Against the maestro leading the Chiefs’ high-powered offense, the best that opposing defenses can do is hope to contain the carnage that Mahomes can deal.
On Sunday, the Cardinals dared to challenge him, and Mahomes diced them up in response.
—Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs)
September 11, 2022
Last year, a strategy emerged that seemed to, for the first time since he joined the league, put Mahomes on his back foot: Don’t blitz.
Through five weeks of the 2021 season, Mahomes was the least-blitzed quarterback in the NFL, facing an extra rusher on just 12.6% of his dropbacks. The Chiefs got off to a disappointing 3-4 start to the season, with Mahomes throwing nine interceptions through that opening stretch.
Of course, Mahomes and the Chiefs found their footing, but it looked as though there might be a playbook for attempting to slow down the new greatest show on turf. The Bengals proved as much in the AFC Championship, turning around a 21-10 halftime deficit by dropping eight players into coverage on many occasions.
Heading into the 2022 season, you might have expected that defenses facing Mahomes, who was now missing his most dangerous weapon in Tyreek Hill, would follow a similar game plan.
You would be wrong.
On Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals opened the year by sending more blitzes at Mahomes than he had ever faced in his career.
Let’s see how that worked out for them.
—Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats)
September 11, 2022
It was a rather baffling decision on the part of the Cardinals, immediately drawing the attention of those who have been following Mahomes’ prowess at punishing teams that dared to blitz him.
—Jay Feely (@jayfeely)
September 12, 2022
—Jeremy White (@JeremyWGR)
September 12, 2022
—Aaron Quinn (@AaronQuinn716)
September 12, 2022
The sole consolation of the Cardinals game plan may be the fact that they weren’t defending Mahomes all that well, even when they did decide to drop back into coverage.
Mahomes finished the day completing 30 of his 39 passes for 360 yards and five touchdowns.
With the Chiefs set to face the Chargers on Thursday night, it will be interesting to see just how much Los Angeles tries to rush Mahomes with an extra defender.