With another come from behind win, the Chiefs beat the 49ers to become Super Bowl LIV champions
When the clock ran out on Sunday night in Miami, the Kansas City Chiefs became Super Bowl Champions. As had happened the previous two games, the Chiefs came from behind to beat the 49ers 31-20. They became the first team in NLF history to be down by double digits in all of their playoff games to win the Super Bowl. Talk about overcoming adversity.
Down by ten in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs were able to put together a flurry of scores to take home the Lombardi Trophy. Kansas City knew the Chiefs could do it, but being able to actually make that a reality is difficult. It was a great to see a team so close together succeed together. Everyone stepped up in a big way.
It will be interesting to see how things play out in the future. At the victory parade in Kansas City, Andy “Big Red” Reid said they would be back next year and that is completely plausible.
Patrick Mahomes II has only played three years in the NFL and it’s reasonable to think he will be back. Time to sign him to a long term deal. Any time he is on the field, the Chiefs are tough to beat. Football is a team game and this was won by many people, but I have to give credit where it’s due. Mahomes has talent that is off the charts and may be the best quarterback now and maybe ever to play the game.
Enjoy the moment and don’t get ahead of yourself is wise advice, but it’s almost impossible not to think what this team will do in the future. Andy Reid is a phenomenal coach and always has been. Brett Veach had proven he has an eye for talent and know’s what he’s doing. If the Chiefs keep Mahomes, Reid, and Veach together the sky is the limit. These three might be together for a long time. There are other key people like Travis Kelce, Tyrann Mathieu, Tyreek Hill and others that hopefully the Chiefs can hold onto.
You also have to give credit to Clark Hunt for aggressively going after Andy Reid when it was thought he would go to another team. His dad would be proud and is surely smiling down on him, the Chiefs, and Kansas City from heaven.
This team has been fun to watch and it’s a good group of guys. Kansas City and the Chiefs are going to enjoy this Super Bowl win, but everyone is looking forward to next year.
Down by ten in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs were able to put together a flurry of scores to take home the Lombardi Trophy. Kansas City knew the Chiefs could do it, but being able to actually make that a reality is difficult. It was a great to see a team so close together succeed together. Everyone stepped up in a big way.
It will be interesting to see how things play out in the future. At the victory parade in Kansas City, Andy “Big Red” Reid said they would be back next year and that is completely plausible.
Patrick Mahomes II has only played three years in the NFL and it’s reasonable to think he will be back. Time to sign him to a long term deal. Any time he is on the field, the Chiefs are tough to beat. Football is a team game and this was won by many people, but I have to give credit where it’s due. Mahomes has talent that is off the charts and may be the best quarterback now and maybe ever to play the game.
Enjoy the moment and don’t get ahead of yourself is wise advice, but it’s almost impossible not to think what this team will do in the future. Andy Reid is a phenomenal coach and always has been. Brett Veach had proven he has an eye for talent and know’s what he’s doing. If the Chiefs keep Mahomes, Reid, and Veach together the sky is the limit. These three might be together for a long time. There are other key people like Travis Kelce, Tyrann Mathieu, Tyreek Hill and others that hopefully the Chiefs can hold onto.
You also have to give credit to Clark Hunt for aggressively going after Andy Reid when it was thought he would go to another team. His dad would be proud and is surely smiling down on him, the Chiefs, and Kansas City from heaven.
This team has been fun to watch and it’s a good group of guys. Kansas City and the Chiefs are going to enjoy this Super Bowl win, but everyone is looking forward to next year.
Chiefs ready to roll in Miami against the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV
Here we go. The Chiefs are in the Super Bowl against the 49ers and have one more game to win to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Kansas City.
What’s going to happen? That’s tough to say, but the 49ers are considered the best overall team right now. However, the Chiefs have an offense unlike any the game has ever seen and a quarterback that may be one of if not the best of all time in Patrick Mahomes.
People can talk about San Francisco’s defense, run game, George Kittle, and the consistency they’ve had. The most important position on the field is the quarterback and the best quarterback is Patrick Mahomes every time he steps on the field.
Can Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, Dee Ford, and the rest of the 49ers defensive line get to Patrick Mahomes? This is the key for both teams to get the w. If Mahomes can get some time, he and Travis Kelce, Tykreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, DeMarcus Robinson, and Mecole Hardman are going to be tough to stop, but if San Fran can disrupt him things are going to be hard for the Chiefs.
We always pick what we think is the most important battle, but it could be the Chiefs being able to stop Raheem Mostert from running all over the place. Jimmy Garoppolo might shine and throw the ball well, but we haven’t seen that in the post season.
It’s definitely a tough call to pick the winner and Vegas thinks so too with Kansas City being a 1.5 and 1 point favorite at sports books. People think the best quarterback in the NFL can win and people think that the best team will win.
These teams are both talented in their own ways and it’s going to be fun to watch. Soak this one up Kansas City.
What’s going to happen? That’s tough to say, but the 49ers are considered the best overall team right now. However, the Chiefs have an offense unlike any the game has ever seen and a quarterback that may be one of if not the best of all time in Patrick Mahomes.
People can talk about San Francisco’s defense, run game, George Kittle, and the consistency they’ve had. The most important position on the field is the quarterback and the best quarterback is Patrick Mahomes every time he steps on the field.
Can Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, Dee Ford, and the rest of the 49ers defensive line get to Patrick Mahomes? This is the key for both teams to get the w. If Mahomes can get some time, he and Travis Kelce, Tykreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, DeMarcus Robinson, and Mecole Hardman are going to be tough to stop, but if San Fran can disrupt him things are going to be hard for the Chiefs.
We always pick what we think is the most important battle, but it could be the Chiefs being able to stop Raheem Mostert from running all over the place. Jimmy Garoppolo might shine and throw the ball well, but we haven’t seen that in the post season.
It’s definitely a tough call to pick the winner and Vegas thinks so too with Kansas City being a 1.5 and 1 point favorite at sports books. People think the best quarterback in the NFL can win and people think that the best team will win.
These teams are both talented in their own ways and it’s going to be fun to watch. Soak this one up Kansas City.
Chiefs’ 2019 Draft Class recap
With the 2019 NFL season almost upon us, I’m taking a look at the Chiefs’ draft picks.
