SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Patrick Mahomes is essentially the most talented quarterback within the NFL – and he needs help. Desperate. With emphasis. Immediately.

Since the Kansas City Chiefs need to develop into the primary team to win three Super Bowls in a row, the one option is a trade.

Although the league's trade deadline ends at 3 p.m. CT on Election Day, November 5, the Chiefs' top executives – club owner Clark Hunt, coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach – can have to make a move well before the deadline you read this.

Yes, the Chiefs are the league's only undefeated team with a 6-0 record after Sunday's victory over the San Francisco 49ers, a rematch of Super Bowl LVIII that was tougher than the dazzling comeback Mahomes staged in Las Vegas on the largest stage in sport.

However, Mahomes doesn’t have his three best wide receivers – experienced newcomer Marquise Brown (left shoulder), rising star Rashee Rice (right knee) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (right hamstring), who rejoined the team in late August. Midway through the primary quarter on Sunday, Smith-Schuster suffered a serious hamstring injury and missed the rest of the sport. Reid announced Monday that the Chiefs have already ruled out Smith-Schuster for his or her next game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

For the primary time in his eight-year profession, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to a 6-0 start, a testament to his drive and skill. But given the losses at receiver, you ask yourself: How long can Mahomes proceed to stabilize the Chiefs' passing attack?

Okay, the Chiefs can beat the Raiders without making a trade. Secure. But the competition within the AFC gets tougher because the weather gets colder. Also, have a look at how strange Mahomes' passing stats are through six games – just six touchdowns, a league-leading eight interceptions and an 82.5 passer rating, the bottom of his profession as a starter.

Mahomes needs help. Among healthy players on the skill position, Mahomes trusts essentially the most in tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray, who led the Chiefs with 66 yards rushing against the 49ers for the primary time in his four-year profession. The Chiefs' leading wide receiver on Sunday was rookie speedster Xavier Worthy, who had three receptions on eight targets for 19 yards.

CHOOSE! Deommodore Lenoir gets the ball back @49ers!

: #KCvsSF on FOX
: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/Nw0sHAw8cK

– NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024

Mahomes was heroic within the second half. He escaped the pocket several times to avoid sacks, he showed elite athleticism in his profession 33-yard run down the sideline, and he saved the Chiefs' offense on a four-and-goal snap by catching 49ers rookie safety Malik Mustapha's one-yard touchdown run made it 1-1.

Fans of each other NFL team must shout to themselves like Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad: “He can’t get away with this!”

The truth is that Mahomes can't try this. We all saw what happened in Super Bowl LV when Mahomes tried his best to be a wizard behind a makeshift offensive line as a result of multiple injuries this season. The Chiefs did not rating a touchdown. The constant pressure from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' outstanding pass rushers forced Mahomes to run time and again – he ran for a complete of 497 yards before releasing the ball, essentially the most pre-throw and pre-sack yards by a quarterback one game this season, in response to Next Gen Stats.

This time, Mahomes doesn't necessarily need great coverage from the AFC's top prospects to be the rationale he struggles and takes unnecessary hits that endanger his health.

Consider this: If the Chiefs don't make a trade this week, Mahomes will enter the sport with a gaggle of receivers – Worthy, Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman and Skyy Moore – who’ve combined to generate 27 receptions for 343 yards and two touchdowns. Heck, even left tackle Wanya Morris has higher receiving stats this season (one reception for a 1-yard touchdown) than Moore, who has yet to record a reception but has dropped two passes.

Mahomes stuff pic.twitter.com/RBUFTKmOaa

– NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024

The Chiefs' most suitable choice on the trade market appears to be Diontae Johnson, the Carolina Panthers receiver who leads his team with 30 receptions on 58 targets for 357 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson, 5-foot-10 and 183 kilos, can also be the form of speedy receiver Reid loves. Johnson can break away from coverage together with his assignments and can develop into a free agent within the offseason at age 28. If the Chiefs sign Johnson, he can be motivated to do his best, especially within the postseason, to maximise his earning potential.

Another option is New York Giants receiver Darius Slayton, who has 25 receptions on 40 targets for 312 yards and a touchdown. The 27-year-old Slayton is one of the crucial underrated receivers within the league. He averaged 14.8 yards per catch.

Of course, there are other options – DeAndre Hopkins (Titans), Christian Kirk (Jaguars), Demarcus Robinson (Rams), Tutu Atwell (Rams) and Adam Thielen (Panthers).

Whoever the Chiefs think is essentially the most talented receiver is the one they should get. To seal a deal, think about using a 2025 third-round pick if mandatory, much like what was needed last week when the Buffalo Bills acquired Amari Cooper and the New York Jets acquired Davante Adams. The Chiefs have two 2025 third-round picks, including one they received from the Tennessee Titans for cornerback L'Jarius Sneed.

First there was Wasp, now there's Corn Dog.

Andy Reid picked a wide-open Kadarius Toney. @0officialC2N pic.twitter.com/0U9EjmCdzl

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) February 16, 2023

A trade will help make sure the Chiefs' offense is as strong as possible heading into the postseason and increase the margin for error for Mahomes.

