Morse and creates danger for Mahomes. An extra fraction of a second and he has Travis Kelce for a possible first down, but he’s hit as he’s thrown and the Chiefs have to punt. I’m really not sure what Mahomes could’ve done differently here.

Nobody wins

Second quarter, 14:30 left. First-and-10. This is a delayed blitz from the safety, but the pressure comes fast. Mahomes gets the ball out quickly to Hill on a dig route for a four-yard gain.

Third quarter, 14:16 left. First-and-10. Everything’s good here except the throw. Mahomes sees the blitz pre-snap, and gets into the right protection. LDT passes off the defensive lineman to take the blitzer, and the single high safety commits to the right. That leaves Mahomes with a beautiful opportunity — feet set, time to throw downfield against a blitz. Watkins is isolated against a linebacker, too, and five yards behind him. Should’ve been a touchdown. Mahomes just overthrew it.

Fourth quarter, 12:14 left. First-and-10. Similar to the play above — good protection, Mahomes just overthrows it. The Chiefs keep seven to protect, so Mahomes has enough time and his feet set. After the game, he said he thought he had the 99-yard touchdown. “I just overthrew Tyreek, which I didn’t know was possible,” he said. This might be the most incredible thing. Mahomes was this good — and he was one overthrow away from 425 yards and SEVEN touchdowns.

Fourth quarter, 5:10 left. First-and-10. Chiefs have the right call in here, getting away from the blitz with a swing pass that sets up Chris Conley in space. Conley just makes a mistake here in not protecting the ball. Obviously this was a big play for the Steelers, but I’m including it here because it wasn’t caused by the blitz. Chiefs made the right protections, Mahomes made the right read.

Sam Mellinger

Sam Mellinger is a Kansas City Star sports columnist.

This story was originally published September 19, 2018 at 8:23 AM.

Chiefs win

Steelers win

Nobody wins

Sam Mellinger

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