Advanced stats prove Patrick Mahomes really does have a playoff mode

As the Kansas City Chiefs gear up for a Super Bowl rematch with the San Francisco 49ers, Patrick Mahomes has the opportunity to enter rarified air as a three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback before he even turns 30. Mahomes doesn't need to prove to the NFL world that he's one of the greatest to lace them up, nor does he need to prove he's a clutch quarterback capable of delivering the goods on any given Sunday (or Saturday) in the postseason.

Mahomes didn't throw an interception in any of the Chiefs three playoff victories over the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, or formidable Baltimore Ravens this season. He completed more than 70 percent of his passes against both Buffalo and Baltimore to definitively show that he remains the top quarterback in the NFL today.

According to FTN's Aaron Schatz, Mahomes has not thrown a single "interception-worthy" pass in the playoffs thus far in 2024, reenforcing the notion that he's given defenses nothing to capitalize on.

Being an elite quarterback in the playoffs is just as much about making plays as it is avoiding giving the defense big plays to change the game. Top quarterbacks don't blow leads or throw games away in the playoffs, which is what helped, say, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots consistently go the distance in January and February.

Patrick Mahomes delivers for the Chiefs in the playoffs no matter what

Although Mahomes had a few more interceptions than he would have liked during the regular season with 14, he still had a strong campaign despite serious issues with his wide receiver corps. The key is that Mahomes can step up no matter the personnel around him and find even more focus in the postseason, elevating his game to a level where he's able to give his team that extra bit of security against the best opponents in the league.

The Chiefs are favorites to secure a third ring with Mahomes at the helm. When they won it all last season, Mahomes led the league with more than 5,200 passing yards and 41 touchdowns, topping the NFL charts in passing TDs for the second time in his career.

This season, his regular season stats were more modest, but the end outcome for the Chiefs as a franchise could very well be the same. That's the difference a player like Mahomes makes with everything on the line.