Arrowheadlines: We’ll be seeing Mahomes in motion some more

The latest

Patrick Mahomes designed one trick play. Andy Reid turned it into a whole collection | Kansas City Star

First there was Ferrari Right.

Then Slot Machine Right.

And then Black Pearl.

All of them with the same concept of Mahomes running in motion before the snap. All of them with their own wrinkle.

“We’re just trying to be creative; we’re trying to have fun out there, enjoy it day in and day out,” Mahomes said. “And Coach Reid lets us be creative by putting in plays like that. So obviously we try to execute the basics and the base plays as much as possible, and then when we get our opportunity, we try to execute those trick plays so he’ll call them more often.”

Dan Orlovsky sets NFL world ablaze with Travis Kelce take | FanSided

During an interview on the Dan Patrick Show, Orlovsky shared his thoughts on how if given the field or Kansas City, the Chiefs still would be the betting favorite to win Super Bowl LV. Part of that reason is due to having Mahomes.

The other? Travis Kelce, his selection as the second-best player in the NFL.

“For me, just because he brings so offense to their offense before the ball ever gets snapped,” Orlovsky said. “The amount of times they place him in specific positions to get the coverage is such an advantage because it doesn’t just effect the outcome of the play after the snap.”

NFL Power Rankings, Week 13: Titans re-enter top 10, Raiders drop out | NFL.com

1 - Kansas City Chiefs

Previous rank: No. 1

We might be reaching the point where the NFL has to split up Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill. The pairing is simply too unfair for opponents. Just ask the Buccaneers, a very capable defense that was embarrassed by the Terror Twins in a 27-24 Kansas City victory. Hill boasted over 200 yards receiving by the end of the first quarter and finished his day with 13 catches for 269 yards and three touchdowns on 15 targets. Mahomes accounted for nearly 500 yards of offense and iced the game with a clinical clock-killing drive after the Bucs had closed within a field goal with less than five minutes to play. Mahomes is rightly praised for his next level arm talent, but he’s also an expert scrambler with untouchable football IQ. He is the perfect quarterback.

NFL Week 13 Power Rankings: Chiefs stay behind undefeated Steelers, Titans and Browns winning by running | CBS Sports

2 - CHIEFS

They continue to roll up big numbers on offense. Can they be stopped? It sure doesn’t look like it.

Chiefs’ Juan Thornhill is in a ‘good place’ now less than a year removed from ACL tear | Kansas City Star

“The biggest thing is changing my mentality,” Thornhill said. “There were times I was down on myself just questioning if I would be able to get back on the field and play to my ability.

“But then as I got out there and started working back in it, I started feeling like, OK, I feel like I can get out here and play still. I still feel confident. I have that power and speed still, so now I’ve just got to trust myself.”

QB Index, Week 13: Russell Wilson slips out of top three | NFL.com

Bhanpuri: For nearly every NFL QB, there’s a tipping point when the number of attempts triggers a decline in production. The story has always been that the higher the pass count — and overall pass-run imbalance — the more likely something has gone (terribly) wrong for the quarterback (more pressure, hits, turnovers) and the team’s overall game plan (run game is failing, defense is struggling, team is losing). And then Patrick Mahomes arrived on set, and, as he does, completely rewrote the script. His production over the past two seasons when throwing 40 or more passes in a game, as he did in Sunday’s dismantling of the Bucs’ pass defense, is totally absurd:

Patrick Mahomes: 9-2 record (.818) | 67.1% | 373.8 ypg | 8.4 ypa | 30 TD passes | 5 giveaways | 110.9 rating

Around the NFL

Derrick Henry Isn’t Changing the Game. That’s Why We’re Obsessed With Him | SI

Henry remains his team’s best-known player, an uncommon designation for a modern-day running back. Yet he stands for no new strain of strategic enlightenment. Alvin Kamara, the latest Future of the Position, is an angle-busting, pass-catching speedster, capable of cutting in any direction at any moment. Sure, Henry has a never-before-seen element, but his is mostly a difference of degree, not type. At 6’ 3” and 247 pounds, he’s as big as some defensive ends, and his breakaway speed of nearly 22 mph ranks among the best in the NFL, at any position. His limbs look hydraulic. He is as daunting a power runner as exists in today’s pro football. But he is still a power runner.

In terms of multidimensional significance, Henry isn’t the back you’re looking for. His 114.3 ground yards per game—he is one of just three players averaging triple digits—almost count against him, a sign of obsolescence. But for raw viewing spectacle? “Normally, in the NFL, you’re talking about the slightest of differences in athletic ability and dexterity,” says Eagle. But “when someone is so dominant in that manner, it’s hard not to notice. He’s a wrecking ball.”

5 under-the-radar NFL players performing at a Pro Bowl level | Larry Brown Sports

1. Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Miami Dolphins

Entering his fifth NFL season, Emmanuel Ogbah had never recorded more than 5.5 sacks, which he did twice in his career — first as a rookie with the Cleveland Browns and then again in 2019 as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Through 11 games in 2020, Ogbah leads the Dolphins with 8.0 sacks and 14 QB hits. But his impact is not exclusive to rushing the passer. Ogbah also has three forced fumbles and is third on the team with five passes defensed. Collectively, those numbers also make him one of the most successful all-around defensive ends in football and should warrant serious Pro Bowl consideration.

Torn ACL confirmed for Pittsburgh Steelers’ Bud Dupree, source says | ESPN

Asked about Dupree’s injury Thursday, coach Mike Tomlin said: “You can characterize it as official that Bud is out for the year with a significant knee injury.”

Dupree appeared to injure his knee on a noncontact play in the second half of Wednesday’s 19-14 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

Playing on the one-year franchise tag, Dupree will be a free agent after this season. He followed up his breakout 2019 campaign with another strong effort this season, recording eight sacks, two forced fumbles and 26 tackles. Along with T.J. Watt, Dupree was a foundational member of the Steelers’ pass rush.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Week 12 defensive film review: Fast start, slow finish

The Chiefs defense came out of the gate hot in the first quarter, holding the Buccaneers to 3.14 yards per play and posting a 71% defensive success rate. That tied (with Week 7’s first quarter) for the team’s best quarterly success rate this season. This performance was integral to the Chiefs immediately building a three-score lead.

The second quarter was a bit different — albeit in only one Buccaneers drive. The Chiefs allowed 12.57 yards per play and a 14% defensive success rate. To put that number into perspective, the Steve Spagnuolo-led Chiefs defense hadn’t had a quarter that poor since 2019’s Week 5 game against the Indianapolis Colts.

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