Let’s start off with our 1st round pick at 29, which we traded for Frank Clark. No one can complain about this move since Dee Ford and Justin Houston are no longer on the team. The Chiefs had to fill this void and Frank Clark is the best option. Ford and Clark both recorded 13 sacks last year. Could we have drafted a defensive end? Sure, but the Chiefs needed someone ready to perform at a high level right now and that’s exactly what you get with Frank Clark.
The Chiefs first pick in the draft came in the second round at number 56. Controversy was surrounding Tyreek Hill, which factored into the Chiefs drafting Mecole Hardman, wide receiver from Georgia. This guy is a burner that ran 4.33 40 yard dash at the combine. That put him tied for fifth overall and tied for third among receivers for the fastest 40. You can’t get enough speed in a passing league. As it turns out, Tyreek Hill will play this year, so now you’ve got two guys who can fly. This could turn into a thunder and lightning combination on the outside and make the Chiefs passing attack even more potent. As a junior, Mecole had 34 catches for 532 yards and seven touchdowns. He can also return kickoffs and punts.
Several picks later at number 63 in the second round, the Chiefs selected Juan Thornhill out of Virginia to play with Tyrann Mathieu. Juan was the fifth fastest safety at the combine with a 4.42 40 and put up 21 reps on the 225 pound bench press, good for second among safeties. He jumped a 44 inch vertical, which was the highest for any player at the combine and his broad jump was tied for the top spot. Since 2006, Thornhill’s vertical puts him tied for fourth best during that time period. At 1 inch higher with a 45 inch vertical jump in 2015, former Chiefs player Chris Conley is tied for the top spot. Thornhill is exactly what the Chiefs need to replace Eric Berry and help rebuild this defense. This could be the most impactful pick the Chiefs make this year and a key piece to turning the defense around.
The 83rd pick in the third round was Khalen Saunders, Defensive Tackle for Western Illinois. Khalen is a good fit on a defense that needs to improve. His ability to move and disrupt will work well in the new 4-3 defense. Also, he’s from St. Louis. Welcome back to Missouri.
It was a while before the Chiefs had their next pick, which was in the sixth round. With the 201st pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Chiefs selected Rashad Fention, South Carolina cornerback. For defensive backs at the combine, Rashad scored the third highest broad jump and the fourth highest vertical. He played against tough competition in college and did pretty well, so I’m looking forward to seeing if he can step up for the Chiefs.
Next came Darwin Thompson, running back from Utah State. He’s quick, dynamic, and flew under the radar. He wasn’t invited to the combine, but at his pro day had the second most bench reps compared to running backs at the combine and third best vertical and fifth best broad jump. Maybe it’s because Thompson played for Utah State for just one season after transferring from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M junior college. I think the Chiefs came up big with this pick in the sixth round. Darwin has a lot of upside and could be the steal of the draft.
With their last pick in the sixth round at 216, the Chiefs took offensive lineman, Nick Allegretti, from Illinois. He played guard and center in college, but the Chiefs will probably be playing him at center.
That sums of the Chiefs 2019 draft class. These young men have worked hard to get here, but will have to work even harder to succeed at the NFL level.
Let’s start off with our 1st round pick at 29, which we traded for Frank Clark. No one can complain about this move since Dee Ford and Justin Houston are no longer on the team. The Chiefs had to fill this void and Frank Clark is the best option. Ford and Clark both recorded 13 sacks last year. Could we have drafted a defensive end? Sure, but the Chiefs needed someone ready to perform at a high level right now and that’s exactly what you get with Frank Clark.
The Chiefs first pick in the draft came in the second round at number 56. Controversy was surrounding Tyreek Hill, which factored into the Chiefs drafting Mecole Hardman, wide receiver from Georgia. This guy is a burner that ran 4.33 40 yard dash at the combine. That put him tied for fifth overall and tied for third among receivers for the fastest 40. You can’t get enough speed in a passing league. As it turns out, Tyreek Hill will play this year, so now you’ve got two guys who can fly. This could turn into a thunder and lightning combination on the outside and make the Chiefs passing attack even more potent. As a junior, Mecole had 34 catches for 532 yards and seven touchdowns. He can also return kickoffs and punts.
Several picks later at number 63 in the second round, the Chiefs selected Juan Thornhill out of Virginia to play with Tyrann Mathieu. Juan was the fifth fastest safety at the combine with a 4.42 40 and put up 21 reps on the 225 pound bench press, good for second among safeties. He jumped a 44 inch vertical, which was the highest for any player at the combine and his broad jump was tied for the top spot. Since 2006, Thornhill’s vertical puts him tied for fourth best during that time period. At 1 inch higher with a 45 inch vertical jump in 2015, former Chiefs player Chris Conley is tied for the top spot. Thornhill is exactly what the Chiefs need to replace Eric Berry and help rebuild this defense. This could be the most impactful pick the Chiefs make this year and a key piece to turning the defense around.
The 83rd pick in the third round was Khalen Saunders, Defensive Tackle for Western Illinois. Khalen is a good fit on a defense that needs to improve. His ability to move and disrupt will work well in the new 4-3 defense. Also, he’s from St. Louis. Welcome back to Missouri.
It was a while before the Chiefs had their next pick, which was in the sixth round. With the 201st pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Chiefs selected Rashad Fention, South Carolina cornerback. For defensive backs at the combine, Rashad scored the third highest broad jump and the fourth highest vertical. He played against tough competition in college and did pretty well, so I’m looking forward to seeing if he can step up for the Chiefs.
Next came Darwin Thompson, running back from Utah State. He’s quick, dynamic, and flew under the radar. He wasn’t invited to the combine, but at his pro day had the second most bench reps compared to running backs at the combine and third best vertical and fifth best broad jump. Maybe it’s because Thompson played for Utah State for just one season after transferring from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M junior college. I think the Chiefs came up big with this pick in the sixth round. Darwin has a lot of upside and could be the steal of the draft.
With their last pick in the sixth round at 216, the Chiefs took offensive lineman, Nick Allegretti, from Illinois. He played guard and center in college, but the Chiefs will probably be playing him at center.
That sums of the Chiefs 2019 draft class. These young men have worked hard to get here, but will have to work even harder to succeed at the NFL level.
