KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 12: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs calls out a play from the line of scrimmage in the second half of during the AFC Divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium on January 12, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images)
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes should have his best season yet in 2020.
Think Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs were dominant last season? Wait until 2020.
Mahomes is entering his third year as the starting quarterback. He’s surrounded by the best group of weapons in the NFL, including wide receivers Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman and Sammy Watkins, All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce and rookie first-round running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
The offensive line is terrific as well, anchored by Pro Bowl left tackle Eric Fisher and All-Pro right tackle Mitchell Schwartz,
As importantly, Mahomes has Andy Reid on the sideline. Reid, combined with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, provide Kansas City with the best offensive schemes in football.
Lastly, continuity. Kansas City didn’t lose a single player off the roster who played at least 58 percent of its snaps a season ago. Not bad for a Super Bowl champion.
In 2018, Mahomes won the NFL MVP award throwing for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns. He became only the second player in league history to hit the 5,000-yard and 50-touchdown mark in the same season, joining Peyton Manning.
This year, his numbers could somehow be even more eye-popping.
Why the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes will dominate the NFL in 2020
In 2018, Mahomes had the same trio of Hill, Watkins and Kelce. Both Fisher and Schwartz were on the edges. Bieniemy and Reid on the sideline. The biggest difference between ’18 and last year were the injuries suffered — to Mahomes and his teammates — and the absence of running back Kareem Hunt.
With the selection of Edwards-Helaire, Hunt’s loss has finally been mitigated. However, unlike ’18, the Chiefs have a legitimate third receiver in Hardman, whose rookie year was fantastic.
Hill’s rookie season: 83 targets, 61 receptions, 593 yards, 9.7 YPR, 6 TDs
Hardman’s rookie season: 41 targets, 26 receptions, 538 yards, 20.7 YPR, 6 TDs
Despite getting half the targets, Hardman only finished 55 yards behind Hill’s rookie year. The second-round pick from Georgia also led the NFL last year in yards per catch (20.7) and made the Pro Bowl as a returner, same as Hill in 2016.
If Hardman makes the leap as Hill did in his second year (75 catches, 1,183 yards and 7 TDs), Mahomes has another elite weapon with sub-4.3 speed to find.
Meanwhile, Kelce shows no signs of slowing. Last year, Kelce recorded his fourth-straight 1,000-yard season, the first tight end to ever do so. The future Hall of Famer remains the best pass-catcher at his position, and has only missed one game since 2013.
With Edwards-Helaire in the fold — a rookie who caught 55 passes at LSU last season — it’ll be increasingly difficult for teams to blitz Mahomes or double any of his top targets. The result will be more zone coverage, something he has torched at a blinding pace.
Could Mahomes have the best year of an already historic career?
All the evidence says yes.