Mahomes, Chiefs Rediscover the Deep Ball as Passing Attack Improves

The Kansas City Chiefs' passing attack appears to have rediscovered one of its signature traits this season: the deep ball. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has shown notable improvement on longer throws compared to last year.

According to figures cited, Mahomes has completed eight of 14 attempts on passes traveling at least 15 yards through the portion of the season measured, a step up from his downfield numbers a year ago.

The improvement in deep-ball efficiency is significant for a Chiefs offense long associated with explosive, vertical passing plays. A return to that identity could open up additional opportunities for the offense as a whole, making it harder for defenses to focus solely on shorter, underneath routes.

Analysts following the team suggest the offense could get even better as the season progresses, provided the trend holds and the rest of the passing game continues to develop around Mahomes' improved deep accuracy.

The Chiefs have built their recent success in large part on Mahomes' ability to stretch the field, and any sustained rebound in that part of his game would be seen as a positive sign for the team's offensive outlook going forward.

With much of the season still to play, it remains to be seen whether the improved deep-ball numbers will continue at the same rate, but early indications point to a passing attack trending in a more favorable direction than a year ago.