Three Takeaways From the Chiefs' 33-27 Win Over the Dolphins
After a tumultuous start to the game, the Kansas City Chiefs were able to score 30-straight points to come back from a 10-point deficit against the Miami Dolphins to win 33-24.
In the Chiefs' first game in Miami since their Super Bowl victory, Kansas City was able to win the AFC West with its win today.
Here are three takeaways from today's win against the Dolphins.
1. Patrick Mahomes doesn't have bad games.
Mahomes started the game terribly. It was the worst start I've ever seen Patrick Mahomes have to a football game. Two interceptions, a fumbled snap and a 30-yard sack didn't matter in the grand scheme of things because Mahomes figured things out before the end of the first quarter. The Chiefs' signal-caller finished the game 24-for-34 393 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
While it wasn't his best game as a Kansas City Chief, Mahomes' game still ranked in the top 75% of all games by a quarterback in terms of expected points added per play. Mahomes doesn't have a bad game in the traditional sense of the word. He just has bad games to his standards.
2. The Chiefs defense stepped up.
When the world was ending and Patrick Mahomes was looking like Tyler Palko, the Chiefs defense only allowed the Dolphins to score seven points in the first quarter. When the offense committed their second turnover of the day, the defense was able to hold Miami to a field goal. The Dolphins only has 10 points on the board when Kansas City started its comeback.
I've been hard on the defense and they deserve a lot of credit for the game today. They played well and kept Tua Tagovailoa at bay. I've been especially tough on the pass rush and they were able to get pressure and make the rookie uncomfortable in the pocket. Maybe this is the week, the Chiefs defense starts to turn a corner.
3. Travis Kelce is the best receiver in the game.
Week after week, Kelce continually puts up insane production from the tight end position. Kelce came into the game five yards behind Seattle wide receiver DK Metcalf for most receiving yards this season. After his 136 yard performance today, he's in first place. As a tight end.
He's doing things no tight ends have done before. Kelce collected his 25th career game of 100 or more receiving yards today. The game moves him past Kellen Winslow (24) for the third-most 100-yard games by a tight end in NFL history, trailing only Tony Gonzalez (31) and Rob Gronkowski (29). Not only that but he now has a reception in 108 consecutive games and is the second-longest streak in team history (Gonzalez, 131). Kelce's run is tied for the fifth-longest active streak in the NFL. What a year Kelce is having.