Patrick Mahomes' Underrated Traits, Part 1: Velocity

Exploring how Mahomes' arm strength alters games

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Patrick Mahomes has a number of unique qualities that give him a decided advantage over other quarterbacks. His ability to make plays out of structure and throw the ball down the field are well chronicled, but there are a number of other areas that don’t get talked about enough. This summer, I’ll examine those traits one at a time.

When people talk about Patrick Mahomes, the first thing they mention is invariably The Arm. Yes, that’s right, not the arm, but The Arm. Mahomes’ absurdly talented right appendage (using the word “arm” again felt weird, though I think appendage was a backwards step) is the sort of thing that’s a dominant enough trait to merit capitalization. Think The Hair (John Stamos), The Eyebrow (Dwayne Johnson), or The Beard (James Harden, or Ryan Fitzpatrick).

The Arm gives Mahomes a natural advantage over almost any other quarterback who takes the field. When people think of The Arm, they generally picture plays like this.

It’s quite true that most quarterbacks can’t make throws like this, and The Arm is what allows it to happen. However, there’s a hidden advantage to The Arm that isn’t discussed often enough, even though it’s often the difference between success and failure for Kansas City’s offense. That hidden advantage is velocity.

ve·loc·i·ty

/vəˈläsədē/

noun

1. the speed of something in a given direction.

Velocity is something that is somehow often mentioned but not often discussed in detail. It’s easy to ogle a laser thrown on a rope and marvel at Mahomes’ seemingly unlimited power. But how does it directly benefit the Chiefs? That becomes a more nuanced question, and one that requires going to the tape to answer.

People don’t often think about “what would have happened” on a given play had it unfolded differently, but they should. Thinking about such things allows fans to understand the game better and appreciate traits that move the needle multiple times per game.

The following completion to Travis Kelce is one of my favorite Mahomes throws of the season, and almost no one talked about it because they didn’t think about what would have happened had most quarterbacks attempted it.

This is a simple pitch and catch on run/pass option from Mahomes to Kelce. But it’s also a throw that very few quarterbacks can make. Fred Warner, one of the most talented coverage linebackers in the NFL, is patrolling the shallow zone where the ball is going. His presence makes any throw to Kelce’s route suspect, and while Warner takes a step in the direction of the run, he’s still in excellent position to make the play.

Slowing things down gives some perspective on how close this play is.

I could be convinced that Warner takes a step towards the faked handoff hoping to bait Mahomes into making the throw here. He’s already starting to bounce back in the direction of Kelce even as Mahomes lifts the ball away from Williams and is starting the throwing motion.

If that’s Warner’s intention, it’s a smart football play. He knows the route is going right up his ally and that he has the quickness and ball skills to snatch a throw that direction out of the air for an interception.

The problem for Warner is that Mahomes puts everything he has into this throw, to the point that even in slow motion the ball is blurred like it was shot out of a cannon. Not only is Warner unable to get into the lane in time to knock down the pass, he’s not even able to raise his hands up before the ball whizzes past his head.

That’s what is meant by hidden yardage. For almost any other quarterback, that throw can’t even be attempted or is intercepted/knocked down if it is. But with Mahomes, it’s a solid gain on first down.

Velocity allows Mahomes to put the ball into windows and coverage that others can’t risk.

Another ball that comes out so quickly it can’t really be seen on all-22 demonstrates the increased options Mahomes’ velocity gives him. Kelce is well covered here, but Mahomes knows if he can get the ball there fast enough it still has an excellent chance of being completed.

Ignoring the angle Mahomes uses to throw around a blocker and how easy he makes it look (which is hard to do), watch the defender here. Players in coverage are generally taught to stay on the hip of a receiver and, when they see the throw coming, try to arrive right as the ball does by using their inside arm to contest.

The defender does everything right here. He even gets away with a technical pass interference by wrapping his left arm around Kelce and using that leverage to slingshot himself towards the ball (which is common practice). The problem for him is that it’s impossible to start the tackling motion and swat downwards fast enough to get there before the ball arrives. The only way he could effectively contest this pass would be if he were to start tackling Kelce before Mahomes started to throw, which isn’t really plausible.

Its often said that football is a game of inches, and that’s quite accurate. It’s also a game of microseconds, and Mahomes’ ability to get the ball there just a few microseconds faster than other quarterbacks is the difference between a completion and a pass defensed. Chiefs fans saw this in action when backup Matt Moore took Mahomes’ place for several games during the middle of 2019.

Moore did an admirable job execution Andy Reid’s offense, and he did enough to help the Chiefs compete every time he took the field. But it was impossible to not notice the increased number of contested catches Chiefs receivers had to deal with as the ball started arriving a step slower. Part of this is due to Mahomes being a superior anticipatory thrower, but velocity played a huge role as well.

This is just one example, but a very important one. The Chiefs trailed by a touchdown late in the 4th quarter, and on 3rd down Moore wasn’t able to force the ball into Kelce’s arms on a well-covered route.

This isn’t meant to be a knock on Moore, but rather a demonstration of how important just a split second can be in the NFL. Imagine that ball arriving a tenth of a second sooner. It would go right beneath the hand of the defender and Kelce would have an opportunity to secure it. That’s the sort of throw Mahomes makes routinely that people don’t notice, because again, people don’t contemplate what would have happened if another quarterback made the same throw on these short, “routine” plays.

Velocity can make a difference in other ways beyond contested catches. At times it increases the ability of a receiver to pick up yards after the catch while keeping the throw easier for Mahomes.

On this deep touchdown to Mecole Hardman, Mahomes had a wide open look. However, there is a cornerbacks and a safety in position to potentially run down the play if the ball isn’t placed exactly how it needs to be.

There are 2 ways Mahomes can turn this play into a touchdown rather than merely a big gain. The first is to lay the ball way out in front of Hardman and allow him to run underneath it, but that makes for a more difficult (and thus less likely to succeed) throw and catch. Instead, Mahomes puts the ball on a rope directly to Hardman with so much velocity that there’s no time for the secondary to get there. Hardman ends up with a bit of a head start, and that’s all he needs.

Velocity creates yards after catch on screens, crossers, and all sorts of other routes as well. Reid’s trademark quick throws to the sideline have been noticeably more efficient since Mahomes took the helm, in part because the ball gets there just a hair quicker and allows for more time for receivers to move before defenders can arrive.

Mahomes is unique in so many ways. But by asking what would have happened on some of these “normal”-looking plays if another quarterback tried similar throws, you can better appreciate the subtle things he brings to the table. But do it quickly, because by the time you’ve thought it through he’s probably made another throw just like it. That’s what The Arm can do.