Patrick Mahomes isn't in need of an MVP moment, as the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has already established himself as one of the front-runners for the award by throwing for 45 touchdowns, tied for sixth most in NFL history, so far this season.
But there's both an opportunity and a need for another signature performance in prime time.
In facing the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Mahomes will be looking to catch back up to the torrid pace he set earlier in 2018. He had his lowest passing yardage total of the year in last week's loss to the Chargers, and the Chiefs have been held to less than 30 points in consecutive games for the first time all season.
Mahomes could take advantage of a Seattle defense that is not in top form at season's end. The Seahawks gave up 275 passing yards to the 49ers last week, and the secondary could be shorthanded with one starter (safety Tedric Thompson) out and two more (safety Bradley McDougald and cornerback Shaquill Griffin) listed as questionable. The issues at safety could prove particularly problematic against Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who is just 107 yards shy of Rob Gronkowski's record for receiving yards by a tight end in a single season (1,327).
But Seattle will likely try to limit its exposure to Mahomes and the Chiefs' passing attack by setting the pace with its league-leading rushing attack. Kansas City's defense could have trouble handling running back Chris Carson, as the unit has given up more than 170 yards on the ground in two of its last three games and is tied for last with 5 yards allowed per rush.
If Kansas City falters, it risks falling behind Los Angeles in the race for both the AFC West and the top seed in the playoffs.
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