Patrick Mahomes is doing Patrick Mahomes things again. In the Kansas City Chiefs’ 31-0 demolition of the Las Vegas Raiders, the quarterback looked every bit like an MVP. After a sluggish start to the year, Mahomes has flipped the switch and landed back in MVP conversations. But this time, the biggest challenger might not even be another quarterback.

Sure, guys like Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield have been lighting it up too, keeping the quarterback race fierce. But this season has something we haven’t seen in a while. The running backs have a legitimate case for an MVP.

For the first time since 2012, when Adrian Peterson last broke through the QB monopoly, we’ve got backs like Jonathan Taylor and Christian McCaffrey forcing their way into the conversation. And honestly, it’s impossible to ignore what they’re doing.

Taylor has become the engine behind the Colts’ stunning 6-1 start. He’s a big reason their offense looks unstoppable. Sure, Daniel Jones has been better than anyone expected, but it’s Taylor who’s setting the tone. His performance against the Chargers is the case in point.

He ended the game with 16 carries for 94 yards and three touchdowns, plus three catches for 38 more yards. That’s three games this season with three touchdowns. And he’s now sitting on a league-high 11 total scores (10 rushing, one receiving) along with 882 scrimmage yards.

And he’s HC Stane Steichen’s favorite player in the world, apparently. “He’s the best back in the league right now, there’s no doubt. And it starts with our guys up front. He’s running hard, he’s running physical, he’s got great vision. Yeah, he’s balling out right now,” he said.

And then there’s McCaffrey, who isn’t too far behind. Against the Falcons, he ran for 129 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and added seven catches for another 72 yards. That’s 201 total yards from scrimmage, his best as a 49ers player.

“His 201 scrimmage yards were the most by McCaffrey as a Niner and accounted for 62% of the team’s yards from scrimmage, the highest percentage for any player in a game this season,” ESPN’s Nick Wagoner said.

So yeah, while the quarterback play has been stellar, the running backs are stealing the spotlight in a way we haven’t seen in over a decade. But if Mahomes keeps doing what he did against the Raiders? Good luck catching him.

Mahomes was exceptional vs the Raiders

Before we talk about his numbers from the Chiefs‘ blowout win, you need to know that Mahomes sat out the entire fourth quarter. It’ll make these numbers sound even more astonishing. In just three quarters of work, Mahomes went 26-of-35 for 286 yards and three touchdowns, posting an 89.6 QBR.

He’s now thrown three touchdowns in back-to-back games and posted a QBR north of 80 in both. Maybe the most impressive stat of all? Just one interception in his last five outings. That pick came in the loss to the Jaguars. After an 0-2 start, the Chiefs have found their rhythm again, climbing back to 3-2 and looking more like the defending champs everyone expected.

And that’s what it always comes down to with MVP voting: team success. You can put up Madden numbers all year long, but if your team’s sitting at home come playoff time, the trophy’s going somewhere else.

Right now, everything’s clicking for Kansas City. Mahomes is heating up, Rashee Rice’s return has reignited the receiving corps, and the defense is holding firm. If they keep trending upward, Mahomes could very well grab another MVP. But if the Chiefs stumble and miss the postseason? No MVP for Patrick Mahomes this season.