The 2022 NFL season is the first test for the Kansas City Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
While Kansas City has enjoyed many fruitful seasons with Mahomes, this year is something different for them.
No longer does he have Tyreek Hill, the biggest weapon of his throughout his career.
However, that loss didn’t stop the Chiefs QB from balling out on Sunday afternoon.
So what type of performance did we see from the Super Bowl champion QB on Sunday?
Mahomes Posts A Five-Touchdown Game Against The Arizona Cardinals
If fans wanted a near perfect game from a QB on Sunday, Mahomes was the one to deliver it.
His 360 passing yards, five touchdowns, and 30-for-39 game got him a rating of 144.2.
Mahomes with a five-piece in Week 1 🔥
📺: #KCvsAZ on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/SO6ObDqAc2 pic.twitter.com/TEq8207lhE— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022
He also protected the ball, as he threw zero interceptions.
The combination of touchdowns, yards, and no interceptions helped him net that 144.2 rating.
It also showcases how he can dominate the game without Hill.
A major storyline during this offseason was how Mahomes needs Hill to do well.
However, his Sunday performance is currently debunking those doubts.
But is Mahomes just good on opening day, or can he continue the dominance throughout the season?
Opening Day Is Always Mahomes’ Best Day
If you need a QB to ball out on opening day, Mahomes has an outstanding track record of accomplishing this feat.
Patrick Mahomes in 5⃣ career Week 1 games:
🔺 5-0 record
🔺 121/167 (72.5%)
🔺 308.4 YPG
🔺 18 TD
🔺 0 INT
🔺 136.9 QBROn another level. #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/wM5F9Ks20k
— bet365 US (@bet365_us) September 12, 2022
He’s 5-0 on opening day, passing for 18 touchdowns and zero interceptions.
With the start of the NFL season being near perfect for him each time, it’s clear opening day is his day.
While he doesn’t complete every pass, his 72.5% completion percentage is higher than his regular season completion rate.
During the regular season, Mahomes posts around a 66% completion rate each season.
Even with the young QB looking great in his first game, some are still doubtful about his potential in 2022.
He Has An Uphill Battle To Continue His Impressive Start To 2022
The schedule for the Chiefs and their star QB doesn’t get easier as the season progresses.
They face their division rival, the Los Angeles Chargers, in their next game.
After that battle, they face four teams with stout defenses over their next five games.
If Mahomes wants everyone to believe he doesn’t need Hill, he’ll need to overcome the next six teams on the schedule.
He already acknowledged the starting schedule being tough for the team.
However, he believes in the game plan of his head coach, Andy Reid.
We have a tough beginning of our schedule. I think that coach Reid runs his training game the way that he does so we can be prepared for the start of the season," said Mahomes.https://t.co/EqqKrsQHbl
— KOLR10 | Ozarks Fox (@kolr10kozl) July 30, 2022
But defeating teams with great defenses isn’t as easy as a simple game plan.
It takes a savvy leader on game day to lead his team to victory.
Mahomes has spent the last four seasons being that offensive leader.
However, the challenge is leading a new group of receivers to victory.
While having Hill gave him a safety outlet, playing without him means defenses don’t know who will be the top receiver for Kansas City.
It’s that confusion the Chiefs QB can capitalize on in each game.
With defenses guessing who’s his favorite target is in 2022, he can ride that into a solid season without Hill by his side.
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