Mahomes' physicality a galvanizing force for Chiefs - ESPN

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — During last week's game, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was intentional in wanting to deliver a message — both to his teammates and the opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chiefs' first play on offense in the second half began with Mahomes executing a play-action fake and then rolling to his right. Mahomes knew that most quarterbacks, including himself, would've been content with gaining seven or eight yards before running out of bounds to ensure they didn't get hit by a defender. This time, however, Mahomes was the one who wanted contact. He turned upfield to lower his left shoulder into linebacker Troy Dye for an 11-yard gain. Following the play, even as a few Chargers from the sideline chirped at him, Mahomes smiled when he entered the Chiefs' huddle.

In Mahomes' mind, he accomplished his side mission: He grabbed everyone's attention.

«More than anything, sometimes you've got to do something to jump-start the team,» Mahomes said after the Chiefs' 27-21 loss. «I was not in the mood to be running out of bounds.»

Later in the same drive, Mahomes doubled his efforts. While scrambling for another first down, Mahomes wowed the crowd in São Paulo when he trucked cornerback Donte Jackson before going out of bounds, a decision he made because he noticed — after a lackluster first half — that his teammates needed to be inspired by his physicality.

«He's always going to do anything to give us a better chance at winning,» right guard Trey Smith said Friday of Mahomes. «He's looking to make a play, and it fires me up. It makes me want to fight harder and protect him harder.»

The Chiefs scored a few plays later on Mahomes' 11-yard touchdown run that was a byproduct of a broken run-pass option