The Kansas City Chiefs just wrapped up the 2023 season by defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58, 25-22 in overtime. That is back-to-back Super Bowl wins for the Chiefs, who have taken home the Lombardi Trophy in three out of the last five years.
Sustaining that level of success is not an easy feat, but when you have a quarterback as talented as Patrick Mahomes at the helm, anything is possible. Mahomes showed once again this past weekend why he is arguably the best quarterback in the NFL currently.
Despite some early miscues, including an interception thrown by him, and a slow start offensively, the Chiefs stuck with it. They never wavered and eventually, Mahomes got things going through the air.
NFL News & Rumors: Patrick Mahomes & Kansas City Chiefs Updates
He finished the game with 333 passing yards and two touchdowns, taking home his third Super Bowl MVP award. Mahomes drove his team right down the field in overtime for the win following the 49ers only getting a field goal.
It was another masterclass performance by Mahomes, who has put together a Hall of Fame career in only six seasons as a starter. One of the reasons that he has been so successful has been his ability to avoid getting sacked.
When people discuss sacks, many assume that it is an offensive line stat. To some extent, that is true; they are the first line of defense when it comes to protecting the quarterback. But, not all sacks are created equal, as some can be pinned on the quarterback.
The Chiefs haven’t always had a great offensive line in front of Mahomes, but he has found a way to produce regardless. That is because he is the best quarterback in the NFL at avoiding a pass rush, not turning pressures into sacks.
NFL News & Rumors: Patrick Mahomes & Kansas City Chiefs Updates
As shared by Ian Hartitz of MB Fantasy Life, Mahomes has been in the top three in percentage of pressures being turned into sacks every season since he became the Chiefs’ starter. This season he was second among qualified players with a 10.6 percent. In 2022, he was first with 9.8 percent.
There is virtually nothing that an opposing defense can do to slow down Mahomes and the Chiefs. They are essentially left hoping he or one of his teammates make a mistake, which happened regularly in the regular season as his supporting cast was sometimes lacking.
But, when it mattered most in the playoffs, he found a way to get the job done. As long as Mahomes is under center for the Chiefs, he is good enough to help compensate for any weaknesses on the unit.
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