Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes set a new record for most total yards in a season as the Chiefs secured the AFC top seed with a 31-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
The top seed spot ensures a first round bye for the Chiefs, who end the regular season with a 14-3 record and are looking for their third Super Bowl appearance in four seasons.
Mahomes passed for 202 yards and rushed for 29 giving him 5,608 total yards for the season. That took him past the previous record of 5,562 yards set by former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees in 2011.
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Kansas City scored on their first drive – Mahomes finding Justin Watson with a 67 yard pass deep left before a trademark two yard shovel pass to Jerick McKinnon for the touchdown.
A two yard rush from Ronald Jones at the start of the second quarter put the Chiefs 14-3 up and looking in firm command of the game.
After a clever wildcat play for a Kadarius Toney touchdown was ruled out for holding, Toney then compensated by rushing for an 11 yard touchdown on the next play Isiah Pacheco’s one yard rush in the fourth made it 31-6, but the Raiders reduced the deficit with quarterback Jarrett Stidham connecting with Hunter Renfrow with an 11 yard touchdown pass.
But it was a convincing win for Andy Reid’s side, who will now enjoy a week off before beginning their post-season push.
“Its important, its like winning a playoff game,” Mahomes said of securing the bye.
The Chiefs’ innovative offensive plays featured an unusual move before the penalised wildcat touchdown with the players spinning in a circle, a move Mahomes said was dubbed the “Snowglobe”.
“We enjoy it, we draw up these plays all the time and coach Reid lets us have reign to add our own flair,” he said.
