Lisa Foxx
The news came out last week that the NFL had flexed the Chiefs vs Patriots game out of primetime. The game has been moved to 12:00 pm CT on December 17th, the Sunday before the originally scheduled Monday Night Football game at 7:15 pm CT on the 18th.
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NFL team schedules are created prior to the season and primetime games are based on team pairings and the projected success of each team. The Chiefs lead the AFC West with an 8-4 record going into Week 13. The Patriots have a 2-10 record and are now in last place in the AFC East.
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New England has recently benched its starting quarterback in former first-round pick Mac Jones for backup quarterback Bailey Zappe, a 4th rounder. Each time Zappe has played this year prior to Sunday, he took over for the benched Jones late in the game. He will more than likely be the starting quarterback when the Patriots face the Chiefs in Week 15.
NFL primetime has been rife with mediocre football games, and with this in mind the league has decided to flex its flexing muscles. For the first time in NFL history the MNF game is flexed out of that time slot and replaced with another game.
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The Chiefs vs Patriots game was flexed out of primetime and will be replaced by the Philadelphia Eagles vs Seattle Seahawks game. The Eagles have a record of 10-2, the best in the league, while the Seahawks are fighting for their post-season life with a 6-6 record.
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Many Chiefs fans seem to be excited about the change from MNF to a Sunday game at noon for the team. It’s understandable, as some fans find it difficult to watch or attend a Sunday night game and then be ready to work Monday morning. Another reason fans like it because it’s easier for them to watch other teams play when your team has already played (and hopefully won). Some even say the Chiefs getting flexed out of primetime is better for them because they’ll get extra rest between the Patriots game and their next game.
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Kansas City was originally scheduled to have six primetime games and two additional stand-alone games this season. The team has already played five of those games, with the last primetime game last Sunday night against the Green Bay Packer. It was Mahomes last primetime opportunity to show off his skills and abilities to a national audience. The only other stand-alone game the Chiefs have for the season is on Christmas Day against the Las Vegas Raiders, a Home game.
This is significant because Mahomes is in the race for league MVP.
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The NFL MVP is voted on by members of the press and their votes are based on a number of things. Mahomes is currently 8th in passing yards through 13 games with 3,127 yards and tied for 5th with 22 TDs. His numbers this year have been compromised because of the number of drops by Chiefs wide receivers. The Chiefs lead the league with 30 dropped passes, which has affected Mahomes’ numbers significantly.
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Stats are important, but they aren’t the only criteria.
The narrative surrounding the MVP candidate is also taken into consideration. Mahomes has a strong narrative, leading a team that has questionable weapons to an 8-4 record through 13 weeks when it was thought to be an impossible task. As previously mentioned, the Chiefs have an underperforming wide receiving corps that also has trouble creating separation. This accounting of his performances would have more momentum if, despite the team’s offensive struggles, KC was able to score and deliver in clutch moments.
Another MVP candidate seems to have the lead when it comes to narrative this season. Philadelphia Eagles QB Jaylen Hurts was runner up to last season’s MVP winner Patrick Mahomes. Some NFL analysts believe Hurts would have won the award if he hadn’t been injured last season. The Eagles finished the regular season with a 14-3 record, tied for the best in the league, even with Hurts missing two games.
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The Eagles QB is also the sentimental favorite. Many people considered Philadelphia to be the best team in the league last year even though they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. A late penalty marred the outcome of that game and some feel Hurts was robbed of a SB championship because of it. Some have even said Hurts “out-played” Mahomes in that game, despite having a devastating unforced fumble that resulted in a scoop and score for the Chiefs.
Another reason Hurts has the anecdotal vote is because of his demeanor. Contrary to his outspoken and often outlandish head coach Nick Siriani, Hurts is soft spoken and confident. He differs from many QBs in the league because the way he carries himself makes him seem older and wiser than his years. He speaks thoughtfully and always has a story to share. Hurts speaks like a coach talking to his team when he addresses the press and the media finds it engaging. It’s likely he got this skill from his father, who is also a football coach and was also Hurts’ coach growing up.
Other potential MVP candidates that have the numbers, the narrative, and at least one more primetime game are the, Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott and San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy.
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The narrative of MVP candidates only has a small shelf life. Every chance a candidate gets to show off why he should be the MVP is a good thing. That’s why primetime games are so important for teams and players alike. It gives MVP voters an opportunity to see players without distraction. All eyes are on teams in primetime and MVP candidates have a chance to show why they deserve the award, or why they don’t.
One of those chances has just been taken away from Patrick Mahomes.
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Mahomes usually shines brightly under primetime lights, as does his favorite target: All Pro tight end Travis Kelce. That wasn’t the case Sunday night against Green Bay. The Chiefs were unable to capitalize on two first half drives that ended up in field goals instead of touchdowns. Mahomes struggled in that game and the inability to score a late game TD, along with the defense’s worst performance of the season, led to the Chiefs falling to the Packers 19-27 at Lambeau Field.
Now with a record of 8-4, K.C. is still on top of the AFC West division, but they have fallen to 3rd place in the AFC conference overall. The team needs to win all its remaining games to even have a chance at earning the top spot in the Conference. Those game include:
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• BUF at Home (3:25)
• NEP Away (12:00)
• LVR at Home (12:00)
• CIN at Home (3:25)
• LAC Away TBD
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It’s important because the team with the one seed also gets the only post-season bye in the conference. Without the bye, the Chiefs will have to win three straight games in order to make it back to the SB. With the bye, they only have two games they must win to make it to the SB and are also guaranteed home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
With his one remaining primetime games stripped from him, Mahomes will have to shine in the final five games on the team’s schedule if he has any chance of winning league MVP. He has said in the past that the individual awards are nice but all he really wants to do is win, but, winning won’t get Mahomes the MVP title at this point. If he wants that award he will have to play and win with style. Yes, style points do count because Mahomes and the offense have looked lackluster all season.
Add that to the unexpected team losses and the inability to score TDs in the red zone and Mahomes’ MVP candidacy is in jeopardy. Winning NFL’s top honor of MVP may seem trivial to a team who is chasing the ultimate goal of Super Bowl Champion, but it’s more than a prize. It’s not just about winning the award and having bragging rights. Above all, it’s about legacy. It’s about Patrick Mahomes’ legacy.
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The two-time NFL and SB MVP is blazing a trail never seen before in this league. He often talks about being remembered long after he’s gone from the game, both on the field and off. His goal is to be the best to ever play the game… and… to make a difference in his communities.
So far, he’s doing a great job at both.
Mahomes may not have an extra primetime game to show the world what he can do on the field, but he does have five remaining games to prove to the voters he’s MVP worthy. It will be an uphill battle, at this point, but Mahomes is more than capable of turning the tide and making it a reality.
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Lisa Foxx — ArrowheadOne
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