Two years ago, the Chiefs traded with the Giants for receiver Kadarius Toney. Although the trade wasn't an awesome success, Toney did his part to assist the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. He accomplished a 50-yard punt return, the longest in Super Bowl history, and scored a touchdown. Last 12 months, the Chiefs made a small move before the deadline by trading to the Jets for Mecole Hardman, the receiver who scored the walk-off touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII.

After his first season with the Chiefs, Toney called Reid the neatest coach within the league.

“I’m surrounded by the MVP (Mahomes) and the top tight end (Kelce) in the league,” Toney said on the time.

The Chiefs don't need a superstar receiver. Mahomes has proven he can win championships without him. However, Mahomes needs one other motivated, serviceable and reliable receiver to assist him take the Chiefs to a peak no NFL team has yet reached.

I wasn't expecting a big turnout, partially because there is no such thing as a shortage of electrical vehicle showrooms within the Bay Area and I've read many articles about disappointing sales. But I used to be pleasantly surprised by the big turnout. It looks like lots of individuals are desirous about electric vehicles.

Large selection

As someone who has owned a Tesla Model 3 since 2018, I used to be pleased to see several other automakers displaying electric vehicles. In addition to Tesla, exhibitors included Ford, BMW, Hyundai, KIA, Lexus, Lucid, Porsche, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Rivian, Toyota and Volvo. There was even a display from an organization I had never heard of. Vinfast is a Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer with 4 models and showrooms in San Mateo and other cities.

I haven't done enough research to explain the differences and relative advantages of the assorted models, but anyone buying an electrical vehicle today has plenty of excellent options. Until recently, Teslas were the one electric vehicles with access to a big network of charging stations, but that’s slowly changing. Tesla has promised to open its network of 30,000 charging stations to other automakers, but based on New York Timesit's not as fast as you would possibly expect. But even without Tesla Superchargers, there are more options from networks like Electrify America, EVgo, and Blink Charging. If you're traveling on major highways, an EV road trip will be relatively stress-free. While it does require some planning and also you'll have to stop more often than you’ll with a gas automotive, my bladder must be emptied much earlier than my battery must be charged, so I don't mind having to stop, especially if the chargers are near restaurants and restrooms, which they sometimes are.

Hybrids save petrol

While many of the cars on display on the Electrify Expo were fully electric, several firms showed off their hybrid vehicles, which mix an electrical motor with an internal combustion engine, leading to significant fuel savings in comparison with pure gasoline vehicles. Plug-in hybrids can run as much as 40 or more miles on electricity before needing to change to gasoline, nearly eliminating the necessity for gasoline for local trips.

Even conventional hybrids will be extremely efficient. My wife drives a 2016 Prius that gets about 54 miles per gallon. At $4 per gallon, that's lower than 8 cents per mile. The Prius is more efficient than most hybrids, but even large hybrid SUVs are significantly more efficient than their gas-powered counterparts.

My Tesla Model 3 uses 226 watt-hours per mile, which is about 149 miles per gallon. At 20 cents per kilowatt-hour, I pay about 4.5 cents per mile. Of course, your consumption will vary, similar to the associated fee of gasoline or electricity. Regardless of which fuel you utilize, driving at moderate speeds, avoiding rapid acceleration, and properly inflating your tires will increase your consumption per gallon or kilowatt-hour. My costs are based on charging at home. Public charging is generally (but not at all times) costlier.

High school students construct electric vehicles

One of the exhibitors on the EV Expo was Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, whose mascot happens to be the “Charger.”

The school runs an automotive program, led by the top of the varsity's vocational training department, Jozef Antolin. The school, which has been in existence because the Sixties, still teaches students tips on how to maintain and repair internal combustion engine vehicles, but now teaches about electric vehicles, using a teaching platform from Change vehicles These include kits that allow students to construct “road-ready” electric vehicles. The school now owns three of those vehicles, which Antolin says “have the basic systems found in any electric vehicle.” While it will be far too ambitious to show students to take apart and repair their parents' electric vehicles, Antolin says they’re learning in regards to the basic components and subsystems present in any electric vehicle.

Small EV learning curve

Although driving an electrical automotive is comparable to driving a gasoline automotive, there are some stuff you'll have to learn, including charging habits that can extend battery life, planning road trips, and using the software that comes with the vehicles. Owners of newer Tesla models may additionally have to relearn tips on how to shift gears and switch. The company has removed the familiar levers from the steering wheel, which has proven to be an unpopular improvement. I also needed to learn tips on how to restart the automotive's computer and needed to relearn things after major software updates.

Test drive

If you're trying to buy a brand new automotive, now may be time to check drive different electric cars from dealers in your area. Prices on many models have dropped in recent months, and plenty of of them may qualify for a $7,500 tax rebate, depending on the particular model and your adjusted gross income.

However, it is necessary to do not forget that every recent automotive also comes with environmental costs, so should you don't need a brand new automotive and don't drive much, it might make more sense each financially and environmentally to maintain the old automotive.

Larry Magid is a technology journalist and cybersecurity activist. You can reach him at larry@larrymagid.com.

Originally published: August 29, 2024 at 8:00 a.m.