Getty Images Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (15) and TE Travis Kelce (87)
The last time the Kansas City Chiefs were on the field on February 2, the franchise was lifting its second-ever Lombardi Trophy high in the Miami sky.
This week in the midst of a mostly virtual offseason, Kansas City fans got a glimpse of their champions back on the field as they prepare to #RunItBack in 2020. In a workout video posted to Twitter by Chiefs WR Gehrig Dieter, the third-year wideout can be seen practicing alongside QB Patrick Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce.
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Mahomes, Kelce, Three Others Named to PFF ‘Top 50’ List
Earlier this month, Pro Football Focus released its PFF50 list of the “NFL’s 50 best players” heading into 2020. Among the group this year were five Chiefs players, all of which landed within the top 25:
No. 2 — QB Patrick Mahomes
No. 16 — DT Chris Jones
No. 19 — TE Travis Kelce
No. 22 — WR Tyreek Hill
No. 23 — RT Mitchell Schwartz
According to the site, the list is “not about how valuable players are, but rather about how good they are, regardless of position.” Mahomes, fresh off of a second-consecutive 4,000-yard passing season despite missing two games midyear due to injury, took a back seat to only five-time All Pro DT Aaron Donald.
More of PFF’s thoughts on the MVP passer:
What we’re seeing from the young quarterback has never been done before — not necessarily statistically, but stylistically. His feel for the game and ability to make special plays as a passer is absurd. Since Mahomes entered the league, his PFF passing grade on third-and-long alone is 91.4, and his passer rating is 125.3 — comfortably the best in the league. Nobody can do what Mahomes can right now, and 2020 should bring about an even better version than last year if he stays healthy.
For the other Kansas City representatives, Schwartz was named the league’s top-ranked offensive tackle, Kelce placed as the league’s second-best tight end, trailing only George Kittle (No. 5 overall) and Jones finished third among interior defensive tackles behind Donald (No. 1) and Fletcher Cox (No. 15).
Raiders’ Sack Leader Determined to Drop Mahomes in 2020
After losing nine out of the last 10 regular season matchups against the Chiefs, including both 2019 contests by a combined score of 68-19, the Las Vegas Raiders haven’t had much to look forward to when it comes to catching up to their AFC West rivals.
One bright spot for Jon Gruden and company last year was the emergence of fourth-round rookie DE Maxx Crosby, who paced the team in sacks (10.0) in his first season. While the 22-year-old did not sack Mahomes in 2019, Crosby this week told Adam Lefkoe of The Lefkoe Show that the Super Bowl MVP is very much on his list for 2020.
“I was close as few times,” Crosby said. “It pissed me off pretty much. Every second after that game was over, a couple times I was just mad. . . He’s a different type of player too. He’s one of those guys. He just backpedals, he’ll throw the ball from weird angles, it’s not like sacking a regular quarterback. Yeah, I’m definitely looking forward to sacking him. It needs to happen. It’s definitely going to happen.”
Mahomes was sacked 17 times in 14 starts a year ago, only three of which came at the hands of the Raiders.
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