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Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill in midseason form torching hapless Vikings defenders

Jason Owens
·Staff writer
·2-min read

Some teams are sidelining their starters for this weekend's preseason finales.

Not the Kansas City Chiefs. The defending AFC champions are working with a revamped offensive line and put Patrick Mahomes and Co. on the field against the Minnesota Vikings Friday in an effort to get in some extra reps in before their Sept. 12 season opener against the Cleveland Browns.

They look primed for the regular season.

The Chiefs needed just five plays to hit pay dirt on their first drive against the Vikings that featured big highlight plays involving Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) is congratulated by teammate wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (11) after scoring during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings Friday, Aug. 27, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Tyreek Hill and the Chiefs look primed for the regular season. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

After a pair of runs set the Chiefs offense up with first-and-10 at their own 33, Mahomes dropped back for his first pass of the night. The 2018 league MVP delivered like only he can. He found Kelce running free in a crowded secondary and slung a pinpoint sidearmed passed beyond the reach of Vikings defensive tackle Michael Pierce.

The pass thread a swarm of Vikings defenders into Kelce's hands, where the All-Pro tight end converted it into a 28-yard gain.

Two plays later, Mahomes looked to his other All-Pro target. Facing second-and-6 at Minnesota's 35-yard-line, he dropped back once again. This time he looked down the right sideline, where Hill had easily separated from single coverage employed by ex-Chiefs cornerback Bashaud Breeland.

And just like that, Kansas City fans watching their beloved Chiefs for the first time in person this preseason had reason to stand and cheer. Sure, it's just the preseason. But the precision offense was surely a sign of things to come once the games actually count. And it arrived against Vikings starters.

And the Chiefs weren't done. Mahomes led another touchdown drive on Kansas City's next possession, this time finding tight end Blake Bell in traffic at the goal line to take a 14-3 lead.

That was the end of the night for Kansas City's offensive starters, who put up 14 points on two possessions. Mahomes finished completing 8 of 9 pass attempts for 117 yards and a pair of touchdowns, good for a perfect 158.3 passer rating to wrap his final preseason warmup.