The Eagles have a chance to do a few things no team has ever done before to Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes. An Eagles victory would signify the first time Mahomes has ever lost three-straight starts in his nine-year NFL career, obviously counting the Eagles’ 40-22 Super Bowl LIX victory, and two of the three against the future Hall of Famer would be against the Eagles.
In fact, to find the last time Mahomes lost three-straight games, you would have to go all the way back to November
2016, when he played for Texas Tech, losing to Texas (45-37), Oklahoma State (45-44) and Iowa State (66-10). Actually, Mahomes had two three-game losing skids that season, dropping games to Kansas State (44-38), West Virginia (48-17) and Oklahoma (66-59) in October 2016.
Clearly, Mahomes has matured into the best quarterback in the NFL.
Though what is also hanging over his head is the fact the Chiefs have never started a season 0-2 since Mahomes has been their starting quarterback.
Mahomes admitted this week he has been haunted by the Super Bowl LIX loss, watching replays of the game. “Yeah, I mean, I’ll watch every game after, so you have to learn from it,” replied Mahomes when asked if he watched a replay of the game. “It sucks that you lose the game, but in order to progress and to be better next time, you have to watch and learn from it. (The Eagles) had a great game plan. They played hard and did a great job of disrupting my timing, and so I have to learn from that, find ways to get the ball out of my hand. And then when the opportunities are there … you got to make those plays because if you don’t, they’re not going to allow those opportunities again.”
There is a good chance that the Chiefs do start the season 0-2.
For one, Jalen Carter is back for the Eagles with a vengeance in his eyes after being ejected in the season opener against Dallas for spitting on Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott. Carter will surely be looking to take out his frustration on the Chiefs’ porous offensive line. The Chiefs losing receiver Xavier Worthy due to a shoulder injury does not help Mahomes much either.
Who may help is Eagles’ cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, who gave up 100 yards receiving and was flagged for interference in the end zone in the Eagles’ season-opening 24-20 victory over Dallas. When Eagles’ defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was asked if Jackson would start this week in Kansas City, Fangio replied, “Right now? Yes.”
Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Jackson.
The Eagles should have an easy time against a depleted, and listing Chiefs team coming off their season-opening 27-21 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, making Kansas City the only team in the AFC West that is winless. Against Los Angeles, the Chiefs had no pass rush from their front four, forcing defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to blitz Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who picked them apart.
With Worthy out, so, too, is the Chiefs’ most dangerous vertical threat.
Mahomes may be 2-1 in head-to-head games against the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, but it is Hurts who outplayed the perennial superstar in the two Super Bowls they played against each other.
Many still fear the Chiefs. But that version of the Kansas City Chiefs may be in the rearview mirror.
