Patrick Mahomes is suddenly right on the doorstep of another Tom Brady benchmark.
The Chiefs quarterback tied Brady’s NFL record for the fastest path to 100 regular-season wins on Sunday, and now he could move in front of that pace next month if Kansas City keeps stacking victories. Mahomes made the point with a laugh after the game, joking about how long Brady has seemed to stay in the picture.
“My honest first reaction is they’ve said this from 97 on. I’m like, ‘When did Tom lose another game?’
Because I feel every game I win, I tie him,” Mahomes told reporters Sunday, eliciting laughter. “But in all seriousness, it’s always an honor to be in any conversation as far as winning football with him.
That’s the GOAT. He knows how to win football better than anyone really in any other sport.
And so, if you can be mentioned in any category with him, it’s special.”
Mahomes can outpace Brady’s 100-win mark by winning his next four games. The Chiefs’ upcoming stretch runs through Sunday at the Seahawks, then Nov. 1 at the Broncos, Nov. 8 against the Jets and Nov. 15 at the Falcons. If Kansas City goes 4-0 there, Mahomes would be 104-31 for his career.
Brady set the original standard on Oct. 4, 2010, in a game that looked shaky at halftime before New England ripped it open. The Dolphins had led the Patriots 7-6 at the break, but the second half turned into a barrage.
New England opened the third quarter with a 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, then BenJarvus Green-Ellis scored on a 12-yard run a little more than two minutes later. In the fourth quarter, the Patriots added a pick-six and a blocked-field-goal return for another touchdown, rolling to a 41-14 win.
Brady threw only one touchdown pass that day, but it was the 100th win of his regular-season career, and it came in his 131st game. That was the NFL record for fastest to 100 victories until Mahomes matched it Sunday.
Brady and the Patriots kept winning after that, too. They won their next three games, pushing Brady to a 103-31 record, then lost 34-14 to the Browns in Cleveland.
That ended up being their last regular-season defeat of the 2010 season, since New England won its final eight games before falling to the Jets in an AFC Divisional playoff game. The Patriots then won their first two games of the 2011 season, leaving Brady at 113-32 in regular-season games at that point.
Brady finished his regular season career at 251-82. In the playoffs, he went 35-13.
In Other News...
Patrick Mahomes Is Dominating In One Crucial Area Again
Patrick Mahomes has quietly reasserted one of the most dangerous parts of his game, and it is showing up in the kind of throws that can break a defense when a play starts to fall apart. After the ACL and LCL tears, the Chiefs quarterback is leading the NFL in completing passes outside the pocket, a reminder of how much stress he can still put on opponents even when the original design of a play is gone. CBS Sports and Fox Sports have both pointed out that he looks like himself again, which is not exactly good news for anyone trying to slow down Kansas City.
The timing only makes the Chiefs harder to deal with as they head into Week 7 still unbeaten. Mahomes ability to create on the move has always been a separator, and it is giving Kansas City the sort of margin for error most teams do not get. With Kenneth Walker III also drawing notice for his production, the broader picture is the one the rest of the league has been dreading: the Chiefs are finding answers in more than one place, and Mahomes is once again doing the most damaging work when the pocket disappears. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Bolton Just Passed A Chiefs Standard Fans Know Well
Nick Bolton has built a reputation as one of the most dependable players on Kansas Citys defense, and now he has another line on his rsum to go with it. During the Chiefs win over the Chargers, the linebacker added to a career that has been defined by steady production and physical tackling, enough for the team to officially note that he has moved into a place few defenders ever reach in franchise history.
The milestone carries some real weight because the standard he passed belonged to Derrick Johnson, one of the most respected linebackers in Chiefs history. Boltons consistency has become part of the backbone of this defense, and every time he stacks up another big-tackle performance, it reinforces just how central he has been to Kansas Citys recent success. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Passing Game Faces A Bigger Test Than One Shorthanded Win
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs kept the offense moving Sunday against the Chargers even without Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton, turning a thin receiver room into a workable one in a 22-6 win. Mahomes finished 23 of 30 for 272 yards, leaning on Travis Kelce and getting meaningful help from Noah Gray, Xavier Worthy and a handful of other pass catchers who were able to stay involved throughout the game.
The bigger question for Kansas City is what this passing game looks like when the competition stiffens and the missing bodies matter more. The Chiefs were able to spread the ball around and still remain productive, with Cyrus Allen, Jalen Royals and Andrew Armstrong all contributing, but Sunday felt more like a proof of survival than a final answer about how the offense will function if the depth chart stays this way. [Read more 🡒]