In Sunday night’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Kansas City Chiefs finally looked like the team everybody thought they’d be before the season started.
The Chiefs took down the Raiders 41-14 in Las Vegas, and Patrick Mahomes was particularly incredible. Mahomes completed 35-of-50 passes for 406 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 127.6 passer rating.
QB1 to WR1. @PatrickMahomes @Cheetah #ChiefsKingdom
📺: #KCvsLV on NBC
📱: https://t.co/FF7Rvmy1OI pic.twitter.com/30BiGqKyEE— NFL (@NFL) November 15, 2021
Patrick Mahomes floats one to Tyreek Hill, and they connect for a touchdown for the second time tonight.
17-7 Chiefs on SNF. pic.twitter.com/rJs6ccl83z
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) November 15, 2021
The Chiefs go for it on 4th-and-goal and come away with a touchdown.
Patrick Mahomes is 26-of-37 for 247 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a 115.5 passer rating. pic.twitter.com/PIeMFaKgsq
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) November 15, 2021
Patrick Mahomes and Darrel Williams connect for the bomb! 34-14 Chiefs. pic.twitter.com/gADQapiEw5
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) November 15, 2021
Patrick Mahomes has five touchdown passes and 406 yards. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/Mh0lHWDTMm
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) November 15, 2021
This looked nothing like Mahomes and the Chiefs that we saw over the previous three weeks, when they lost to the Tennessee Titans (27-3) on the road, before squeaking by the New York Giants (20-17) and a Jordan Love-led Green Bay Packers team (13-7).
It remains to be seen if this is more like the Chiefs team we’ll see going forward, but it has to be a big confidence-booster for them- and a message to the rest of the NFL that this ability is absolutely still there. Additionally, even after their struggles, the Chiefs are still in first place in the AFC West at 6-4.
Here’s a sampling of how the NFL world reacted to the game:
Y’all love Mahomes again now or nah?
— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) November 15, 2021
Patrick Mahomes came dressed to play Sunday night.
Then he completed 35-of-50 passes for 406 yards, 5 TDs and 0 INTs.
Chiefs were only AFC West team to win Sunday. KC back in first place.
📸 @chiefs pic.twitter.com/0G1fkUSiYF
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 15, 2021
Are the Chiefs back….or are the Raiders back?
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) November 15, 2021
And just like that, Patrick Mahomes has his best performance of the year, and the @Chiefs are in 1st place in the AFC West 👀#ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/U2yWAddt2y
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 15, 2021
After half of a season where the Chiefs defense was called the worst in football and the Chiefs offense had its worst month since Mahomes was drafted, here’s the complete list of AFC teams that have more wins than the Chiefs:
•Tennessee Titans.
— nick wright (@getnickwright) November 15, 2021
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: 35-50, 406 yards, 5 TDs, 0 INTs.
Don't know if this is the end of his "slump", but it sure felt like he was more willing to take easy completions, more efficient overall, and gave the whole offense a lot to build on. A great player playing great again.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) November 15, 2021
Mahomes is back.
35/50
406 YDS
5 TD
0 INTHe is the first quarterback in NFL history with multiple 400/5/0 career games. pic.twitter.com/SVEroDxTA2
— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 15, 2021
Tonight marked Patrick Mahomes' 3rd career game with 400 passing yards and 5 passing TD. That ties Peyton Manning, Dan Marino and Joe Montana for the most such games in NFL history. pic.twitter.com/KpyHiJnjMj
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 15, 2021
That Patrick Mahomes TD was the Goofy do it again meme personified
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) November 15, 2021
Patrick Mahomes generated +23.8 pass EPA in the #Chiefs 41-14 victory over the Raiders, the 3rd-most by a QB in a game this season.
Mahomes threw 4 TD passes using play action, tied for the most in a game since 2016.#KCvsLV | #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/UyBaNsxBAS
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 15, 2021
Travis Kelce has his swagger back. Watch out, NFL. #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/butFokFXa3
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) November 15, 2021
Related: DeSean Jackson’s first catch with Raiders features awful field awareness and a fumble