The great Patrick Mahomes has too much respect for football, I hope, to pull another stunt like the two he authored Saturday in the Chiefs’ 23-14, AFC Divisional Round playoff victory over the Texans.

The brilliant and often-tough Chiefs star gamed an NFL officiating climate that grants quarterbacks extraordinary protection from contact.

Instead of going down after Texans defenders trapped him near the sideline on first-and-ten in the third quarter, Mahomes drew defenders closer then made a late slide that gifted him with 15 yards when a gullible official flagged the Texans for unnecessary roughness.

Mahomes was barely touched as two defenders rammed helmets in an attempt to tackle him.The defenders had begun their tackle attempt before Mahomes pulled up. That’s when he dropped to the ground like a sack of hammers.

The distasteful reward for toying with defenders is the type of bad football outcome that Tom Brady, the longtime QB turned broadcaster, has decried with growing vehemence this season.

“I always tried to be aggressive on offense. We try to block aggressively,” Brady told fellow Fox broadcaster Colin Cowherd in December.  “And at the same time, the defense tries to tackle aggressively. There’s an aspect, to me, where certainly quarterbacks need to take better care of themselves.”

Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, working the Chiefs-Texans game for Fox, criticized Mahomes’ ploy and the official’s roughing call. Aikman sounded disgusted that Mahomes was able to “run around and play games with defenders and then be able to draw a penalty.”

Later in the drive, Mahomes attempted to goad the same defender who had been whistled for roughness, linebacker Henry To’oTo’o.

As he headed out of bounds in front of To’oTo’o, Mahomes slowed down with his back to the defender, then flopped to the ground after To’oTo’o pushed him out of bounds.

This time, the officials didn’t take the bait.

Mahomes is far from the only QB who’s pushing the envelope in response to a protective environment. The Bills’ Josh Allen, a powerful, fast rusher, has become more creative in seeking officials’ protection, as have several others.

In response to such tactics, Brady has said NFL rulemakers may need to figure out a way to flag QBs who put defenders in such a bind. Fformer NFL head coach Bill Belichick said too many QBs are getting away with toying with defenders.

“To me, a late hit is very late,” Brady said. “There’s quarterbacks I see that run and tip-toe on the sideline, and they’re not even out of bounds, and they get hit as they’re starting to step out of bounds, and there’s a flag thrown.”

No fluke

The Texans moved the ball better more often. The Chiefs played the smarter, more efficient game.

Mahomes was great when he had to be.

Leading his team to a seventh consecutive Super Bowl qualifier, the quarterback capped the aforementioned drive with the game’s most difficult clutch play.

As a Texans lineman knocked him toward the ground, Mahomes threw an 11-yard strike while falling forward.

The pass went between two Texans defenders to Travis Kelce in the end zone, increasing the Chiefs’ lead to 20-12.

How were the Chiefs able to overcome a Texans team that blew out the Chargers in a wild-card game seven days earlier?

They had eight sacks of C.J. Stroud, often exploiting Houston’s well-known offensive deficiencies at sorting out blitzes and stunts. The Chiefs’ offense committed no turnovers for the eighth straight game and saw Mahomes and Kelce combine for seven completions for 117 yards. Lopsided winners on special teams, the Chiefs saw Harrison Butker convert each of his five kicks. Texans counterpart Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a PAT and a 55-yard attempt, and had a 35-yard kick blocked by Leo Chanel.

The Texans lost in the Divisional Round for the second time in two seasons under head coach DeMeco Ryans.

Coming off a terrific rookie season, Stroud, 23, had greater challenges this years due to injuries and protection issues. But he again far outperformed his salary cap charge, 20th among QBs according to overthecap.com. A breakthrough run to next year’s AFC title game seems possible for Houston.