In 2006, Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to a 12-4 record regardlessof a getting corps where his leading targets were Reche Caldwell, Troy Brown and Doug Gabriel. Despite being preseason favorites, his group fell brief of the Super Bowl, necessitating the arrival of Randy Moss months lateron and the introduction of a historical offense.
If 2023’s season open is any indicator, Patrick Mahomes might have reached his “Brady in ’06” phase.
Without Travis Kelce in the lineup due to injury and missingouton his leading wideouts from both the 2021 (Tyreek Hill) and 2022 (JuJu Smith-Schuster) seasons, Mahomes was entrusted with raising a cast of character stars into starring functions. He targeted gamers like Justin Watson, Rashee Rice and Blake Bell. He rushed for a team-high 45 hurrying backyards — as numerous as his leading 2 tailbacks integrated — in the face of a stout pass rush. He had several drives inside the Detroit 25-yard line thwarted by drops on 3rd down.
He began his season 0-1 on the strength of a 21-20 house loss to the Detroit Lions.
This was in no method, shape or kind Mahomes’ fault. The reality this videogame came down to the last minute was a testimony to his skill.
At his finest, Mahomes shined as the star in the middle of a solar system filled entirely by asteroids and dwarf worlds. It was a screen of wizardry most 17th century scholars would have chalked up to heresy. On one 2nd quarter drive, Mahomes targeted these gamers, in order:
- Rashee Rice
- Richie James
- Rice
- Noah Gray
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling
- Justin Watson
- Blake Bell
He finished 6 of 7 passes for 98 lawns (the pass to Gray didn’t count due to charge) and a goal. That’s witchcraft.
That list of names undersells simply how aggravating his large receivers were. Mahomes’ scrambles were partly a function of Aidan Hutchinson