Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has a better chance to win the NFL MVP award down the stretch.
How exactly does a loss benefit the MVP campaign for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes?
Kansas City would have remained atop the AFC with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Only the top seed in each conference earns a bye-week to start postseason play. Being number one at the end of Week 18 means fewer games are required to play in the Super Bowl. Now, the Chiefs starters will most likely be forced to play every game of the regular season.
Given how things are shaping up, Mahomes will be on the field for 17 games. He is already leading the NFL in multiple categories from the quarterback position: touchdowns, passing yards, and quarterback rating (QBR). Mahomes is on pace to throw for 42 touchdown passes and 5,394 passing yards. With only 5 games remaining he should have a firm grasp in each category. To put things into perspective, that would only be 83 yards shy of the passing yardage record for a single season (Peyton Manning – 5,477). Mahomes can rewrite the record books yet again.
Being the most valuable player means more than just having statistics. Winning is a key ingredient in achieving this honor. The Chiefs’ remaining opponents are the Denver Broncos (twice), Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, and Las Vegas Raiders. The Seahawks are the only team with a winning record (7-5). It is certainly possible Kansas City finishes with a 14-3 record.
Last, but not least, is the storyline: Mahomes has endured challenges that he hadn’t experienced in his career. Entering this season, three of his top four wide receivers were on different teams—one of those arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL in Tyreek Hill. Add in that Mahomes, when last seen, played a poor half of football in the AFC Championship game the previous year, casting at least some doubts about Mahomes’ future. The AFC gained a large amount of talent on top of the existing teams that had already been established as playoff contenders. Many people had concerns about whether Mahomes and the Chiefs would find success. Kansas City presently sits at 9-3 and has the number-one ranked offense by points, passing yardage, and total yardage.
If there is a silver lining to Cincinnati defeating Kansas City in Week 13, it is that Patrick Mahomes now has a better chance at being the NFL MVP for the 2022 season. In all likelihood, they will play every game with their best players on the field. The Chiefs have a great opportunity to win each week and maximize the pace that Mahomes is currently on.