Coming into the season, the conversation about the Kansas City Chiefs‘ offense focused on what would change.
They ran into a wall with the previous version of the offense and needed to make changes. This offseason, their only meaningful addition was signing running back Kenneth Walker. Signing a good running back was the easiest way for the Chiefs to boost their offense. They couldn’t generate explosive runs last year and got nothing from their running backs. Any semblance of a run game would improve
the offense.
Another benefit of having Walker is that the improved run game has opened up the Chiefs’ play-action calls, which have been wildly successful this year.
According to Next Gen Stats, Mahomes has had 36 dropbacks on play action this year. On those plays, he has a 71% completion rate, 348 passing yards, 3 TDs, and 1 interception, with a 69% success rate. He has thrown 11 passes over 20 yards. That is absurd efficiency that easily tops the NFL.
So, what is driving Mahomes’s success with play action? Let’s dive into some of his best plays of the year:
Film Review
One of the best ways to get Mahomes going is to get him on the run, and the bootleg lets him do that.
Kansas City has done a good job protecting the backside of the bootleg to keep Mahomes clean, and he can make any throw on the run.
Getting Rashee Rice to the middle of the field is how he’ll succeed, and play action has helped. The Chiefs can get him on crossers. Condensing the formation means he doesn’t have to beat press, and he can get a leverage advantage. He can stay off contact, and Mahomes can throw a fastball to get Rice going in space.
Moving to this style of offense seems to have unlocked something in tight end Travis Kelce. He’s been great running routes and finding soft spots, but even deeper downfield than before. He also benefits from being closer to the line of scrimmage more, where he can get free releases and find soft spots between linebackers.
Condensing the formation makes it hard for teams to play man coverage against you, and the Chiefs have won the leverage advantage every week with their passing concepts.
This is one of the best corner-route throws you’ll ever see. Mahomes short rolls, runs himself into the defensive lineman’s vision, and throws a fade-away on a 24-yard downfield throw. It’s pristine accuracy and touch. Mahomes’s accuracy on these downfield throws off play action has been insane. He can hit any throw on the field from any angle.
Mahomes can hit Rice with a fastball, but he can also lob it up and still hit him. As I mentioned above, Mahomes’ touch has been insane this year. Every downfield pass hits a player in stride, and the ball is never in conflict. He’s making it very easy on his receivers to make plays.
The Bottom Line
When I watched these clips, the comparison for how Mahomes is playing right now was Matthew Stafford last year with the Los Angeles Rams. Stafford was unbelievable using play action last year, and it won him an MVP. He could hit any blade of grass with either a fastball or touch. He had great chemistry with everyone.
Mahomes has that right now, but he also has more mobility than Stafford did. The Chiefs can boot Mahomes more and get him on the run, which puts even more stress on a defense. They can change the angles and launch points and create misdirection.
It’s also a great fit with the Chiefs’ current personnel. Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce need free releases to be successful, and going under center more often helps you do that. Walker and Emmett Johnson are good checkdown guys that can create in the passing game. Thornton does a good job on the vertical clearout routes that are essential to opening up space.
The one thing missing is a receiver who can beat press and play on the outside. That’s what the Chiefs are asking Xavier Worthy to do right now, and he’s just not good at that. It’s been true for three years now. If they can improve that spot at the trade deadline, the Chiefs’ offense could become the best in the league.
The New York Jets are playing pretty well this year and already have three first-round picks next year, so I doubt No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson becomes available. The guys who might become available are guys like Marvin Harrison Jr. of the Arizona Cardinals, Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars, or Jordan Addison of the Minnesota Vikings. Those are three guys whose teams aren’t going to pay and who might want some value. If any of those guys become available, I think the Chiefs should really look into it.
All three of those players haven’t been great in the NFL, but they would be an upgrade over Worthy. At the very least, that helps your offense. If you get lucky, you could tap into their upside, and they could become a long-term core piece. But even if that doesn’t happen, they would immediately improve the room.
The Chiefs’ picks are always going to be near the end of the rounds anyway, and they have an extra third-round pick this year. I think this would be a good year to get aggressive at wide receiver and see if you can find someone. If the Chiefs can find one more functional wide receiver, they could have the best offense in the NFL, with Mahomes, a great run game, and Kelce and Rice filling key roles. We’ll see if that receiver becomes available.
