Patrick Mahomes boasts an impressive NFL career, particularly in the postseason, with five consecutive AFC title games, three conference championships, two Super Bowl titles, and even a shattered helmet.
However, this Sunday night brings a new challenge for Mahomes as he leads the Kansas City Chiefs into Buffalo for the divisional round of the playoffs.
It marks the first time in his 15 postseason games that Mahomes will be playing away from Arrowhead Stadium or the Super Bowl.
Reflecting on the unusual situation, Mahomes remarked, “It kind of is what it is. I’ve been lucky enough to play a lot of games at home, at Arrowhead Stadium, and things have fallen that way.
Now we get to go on the road to a hostile environment, and one I have not played in with fans in the stands. But it’s what you want to do when you grow up watching these games.”
The Chiefs’ road journey is a result of a rare offensive offside penalty in their regular-season game against Buffalo, altering their seeding. Despite this, Mahomes’ statistics suggest that playing away from home might not be a disadvantage for him.
Throughout his career, he has shown a higher completion percentage, more yards per game, and a significantly better quarterback rating in road games.
Mahomes attributes this road success to Coach Andy Reid’s emphasis on communication. “You have to have nonverbal communication when you’re on the road. We preach that,” explained Mahomes, highlighting the importance of maintaining a balanced mindset regardless of the game’s outcome.
The quarterback’s performance in the divisional round is particularly noteworthy, boasting a 5-0 record with 11 touchdowns, no interceptions, and a completion rate of 70%, surpassing his career average. Head Coach Reid expressed confidence in Mahomes, stating, “I know he looks forward to playing. He gets fired up for every game.”
While Mahomes has been a challenge for the Bills, especially in the postseason, he acknowledges the tough competition. “The Bills are a great challenge. I think everybody understands that,” he said. “They’ve gotten my number a number of times. They beat us earlier this year. We know we’ll have to play great football to win the game. It’s not about ending their season for us. It’s about advancing. Finding a way to get to the next round.”
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