Chiefs vs. Vikings NFL Week 5: Patrick Mahomes on historic winning streak against losing teams
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes has put up some pretty incredible statistics already in his future Hall of Fame career, but perhaps the craziest is that Mahomes is 23-0 against teams that are multiple games under .500, and that streak is on the line Sunday with the Chiefs as 5-point #NFL favorites at the one-win Minnesota Vikings.
Mahomes’ 23-game run is the longest such win streak by any quarterback since 1970. The previous record was 17 in a row by Tom Brady from 2010-14. That said, the two-time MVP Mahomes hasn’t looked quite up to par quite yet.
His eight passing touchdowns and 251.5-yard passing average through four games are both the lowest though four games of a season in his career. He has fallen behind Buffalo’s Josh Allen at the various sportsbook to win a third MVP.
And Mahomes has seven losses career in the month of October (just one in September), his most losses in any month. Kansas City is averaging 25.3 PPG, the fewest ever for a Mahomes team. Under Mahomes career, the Chiefs average 30.3 points – the highest for any QB since 1950.
The Vikings got their first win of the season on Sunday, 21-13 at winless Carolina even though Kirk Cousins was rather quiet with 139 yards passing after at least 344 in each of the first three games. He did have two TD passes to reining NFL Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson, who leads the league with 543 receiving yards. He’s on pace for 2,307 yards, which would shatter the NFL record of 1,964 by Calvin Johnson in 2012.
Cousins leads the NFL passing TD (11) & completions (108) this season and also is tops with 19 completions of 20+ yards. He gets knocked for not being a clutch player but no player has more TDs (11) in the fourth quarter or OT since the start of last season when the score margin is within one possession for either team.
Somehow, Mahomes and Cousins have never faced off. Their lone chance was in 2019 but Mahomes was injured and Matt Moore led the Chiefs to a 26-23 Week 9 win over #SKOL.
Kansas City is 2-5 ATS in its past seven road games but 6-0 ATS in its past six road games vs. the NFC. Minnesota is 7-2 ATS in last 9 games vs AFC opponents but 1-7-1 ATS overall in its past nine as a dog.