All in on defense, Chiefs draft recap
The 2018 draft was simple: defense. After finishing 28th in the NFL in yards given up, Andy and co. decided to double down on defense, picking only one player, Kahlil McKenzie, who played defensive tackle in college, to play offense as a guard. As everyone knows, he’s also the son of Raiders GM, Reggie McKenzie, which should make things interesting during the holidays. The motto for this year’s draft was know your weakness and the Chiefs did that with their picks.
It will be interesting to see the defense develop with this draft class:
Breeland Speaks, DE, Round 2 (46th pick) Ole Miss
Derrick Nnadi, DT, Round 3 (75th pick) Florida State
Dorian O’Daniel, LB, Round 3 (100th pick) Clemson
Armani Watts, S, Round 4 (124th pick) Texas A&M
Tremon Smith, CB, Round 6 (196th pick) Central Arkansas
Kahlil McKenzie, DT, Round 6 (198th pick) Tennessee
The Chiefs also added linebacker Anthony Hitchens from the Cowboys with a 5 year $45 million dollar contract. A lot of people in the Chiefs organization think he can be a big time player.
Adding these free agents and all the draft picks to the defense will help. It may take these guys time to learn the system and become ready to contribute, but there are 2, 3 or 4 of them that could make an impact immediately.
I know the Chiefs don’t want me to bring up our poor defensive statistics and this is a good start to preventing it from happening. I like the moves. It reminded me of when Andy Reid came to Kansas City in 2013 and the first thing he did was sign Alex Smith because he knew we needed a quarterback. Identify where you need to get better and improve.
It will be interesting to see the defense develop with this draft class:
Breeland Speaks, DE, Round 2 (46th pick) Ole Miss
Derrick Nnadi, DT, Round 3 (75th pick) Florida State
Dorian O’Daniel, LB, Round 3 (100th pick) Clemson
Armani Watts, S, Round 4 (124th pick) Texas A&M
Tremon Smith, CB, Round 6 (196th pick) Central Arkansas
Kahlil McKenzie, DT, Round 6 (198th pick) Tennessee
The Chiefs also added linebacker Anthony Hitchens from the Cowboys with a 5 year $45 million dollar contract. A lot of people in the Chiefs organization think he can be a big time player.
Adding these free agents and all the draft picks to the defense will help. It may take these guys time to learn the system and become ready to contribute, but there are 2, 3 or 4 of them that could make an impact immediately.
I know the Chiefs don’t want me to bring up our poor defensive statistics and this is a good start to preventing it from happening. I like the moves. It reminded me of when Andy Reid came to Kansas City in 2013 and the first thing he did was sign Alex Smith because he knew we needed a quarterback. Identify where you need to get better and improve.
Chiefs top three picks
It was an exciting draft for the Chiefs this year. Here is information on our top three picks:
Patrick Mahomes III, quarterback, Texas Tech – The Chiefs were able to draft Mahomes by trading the 27th pick, a third round pick, and next year’s first round pick to move to the 10th overall pick. Obviously, Andy and Dorsey like this kid and I do too. I’ve been talking about him before the draft because I like his personality, the fact that his dad was a major league pitcher, because he put up huge numbers, and most importantly, he has a legit arm. This guy can spin it with accuracy. People talk about his aggressive gun slinger style being a big part of his game. That doesn’t work without a big arm, which he has. During his three years at Texas Tech, the Red Raiders quarterback had 857 completions out of 1,349 attempts for 11,252 yards and 93 touchdowns with 29 interceptions. Some picks in there, but that’s a lot of yards and touchdowns and if you watched Mahomes play in college, you are going to be excited to see what he can do at the next level. It probably won’t be for a year, but you never know.
Tanoh Kpassagnon, defensive end, Villanova – With their second round pick the Chiefs drafted a player with tremendous upside. Tanoh’s athleticism, length, and raw ability could make him an elite pass rusher in the NFL. His 6 foot 7 289 pound frame could give offensive tackles nightmares in the NFL as he improves. At the combine, his broad jump was 10 foot 8 inches, third place overall for defensive linemen with only Myles Garrett and Haason Reddick jumping farther. He is also smart and had an internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Majoring in both accounting and finance, no easy feat, Tanoh is the son a chemical scientist. It will be fun to watch him develop and reach is his full potential under Andy Reid and co.
Kareem Hunt, running back, Toledo - And then there is the third round pick, Kareem Hunt. He rushed for 4945 yards at Toledo and there’s lots of excitement around this guy’s ability to stay up and keep going. After trading our fourth, seventh, and third round picks to Minnesota, the Chiefs moved up eighteen spots to select Hunt. He’s quick for his size and will pick up yards on the ground, but can also catch. With Jamaal gone, the addition of C.J. Spiller, and Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West, the running back position will be interesting to see this season. Most people probably think Spencer Ware will get the most carries, but Kareem could be up there in rush attempts. Look for Hunt to make an impact early.
All three guys have talent and are in a great system. We’ve seen some incredible rookie seasons under Andy Reid and hopefully one or more of these rookies can continue that tradition.
Patrick Mahomes III, quarterback, Texas Tech – The Chiefs were able to draft Mahomes by trading the 27th pick, a third round pick, and next year’s first round pick to move to the 10th overall pick. Obviously, Andy and Dorsey like this kid and I do too. I’ve been talking about him before the draft because I like his personality, the fact that his dad was a major league pitcher, because he put up huge numbers, and most importantly, he has a legit arm. This guy can spin it with accuracy. People talk about his aggressive gun slinger style being a big part of his game. That doesn’t work without a big arm, which he has. During his three years at Texas Tech, the Red Raiders quarterback had 857 completions out of 1,349 attempts for 11,252 yards and 93 touchdowns with 29 interceptions. Some picks in there, but that’s a lot of yards and touchdowns and if you watched Mahomes play in college, you are going to be excited to see what he can do at the next level. It probably won’t be for a year, but you never know.
Tanoh Kpassagnon, defensive end, Villanova – With their second round pick the Chiefs drafted a player with tremendous upside. Tanoh’s athleticism, length, and raw ability could make him an elite pass rusher in the NFL. His 6 foot 7 289 pound frame could give offensive tackles nightmares in the NFL as he improves. At the combine, his broad jump was 10 foot 8 inches, third place overall for defensive linemen with only Myles Garrett and Haason Reddick jumping farther. He is also smart and had an internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Majoring in both accounting and finance, no easy feat, Tanoh is the son a chemical scientist. It will be fun to watch him develop and reach is his full potential under Andy Reid and co.
