KANSAS CITY, MO – SEPTEMBER 22: Wide receiver Mecole Hardman #17 of the Kansas City Chiefs reaches up to catch a touchdown pass against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half at Arrowhead Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
The Kansas City Chiefs put up 307 total yards on offense in the first half to take a 23-6 lead over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday
No Tyreek Hill? No problem for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes put up a big first half for the third week in a row on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. Mahomes already has 273 yards and two touchdowns at halftime as the Chiefs lead the Ravens 23-6 in a battle of 2-0 AFC heavyweights.
The dynamic and speedy Hill was lost in Week 1 with a broken collarbone, but the Chiefs offense hasn’t let up in his absence. The biggest surprise is receiver Demarcus Robinson. Robinson made a one-handed catch in the back of the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter against Baltimore, putting Kansas City up 14-6.
After not catching a pass in the opening game, Robinson erupted for 172 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-10 win against the Raiders last week. With 36 yards on Sunday, the fourth-year receiver has 208 yards in his past six quarters. His career-high for a season before this year was 288. He had more than 50 receiving yards just twice in his career before the last two games.
The Chiefs’ offensive weapon that most closely resembles Hill is Mecole Hardman, a rookie second-round draft pick out of Georgia. Hardman picked up Hill’s production in a big way on Sunday. Late in the second quarter and the Chiefs at their own 17, Hardman caught a pass from Mahomes at the 50 and outran the Ravens defense all the way to the end zone for an 83-yard touchdown. He already has 97 yards on just two receptions. He also scored a 42-yard touchdown last week against Oakland.
The Chiefs are so stocked with options on offense that Robinson and Hardman didn’t even finish the half with the most receptions on the team. That distinction belongs to tight end Travis Kelce, who ended the half with six catches. Running back Le’Sean McCoy scored the Chiefs’ other touchdown with a one-yard run.
With all of these players to throw the ball to, the game is looking easy for Mahomes so far this season. In three opening halves this season, he’s thrown for 313, 313 and 273 yards. The Chiefs were actually shut out in the first quarter for the second straight week but again erupted in the second. Last week Mahomes threw for 278 yards in the quarter, the most by any quarterback since Drew Brees had 294 in 2008. He’s averaging more than 13 yards per completion against the Ravens and already has six completions of more than 15 yards.