KANSAS CITY T.J. Hockenson Jersey , Mo. (AP) — open presents with his little sister and the rest of his family, then the Chiefs quarterback hopped in his car for a quick trip to Arrowhead Stadium.Where he watched film. On Christmas.He got in his usual couple of hours of game-week prep on what is typically a day off for NFL teams, then hopped back in his car and headed home for the family feast.Then he watched more film. Still on Christmas.It’s that dedication to Mahomes’ craft that has helped the second-year pro become an MVP candidate as a first-time starter. He already has shattered numerous franchise records, including yards passing and TD passes in a single season, and Mahomes has positioned Kansas City for a third straight AFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with a victory Sunday over Oakland.The biggest wild card for the Chiefs entering the season has become their one constant.“It’s the process. You set up the schedule for a reason,” Mahomes said Wednesday, when the rest of the Chiefs returned to practice.“You follow the same schedule — game plan, watch film, practice — and you do the same things you’ve been doing to have success.”At this point, why would Mahomes deviate from his routine?He’s thrown 48 touchdown passes to lead the NFL by a dozen, and his 4,816 yards passing trail only Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He leads the league in yards per attempt among QBs that have started all season, and only the Saints’ Drew Brees has a better quarterback rating.Speaking of ratings, Mahomes only has had three games in which his rating has failed to reach 100, and the Chiefs still won all of those games. He’s thrown a TD pass in every game except one http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-jahlani-tavai-jersey , and that was a 30-14 rout of Jacksonville.And he’s thrown at least three touchdown passes in 10 games, with a pair of six-touchdown efforts in shootouts against the Patriots and Rams.“You just trust the process,” Mahomes said in explaining his unflappable nature. “Trust that your teammates are going to make the big plays they’ve made all year, and trust in my ability not to do too much. You just play the same game you’ve played all year.”Or the same game he’s played his whole life.Few were convinced that Mahomes would seamlessly transition from the Air Raid system of Texas Tech to the versatile, complex West Coast offense of Andy Reid. But the Chiefs coach saw enough of him last season in practice that Reid was willing to trade away Alex Smith and give him a shot.Now, the Chiefs are promoting Mahomes in MVP hype videos as they barrel toward the playoffs.“I am happy for all these guys, whatever accolades they get,” Reid said. “Patrick has worked hard for all of that stuff. There are a lot of great players in this league, so all the sudden you get pointed out as doing that, it’s important. Then it’s important to get back to what is real and that’s the game. But I am happy for him. A lot of work went into that for him.”Right, the game. The one that Mahomes was in the film room prepping for on Christmas, while the rest of his family was relaxing at home. The Chiefs have already squandered two chances to lock up the division title, and they could fall all the way to the No. 5 seed with a loss Sunday.So it makes sense that Mahomes was cramming for the Raiders on Tuesday.Even if it didn’t mean straying from the norm.“Everybody is excited for the opportunity,” Mahomes said, “getting to play a division opponent Will Harris Jersey , a rival in our division, then get to play at Arrowhead Stadium. We want to stay here from here on out. If we come out and play like we know we can, we can make a run at this thing.”Notes: RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif returned to practice for the first time since breaking his fibula and tearing ligaments in Week 5 against Jacksonville. It begins a three-week window in which Duvernay-Tardif can get up to speed. “We’ll just bring him back gradually,” Reid said. “It’s just a matter of getting caught up with the speed of the game.” … Reid said WR Sammy Watkins was out of a walking boot and “moving around,” though his return remains uncertain. He hasn’t played a full game since early November. KANSAS CITY, Mo. �? Steve Spagnuolo spent much of his year out of coaching making the 45-minute drive from his home in Philadelphia to the headquarters of NFL Films in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.Spagnuolo had finished a tour as the interim coach of the New York Giants and missed out on the full-time job after the season. He turned down an assistant coaching offer and decided instead to spend the season recharging his proverbial batteries while getting a different perspective on the league.No better place to do that than the repository for all NFL game film.“I’m glad I did it. There might have been another year I should have done it,” said Spagnuolo, who was hired a couple of weeks ago to be Andy Reid’s defensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs.“I found it to be both challenging and rewarding,” he explained Wednesday. “The challenge was missing football, missing the camaraderie of the players and coaches. The reward was to sit back and see a big picture of the NFL and the game of football, as opposed to being in these buildings during the season with blinders on. Just a big-picture view of the league, the game of football.”While ensconced at NFL Films headquarters, the former St. Louis Rams head coach had plenty of time to check out the Chiefs, whose Super Bowl run came up short in the AFC title game.One of the clearest reasons? Their defense http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-austin-bryant-jersey , which ranked near the bottom of the league in almost every statistical category. It was the defense that failed to stop the New England Patriots in overtime of the championship game, preventing Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the rest of Kansas City’s dynamic offense from even getting onto the field in the extra session.More than anything else it was that performance that sealed the fate of longtime defensive coordinator Bob Sutton. He was fired within days of the season ending, and almost his entire staff was let go, found jobs elsewhere or, in the case of Emmitt Thomas, simply retired.Now, it is up to Spagnuolo to turn around the Chiefs’ weak spot.“I don’t really go backward. I’m not going to pass judgment,” Spagnuolo said. “I think the world of Bob Sutton. Bob and I have known each other a long time. A change was made �? Coach Reid made that decision �? I’m just happy I was able to fall into what I think is a great position.”There are certainly pieces in place for a quick turnaround. There are also some crucial decisions to be made in short order.100View Gallery Gallery:View from the sidelines: NFL cheerleaders 2018Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports | Raj MehtaTop pass rusher Dee Ford is due to become a free agent, though the Chiefs are expected to place the franchise tag on him as they pursue a long-term deal. Defensive tackle Chris Jones is coming off a breakout season and is eligible to sign an extension, while the albatross contracts of safety Eric Berry and linebacker Justin Houston must be dealt with in some fashion. Perhaps they get restructured. Perhaps the two elder statesmen are released. Either way, the Chiefs could use the salary cap relief to shore up other areas of the defense.They also have the draft in April, and a first-round pick for the first time in two years, though they spent nearly all their picks on defense last season, with modest returns.“This is a process. There are no quick fixes. There is no magic wand,” Spagnuolo said. “One person does not assure success Rock Ya-Sin Jersey , but we’ll do everything to put something together.”Spagnuolo acknowledged in an interview Wednesday the lure of the Chiefs, who are well positioned to chase championships for years. They have one of the most stable ownerships in the NFL, a highly respected head coach in Reid, the reigning league MVP in the 23-year-old Mahomes and plenty of high-powered talent on offense to keep pace with just about any team.The biggest piece missing is a defense that can get off the field when it matters most.Like overtime of the AFC championship game.“You won’t touch a defensive coach in the NFL that wouldn’t want to be on a team with, A, a really good head football coach, and B, a really good quarterback,” Spagnuolo said. “It goes without saying I’m really excited to be part of an organization that has an elite quarterback, and quite frankly to work with Andy Reid again, and what he’s all about and what he’s meant to this franchise and the league as a whole is really, really special.”