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By just about any measure, this has been the worst season that Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has had in his career. The numbers are down across the board, and yet, Mahomes and the Chiefs are grinding out wins at a pace unmatched in the league.

Kansas City moved to 6-0 with the impressive win over the 49ers on Sunday and, again, it was not pretty for Mahomes. He was just 16-for-27 passing for 154 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. His 44.4 quarterback rating was the worst single-game rating of his career. His 82.5 quarterback rating this year is the worst of his career.

And yet Mahomes ran for a touchdown, had the Chiefs ahead from the second quarter on and came away with a mostly no-sweat win in a Super Bowl rematch.


Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

For Mahomes himself, the highlight came on a critical touchdown run with Kansas City ahead, 14-12, early in the fourth quarter. On a fourth-and-goal play from the 1-yard line, after two runs by Kareem Hunt that gained only three yards and an incomplete pass from Mahomes, the QB decided to take matters into his own hands.

Mahomes ran it up the middle and put through a back-breaking touchdown. In the process, he bowled over 49ers safety Malik Mustapha, then looked down at him as Mustapha lay on the turf.

It was a tribute to Mahomes’ toughness, and former Pro Bowl quarterback and analyst Robert Griffin III gave Mahomes his props for the play.

“Patrick Mahomes’ game is SO DISRESPECTFUL. Just out there running over defenders letting them know they can’t stop him. SHEESHH,” he wrote.

Mahomes and the Chiefs are the only undefeated team left in the NFL, and have a winnable game in Week 8, facing the reeling Raiders in Las Vegas.