What Stephen A. Smith Believes Is Chiefs’ Key To Beating Patriots

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have the opportunity to make a statement Sunday night.

The 5-0 Chiefs head to Gillette Stadium for a Week 6 tilt with the New England Patriots, who are coming off back-to-back dominant victories in which they hung 38 points in each contest.

While Mahomes has been sensational thus far, some believe he’ll come back down to earth against the Patriots, who have been a nightmare for young, inexperienced quarterbacks throughout the Bill Belichick era. Stephen A. Smith is well aware of this trend, but he believes there’s one facet of Mahomes’ game that could lift Kansas City to victory.

“This is Patrick Mahomes’ sixth start,” Smith said during Thursday’s edition of “First Take” on ESPN. “Bill Belichick against a novice is 25-0. It’s never happened. Twenty-five have tried, 25 have failed. Excuse me, you’re going up against Bill Belichick in Foxboro. I got to see it to believe it. Now, if somebody could do it based on Mahomes’ mobility. It’s not just his arm and velocity, his mobility — that’s the key.”

Mahomes’ feet, coupled with his rocket of an arm, make him that much more difficult to defend. But New England long has been a bend-but-don’t-break defense, which often allows opposing offenses to rack up yards but not points. Take a look at Deshaun Watson, for example, who’s had some level of success in two meetings against the Patriots, both of which resulting in Houston Texans losses.

There’s no doubt the Chiefs will be the Patriots’ toughest challenge to date this season, but you’d be a fool to think that Belichick and Co. won’t be prepared for it.