It became apparent early in his first year as a starter that Mahomes would indeed accelerate the shift in offensive paradigms in the league. Rather than force him to be something he was not, Andy Reid played to his strengths – and perhaps more importantly his background – when Mahomes took over as the full-time starter in the 2018 campaign.
Look at this touchdown throw from Mahomes’ first start of the 2018 season, his second start in the league. This play comes on what some might consider a “college-type design,” a mesh fake between Mahomes and his running back in the backfield and a quick slant from Tyreek Hill. Two things to watch on this play: The throw Mahomes makes with a defensive lineman in his lap, and the window he delivers this pass into:
Even when things break down a bit, and there is pressure up front, the designs and execution make the throwing window an easier one to throw into, raising the odds of success. Mahomes’ ability to make throws from any throwing platform and from any arm angle, while not sacrificing velocity or placement, make him incredibly difficult to defend. Yes there is a run/pass element here, with the potential run action and sliding blockers in front of the running back, yet this play at its core is a slant/flat concept, a West Coast staple for years. But the added element of the run look in the backfield, coupled with a quarterback well versed at making quick decisions and off-platform throws that are prevalent in spread and Air Raid systems, make it that much harder to defend. A precision strikingly better than its older competitor, to use Kuhn’s words again.
And, for those who questioned Mahomes’ inability to make anticipation throws, look at when he releases this ball. Hill has yet to cross behind the underneath defender, but Mahomes throws him open to space.
Mahomes pushed the paradigm further when he began to stress defenses using designs that are ripped from Air Raid playbooks. Such as this 2018 touchdown strike against the Pittsburgh Steelers:
The route concept implemented here has its Air Raid roots. Hill runs a straight vertical route but Chris Conley and Travis Kelce run double posts, or DINO, a concept that you can see in almost any Air Raid playbook, from Lincoln Riley to Mike Leach and Larry Fedora. The Steelers align with two deep safeties, but with Hill on the boundary the safety over the trips formation widens, worried about Hill’s speed on the boundary..and for another reason, as we will see in a moment. But because of the width between the safeties, Kelce is able to split them for another fairly easy throw, for a TD.
Now look at the end zone angle. Watch the eyes from Mahomes. Upon the snap he flashes his eyes toward the boundary, and Hill, putting the safety into peril. At the last moment he turns back toward the middle of the field, and finds Kelce for the score:
This isn’t against a Big 12 defense, but Mahomes makes it look like one. The conventional rules go out the window when the quarterback is making no-look passes on a Sunday afternoon against the teeth of the Steelers’ defense.
So by incorporating familiar offensive designs for Mahomes into his playbook, Andy Reid pushed the offensive paradigm further into the future, and helped his young passer enjoy a huge breakout season. However, that 2018 campaign ended on a chilly January night in Arrowhead Stadium, as the visiting New England Patriots pulled out a win in overtime in the AFC Championship Game. Mahomes might have missed out on a Super Bowl appearance in his first year as a starter, but as we saw last year, perhaps his best football was yet to come.