An NFL three-peat should be impossible. But with Patrick Mahomes there is no such thing

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes is looking to guide the Chiefs to the first run of three straight NFL titles in the Super Bowl era.Photograph: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Sound the alarm: the Chiefs have that look again.

The most stunning thing about Kansas City’s Super Bowl win last season was that it came in what should have been a retooling year. Sure, when you have Patrick Mahomes, every season carries championship expectations. But for much of last year, the Chiefs had that not-quite-good-enough feel of the mid-dynasty New England Patriots. Their defense was outstanding, but the offense had taken on too much water: their receivers couldn’t catch; the offensive line struggled with injuries; the 34-year-old Travis Kelce showed inevitable signs of decline.

If ever there was a year to knock the Chiefs off their perch, that was it. And yet the Chiefs came away as champions again, and are now aiming for an unprecedented three-peat.

It’s tricky to pull too much away from one week. But of all the early storylines – Aaron Rodgers’ return, Caleb Williams’ debut, the plucky Patriots, Baltimore’s hampered offensive – none is as impactful as the idea that the Chiefs’ offense has rediscovered its mojo. Winning by a toenail against a Ravens team with a freshman defensive coordinator and traffic cones along its offensive line is not a sure sign of a juggernaut. But the seeds of what is to come were there.

Related: The post-Belichick Patriots may not be the dumpster fire we expected

Over the past two seasons, the Chiefs have toggled back and forth between a group led by Mahomes and the offense and one more reliant on defense. Two years ago, a so-so defense was carried over the line by a once-in-a-lifetime performance from Mahomes in the Super Bowl. Last year, the defense kept games tight while Mahomes closed the deal.

This season, both sides of the ball are rising together. What was the youngest defense in the league last season continues to improve,…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-three-peat-impossible-patrick-154150648.html

Author : The Guardian

Publish date : 2024-09-12 15:41:50

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