ASHBURN, Va. — Alex Smith watched his former teammate Monday night, the guy whose presence forced him out of Kansas City, and wasn’t surprised by anything. It’s what Smith anticipated from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes all along.
Mahomes’ emergence has become one of the big storylines in the NFL through the first quarter of the season. He has thrown 14 touchdowns and zero interceptions for the 4-0 Chiefs. Monday night, Smith watched as Mahomes rallied the Chiefs with two late touchdowns in a 27-23 victory at Denver.
Smith, now the quarterback of the Washington Redskins, remains a fan of a player he mentored last season.
“I’m happy for him, for them, for the offense,” Smith said. “They’re lighting the world on fire right now. Fun to watch. Obviously a ton of friends on that team, including Pat, and to see them doing what they’re doing is crazy.”
But not surprising.
“Definitely not,” Smith said. “Physical tools aside, which he does have a unique tool set, it’s more the processing. He processes things really well and processes fast. He sees things quick. He learns fast; he’s not a guy you had to repeat things. He knew. He saw the game well. I never felt it was too fast for him, even last year.”
Mahomes played in one game for the Chiefs as a rookie, replacing Smith in a season-finale win over Denver. Mahomes threw for 284 yards and an interception in that game.
Smith said the plays that Mahomes made Monday — throwing left-handed, firing back across the middle to open teammates — are part of what makes the 2017 first-round pick special. He says that even though it meant Smith ended up leaving the Chiefs after five years, traded to Washington.
“He’s such a good playmaker, playing outside the pocket, run or pass,” said Smith, who has four touchdown passes, one interception and a 102.2 passer rating for the Redskins (2-1). “You definitely saw it on display Monday, being able to run it in with his feet, but he had so many off-rhythm plays. He’s not limited by much when he gets outside the pocket. All over the field, he can make a ton of throws and that’s where his unique tool set comes in. But it’s the ability to see them fast, and I come back to that, the processing, is what separates it.”
In the spring, Chiefs coach Andy Reid often said how much he believed Mahomes owed Smith because of how he was willing to help him — knowing Mahomes would soon take Smith’s job. After the season opener, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy told the Kansas City Star that two of Mahomes’ touchdown throws came off shovel passes to De’Anthony Thomas and Tyreek Hill running jet action. Last season, Smith suggested using the shovel pass rather than hand it off.
“I told Patrick that he could buy [Smith] a castle and it wouldn’t pay for the experience that he was able to have working with Alex and his introduction into the National Football League,” Reid told reporters in May.
Meanwhile, Smith said it helps Mahomes being with Reid, who has had success with many different quarterbacks — from Donovan McNabb to Michael Vick, Smith and now Mahomes.
“He has a great patience,” Smith said of Reid. “He’s a teacher in the end and that’s what coaching is, just teaching. It’s not just the QB position, it’s the whole offense. Every single guy. He’s taking the complex and simplifying it.”
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