Chiefs’ Mitchell Schwartz talks Patrick Mahomes & key to their offensive success

You would think that blocking for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes would be more difficult than doing so for other passers in the NFL.

After all, how is any offensive lineman supposed to put himself in the proper place to protect Mahomes when he does all of that running around in the pocket?

‘His ability to stay in the pocket and within the rhythm of the offense is really what allows us to do what we do’

Actually, according to Chiefs tackle Mitchell Schwartz, Mahomes is a far more disciplined pocket passer than one might assume. In fact, Schwartz believes that quality is the key to the team’s offensive success and why it will be playing in Saturday’s divisional-round playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts.

“We wouldn’t have the overall offensive success if it’s just him kind of scrambling and running around and chucking it.”

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. (SiriusXM NFL Radio Photo)

“The cool thing is, he’s getting a lot of talk about the stuff he’s doing outside the pocket and scrambling and the amazing plays,” Schwartz told Bruce Murray and Brady Quinn on the SiriusXM Blitz. “But his ability to stay in the pocket and within the rhythm of the offense is really what allows us to do what we do. He’s standing back there, he’s making everything on time. Coach Reid’s offense is very, very timing based. … We wouldn’t have the overall offensive success if it’s just him kind of scrambling and running around and chucking it.

‘If your defensive end starts running the opposite way from where you expect the quarterback to be, you try to adjust to that’

“So his ability to stay back there within the rhythm of the offense and find the first, second, third read is pretty special. And there are times where he just feels an opening, feels like maybe something can happen if he’s on the run, he pulls it down. And then, obviously, if your defensive end starts running the opposite way from where you expect the quarterback to be, you try to adjust to that. It doesn’t change what you’re doing too much. You’re just blocking for the spot that you expect to be and then if a defensive lineman does something that is completely unconventional, you just try to adjust from there.”

Make no mistake. Schwartz fully appreciates the game-changing dynamic of Mahomes’ improvisational skills.

‘He’ll throw left-handed, he’ll scramble, he’ll throw it across his body — all the things you’re taught not to do’

“It feels like anything is possible when he’s back there,” Schwartz said. “Third-and-12, third-and-17, down 10 in the fourth quarter, it doesn’t really matter. He’ll throw left-handed, he’ll scramble, he’ll throw it across his body — all the things you’re taught not to do as a quarterback. He’s able to make it successful and do it at a really high level. It’s exciting with him.”