The Chiefs had to pay the price for winning their eighth consecutive match of the season as their star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, suffered an injury scare. The two-time MVP went down clutching his ankle. Mahomes revealed that he rolled his ankle last week and did so again this week.
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Aside from the injury scare, he has not been at the top of his game this season. So, if he had been out of commission for a few weeks due to injury, would he truly be irreplaceable? Dan Patrick seems to think so.
In an episode of The Dan Patrick Show, an insider highlighted a select group of quarterbacks who remain irreplaceable, with Mahomes leading the list. He pointed out how difficult it is for quarterbacks to stay healthy over an entire season—underscored by the fact that 60 different quarterbacks started in the NFL last season.
The three-time Super Bowl champion is diligent about taking care of his body and avoiding unnecessary hits, yet risks are always present. His recent ankle injury served as a reminder of that. Complimenting the Chiefs and their infrastructure, including Andy Reid’s coaching, Dan believes Kansas City can survive without the 2-time MVP. But they won’t be the team that other teams will fear.
This is where Mahomes comes in and makes him unique. Dan Patrick pointed out that when there is a game on the line, the Chiefs star man shines and shows his ability to deliver, striking fear in the hearts of opposition defenses.
“You can survive with Carson Wentz in there. But you are not going to be the team to beat because Mahomes is irreplaceable. What is irreplaceable with Mahomes is that ability to make everybody nervous on the other side, game on the line he’s got the ball.”
All while complimenting the 2-time MVP and his abilities, Dan maintained that the Chiefs would still be competitive to enough compete for the Super Bowl. This is a testament to the organizational setup.
However, Mahomes individually hasn’t been at his best this season. In fact, he ranks at the bottom in some QB stats.
Stats don’t favor Patrick Mahomes this season
Mahomes isn’t topping any key quarterback metrics this season, showing a noticeable drop-off from his 2022 MVP form that began late last year and has carried into this season. He’s thrown for 1,942 yards, placing him only 14th in the league, with just 11 touchdown passes. His 9 interceptions rank second-most in the NFL, trailing only Geno Smith and Jordan Love.
Despite these numbers, Mahomes is still completing nearly 70% of his passes, holds a passer rating of 90.1, and averages 7.2 yards per attempt. However, he’s managed only 21 completions of 20+ yards and just three of 40+ yards, with his longest throw of the season being 54 yards. The decline could partly be attributed to a lack of productive, healthy receivers, yet the drop-off remains evident.
Still, the Chiefs are 8-0, marking their best start with Mahomes at the helm and demonstrating his continued impact. He’s consistently making crucial completions and leading fourth-quarter drives when it matters. Much like last season, Mahomes is increasingly relying on the defense to secure victories in the closing stages, letting them seal games while he plays efficiently down the stretch.
Patrick after the Bucs game stated that he might be in pain but he will be ready to play this week after rehab. The Chiefs take on the divisional rivals, the Broncos on Sunday as hope to make it 9-0. The defending champions do have a luxury to rest their star QB.
