The Kansas City Chiefs are rolling with rookie QB Patrick Mahomes this weekend against the Broncos. It will be the Chiefs time the Chiefs have started a quarterback they drafted in the first round since the 1980s.
It’s been a long time coming so you can understand Chiefs fans excitement. The expectations are ... I’m not sure what they are. Would we be surprised by a 250-yard, 2 TD day? Or a 175-yard, 2 INT day? I’m not really sure what to expect. Chiefs coach Andy Reid says there are no expectations for him.
“I just think the fact that he goes in and plays and has that experience,” Reid said. “I’m not going to set expectations or any of that, that’s not where I’m at. I just want him to go play, learn the game plan, play it and lead the team, the offense. Most of all have an opportunity.”
We haven’t seen Mahomes play since the preseason when he completed 34/54 passes with four touchdowns to no interceptions. What has changed since then?
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“Just the fact that he’s been here and gone over everything, from where he started to where he’s at now I think it’s been tremendous,” Reid said. “To have the opportunity to be in that (quarterback) room that he’s in is priceless. Not only with the coaches, but with the players. You’re going to have a hard time finding a guy who comes to work every day like Alex does and to be able to learn from that, that’s priceless. I would tell you he’s come quite a ways.”
Andy Reid is protective of his offense and his plays so I don’t think he will show the Chiefs full array of offense this weekend. I think the offense will be simpler and giving nothing away that the Chiefs first round opponent in the playoffs can use.
“I don’t know if (the offense) will necessarily be tailored for me,” Mahomes said to the KC media. “For me, it is just going out there and producing in whatever plays Coach Reid and Coach Nagy call. It won’t necessarily get tailored more for me, but I’m sure they will try to play to my strength a little bit. But the offense is a great offense to be for anybody.”
Alex Smith knows the offense as well as anyone not named Andy Reid so it will be beneficial for Mahome to have Smith there.
“I think being there and being a good teammate, being there to help him if I do see something,” Alex said when asked what he can do to help Mahomes. “It’s a good opportunity for him, it’s a unique type though with the scenario we are in.”
It’s the perfect situation, especially for fans. This would normally be a boring and meaningless Week 17 game. Now it’s shaping up to be one of the most anticipated of the year.