Getty Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs edged out Tom Brady and the Patriots in their Week 14 matchups.
The Kansas City Chiefs did what no NFL team has managed to do against the New England Patriots in their last 21 home games: beat the reigning Super Bowl champions at Gillette Stadium. Tom Brady and company may have opened the scoring on their opening drive, but it was Patrick Mahomes who finally got his first win against the future Hall of Famer.
For that reason, among others, one analyst believes Andy Reid’s men have a real chance to be this seasons’ Super Bowl champions.
Max Kellerman, co-host of “First Take” on ESPN, made the bold prediction Monday morning in the clip below.
“The most hilarious thing to me is this team is flying under the radar now,” Kellerman said of the newly-crowned AFC West champions. “If Patrick Mahomes is healthy, like his hand allows him to be Patrick Mahomes, this team could easily win the Super Bowl.”
The longtime commentator then made note of the Chiefs being one snap away from the Super Bowl last year, had it not been for Dee Ford lining up in the offside position. Speaking on Mahomes’ efforts this season, Kellerman said he’s more experienced than his MVP-winning campaign last year, and that can work to Kansas City’s benefit.
“All I need to see is that they’re healthy and I’m going to pick them to win the whole thing,” the New York native concluded.
One Ex-Chief Had the Opposite Opinion
Unfortunately, not everyone endorsed Mahomes as the man to lead Kansas City to their second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. On Friday, former Chiefs cornerback Orlando Scandrick actually blamed the 24-year-old for the Chiefs’ 37-31 overtime loss against the Patriots in January’s AFC title match.
“The real bottom line is, Tom Brady three, Patrick Mahomes zero,” Scandrick predicted on “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed” prior to the Week 14 matchup.
Despite host Shannon Sharpe’s rebuttal about how poor the Chiefs defense performed at Arrowhead that night, Scandrick was assertive in his argument and insisted he was correct. Mahomes, thankfully, was able to prove him wrong.
Andy Reid Provides Injury Update on Mahomes
Chiefs fans feared the worst when Mahomes landed awkwardly on his right hand after being hit hard in the first quarter of Sunday’s game. Now 24 hours after the incident, head coach Andy Reid is confirming that his star play caller will be ready in time for Sunday’s matchup against the Denver Broncos.
“He was having a little tougher time gripping the ball, so we went with a little bit more of a shallow cross game [and] shorter throws,” Reid explained. “We ran the ball a little more, probably.
“Patrick’s hand is OK. It’s bruised up pretty good, but there’s no break,” Reid added.
Mahomes sat out several games earlier this season, but Reid insisted he won’t rest the Texas native when the Broncos march into Kansas City this weekend.
“He could still be effective,” Reid said. “[The injury] is not an excuse for the second half.”
Mahomes, likely unbothered by the rumors concerning his alleged sprain, posted an encouraging message to Chiefs fans on Twitter Sunday evening.
Day by day! We are not done! Just another step in the process! #ChiefsKingdom