Kareem Hunt, running back, Toledo - And then there is the third round pick, Kareem Hunt. He rushed for 4945 yards at Toledo and there’s lots of excitement around this guy’s ability to stay up and keep going. After trading our fourth, seventh, and third round picks to Minnesota, the Chiefs moved up eighteen spots to select Hunt. He’s quick for his size and will pick up yards on the ground, but can also catch. With Jamaal gone, the addition of C.J. Spiller, and Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West, the running back position will be interesting to see this season. Most people probably think Spencer Ware will get the most carries, but Kareem could be up there in rush attempts. Look for Hunt to make an impact early.
All three guys have talent and are in a great system. We’ve seen some incredible rookie seasons under Andy Reid and hopefully one or more of these rookies can continue that tradition.
Kansas City looks to lock up a playoff spot this weekend
The Chiefs went to 10-4 after being defeated by Tennessee on Sunday. Andy Reid spoke on Monday and talked about how they need to work on finishing and executing. That makes sense since the Chiefs came away with zero points in the red zone twice. He also talked about how he needs to get better at calling plays and giving guys opportunities. The defense played strong against a Tennessee team that has been putting up points and Kansas City had chances to win the game. It’s a competitive league and plays happen that make the game go one way or the other. Succop said with ten tries he probably couldn’t make that kick.
It’s time to move on. The Chiefs prepare this week to take on Denver at home and need this game to have a chance at winning the AFC West. Denver has lost three out of their last four games (one of those came against Kansas City). Offensively, it’s been a struggle for them and things won’t get any easier against the Chiefs defense.
A Chiefs win would give Kansas City a playoff spot, but the Chiefs may already be in the playoffs before kickoff Sunday night if the Steelers beat the Ravens, or they tie. Either way, Kansas City wants to win the AFC West and if KC finishes with the same record as the Raiders who are one game ahead at 11-3, the tiebreaker goes to the Chiefs.
The Chiefs went to 10-4 after being defeated by Tennessee on Sunday. Andy Reid spoke on Monday and talked about how they need to work on finishing and executing. That makes sense since the Chiefs came away with zero points in the red zone twice. He also talked about how he needs to get better at calling plays and giving guys opportunities. The defense played strong against a Tennessee team that has been putting up points and Kansas City had chances to win the game. It’s a competitive league and plays happen that make the game go one way or the other. Succop said with ten tries he probably couldn’t make that kick.
It’s time to move on. The Chiefs prepare this week to take on Denver at home and need this game to have a chance at winning the AFC West. Denver has lost three out of their last four games (one of those came against Kansas City). Offensively, it’s been a struggle for them and things won’t get any easier against the Chiefs defense.
A Chiefs win would give Kansas City a playoff spot, but the Chiefs may already be in the playoffs before kickoff Sunday night if the Steelers beat the Ravens, or they tie. Either way, Kansas City wants to win the AFC West and if KC finishes with the same record as the Raiders who are one game ahead at 11-3, the tiebreaker goes to the Chiefs.
Chiefs continue to roll
I’m still amped up from our Sunday night win over Denver to get to 8-3, but I want to reflect on the great run the Chiefs are having.
In watching media coverage and reading about the Chiefs, you see the same question over and over. How do they do it and keep winning game after game? This season, Kansas City is ranked 16th in points scored and 7th in points given up. They are an incredible +14 turnovers in takeaways versus giveaways this year, which leads the league. That’s a huge differential when you consider the fact that the fourth best team in the NFL is +5. Our defense leads the league in interceptions with 13 and is tied for the lead in fumbles with 11. That’s without Justin Houston and we saw how he impacted the game in Denver. The offense has only given the ball away 10 times, good for 9th in the league. Our dominant defense coupled with a better than average offense that doesn’t turn the ball over is what gets the job done in week in week out. Life is all about balance, and so is football.
This is how we won so many games, not only this year, but also the previous three years. Marcus Peters has been a big part of the +14, but so has Alex Smith by not throwing picks left and right. At the end of the day, it’s a team game. Teams with great defenses and good offenses win Super Bowls. Since 2012 these are the five teams that have won the Super Bowl: Giants, Ravens, Seahawks, Patriots, and Broncos. Besides the Patriots, the other four were defensive football teams.
The Chiefs face an offensive team on Sunday when they play the Falcons who are leading the league in points scored. This would be another huge win if they could come away with the victory in Atlanta.
I’m still amped up from our Sunday night win over Denver to get to 8-3, but I want to reflect on the great run the Chiefs are having.
In watching media coverage and reading about the Chiefs, you see the same question over and over. How do they do it and keep winning game after game? This season, Kansas City is ranked 16th in points scored and 7th in points given up. They are an incredible +14 turnovers in takeaways versus giveaways this year, which leads the league. That’s a huge differential when you consider the fact that the fourth best team in the NFL is +5. Our defense leads the league in interceptions with 13 and is tied for the lead in fumbles with 11. That’s without Justin Houston and we saw how he impacted the game in Denver. The offense has only given the ball away 10 times, good for 9th in the league. Our dominant defense coupled with a better than average offense that doesn’t turn the ball over is what gets the job done in week in week out. Life is all about balance, and so is football.
This is how we won so many games, not only this year, but also the previous three years. Marcus Peters has been a big part of the +14, but so has Alex Smith by not throwing picks left and right. At the end of the day, it’s a team game. Teams with great defenses and good offenses win Super Bowls. Since 2012 these are the five teams that have won the Super Bowl: Giants, Ravens, Seahawks, Patriots, and Broncos. Besides the Patriots, the other four were defensive football teams.
The Chiefs face an offensive team on Sunday when they play the Falcons who are leading the league in points scored. This would be another huge win if they could come away with the victory in Atlanta.
Chiefs ready for Pittsburgh on SNF
Big game for the Chiefs on Sunday night in Pittsburgh. Some people have said we don’t know who the Chiefs are, but we will find out Sunday night. I tend to agree and don’t have a crystal ball, but let me map this out for you.
