Tyreek Hill, Chiefs linebackers earn high grades in Week 3 vs. Ravens

Let’s hand out some grades and awards from the Chiefs domination of the Ravens.

What. A. Win. The Kansas City Chiefs completely dominated the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3 and showed that they are still the best team in the NFL. Andy Reid proved that he should be coach of the year and Steve Spagnuolo showed that no matter how decimated the secondary is, he will put guys in a position to succeed.

There are way too many Chiefs worthy of outstanding game grades, so I will try and keep it to guys that really stood out to me—those who need some extra recognition.

Tyreek Hill – A

Tyreek turned Marcus Peters into burnt toast. The outstanding jumping catch in the end zone for a touchdown showcased that Hill is much more than just a burner—someone who can actually go up and make the catch. We knew this in Kansas City but showing it on Monday Night Football allows the rest of the NFL to realize this.

Peters was honestly in great position but a beautiful throw allowed Hill to showcase his vertical and come down with six points. He made Peters look silly on a few occasions, and Andy Reid got him involved in the run game as well. He looked more engaged and seemingly has his swagger back. He made a statement this week.

Chiefs Linebackers – A

What got into this unit? Last week, this unit looked awful. On Monday, they dominated. Anthony Hitchens was flying around and Damien Wilson made a huge diving play to bat down the ball. Mark Andrews was bottled up essentially the whole game, and they played well against the Ravens’ dump-offs. Ben Niemann had a sack and recovered a fumble, while Willie Gay finally got some snaps on defense. While this performance might not be a typical A grade from other units, the fact is they couldn’t have played better. They played like an elite unit.

Chiefs Secondary – A+

Next man up. All of the injuries that are piling up in the Chiefs secondary, but they still find a way to get it done. The whole secondary deserves an A+ grade as a whole, but I want to give Rashad Fenton a shoutout. While he got beat a few times, he didn’t get burned for it. He made some impactful tackles and was constantly shadowing Ravens receivers on the outside.

L’Jarius Sneed and Charvarius Ward both almost came up with interceptions and Juan Thornhill and Tyrann Mathieu never allowed the big play. They not only held Lamar Jackson under 100 yards passing but, per Next Gen Stats, the primary cornerbacks only allowed 10(!) receiving yards when targeted. That is elite.

Darwin Thompson – F

Ouch. Not good. A huge fumble lost as well as blown coverage on the kick return for a touchdown. I don’t want to dwell on a bad performance when everything went so well for K.C. Let’s hope he bounces back. Otherwise, he might be in the Andy Reid doghouse.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire – B+

Back to the good, and that is what Clyde Edwards-Helaire was. He was fairly inefficient on the ground at only 3.2 yards/carry, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. A lot of those carries were trying to run out the clock, which hurt the average.

While Edwards-Helaire didn’t reach the end zone, he showed outstanding contact balance and was able to move piles and show a great second push. He really proved to be a tough guy to bring down and his vision will only improve as he gets more snaps.

Through the air was finally where we saw that other tantalizing aspect of CEH’s game, as he put up 70 yards on 5 receptions. It was a perfect signal to Chiefs Kingdom that he’s a perfect fit in this offense.

Patrick Mahomes – Week 3 MVP

As good as the linebackers and secondary were on Monday, this belongs to Mahomes. All of the Mahomes vs. Jackson talk was put to rest as the Chiefs quarterback threw for 385 yards and 4 touchdowns through the air (and another TD on the ground).

If Lamar would have been able to keep up at all, Mahomes probably would have gone over 400 easily. He was dropping dimes into receivers hands and running with ease to pick up first downs. He looked completely in control and made this win look easy and convincing. Mahomes was also counting his fingers to number 4 either to signify his touchdowns or, what seems to make the most sense, where he was ranked in the NFL top 100.

Mahomes is not a guy that you need to give more fuel, but it seems like the Ravens awakened the next level. #RunItBack is off to a tremendous start.