The 2022 NFL season is right around the corner for Kansas City Chiefs. It is therefore time to make some bold Patrick Mahomes Week 1 predictions. Expectations are high for the Chiefs’ season opener Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Mahomes and Kansas City had a difficult start to last season. The team was 3-4 in its first seven games. This raised questions about whether they would make it to the postseason. The Chiefs won nine of the remaining 10 games and eventually bounced back. In the AFC Championship Game, they lost to the Cincinnati Bengals. Mahomes had two interceptions in overtime. He will attempt to forget the negative memories of his last performance by putting on a strong performance in Week 1.
These are my bold predictions for Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ season opener against Cardinals.
Mahomes had great numbers last season, despite a slow start. He threw for 4,839 yard with a career high 66.3% completion rate and 37 touchdowns. He did have a career-worst of 13 interceptions.
Although the Cardinals have some strong pieces in their defense, such as J.J. Watt and Budda Baker, Mahomes should not have any trouble dissecting Arizona. He’ll still have to face some challenges.
Mahomes will be without Tyreek Hills for the first time in his professional career. Hill was an integral part of the team’s recent Super Bowl run and will be greatly missed on the field. He had 56 receiving touchdowns in six seasons. This kind of production is hard to replace. However, Mahomes will try to get Marquez ValdesScantling or JuJu SmithSchuster involved as soon as possible to build trust. He also has Travis Kelce, who was his most reliable receiving threat during Mahomes tenure in KC.
Although it will look different, Mahomes should still post vintage numbers during the season opener.
Patrick Mahomes is a great passer. Sometimes, fans forget that he can also use his legs. He ran for 381 yard on 66 attempts in 2021. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry, scoring twice on the ground, and averaged 5.8 yards per carry. These numbers were his best in his entire career.
Mahomes won’t have Hill on the team so he will rely heavily on Kelce. Although he will have Smith-Schuster, Valdes-Scantling and Valdes-Scantling available, the team’s chemistry may be a little off at the start of 2022. Although it is possible for him to be in tune with his new additions at the beginning of the season, it is not a guarantee.
Mahomes may need to use his legs more in Week 1. The Chiefs’ quarterback, Watt, will likely be under pressure. He may choose to play with his legs to gain some yardage.
Mahomes will become more inventive on the ground as Arizona’s defenders make Kelce’s job harder. Andy Reid, the head coach, would prefer to keep his quarterback healthy early in the season. However Mahomes’ running skills could make a difference in the final outcome.
People often say that a quarterback needs to improve his midseason form. For Kansas City fans, Mahomes appears to be already in the right place for the season opener.
He completed 18 of 26 passes, totaling 222 yards, in two preseason games. Mahomes performed admirably, despite having limited time on the field.
In those three games, he led the team on a total of three drives. He was able to get to the end zone in all three, which gave him a 100% touchdown rate during his 2022 preseason drives.
It is also noteworthy that the three touchdown passes were caught and threw by Blake Bell, Jody Fortson, and Jody Forson, who are both secondary receivers. This could indicate that Mahomes will not be afraid to use his new weapons, Smith-Schuster or Valdes-Scantling, when he has the opportunity.
Chiefs could need a strong start that includes a touchdown to win the game. A strong start will help the defense gain confidence and allow Eric Bienemy to be creative. Mahomes’s ability to get the Chiefs off on a high note could make a difference in the outcome.