Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today
As the 23-year-old quarterback has broken multiple records in piloting the Kansas City Chiefs to a 4-0 record, the questions of when his hot start will fade have slowly worn off. Even in a comparatively restrained performance last week in a 27-23 win over the Broncos, Mahomes was the first passer to crack the 300-yard barrier against the team in 38 games.
Yet easily the best litmus test for how far Mahomes can carry the Chiefs will come Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
No team has been able to consistently keep up with Kansas City's deep array of speedy offensive weapons. The unit leads the NFL in scoring at 36.3 points per game, and nine different players have tallied at least one receiving touchdown.
But Jacksonville's defense is dotted with Pro Bowl talent at every level and ranks first in yards (259.3 per game), passing yards (164.3) and scoring (14). And after already dispatching the New England Patriots in Week 2, the Jaguars could use the matchup with the Chiefs as another proving ground against one of the league's most potent groups.
Perhaps the biggest battleground for both sides will be Mahomes' ability to make plays outside of the pocket. Against the Broncos, he threw for 192 yards outside the pocket as he extended plays and evaded the pass rush. Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue will have to not only apply pressure but prevent Mahomes from escaping and giving his downfield targets time to break free.
While Jacksonville's defense has only generated three turnovers, few teams have dared challenge its talented cornerback duo of Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. The former created a stir this week when he dismissed his potential matchup with Tyreek Hill, suggesting the all-purpose threat wasn't on his level and that he built his fame as a return specialist rather than a receiver.
And while there should be plenty of sparks on the outside between Ramsey and Hill as well as Bouye and Sammy Watkins, the showdown between Travis Kelce and Tashaun Gipson could also be one of the game's determining factors. Gipson, with the help of frequent bracket coverage from linebackers Myles Jack and Telvin Smith, helped limit Rob Gronkowski to two catches for 15 yards. Kelce, however, has 300 yards and three touchdowns in his last three games.
