We know Patrick Mahomes can throw it deep. Mahomes letting one fly all the way downfield will be a carnival trick in the NFL this season.

Mahomes also seems to have a good grasp of everything else he’ll need to do to succeed.

The Kansas City Chiefs‘ second-year quarterback had a strong, efficient outing against the Chicago Bears on Saturday afternoon. Assuming he doesn’t play the fourth preseason game, because starters rarely see the field next week, Mahomes’ preseason was a positive.

He misfired on a few passes in the second quarter that he’ll need to make when the games count, and the Chiefs will want to see him finish more drives with touchdowns. However, his final line looked good: 18-of-24 for 196 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

In what was likely his last outing before Week 1, Patrick Mahomes went 18-for-24 for 196 yards and one TD against the Bears on Saturday. (AP) More

Over the first three preseason games Mahomes is 31-of-43 for 367 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 27-20 loss to the Bears. That’s a tidy 103.5 passer rating. The Chiefs traded Alex Smith in the offseason to give Mahomes a shot, and so far he’s looking good.

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Mahomes’ rocket arm is his calling card – he showed it off when he overthrew Sammy Watkins on a deep throw, and when he threw a dart to Tyreek Hill as he was falling down – but arm strength alone doesn’t make a quarterback. Being able to make all the throws certainly helps, but quarterback is the most complex position in sports. Mahomes has shown a good grasp of it this preseason.

One play from Saturday afternoon stood out. The Bears came with a blitz from Mahomes’ right. They tried to disguise it, but the linebacker showed blitz a split second before the snap. Mahomes recognized it instantly, knew he had Kareem Hunt flaring out and lofted a nice easy pass over the defense to him. Hunt did the rest, taking it 19 yards for a touchdown. It wasn’t the breathtaking heave to Hill, which traveled 68 yards in the air, from a week ago. But it was a good read and the right throw, leading to a score.

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There were other plays in which Mahomes looked in control. When he got time against a zone coverage, he hit Travis Kelce in the void of the zone – with nice touch and pace – for 26 yards. He rolled to his right and threw a bullet to Hill for 16. He avoided the rush when he had to, showing off his athleticism. All of his tools were on display.

The Chiefs’ offense won’t be predicated on the deep pass; Andy Reid’s scheme uses the short game to set up the deep shots. But having a quarterback who can throw it over mountains is certainly a weapon. As Yahoo Sports’ Terez Paylor pointed out, the deep pass might be even more important given the NFL’s new rules that limit defensive players.

Mahomes will be one of the most exciting players in the NFL this season. He has a great supporting cast around him, a good coach and a ton of physical talent (and, if the Chiefs’ defense against the Bears is an indication, Mahomes might be in plenty of shootouts this season).

Everything changes once the regular season hits, the pressure increases and the defenses get more complicated. But to this point, it looks like Mahomes can handle it.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers looked great in a 16-6 win against a Tennessee Titans team that a lot of people like coming into this season. It’s just the preseason, but the Steelers looked ready for the games to count. Everything clicked, even with a couple of superstars sitting out.

Ben Roethlisberger, who didn’t play the first two preseason games, got in some work. He looked sharp, even with Le’Veon Bell holding out and Antonio Brown held out. Roethlisberger’s highlight was a 32-yard touchdown to Justin Hunter on a fantastic deep throw down the right sideline that dropped right into Hunter’s hands. He finished 11-of-18 for 114 yards.

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