Patrick Mahomes can find ‘sweet spot’ with Chiefs receivers | Pro Football Talk | NFL on NBC

the chiefs made the very bold move of trading Tyreek Hill and they've only won every Super Bowl played since then last year it was collection of pass catchers now Travis Kelce key piece but the receivers not quite at the level that Patrick Mahomes has been accustomed to there's optimism in Kansas City that this year they'll get back to being more potent at the receiver position than they've been post Tyreek Hill here's Travis Kelce about the current collection pass catchers on the Kansas City roster I've loved the receiver group that we've always had obviously we got hit with uh kind of a a stereotype that we couldn't catch the ball on big big downs and things like that but this year I think in terms of confidence and and where we're different from years past is it just it seems like the group is more tight-knit you know everybody's playing off of each other a little bit more there's more of a discussion in the room um and I'm just excited that uh the the type of athletes that we got that um and the type of quarterback that we have that we can put it all together I thought as he was saying that we got hit with the stereotype that we couldn't catch the ball in big moments that we got rid of all those guys they don't work here anymore cadarius Tony's gone Marquez valz scantling is gone the guys that can't catch the ball are gone now we have guys that can catch the ball it's a fairly simple requirement of the job can you catch the ball but what they also have is speed Rashi rice one of the reasons they support him as fervently as they do despite the eight felony charges for street racing he came in figured out the offense faster than Tyreek Hill did when he was a rookie and had nearly a thousand yards and got better as the postseason unfolded they've added Xavier worthy Hollywood Brown at some point is going to be healthy after having that that scary injury that had him hospitalized after one of the preseason games so they've got speed in more than one receiver position they got three guys who if they're out there together can take everyone deep and then keep the entire underneath wide open for Travis Kelce to do more of what he does I mean it's going to be a different passing game if those guys are healthy and on the field together than what we've seen from the Chiefs the past two years well it is but I you know and you mentioned the speed guys but I think bringing back Juju Smith Shuster as long as he is healthy is something that is going to be able to help the Chiefs as well because he understands what Patrick Mahomes wants out of you know the improvisational scat drill scramble drill all kinds of things like that he was extraordinarily productive for them I thought in that 2022 season when they were able to win the Super bowl over the Philadelphia Eagles and so having him back and not just being able to say okay yeah they've got the speed elements they're going to be able to fire it deep and not just say okay well on the underneath routes well you still got to look for Travis Kelce no you got to look for Juju Smith Shuster as well and that I think is going to be one of these elements that is going to be able to help take the Chiefs back to the kind of top five top three offense that we're used to seeing when they have Patrick Mahomes behind Center I mean because last year just wasn't that and you're right I mean they got rid of guys like tadarius Tony they got rid of Marquez Val scantling who you know God love him he he did have that third down catch at the end of the game CCH R right like yeah yeah and like had a big catch against the bills too yeah yes sure did who he now plays for so it I I think that the speed element that's going to be there especially when Hollywood Brown comes back you know but then also The Possession element and it's not just going to be Travis Kelce I think that kind of Smith Shuster being back I think is really huge I do and it's gonna take some pressure off of Kelsey a little bit in that way and I think it just overall is going to probably make them that much more explosive he had a solid year for them in 2022 I'm look at the numbers now 78 catches 101 targets 933 yards average 12 per reception and three total touchdowns um and this this has to be I look at it and I think this has to be a misprint I'm looking at pro football reference he has a long reception according to this of 97 yards in both 2017 and 2018 not exactly a speed guy even when he was young and you know had his full tread on the tires 97 yards each of those two years if I remembered that I've forgotten if I ever knew it let me try that again if I ever knew that I'd forgotten but he's now a guy who's essentially a tight end given the lack of explosion that the Patriots saw whether it was because of his knee injury the Patriots decided to move on and they owe him a significant amount of money this year the Chiefs presumably paying him close to the minimum because the Patriots have to pay the rest but you're right if you've got these fast guys stretching the field you have not only Travis Kelce but also Juju Smith Schuster underneath who can take it advantage of the openings yeah exactly and that I think you know whether you're playing if you're playing Zone coverage against Mahomes which you know we know that the two high safeties is what a lot of teams have played in order to make sure that those uh those pass those explosive passes aren't necessarily happening but they also haven't had guys that can really take the top off the defense anyway I mean how many teams do you think play two high safeties against Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Wad and yet every game it seems like Kevin harand is saying he's got hilled because like that it's just Tyreek Hill can run past those guys so if they can have Xavier worthy do that and he runs that 4.21 40 which we all know about then that's G to sort of negate that advantage that defenses can have when you have that guy who's just flying by them anyway so that's