Kansas City Chiefs Superstar Patrick Mahomes Enhances MVP Chances

Already considered a leading candidate for NFL MVP, Patrick Mahomes made an even more compelling case during Sunday’s win.

The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, who entered the game leading the NFL in touchdown passes and passing yards, added to his impressive totals with four touchdown passes and 331 passing yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

While completing 26-of-35 passes, his vision, arm strength, running ability — and most notably accuracy — were once again on full display.

“He’s gonna put it there,” said wide receiver Kadarius Toney, who was the recipient of Mahomes’ first touchdown pass. “Wherever it gotta be, it’s going to be there.”

Mahomes had his fifth game this season with 300-plus passing yards while recording multiple touchdowns.

His latest statistical marvel occurred despite losing his most productive wide receiver, JuJu Smith-Schuster, who was injured on a hit by safety Andre Cisco in the second quarter.

Mahomes also overcompensated for a poor performance by the Chiefs special teams, which fumbled a kickoff return, missed an extra point and failed to recover an onside kickoff.

“We’ve got to get rid of some of that stuff,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said, “make sure we clean it up.”

The Chiefs defeated the Jaguars 27-17 despite losing the turnover battle by three, and that’s largely because of Mahomes.

This week’s dose of Mahomes Magic — otherworldly plays that few quarterbacks can make — occurred in the fourth quarter.

On a 3rd and 4 with 9:34 left in the game, Mahomes rolled to the left and then circled back to avoid defensive lineman Corey Peters before hitting Jerick McKinnon for a 10-yard gain.

Two plays later, though, Mahomes made one of his few mistakes, throwing an interception — just his seventh on the year despite 336 passing attempts — to Cisco on an attempt for McKinnon.

Mahomes masterfully converted another third down with 4:33 left to put the game away. Despite getting drilled by rookie Travon Walker, Mahomes still connected with Marquez Valdes-Scantling for 36 yards.

Mahomes did all this despite going against an opponent that had familiarity with the Chiefs’ offensive scheme.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson played under Reid with both the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles and coached under him in Philadelphia and Kansas City, where he was offensive coordinator from 2013 to 2015.

And on the defensive side, Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell played under Reid from 1998 to 2001 and coached under him from 2008 to 2012 (both in Philadelphia).

It’s also noteworthy that Jaguars senior defensive assistant Bob Sutton was the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator from 2013 to 2018.

“You see his influence,” Reid said.

Pederson left to become Eagles head coach before Mahomes joined the Chiefs, but prior to the game, Mahomes said the team discussed changing audibles and other code words.

“So he doesn’t have any intel on the stuff we’re trying to get done,” he said.

It’s no secret that Mahomes could end up MVP. His valued is amplified when one considers that he could earn his second regular-season award despite having a contract average of $45 million that ranks behind four other quarterbacks.

Further enhancing his MVP odds, the Chiefs currently own the No. 1 seed in the AFC, following the Buffalo Bills’ overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

The last three years, the quarterback of a top-seeded team has earned MVP honors. It was Aaron Rodgers twice in a row and then Lamar Jackson before him.

The year prior to that, the regular-season MVP was won by Mahomes, and he looks to be in position to win it once again.