The Chiefs had an incredible six interceptions against Ryan Fitzpatrick last week along with two fumble recoveries for a total of eight takeaways. Yeah, I know, it’s ridiculous, along with Marcus Peters’ stats. The Chiefs were second in points given up two years ago and third in points given up last year. This is a team that feeds off their defense with an offense that showed tremendous improvement last year but has struggled much of the time this year. It would be a huge help to have Justin Houston back before November, but this team can still be a great defensive unit and the overall team success, number of wins, will depend on what the offense can do.
Having scored only one offensive touchdown in their last two games, the most important thing for the Chiefs to do against Pittsburgh is to get someone in the end zone from the offense early and keep it going. That’s going to be tough in a hostile Pittsburgh environment against one of the five teams pegged to win ten and a half games by Vegas this year, but Andy Reid and the Chiefs are up to the challenge.
2-1 is a solid position to be in and I have confidence the defense can keep playing good ball and the Chiefs can turn those Cairo Santos field goals into touchdowns. I’ve been saying this all week, field goals win games at the end of games, touchdowns win games.
Big game for the Chiefs on Sunday night in Pittsburgh. Some people have said we don’t know who the Chiefs are, but we will find out Sunday night. I tend to agree and don’t have a crystal ball, but let me map this out for you.
The Chiefs had an incredible six interceptions against Ryan Fitzpatrick last week along with two fumble recoveries for a total of eight takeaways. Yeah, I know, it’s ridiculous, along with Marcus Peters’ stats. The Chiefs were second in points given up two years ago and third in points given up last year. This is a team that feeds off their defense with an offense that showed tremendous improvement last year but has struggled much of the time this year. It would be a huge help to have Justin Houston back before November, but this team can still be a great defensive unit and the overall team success, number of wins, will depend on what the offense can do.
Having scored only one offensive touchdown in their last two games, the most important thing for the Chiefs to do against Pittsburgh is to get someone in the end zone from the offense early and keep it going. That’s going to be tough in a hostile Pittsburgh environment against one of the five teams pegged to win ten and a half games by Vegas this year, but Andy Reid and the Chiefs are up to the challenge.
2-1 is a solid position to be in and I have confidence the defense can keep playing good ball and the Chiefs can turn those Cairo Santos field goals into touchdowns. I’ve been saying this all week, field goals win games at the end of games, touchdowns win games.
Here we go
It’s time to start making predictions for the upcoming Chiefs season. Vegas has total wins for the season at 9 and a half, which may sound as if we were slighted considering we won eleven games in a row before falling to the Patriots in the playoffs. When you look at the fact that Vegas has only 5 teams above us at 10 and half wins, it actually feels pretty good. Those teams are the Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There’s many reasons why many believe the Chiefs will do well this year. Here are 4:
1. Great defense: The Chiefs D finished tied for second in fewest points given up two years ago and third in fewest points given up last year. If Justin Houston can come back early in the year and be as effective as his usual self, this defense will continue to terrorize opposing offenses.
2. Improved offensive line: Mitchell Schwartz was signed, Eric Fisher is getting better, Mitch Morse is a solid NFL center, Parker Ehinger and Laurent Duvarnay-Tardif have both looked good in training camp.
3. Big time offensive potential: Alex Smith, Jamaal Charles and the rest of the three headed monster, Travis Kelce, and Jeremy Maclin are the core of an offense that has shown they can be big producers. Tyreek Hill, Ross Travis, Chris Conley, Albert Wilson, and Demetrius Harris can all make plays as well.
4. Talent: Nine Chiefs were selected to the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016 (Justin Houston, Eric Berry, Marcus Peters, Jamaal Charles, Derrick Johnson, Alex Smith, Tamba Hali, Travis Kelce, and Jeremy Maclin), the most of out any team.
The biggest question I have is when will Justin Houston be back. I’m most excited to see what Marcus Peters can do in his sophomore year after tying an NFL high for interceptions with 8 last year. That’s nothing short of incredible if you look at his season, most famously recognized when he tweeted “lies” in response to a tweet surrounding Josh Norman’s season, and realize that Marcus Peters had one of the best seasons for any defensive back in the past fifteen years as a rookie.
Combine all of that with the fact that Andy Reid has been to the playoffs eleven out the past seventeen seasons, and I've decided to go with the over. Winning ten games in the NFL isn't easy, but I think this team can do it.
It’s time to start making predictions for the upcoming Chiefs season. Vegas has total wins for the season at 9 and a half, which may sound as if we were slighted considering we won eleven games in a row before falling to the Patriots in the playoffs. When you look at the fact that Vegas has only 5 teams above us at 10 and half wins, it actually feels pretty good. Those teams are the Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There’s many reasons why many believe the Chiefs will do well this year. Here are 4:
1. Great defense: The Chiefs D finished tied for second in fewest points given up two years ago and third in fewest points given up last year. If Justin Houston can come back early in the year and be as effective as his usual self, this defense will continue to terrorize opposing offenses.
2. Improved offensive line: Mitchell Schwartz was signed, Eric Fisher is getting better, Mitch Morse is a solid NFL center, Parker Ehinger and Laurent Duvarnay-Tardif have both looked good in training camp.
3. Big time offensive potential: Alex Smith, Jamaal Charles and the rest of the three headed monster, Travis Kelce, and Jeremy Maclin are the core of an offense that has shown they can be big producers. Tyreek Hill, Ross Travis, Chris Conley, Albert Wilson, and Demetrius Harris can all make plays as well.
4. Talent: Nine Chiefs were selected to the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016 (Justin Houston, Eric Berry, Marcus Peters, Jamaal Charles, Derrick Johnson, Alex Smith, Tamba Hali, Travis Kelce, and Jeremy Maclin), the most of out any team.
The biggest question I have is when will Justin Houston be back. I’m most excited to see what Marcus Peters can do in his sophomore year after tying an NFL high for interceptions with 8 last year. That’s nothing short of incredible if you look at his season, most famously recognized when he tweeted “lies” in response to a tweet surrounding Josh Norman’s season, and realize that Marcus Peters had one of the best seasons for any defensive back in the past fifteen years as a rookie.
Combine all of that with the fact that Andy Reid has been to the playoffs eleven out the past seventeen seasons, and I've decided to go with the over. Winning ten games in the NFL isn't easy, but I think this team can do it.