going to be interesting I I really am looking forward to seeing that first bomb attempt that we get from momes to Xavier worthy and how that thing turns out because man oh man if if they can get that kind of connection with the Deep balls the chief's going to be fun to watch this year baby they really are Gary points out juu Smith Shuster is only 27 years old it does seem like he's been around forever and that at a minimum he's on the wrong side of 30 but it feels like he's been in the NFL for years and years and years one of the realities of Tyreek Hill when he was with the Chiefs Patrick Mahomes would maybe hold the ball a little too long infatuated with making the Deep throw to Tyreek Hill and once he was gone they were able to just run the offense but they didn't have enough of the deep ball the offense still works if there's a sweet spot there that maybe they can find where yes you're not overdoing it you're not addicted to dropping back and running around and waiting for the opportunity to hit one of your guys deep but you're doing it selectively surgically and strategically and it's the Perfect Blend you dial them up at the right time I I remember back the year that the Vikings had Randy Moss Chris Carter and Jake Reed it felt like every time they threw it deep it was deliberate and calculated and strategic it wasn't just I'm going to make something happen and I just have to get the ball to Randy Moss because I know he's going to be open down there it was always this is the moment for it go do it you know whether it was flea flick or play action whatever get around the 50 this is the moment go do it I feel like now the Chiefs are in a position where they can have that attit itude instead of hey Patrick just go make things happen this is the moment to throw it deep go do it right and I think the other aspect of that is the maturity with um Patrick Mahomes I don't mean that in like a pejorative way I just mean you know Gathering more experience right the fact that he is older and he has seen more than he did when the Chiefs got rid of uh Tyreek Hill I think is going to make him that much better of a quarterback because he he has a better understanding of okay this is why things are the way they are in the structure right this is why things work against certain coverages oh I've seen this I remember when this happened before and I was able to make this throw but if they're playing this the same way that means that that throw is going to be open you know so all of those things I think can combine and a make Patrick mahomes's a better quarterback but B because the Personnel is better it's going to make the Chiefs a better offense and again when you got Andy Reid scheming things up Matt nagie obviously is a big part of that too know this is going to be an offense that should hum because the Personnel again is that much better last year there was talk about Patrick Mahomes having a very strong desire to get to the point where Tom Brady was later in his career where you'll walk up to the line and nothing fools you nothing tricks you nothing phases you and I haven't heard heard any of that this year and that means one of two things well three really one I just completely missed it which is possible but not likely two he still feels that way but he's not talking about it anymore or three he's gotten to where he wants to be and that's a scary thought if he's already there after six years as a starter where he feels that level of confidence that he knows what's coming cuz I remember when Tom Brady said that he was actually on this show after they won Super Bowl 51 saying that I think it was to me maybe it was to Peter King but the idea that there's nothing you can fool me with anymore I walk up to the line of scrimmage and I've seen it all probably didn't say it on this show but you know it makes me feel better if I think he did but the idea that I have seen anything and everything that you can put out there and that's what happens and that's where you get into this combination of I still can play like I've always played and my brain is a football supercomputer that cannot be hacked that cannot be that cannot be Frozen that can't be beaten that's that's when you only get better and to consider what he's accomplished this far when he gets to that point if he's already there or if it's coming because we know it's coming at some point right if he still can run and throw like he has that that makes it even more likely I'll be sitting here on Plenty of Wednesdays and Thursdays of Labor Day week yeah I I I agree with you and you know that's the thing that makes Patrick mom so special to is that I don't think he's going to stop working you know even if he feels like he's seen everything he's going to still want to watch the tape and say wait a minute can I what else can I learn I think we we got that impression at least from that quarterback show that they did last year you know where we see behind the scenes of him working on his body and you know contorting his body in such a way that you know when it happens in a game it's familiar to the body so that your strength is still there and you can hopefully avoid injury in that way you know I think what he's done so far in his career certainly is remarkable but there is still space for him to get better and you know Andy re has talked about it that's one of the things that makes momes so great is that he always wants the challenge of getting better it challenges you as a coach in order to make sure you can give him something that can make him better so you know when you've got guys like that who chase the greatness and Chase the work that produces greatness that that's why you get to the level where he's at at at this point in his career okay you have a chance to win $1 million in the NBC sweep Stakes on Yahoo fantasy just download the redesign Yahoo fantasy app or go to nbcsports.com fantasy million for additional details what are you waiting for hi it's Mike Florio thanks for watching PFT on YouTube hit subscribe for the latest news and Analysis from pro football talk