(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) Kansas City City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The Kansas City Chiefs will be looking to avenge their only loss of the season against divisional rivals the Las Vegas Raiders when both sides face each other for a second time this season Sunday night.
By now, Chiefs Kingdom is definitely aware of the Week 5 stunt when the Raiders boarded the team bus and took a victory lap around Arrowhead Stadium before heading back to the airport. That definitely angered head coach Andy Reid, who earlier this week said “That’s not our style” when referring to his squad.
Speaking to the media Wednesday, Mahomes also broke his silence on his opponent’s actions, calling the upcoming rematch “just as important as any other game in the division.”
“If you’re not ready to go in this game, playing a divisional opponent, playing against a good football team and you know it’s going to mean a lot going toward the AFC West standings, then you’re not in the right sport,” Mahomes said, via ESPN. “For me, it’s just as important as any other game in the division, no matter if they took a victory lap or not.”
Mahomes on Avoiding the Season Sweep
It’s safe to say Mahomes is more motivated than ever to ensure the reigning world champions avoid a season sweep against one of their most bitter rivals.
“Any time you lose to anyone, the next time you play them you want to win the football game,” Mahomes explained. “We’ll be ready to go, I promise you that. … We don’t like losing to teams twice, so we’ll have the right mindset.”
This is the third consecutive year we face the Raiders following our bye week. We all know how good Big Red is after a bye…
When prompted about whether his team matched Las Vegas’ energy during that October 10 matchup, the 25-year-old responded “clearly not” and went on to credit his AFC West foe on their preparedness instead.
“They came out and won the football game,” Mahomes continued. “We’ll have to do a better job of that this time and know that we’re playing against a good opponent and know that we’re going to have to give it our best shot if we’re going to come out with a win.”
Though he’s taking a different route than tight end Travis Kelce when it comes to speaking on this particular matchup, Mahomes is clearly approaching Sunday’s game with an equally confident mindset.
Could No. 15 Win His Second League MVP Title This Season?
What’s so crazy about Mahomes is each week, he’s expected to go out and put up record-breaking numbers, because as fans that’s what we’re all used to seeing. But as of late, the odds of him being this year’s league MVP have steadily risen, and now he seems to find himself up at the top.
Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson had been the favorite since Week 2, but his recent dip in form has also taken a toll on his chances. According to William Hill Sportsbook, these are the current top-6 standings:
Patrick Mahomes (+175)
Russell Wilson (+275)
Aaron Rodgers (+300)
Kyler Murray (+1000)
Josh Allen (+2000)
Tom Brady (+2000)
Through nine games, the former Texas Tech star has tossed 25 touchdown passes and only one interception. Not to mention, Mahomes’ 115.9 QB rating is also a career best. There’s still some time in the season for Wilson to make his case. Based on the way he’s performing, however, Mahomes is no doubt making it harder for Wilson to catch up.
READ MORE: Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes Opens up About the Prospect of Losing Eric Bieniemy