The Year Chiefs Fans Have Been Waiting For
It's week 7, and the early season dust is beginning to settle. Fitzmagic has been caught with cards up his sleeve, Blake Bortles has come down from his payday bender, and the Raiders, who looked at least mildly competitive earlier this season, have absolutely nuked. As a good portion of the leagues early season success stories have begun to dwindle away, their is one that still remains firm in its foundation: The Kansas City Chiefs.
Oh no, these Chiefs are no flash in the pan. They are a young flame that will continue to burn the league for years to come. Boasting the leagues most dynamic tight end, electric receiving core, and thunderous backfield, the Chiefs offense could find a mismatch if they were playing with 10 players. Oh, and not to mention, #15 is pretty good too.
But Kansas City fans have been seeing this for years right? Isn't this just the same old, same old? Even if these Chiefs win 12+ games, and lock up the one seed, won't they fall apart in the playoffs? Absolutely not.
While I have often hated the idea of lumping a team's past in with it's current situation, it can be hard to not do so in Kansas city's case. After a number of hot starts in recent Chiefs history, Kansas City hasn't gotten so much as an AFC championship appearance out of them. It seems that year after year the same disappointment follows this team and it's loyal, rowdy fan base. But here it is, I'm gonna say it... this year is different.
In the simplest terms, Chiefs teams of the past have dominated throughout the regular season just to show up to the playoffs and look like a completely different team. Whether it be a slow start (see New England 2016), or a weak finish (Indianapolis 2013), the Chiefs haven't had the mentality it takes to win big games. You need a leader who isn't afraid of the moment. You need someone who can turn nothing into something on any given play. You need a quarterback who can grip and throw the ball at a high velocity in low temperatures. You need a leader with curly brown hair and a goofy frog voice.
Yes, the Chiefs difference maker in January will be Patrick Mahomes. "Showtime" is the cure to Andy Reid's playoffs allergies, and should be the reason Andy gets his first ring. While I'm not promising that will come this season, I am saying there is a chance. And that if I had to bet on a team in the AFC, it would be the one that's hanging 40 points on anyone and everyone.
While the Chiefs playoff woes have been around for much longer than Andy Reid has, there is still no denying that he has had playoff struggles of his own. While some Reid critics place the blame on his play calling, others felt that Alex Smith was the problem. While I believe the blame could be spread to a number of areas, Alex Smith certainly wasn't helping. Yes, he played very well in spurts in the playoffs, but it was never enough. Alex was a true system quarterback. So, when the system was struggling, so was he. When Andy would begin digging himself in a hole, Alex didn't have the ability to pull him out of it. Alex couldn't consistently create plays off script.
Andy needs a quarterback who can pull him out of a rut. Like a great artist, he needs inspiration to spark his creativity. Patrick Mahomes is that guy. Like a beautiful new color palette, we have seen Patrick inspire Andy week after week. Just as the "old chiefs" start to show up, and the lead begins to slip away, the magic of Patrick Mahomes strikes. Do you think the Alex Smith led Chiefs hold off the Pittsburgh comeback? Or come back to win after an abysmal first half in Denver? Or score 40 in a mid-season, heavy playoff implication battle in New England? Absolutely not.
What makes this team different is the gunslinger under center. Mahomes is a guy that brings a plate full of confidence to every game, and has leftovers available for teammates who didn't bring their own. Yes, Patrick has all time arm talent, but so did Jamarcus Russell. What separates Patrick is ability to prepare at a high level, read defenses, make checks, and then throw a perfect pass.
It also doesn't hurt that Mahomes is playing with the best supporting cast in football. Sports media outlets rave about Hill, Kelce, Hunt, and Watkins, and rightfully so. But they haven't even had time to address the Chiefs offensive line, who is playing with swagger and a bully-like attitude.
While the defense is as ugly as it could be, there is still hope. With Eric Berry and Justin Houston growing closer to their fully healthy selves, the Chiefs are only a few weeks away from adding two all-pro's back into their defensive lineup. Pairing them with Dee Ford, who has been a premier pass rusher in the league this season, and Chris Jones, a pro bowl caliber interior lineman, makes for an at least average defense. And average is certainly enough for this team.
In summary, is this the chiefs year? Maybe. With an offense that can only stop themselves, the Chiefs are an average defense away from being your 2018-2019 champions of the football world. A telling match up with Marcus Peters and the L.A. Rams is only a few weeks away, and the Chiefs have a lackluster schedule up until that point. Seeing how Kansas City performs against lesser competition (Broncos, Browns, Cardinals) will show their maturity, and seeing how they perform against the Rams will show their guts. While we have already learned so much about this team, the coming weeks will continue to play teacher to a fan base thirsting for more knowledge.
