The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road on Sunday by a final score of 41-31. The Chiefs displayed no shortage of confidence on the road and jumped out to an early lead. Tom Brady and the Bucs made a comeback that ultimately fell short.
Kansas City entered the 2022 season with some questions facing them. But they are now 3-1 and are looking like their old selves. But what did the Chiefs' Week 4 victory over the Buccaneers reveal?
Patrick Mahomes doesn't need Tyreek Hill
One of the main Chiefs' concerns heading into the 2022 campaign was how Patrick Mahomes would fare without star wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Hill was Mahomes' favorite target over the past few seasons, and often boosted both of their numbers with his elite speed. Mahomes could simply dump the ball off to him on a screen and watch him run for 30 yards. But Hill left for Miami to join the Dolphins, and everyone wondered if Mahomes could survive.
The verdict is officially in, and Patrick Mahomes is more than capable of producing with the current team he has. The QB went 23-37 through the air with 249 passing yards and 3 touchdowns in the Chiefs' Sunday victory. He finished the game with a 97.7 QB rating.
Patrick Mahomes' crafty style of play makes him one of the most entertaining players to watch. He is almost more effective when a play breaks down and he's forced to scramble in the backfield and make a play. NFL analyst Chris Collinsworth summed up his play style on Sunday, per Joshua Brisco on Twitter.
“He (Mahomes) looks like the dad playing in the backyard with all the kids,” Collinsworth said.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire is… a Chiefs' star?
The Chiefs' running game has dealt with inconsistency over the past few years. But Clyde Edwards-Helaire might just be a star in the making.
The 23-year old ran for 92 yards on Sunday with a rushing touchdown. He added a receiving TD as well. He's tallied over 200 rushing yards through the Chiefs first 4 games of the year. He's added 5 total touchdowns and is emerging as a red zone receiving threat for KC.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire has always flashed signs of stardom. But he hasn't played more than 13 games in a season through the first two years of his career. If he plays a full season in 2022, he very well may be in line for a true breakout campaign in Kansas City's backfield.
Chiefs' receiving core
This coincides with Mahomes not needing Hill, but the Chiefs actually have an impressive receiving core. Many people were not sure what to expect from their passing attack this year.
Sure, Travis Kelce is arguably the best tight end in the game.
But receivers such as JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Skyy Moore have been solid so far this year. Moore reeled in a pair of receptions for 30-plus yards against the Buccaneers. Meanwhile, Valdez-Scantling produced 63 receiving yards on 3 receptions, while Smith-Schuster had 5 catches for 46 yards.
And of course Travis Kelce led the charge with 9 receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown.
Each one of these players benefit from Patrick Mahomes' elite brand of play. But the truth is that Mahomes has benefitted from them as well. You can ask Aaron Rodgers how important receiving talent is.
The Chiefs offense carried them to their high-scoring victory in Week 4 against Tampa Bay. They will look to continue playing well moving forward.
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