Patrick Mahomes Strengthened His Case for MVP Against Titans
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One of the benefits of teams having superstars is that when things aren't going well for the team as a whole, the best player on the field can occasionally will everyone back into the game despite that. Sunday Night Football was a prime example, as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had a famous Terez Paylor "over my dead body" game under the bright lights against the Tennessee Titans.
In the process, Mahomes sent the NFL a message by reminding the league that he's very much alive in the race for the 2022-23 Most Valuable Player award.
Down eight points with 9:54 left in the game, Mahomes worked his magic like just about no one else in the sport could. The megastar signal-caller marched Kansas City down the field on a 13-play drive that started all the way back at the team's own seven-yard line. The drive featured five passes of at least 10 yards, as well as a 20-yard run by Mahomes and a final 14-yard scramble that ended up being the most important touchdown of the game for either side.
To cap things off, instead of opting for a run by another player or a pass of his own, Mahomes ran left and got in the end zone on the Chiefs' two-point conversion attempt. The entire drive took nearly seven minutes off the clock and served as a series of MVP moments for Mahomes. With dropped passes, penalties, a nonexistent running game and more working against him, the 27-year-old added to his already historic legend as a player. Even with all of the other factors begging for the end result to be a Chiefs loss, Mahomes's brilliance late in the game secured an overtime win.
Eight games into the 2022 campaign, MVP odds have tilted quite a bit. Mahomes, a solid candidate in the eyes of many coming into the year, is now tied with Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts or is right in the mix odds-wise depending on the sportsbook used to inquire. Once viewed as a non-favorite to win the league's best award in a post-Tyreek Hill world, Mahomes is on the brink of becoming the leader to bring home some more hardware at the end of the season.
Following Sunday's play, Mahomes is the league leader in passing yards (2,605) and passing touchdowns (21). Additionally, his passer rating (103.6), QBR (75.4) and record (6-2) are all impressive marks. When adding in the fact that the narrative of him doing all of this without Hill exists, the case grows stronger. Add the value of a Mahomes eye test filled with a highlight reel set of plays, and the Chiefs have a player who would garner some votes for MVP if the season ended today.
The good news for Mahomes and the Chiefs is that the season doesn't end today. Kansas City has plenty to fine-tune over the next couple of months on both sides of the ball. After all, this is a team that general manager Brett Veach overhauled in a major way during the offseason. Even after eight games, this is far from a finished product. That makes the accomplishments of the team — and Mahomes — even more eye-popping.
Historically, NFL MVP winners need a few things on their resumes for the year. Statistical dominance is key, as is general team success. Elsewhere, a storyline can serve as a boost as well. Mahomes has all of that, and even as Allen's Buffalo Bills are the top seed in the AFC and Hurts's Philadelphia Eagles are the top seed in the NFL, it may not matter. A game with over 500 total yards and multiple clutch plays only strengthened Mahomes's case, and he may simply continue building on that moving forward.
