Patrick Mahomes bounces back in Week 5 Madden simulation

This week’s Madden simulation features a bounce back performance by Patrick Mahomes, who struggled last week against the Detroit Lions.

The Kansas City Chiefs host the Indianapolis Colts at home in Week 5 for what should be a Sunday night thriller—or blowout, according to this Madden 20 simulation.

Each week, we ask the great Madden 20 to tell us (simulate) what to expect and, so far, the Chiefs have been expected to roll over each opponent. So far, so good.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ coveted gunslinger, did not manage to throw a touchdown last week, snapping a 12-game streak. According to this simulation, Mahomes will bounce back in a major way and dominate the opposition in ways only he can. The Chiefs also tighten up defensively after struggling the last four weeks. Here’s a look at the game.

First Half

The Chiefs started off with a 27-yard kickoff return by De’Anthony Thomas. On the very first play of the drive, safety Khari Willis knocked Mahomes’ 15-yard pass away and put the Chiefs in a tough 2nd-and-long situation. After a negative-yardage rush by LeSean McCoy and a sack on the following play, the Chiefs quickly saw themselves punting within the first two minutes of the game. The only bright side of the moon is the Chiefs’ special teams stop, holding Chester Rogers to just 8 return yards on the punt.

The Colts started their drive on their 22-yard line, and promptly saw a bullrush by defensive tackle Chris Jones which led to quarterback Jacoby Brissett being sacked for a 3-yard loss. The Colts’ drive stalled out, as well, with a 6-yard rush by Marlon Mack on 2nd down and a 2-yard pass on 3rd down. The Colts were forced to punt, and the early action indicated a defensive battle. The fun started further down the line in the first quarter, with about five minutes left.

After struggling on their third drive, the Chiefs offense marched down to KC’s 44-yard line. Stalling out on back-to-back plays forced the Chiefs in a 3rd-and-10 situation, and it looked like they may have to punt again. However, Mahomes did Mahomes-esque things and took the snap and just as quickly got the ball off in a bomb to wide receiver Mecole Hardman. He took it to the house for what seemed like a quick and easy 58-yard touchdown. The Colts responded with a touchdown of their own to end the first quarter, however, with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Brissett to Rogers.

The second quarter was when the onslaught started, as Kansas City scored on a 1-yard rush by Anthony Sherman after driving down the field in excellent fashion. Mahomes ate up the defense, with McCoy picking up 27 yards on the drive. Kicker Harrison Butker nailed the extra point and kicked the ball off for a touchback. On the fourth play of the drive, cornerback Bashaud Breeland swooped into Brissett’s line of fire at the very last second and and picked off the ball. He returned it for 16 yards, and gave the Chiefs the ball on Indy’s 43-yard line.

More of the same led to another touchdown, this time on a 6-yard rush by Damien Williams, who had seen limited action in the game. The rest of the second quarter resulted in punts by the Colts and a 37-yard field goal by Butker to end the first half. The Chiefs went into the locker room with a 24-7 lead. Mahomes had thrown for just one touchdown in the first half, while the running backs enjoyed the scoring spotlight.

Second Half

Throughout the majority of the third quarter, it was a back-and-forth punt fest. The real action came in the final few minutes of the quarter, wherein McCoy caught a pass from Mahomes, scoring on an 18-yard touchdown. The Colts failed to match the Chiefs’ bout, ending the third with a goose egg. The team had just one touchdown through three quarters. It was an offensive onslaught for the Chiefs, and an offensive breakdown for the Colts.

Travis Kelce managed to add another touchdown to his belt, catching a 1-yard pass from Mahomes in the fourth quarter. That pass was Mahomes’ 3rd, which gave him a decent stat line after posting no touchdowns in the previous game. The Colts did manage to kick a field goal in the final quarter, with Adam Vinatieri adding to his amazing career with another field goal. The game ended in victory formation for the Chiefs, sealing their fifth-straight victory.

Final score: Chiefs 38, Colts 10

Notable Stats:

Patrick Mahomes: 26-of-35 (71%), 315 passing yards, 3 touchdowns

LeSean McCoy: 25 carries, 81 rushing yards; 1 receiving touchdown

Demarcus Robinson: 8 receptions, 69 receiving yards

Mecole Hardman: 5 receptions, 94 receiving yards, 1 touchdown

Justin Houston (IND): 1 sack, 8 tackles