The NFL once again got to see Patrick Mahomes showcase his greatnesss under the brightest lights.
Somehow the conversation gets lost every once in a while. This time around, it was the many months off during the offseason that somehow derailed the topic, and then the first two weeks of the season brought forward some pretenders. But when push comes to shove, there is absolutely no one in the National Football League who is better than Patrick Mahomes.
On Monday night, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback proved his greatness once again on the biggest stage possible. It’s something he’s done time and again, and he’s got the accolades and awards to prove it. Somehow the conversation drifts, however, and Mahomes is forced to prove, yet again, his supremacy over every other quarterback in the league.
There was no way to avoid the buzz heading into the Chiefs’ matchup in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens. It was a road game against the NFL’s hottest team, the franchise that’s been at No. 1 in every NFL power ranking (if it’s not already the Chiefs). Baltimore is captained by last season’s MVP in Lamar Jackson, so the setup was meant to highlight two premiere playmakers going against each other.
After 60 minutes, the only name worthy of any discussion is Mahomes.
Given that Ravens-Chiefs was the single most anticipated regular season game of 2020, it’s uncanny how Mahomes treated it like an easy home game. A previously stingy Ravens defense allowed Mahomes to do whatever he wanted, and his vast array of weapons took care of the rest. Significant credit belongs to Andy Reid and his staff for their inspired creativity and playcalling, but Mahomes was a maestro all his own with a performance that featured four passing touchdowns and another rushing score without turning the ball over once.
At this point, we’ve watched Mahomes do this so many times that it seems silly that anyone would ever place another quarterback above him in any meaningless list or ranking system again. However, it’s also important to realize that Mahomes is just now getting into his third year as a starter. He’s still technically on his rookie contract, which means he’s only going to get better with experience.
Whether it’s a well-publicized regular season matchup or a postseason game for all the marbles, Mahomes saves his best work for the moments where it matters most. There’s not a weakness in his game at this point. He is a marvel at a position that’s already most glorified in the league, which means Mahomes has a very real chance to be remembered as the best player to ever play in the NFL. Longevity will be key here, but in the present, there’s no one who can touch him. Mahomes is the greatest.