Swaggy Chiefs rekindle goal-line creativity in win at Patriots

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It was an odd sight — Patrick Mahomes squatting in a three-point stance, lined up in a Wing T formation behind Creed Humphrey with the Pro Bowl center shifted over to left guard.

It was also a beautiful sight for Kansas City Chiefs fans.

Since Mahomes’ arrival when he burst onto the season with a 50-touchdown, MVP season in 2018 after taking the reins from Alex Smith, the Chiefs have been an imaginative and swaggy offense.

But amid endless penalties, frustrating drops and uncharacteristic turnovers, Kansas City hasn’t instilled the same fear in opposing defense as the last five years — and, too often, hasn’t appeared to be having as much fun.

There have been glimpses, even recently — the double-reverse flea-flicker at Las Vegas, for instance — but few as stark as Sunday’s first touchdown in a 27-17 win at New England.

Asked when he was last in a three-point stance, Mahomes said, “Maybe like the Combine 40[-yard dash]. I haven’t been in one in a very long time, but that was sweet.”

Mahomes, of course, was a decoy.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid is inventive, not insane, so he wasn’t running his prize QB on a dive play from the 4-yard line.

Instead, the direct snap — from former Patriots All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney, who swapped places with Humphrey for the down — went to running back Jerick McKinnon, a former quarterback in high school and college.

Second-round pick Rashee Rice, who lined up in the left slot, reversed across the formation following tight end Blake Bell, who also lined up to the left as the offset fullback and helped kick out the defensive end.

McKinnon gently tossed a pop pass into Rice’s path and, after a bobble, he caught it, turned upfield and wriggled into the end zone.

“We’ve been working on that play for a while, so I’m glad that it worked,” Mahomes said. “It was a little dicey there for a second, but we got it in the end zone.”

In stark contrast to the last few weeks, when a frustrated Mahomes bit his tongue after a late-game pass interference went uncalled at Green Bay and then unleashed on the officials after the loss to Buffalo, the genial and good-natured Chiefs QB was back — offering smiles and chuckles.

“That play was awesome,” Mahomes said. “Obviously, that’s a hard team to score on in the red zone, one of the best. To have a play like that, one that we had worked on a long time, and, obviously, it wrecked perfectly for their scheme.”

He even happily touted his contribution to the play.

“I was the one that said Joe should snap it,” Mahomes said. “I was like, ‘That will mess them up, if Creed and Joe switch spots.’ They kind of pushed the D-line a little over, thinking that Creed was the center. I didn’t make the play up, but I did that part.”

—