My thoughts on the 2015 Kansas City Chiefs
After starting 1-5, the Chiefs went on an absolute tear, winning eleven in a row and setting themselves up for what I thought was the perfect situation for them to march into the Super Bowl. New England, Pittsburgh, and Denver all had been struggling and the last time we played each of these teams, which was recently, we won. I thought here we go, Super Bowl 50 is in our sights. I was wrong. We didn’t do what we needed to do against New England, disrupt Tom Brady. He wasn’t sacked once and was rarely pressured. We didn’t put enough heat on Brady and I almost feel bad saying that because we have one of the best pass rushes in the NFL with Justin Houston, Tamba Hali, Dontari Poe, Jaye Howard, Allen Bailey, Mike DeVito, and Dee Ford. It’s one of the main reasons we’ve won so many games these past few years, but we didn’t get to Tom Brady enough. He was getting the ball out quick and he is one of the best of all time, so I tip my hat to him. It didn’t help that Justin Houston barely played due to a knee injury. I felt like we were going to win that game 23-13 or right around there. We got to 20 and gave up 27. We were close.
It did feel good to get the playoff win monkey off our backs. We all know the streak, eight playoff losses in a row during the span of twenty-two years. The Chiefs blew that one out by cruising to victory over the Texans in Houston 30-0. Even after the New England game, I’m excited about this team and the guidance from the coaching staff in allowing them to be the best they can be.
The Chiefs also set a franchise record for most regular season wins in a row, ten, all after starting 1-5. I’m so proud of the way these guys overcame adversity and battled back to not only get in contention for the playoffs, but to make the playoffs, win a game, and put themselves in a position to make a run at winning the Super Bowl. Unbelievable fortitude and toughness was displayed by this team and they have a bright future. No one will ever forget how this team never gave up and kept fighting, a valuable lesson that all of us should live by.
One of the best defenses in the game, the Kansas City Chiefs defense gave up 17.9 points per game, which was third in the NFL. This is encouraging going forward and can take the Chiefs far. There’s no doubt that the defense played a huge role in reeling off eleven wins in a row. I can’t say enough about how talented this defense is in all three levels. I hope we can keep these guys together for a long time.
To be fair, you can’t be single threaded and win that many games in a row in the NFL. The offense has to be given credit and I was really impressed with what Andy Reid and co. have been able to do with the offensive line, a unit that had struggled the past couple of years. These guys averaged 25.3 points per game and that was good for ninth in the league. Really impressive in both the run and pass game.
The third best defense in the league and the ninth best offense in the league. I’ll take that every year and it’s the reason we were a Super Bowl contender. Consider this, the Denver Broncos, Super Bowl Champions, had the nineteenth best offense with 22.2 points per game and the fourth best defense allowing 18.5 points per game. Guess that’s why stats are just stats. As it relates to the most important stat in sports, wins and losses, the Chiefs were 11-5 in the regular season and that’s always something to be proud of in the NFL.
That’s right, 1-5 to Super Bowl contenders. Pretty amazing, but let’s not forget the fact that this team was 20-12 in the previous two regular seasons and had more talent this year. I’m looking forward to next year. This team has no weaknesses. They will have a shot to go far and I can’t wait. I’m out.
It did feel good to get the playoff win monkey off our backs. We all know the streak, eight playoff losses in a row during the span of twenty-two years. The Chiefs blew that one out by cruising to victory over the Texans in Houston 30-0. Even after the New England game, I’m excited about this team and the guidance from the coaching staff in allowing them to be the best they can be.
The Chiefs also set a franchise record for most regular season wins in a row, ten, all after starting 1-5. I’m so proud of the way these guys overcame adversity and battled back to not only get in contention for the playoffs, but to make the playoffs, win a game, and put themselves in a position to make a run at winning the Super Bowl. Unbelievable fortitude and toughness was displayed by this team and they have a bright future. No one will ever forget how this team never gave up and kept fighting, a valuable lesson that all of us should live by.
One of the best defenses in the game, the Kansas City Chiefs defense gave up 17.9 points per game, which was third in the NFL. This is encouraging going forward and can take the Chiefs far. There’s no doubt that the defense played a huge role in reeling off eleven wins in a row. I can’t say enough about how talented this defense is in all three levels. I hope we can keep these guys together for a long time.
To be fair, you can’t be single threaded and win that many games in a row in the NFL. The offense has to be given credit and I was really impressed with what Andy Reid and co. have been able to do with the offensive line, a unit that had struggled the past couple of years. These guys averaged 25.3 points per game and that was good for ninth in the league. Really impressive in both the run and pass game.
The third best defense in the league and the ninth best offense in the league. I’ll take that every year and it’s the reason we were a Super Bowl contender. Consider this, the Denver Broncos, Super Bowl Champions, had the nineteenth best offense with 22.2 points per game and the fourth best defense allowing 18.5 points per game. Guess that’s why stats are just stats. As it relates to the most important stat in sports, wins and losses, the Chiefs were 11-5 in the regular season and that’s always something to be proud of in the NFL.
That’s right, 1-5 to Super Bowl contenders. Pretty amazing, but let’s not forget the fact that this team was 20-12 in the previous two regular seasons and had more talent this year. I’m looking forward to next year. This team has no weaknesses. They will have a shot to go far and I can’t wait. I’m out.
