On the second Sunday in November of 2019, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes made a quicker-than-anticipated return from a dislocated kneecap, and he promptly threw for 446 yards and three touchdowns. The footnote: Kansas City lost the game.
But three years later, he hasn’t lost another one like it. Or another one at the same time, we should say.
Mahomes has won 24 straight games in the months of November and December, a streak prolonged with Sunday’s 27-17 victory against the Jaguars at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
He rolled Sunday; the Chiefs had a new workhorse running back; but by game’s end, they no longer had their top wide receiver.
Here are the five observations that stood out from immediately after the game:
1. Time for a conversation about the defense?
The Chiefs have not played the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks over the past two weeks, but before I continue, I’ll mention that’s kind of the point. Because the second half of the schedule looks a bit more favorable than the first half did.
That’s all to say you can only play who you play, and with that preface, it’s time to compliment how the Chiefs defense has played these past two weeks — the initial two weeks in which they were playing with the full complement of the roster, mind you, with cornerback Trent McDuffie and defensive end Mike Danna back in the fold.
The Chiefs held the Jaguars without a point on their first six possessions. Coupled with the overtime win against the Titans a week earlier, they had produced 12 straight drives without a score.
Is the Chiefs defense making its annual midseason jump?
The most encouraging sign is the production from the defensive line, which had four sacks. Khalen Saunders has finally developed into a player. Chris Jones is Chris Jones. And Carlos Dunlap has found a gear.
2. A bad miss
The biggest development of Sunday’s game is probably not a win or loss but rather the impending status of JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Smith-Schuster left the game after absorbing a helmet-to-helmet hit from Jacksonville safety Andre Cisco, who was not flagged for the play.
Well, actually, he was flagged for the play, but the referee crew inexplicably picked up the flag after a brief conversation.
There are calls missed each and every game in this league, but I’m not sure how you throw a flag and then allow a subsequent conversation to reverse what was clearly the right call.
But it’s not a good look.
3. The Chiefs have a lead back
The seventh-round pick has officially vaulted ahead of the first-round pick.
And that says more about the latter than it does the former.
The Chiefs won’t classify it this way, but they’ve benched Clyde Edwards-Helaire in favor of rookie Isiah Pacheco, after rotating the two in a mix with Jerick McKinnon over the first half of the season.
The job, it appears, it is now Pacheco’s. What’s more telling than his place in the starting lineup is that head coach Andy Reid stuck with him after he fumbled on the opening drive, a mistake that has cost more than one past player time on the field.
Pacheco rewarded the loyalty, finishing with 16 rushes for 82 yards. Edwards-Helaire did not have a carry.
4. Kadarius Toney is a player
As mentioned last week, at least part of the impetus behind Kadarius Toney’s acquisition is the uncertainty at wide receiver next season.
Doesn’t mean the production has to wait until then.
Toney’s impact is more immediate than I anticipated, given his struggles in New York, but it’s quite evident what lured the Chiefs’ attraction enough to send a pair of draft picks to the Giants. He is elusive in the open field, but he can also move in tight space, and possesses some of the can’t-teach attributes.
His initial two touches — including the first touchdown of his career — came as the result of well-designed plays. But much of the remainder of his production was his own work.
Toney rushed twice for 33 yards and caught four passes for 57 yards and a touchdown.
For all of the intrigue behind Odell Beckham Jr.’s eventual midseason landing spot, the Chiefs picked up a guy whose early returns look like a difference-marker. The flip side of that, though, is rookie Skyy Moore is having a difficult time getting on the field, whether it’s for the offense or special teams.
5. What to make of the Jaguars’ strategy
Credit to Doug Pederson for recognizing the Jaguars were significant enough underdogs that he needed to take some risks.
But why did it last all of one play?
The Jaguars opened the game with a successful surprise onside kick — Riley Patterson recovered his own kickoff — effectively stealing a possession from the Chiefs.
And then the Jaguars just ... happily punted the ball back to them on their half of the field.
Again. And again.
If you’re going to take the risk of the opening-kick onside, you probably shouldn’t be punting the ball on fourth and 2 from the 44-yard line. Or on fourth-and-inches later in the game.
This will remain relevant over the back half of the season, when the schedule lightens up some.
