The game that Mahomes played against the Ravens was majestic. The passes he made towards the end of the game and throughout were magical.
But they're not things you can rely on him making for 17 weeks a season. I don't even care if he's been making them this year on a weekly basis. You shouldn't ask your QB to be superhuman to win games. You should ask him to be good to win games, so that when he becomes superhuman, you can't lose.
Because Mahomes was amazing against the Ravens, but if he struggles we lose. If he struggled against the Raiders, we lose.
In short, since losing Hunt, the Chiefs need more versatility so that they have other ways to beat teams if Mahomes is ever off. The biggest way you can do that is by fixing the defense, but that will require a ton of resources -- all three levels of the defense need a makeover
and beg some hard questions. And while this can be done, it's probably not going to get done in one offseason, and the Mahomes Franchise Contract clock is ticking.
The easiest way to do this, however, is with an offense that is 99% built as it is right now. Get an elite RB.
An elite QB that can run the ball 25 times and get 180 yards if teams dare us to run is a solution we should seriously consider. It will require something dramatic, like spending a 1st round pick on a RB, or spending major coin on LeVeon Bell. (
Here's what the latter would kind of look like.)
Now, there are multiple complaints I can already envision:
* Running the ball is increasingly irrelevant. I agree with that, but you do need to be able to counter teams if they commit 100% resources to removing your passing game. You can still get victories on the ground.
* Big money free agent RBs never pan out. Big money anything rarely pans out. QBs are paid a ton of money and flame out. Passrushers. DL. Corners. Think less of it as using up cap space, and more an investment into the role they play on the team. Because the role an elite RB that demands attention from opposing defenses only makes Mahomes role easier.
*
This player or
that player is not good enough. Shrug.
Anyway, I know I'll get roasted for this because you guys roast me for everything, but it's worth consideration as we enter an offseason without Kareem Hunt.