DJ and Ron Parker after taking out San Diego to get to 8-5
Derrick Johnson, Travis Kelce, and Mike DeVito after getting the W against the Bills
Jaye Howard, Chris Conley, and Derrick Johnson after beating Pittsburgh 23-13
Catching up Mike DeVito, De'Anthony Thomas, and Chris Conley after playing the Bears
Allen Bailey, Chris Conley, and Phillip Gaines after playing the Broncos on Thursday Night Football
Catching up with Ron Parker, Sean Smith, Mike DeVito, and Chris Conley after the Chiefs played the Titans in their third preseason game
Locker room after the Chiefs edge the Seahawks 14-13 in their second preseason game
Looking at the Chiefs' draft and their top picks
Now that the 2015 NFL Draft is over, it's time to analyze our top three picks and see how these rookies can make the Chiefs a better football team. Here is a list of the Chiefs' picks by pick number:
18 - Marcus Peters (CB - Washington)
49 - Mitch Morse (OG - Missouri)
76 - Chris Conley (WR - Georgia)
98 - Steven Nelson (CB - Oregon State)
118 - Ramik Wilson (ILB - Georgia)
172 - D.J. Alexander (OLB - Oregon State)
173 - James O-Shaughnessy (TE - Illinois State)
217 - Rakeem Nunez-Roches (DT - Southern Miss)
233 - Da'Ron Brown (WR - Northern Illinois)
Let's start with our first pick, Marcus Peters. Some analysts said he was the best CB in the draft. He's a physical corner at 6 foot 200 pounds and is very effective in jump ball situations. In this league, you can never have enough solid defensive backs, so I like the pick even though our defense was strong to say the least last year. Dorsey did what he said he would do and drafted the best player available. Had Marcus not been dismissed from Washington last year for arguing with a coach, he may have been picked higher. I'm confident this won't be a problem with the Chiefs because Steve Sarkisian, his college head coach, gave good reviews to Andy and Co.
Now for the weakest area, in my opinion, on the Chiefs the past two years, the offensive line. With the 49th pick the Chiefs drafted Mitch Morse, Mizzou's left tackle. I like this pick a lot. He will most likely play center with the departure of Rodney Hudson and should be able to come in and contribute immediately. Dorsey and Reid continued their tradition of drafting good athletes with picking Morse. He put up 225 36 times, which was second overall at the combine. Mitch tied for eighth in the 40 at the combine for offensive lineman with a time of 5.14 seconds. The Chiefs needed an O lineman that could come in and perform now. They got that with Morse. When you look at the addition of free agents Ben Grubbs and Paul Fanaika, coupled with drafting Mitch Morse, the Chiefs O line will be much improved, especially if Eric Fisher can improve upon his first two years in the NFL.
Without a WR touchdown last year, most people thought that position was our biggest concern. Sticking with the strategy of drafting athletes, Dorsey and Reid picked Chris Conley with the 76th pick. This guy has jets. He ran a 4.35 40 at the combine, tying for the fourth fastest overall time. He may be the fastest guy on the Chiefs now and that's saying a lot when you consider the fact that we already have burners in Jamaal Charles, Phillip Gaines, De'Anthony Thomas, and Jeremy Maclin. Conley will be able to stretch the field with the addition of Maclin. I think those wideouts along with Travis Kelce can help Kansas City make a huge improvement in the passing game this year. Conley should play a key role and I look forward to seeing those wheels in action.
The Chiefs had six more picks after the three I just talked about. You never know, but some of those six picks could turn out to be our best additions.
Did Kansas City have a good draft? Time will tell.
Now that the 2015 NFL Draft is over, it's time to analyze our top three picks and see how these rookies can make the Chiefs a better football team. Here is a list of the Chiefs' picks by pick number:
18 - Marcus Peters (CB - Washington)
49 - Mitch Morse (OG - Missouri)
76 - Chris Conley (WR - Georgia)
98 - Steven Nelson (CB - Oregon State)
118 - Ramik Wilson (ILB - Georgia)
172 - D.J. Alexander (OLB - Oregon State)
173 - James O-Shaughnessy (TE - Illinois State)
217 - Rakeem Nunez-Roches (DT - Southern Miss)
233 - Da'Ron Brown (WR - Northern Illinois)
Let's start with our first pick, Marcus Peters. Some analysts said he was the best CB in the draft. He's a physical corner at 6 foot 200 pounds and is very effective in jump ball situations. In this league, you can never have enough solid defensive backs, so I like the pick even though our defense was strong to say the least last year. Dorsey did what he said he would do and drafted the best player available. Had Marcus not been dismissed from Washington last year for arguing with a coach, he may have been picked higher. I'm confident this won't be a problem with the Chiefs because Steve Sarkisian, his college head coach, gave good reviews to Andy and Co.
Now for the weakest area, in my opinion, on the Chiefs the past two years, the offensive line. With the 49th pick the Chiefs drafted Mitch Morse, Mizzou's left tackle. I like this pick a lot. He will most likely play center with the departure of Rodney Hudson and should be able to come in and contribute immediately. Dorsey and Reid continued their tradition of drafting good athletes with picking Morse. He put up 225 36 times, which was second overall at the combine. Mitch tied for eighth in the 40 at the combine for offensive lineman with a time of 5.14 seconds. The Chiefs needed an O lineman that could come in and perform now. They got that with Morse. When you look at the addition of free agents Ben Grubbs and Paul Fanaika, coupled with drafting Mitch Morse, the Chiefs O line will be much improved, especially if Eric Fisher can improve upon his first two years in the NFL.
Without a WR touchdown last year, most people thought that position was our biggest concern. Sticking with the strategy of drafting athletes, Dorsey and Reid picked Chris Conley with the 76th pick. This guy has jets. He ran a 4.35 40 at the combine, tying for the fourth fastest overall time. He may be the fastest guy on the Chiefs now and that's saying a lot when you consider the fact that we already have burners in Jamaal Charles, Phillip Gaines, De'Anthony Thomas, and Jeremy Maclin. Conley will be able to stretch the field with the addition of Maclin. I think those wideouts along with Travis Kelce can help Kansas City make a huge improvement in the passing game this year. Conley should play a key role and I look forward to seeing those wheels in action.
The Chiefs had six more picks after the three I just talked about. You never know, but some of those six picks could turn out to be our best additions.
Did Kansas City have a good draft? Time will tell.
The 2015 NFL Combine is upon us, here we go
Now that the Super Bowl is over it’s time to move on from last season and figure out what our next moves will be, or should I say what Andy Reid and Jon Dorsey’s next moves will be. Before I do that, I want to reemphasize something I talked about in my last post real quickly.
It was highly publicized, so I know this isn’t new information for all you fellow Chiefs fans out there, but it’s worth noting again that we beat both teams in the Super Bowl, New England and Seattle. This represents another reason why I think we can honestly say the Kansas City Chiefs are close to being a great football team. Both of those games weren’t flukes. Our D is one of the best in the league and we have an offense that can be effective.
