Through three games, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is reminding the football world why he is at the top, or near it, on many all-time lists. Before “Monday Night Football” caps Week 3, the Chiefs’ leading receiver this season ranks second among all NFL tight ends in receiving yards (231). That ranks 12th among all league players.
He is averaging 16.5 yards per reception over 14 catches. He has multiple catch-and-run plays that lasted roughly 50 yards. In Week 1 against the Denver Broncos,
quarterback Patrick Mahomes caught the Broncos’ defense in a blitz, delivering the ball with chemistry that turned the play into a 59-yard scamper.
To open the Week 3 contest against the Miami Dolphins, he found a lot of room to run again, but it wasn’t possible without a nonchalant adjustment on the fly by Mahomes.
In his post-game press conference, the quarterback explained how the Dolphins’ defense helped get Kelce open in a roundabout way.
I think the fact that I scrambled out to the right got him open, which it wasn’t necessarily supposed to happen like that,“ Mahomes said. ”I was supposed to pull up, but how the defensive line stunted, I was able to get outside.“
Mahomes also pointed out the depth that allowed Miami’s high safety to stay on top of wide receiver Tyquan Thornton’s deep route.
“I think what got him open the most is Tyquan running down the field,” Mahomes shared. “You have that speed running at you down the field; the safety got depth, the run game, the play action brought the first level, second level up. Then all of a sudden Travis is right there behind everybody. Got him the football there and he made a big play.“
Thornton’s impact on the play gave Kelce the space to gain 48 yards in all, but the initial throw is one only elite gunslingers can make. Most quarterbacks would be thwarted by the initial pressure, rolling right and never considering a throw back across the field.
That’s what makes Mahomes different. After a couple of nonchalant steps out to avoid the pressure, he ripped a pass back across the field and both hash marks. The Dolphins’ defense naturally flowed away from Kelce; this throw isn’t factored into the game plan when the coaches put it up on the whiteboard.
It all stems from an initial run action out of a formation with three tight ends, a trend Kansas City is mastering with each week. Sunday was Mahomes’ most efficient performance yet off under-center play-action throws.
With Kelce on the receiving end, someone who could be considered one of the all-time greats at finding soft spots in coverage, the Chiefs are in a strong position to continue generating explosive plays with scheme (and Mahomes being Mahomes).
