How does Patrick Mahomes perform as an underdog?
By KC Proctor
2. September 9, 2018 @ Los Angeles (Chargers); Chiefs +3.5
Another first for Mahomes, this was his debut in a season opener, and Vegas was underwhelmed by his performance in Week 17 of the previous year. Pat inherited a back-to-back division champion offense and hit the ground running in his first season as the full-time starting quarterback.
Oddsmakers called the Chargers -3.5 point favorites, and whether that fact fueled Mahomes or not, he turned this game into a coming-out party. He went 15/27 for 256 yards and threw four touchdown passes; leading the Chiefs to a convincing 38-28 victory over LA.
For the second time as a dog, Pat was lock-in-step with one singular receiver again. Tyreek Hill had seven catches for 169 yards and two TDs on the afternoon, playing a huge role in advancing Mahomes to 2-0—straight up—as an underdog.
3. September 16, 2018 @ Pittsburgh; Chiefs +4.5
Once more, oddsmakers were unconvinced of Mahomes’ ability to win, and they labeled the Chiefs as +4.5 point dogs on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 of the 2018 season. It was this game in which Pat emerged as the real deal, and began his case for the league’s MVP award.
It was a balmy September afternoon in Pittsburgh when Patrick Mahomes tied Len Dawson for the Chiefs’ all-time, single-game passing touchdown record. He finished the day with 23 of 28 passing attempts completed, 356 yards, and 6 touchdowns. The Chiefs beat the Steelers outright 42-37, and Mahomes became 3-0 straight-up as a dog.
Once more, Pat had a singular standout target, and this time it was Travis Kelce. His day was made up of seven receptions for 109 yards and two TDs.
4. October 14, 2018 @ New England; Chiefs +3.5
Patrick Mahomes’ first battle with Tom Brady came on Sunday Night Football in Mahomes’ second month as an NFL starter. There was a ton of hype around this one and it was met in full. Mahomes went 23-36 for 352 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. Brady also threw for over 300 yards and a single touchdown. It was an absolute roller coaster of a game that featured a fourth-quarter comprised of 30 total points scored.
Although the Chiefs fell short in the game, which had a final score of 40-43 in favor of New England, Mahomes’ Chiefs covered the spread. He became 4-0 ATS as an underdog, and 3-1 straight-up.
Again, Mahomes went nuclear with one player on the offense—Tyreek Hill had seven receptions for 142 yards and three scores. Are you noticing the trend yet?