The projected starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes is set to take over the offense for the Chiefs, but is it enough to keep the Chiefs ahead of Denver in the AFC West in 2018?
Former Chief, Eric Warfield joined Danny Williams and Benny Bash of Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 to discuss his thoughts on Patrick Mahomes and the potential outlook of the 2018 Chiefs.
The Chiefs traded up from No. 27 to No. 10 in order to select Mahomes in the 2017 draft. Mahomes threw 41 touchdowns and 10 interceptions his final year at Texas Tech and was the second quarterback selected in that draft.
When Patrick Mahomes takes the field this season, he will have a strong supporting cast that consists of Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hil, Sammy Watkins, and tight end Travis Kelce.
“[Kansas City has] Kelce. You’ve got Tyreek Hill who can open the field up at any point,” Warfield continued. “[Kareem] Hunt is a secure running back, doesn’t fumble a lot and he’s productive through the holes. Right now, that offense is set to score points.”
A key to success in 2018 for the Chiefs will hinge on rookie sensation Hunt. Hunt, finished 2017 with an NFL-best 1,327 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 272 carries. He also caught 53 passes for 455 yards and three more TDs.
A team’s success hinges on their quarterback and Mahomes must be ready to take charge of a potent offense. Mahomes showed flashes of his ability with 22-of-35 passing for 284 yards and one interception against the Denver Broncos last year.
“We have so many pieces,” said Warfield. “I think that we have so much firepower on our offense to where even Mahomes; without the experience, doesn’t have to do as much.”
The departure of Smith may come back to haunt Kansas City as he was one of the most successful quarterbacks in franchise history. Smith leaves the Chiefs with a 50-26 mark and a winning percentage of 65.8.
“I think Alex is a great quarterback,” Warfield continued. “I think we got rid of him at the wrong time. But hey, he’s gone now and we’ve got Patrick Mahomes who’s going to step right in.”
When asked about the Broncos potential 2018 outlook, Warfield was uncertain due to the lack of inconsistency from the offensive side of the ball over the last couple of seasons.
“Right now, [the Broncos] is based on defense,” said Warfield. “Having Von Miller there, you’re always going to have a productive efficient defense and that’s always a great thing to have.”
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