"Everybody is ready to go" - Mahomes on first AFC West test in 2021

Losing against the Baltimore Ravens is still fresh in the minds of Chiefs fans, but Patrick Mahomes has another game to play on Sunday. This week will be the first test in the AFC West this season when the Chiefs take on the Los Angeles Chargers. Mahomes spoke to reporters about the upcoming matchup. According to Chiefs Wire, the Chiefs are moving forward with full focus on the team in blue.

“Everybody is ready to go,” Mahomes said confidently, “We lost to a really good football team and it was a really good football game, but it’s still a long season. We got an AFC West opponent, a great football team coming into town, so you got to kind of turn the page and move on to the next opponent.”

Patrick Mahomes speaks on first AFC West trial of the season

Mahomes knows it will not be an easy test and expects the Chargers to come out swinging behind the arm of Justin Herbert. Last season, the rookie quarterback threw for 31 touchdowns and ten interceptions. Through two games, the quarterback has two touchdowns and three interceptions, but that doesn't fool Mahomes.

“His arm talent is crazy,” Mahomes raved. “I mean the way he’s able to throw some of these throws, it’s kind of like when you throw it it’s like I don’t know if this is a good throw but he’s always hitting it perfectly in there so it’s always a great throw. He’s someone who has a lot of talent and is learning more and more as he gets in this league. Whenever you can have success without having the knowledge, usually you start getting more and more knowledge and you get even better.”

The quarterback of the Chiefs knows the implications of this early game could be massive for the season. The Chargers could win more than ten games this season if Herbert plays as advertised. The Chargers are also welcoming back Derwin James, who suffered a meniscus injury in 2020.

“[Derwin James is] a one of kind player so having him out there, I mean he can play the deep safety or literally be at the line of scrimmage just as good,” Mahomes said of the budding safety. “You don’t get players like that all the time that can literally do it all. He’s a special player that you have to account for on every single play.”

Many see the Chargers as the biggest threat to the Chiefs this season, with a star rookie head coach and an up-and-coming quarterback hoping to force the Chiefs to give chase. Mahomes essentially concurred:

“It’s the AFC West. It’s definitely going to be a massive game,” Mahomes said. “If you look across the AFC West in general, we have a lot of really good football teams and so every single one of these games that we play against each other will be extremely important. We understand that and they have a lot of playmakers that are healthy and that are ready to go and I’m sure they want to win.”

Divisional Round - Kansas City Chiefs v New England Patriots

For the first time since early in Alex Smith's era, the Chiefs could fall to under .500 on Sunday. Many expect the Chiefs to win, but there are no guarantees. How Mahomes plays in this game may set the stage for the type of season the Chiefs are in for. Will they step away from the edge with a win?