The Kansas City Chiefs have relied on Patrick Mahomes to deliver in clutch situations since he took over as the team’s starting quarterback in 2018, and in a season that has seen dysfunction with their offense dominate headlines, the reigning MVP has continued his stellar play late in games.
According to Pro Football Focus’ metrics, Mahomes and rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice are the NFL’s third and fourth-best players in fourth quarters, which bodes well for Kansas City’s chances of competing in January’s AFC playoffs.
Highest-graded offensive players in the 4th/OT 🥶 pic.twitter.com/n0cDQgnT13
— PFF (@PFF) December 20, 2023
While it is hard to quantify a player’s contributions in crunch time, PFF’s grades are a decent way to grade their effectiveness in key moments. Mahomes’ ability to make big plays happen when the Chiefs need them most is well-documented, but Rice’s inclusion on PFF’s list is a welcome sign for fans who have yearned for Kansas City’s receiving corps to get back on track in 2023.
Expect Mahomes to continue looking to Rice in key moments through the rest of the regular season as the Chiefs fight for a better position in the AFC playoff standings.