Back to our next move. Not even sure if that sentence made sense, but you get what I’m trying to say. The real question on everybody’s mind is who do we draft along with what do we do in free agency. No doubt the Chiefs already have a plan, but what is the plan? You can have a plan going into the draft and free agency, but there is a lot of if-then logic going on. Without knowing what other teams will do, it can be very hard to follow through with everything you wanted to accomplish.
I think the obvious moves are that we have to improve the O line and at the receiver position (if you disagree with me Chiefs Nation, holler at me on the contact tab in the upper right and let me know your thoughts). I don’t really see another option towards going a different direction in the first two rounds of the draft unless it’s trading for someone already in the league at one of these positions. You can say take the best player available, but if you already have every position covered on defense, don’t take a defensive player. Many gms and coaches would probably argue with me on that strategy, but I’m trying to win now. According to NFL.com, the top receivers are Amari Cooper from Alabama, Kevin White from West Virginia, DeVante Parker from from Louisville, and Jaelen Strong from Arizona State. Look for one of those guys to go to the Chiefs with the 18th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Top guys at offensive tackle projected to go in the 1st round are Brandon Scherff from Iowa, Latel Collins from LSU, T.J. Clemmings from Pittsburgh, and Andrus Peat from Stanford. If the draft was tomorrow, there is a good chance that one of those guys goes to the Chiefs in the 1st round and definitely in the 2nd if available. The Chiefs may be nervous with drafting an O lineman after the Eric Fisher project, but like coaches tell players, you have to have a short memory. The past shouldn't impair your future decisions. If there is a great O lineman available at #18 in round 1, the Chiefs should take him.
This is a good starting point, but a lot will change during the combine this week, making that exercise of listing top players at their positions a waste of time. Sorry everyone, that is thirty seconds you will never get back. Guys will move up, guys will move down. The projections I listed could be way off if some of those guys don't perform well at the combine.
After the combine, we will have a better understanding of what the Chiefs will do, but after letting go of Donnie Avery and AJ Jenkins yesterday, coupled with the fact that we didn't have one WR touchdown in 2014, I think it's safe to say a receiver is high on the priority list. Also, what we do in free agency will determine our draft strategy, which is dependent upon whether or not we sign a big time wide out or offensive lineman in free agency. I personally believe a solid offensive lineman is what the Chiefs need right now. Don't get me wrong, we need a WR, but we need to be able to pick up the pass rush before Alex starts throwing dimes for touchdowns.
Tune into the 2015 NFL Combine. It's going to be fun to watch. I'm out.
Now that the Super Bowl is over it’s time to move on from last season and figure out what our next moves will be, or should I say what Andy Reid and Jon Dorsey’s next moves will be. Before I do that, I want to reemphasize something I talked about in my last post real quickly.
It was highly publicized, so I know this isn’t new information for all you fellow Chiefs fans out there, but it’s worth noting again that we beat both teams in the Super Bowl, New England and Seattle. This represents another reason why I think we can honestly say the Kansas City Chiefs are close to being a great football team. Both of those games weren’t flukes. Our D is one of the best in the league and we have an offense that can be effective.
Back to our next move. Not even sure if that sentence made sense, but you get what I’m trying to say. The real question on everybody’s mind is who do we draft along with what do we do in free agency. No doubt the Chiefs already have a plan, but what is the plan? You can have a plan going into the draft and free agency, but there is a lot of if-then logic going on. Without knowing what other teams will do, it can be very hard to follow through with everything you wanted to accomplish.
I think the obvious moves are that we have to improve the O line and at the receiver position (if you disagree with me Chiefs Nation, holler at me on the contact tab in the upper right and let me know your thoughts). I don’t really see another option towards going a different direction in the first two rounds of the draft unless it’s trading for someone already in the league at one of these positions. You can say take the best player available, but if you already have every position covered on defense, don’t take a defensive player. Many gms and coaches would probably argue with me on that strategy, but I’m trying to win now. According to NFL.com, the top receivers are Amari Cooper from Alabama, Kevin White from West Virginia, DeVante Parker from from Louisville, and Jaelen Strong from Arizona State. Look for one of those guys to go to the Chiefs with the 18th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Top guys at offensive tackle projected to go in the 1st round are Brandon Scherff from Iowa, Latel Collins from LSU, T.J. Clemmings from Pittsburgh, and Andrus Peat from Stanford. If the draft was tomorrow, there is a good chance that one of those guys goes to the Chiefs in the 1st round and definitely in the 2nd if available. The Chiefs may be nervous with drafting an O lineman after the Eric Fisher project, but like coaches tell players, you have to have a short memory. The past shouldn't impair your future decisions. If there is a great O lineman available at #18 in round 1, the Chiefs should take him.
This is a good starting point, but a lot will change during the combine this week, making that exercise of listing top players at their positions a waste of time. Sorry everyone, that is thirty seconds you will never get back. Guys will move up, guys will move down. The projections I listed could be way off if some of those guys don't perform well at the combine.
After the combine, we will have a better understanding of what the Chiefs will do, but after letting go of Donnie Avery and AJ Jenkins yesterday, coupled with the fact that we didn't have one WR touchdown in 2014, I think it's safe to say a receiver is high on the priority list. Also, what we do in free agency will determine our draft strategy, which is dependent upon whether or not we sign a big time wide out or offensive lineman in free agency. I personally believe a solid offensive lineman is what the Chiefs need right now. Don't get me wrong, we need a WR, but we need to be able to pick up the pass rush before Alex starts throwing dimes for touchdowns.
Tune into the 2015 NFL Combine. It's going to be fun to watch. I'm out.
Where do the Chiefs go from here?
At 9-7 the Chiefs finished the season better than most people predicted. With wins over New England and Seattle, the Chiefs showed they can beat anybody. With losses to Tennessee and Oakland, they also showed they can lose to anybody. So where do they go from here?
Let's start first with the offense. The offense struggled for most of the season to put up points. Failure to execute in goal line situations was the theme of the year. Touchdowns wins games. Offensively, the Chiefs do have the ability to score more touchdowns, but a couple of things need to happen. Number one, the offensive line has to improve. Alex was under way too much pressure for most of the year. Either the existing starters have to get better or new guys need to be brought in through free agency and the draft. It's probably a combination of both. After the 2013 season, the Chiefs lost Branden Albert, Jon Asamoah, and Geoff Schwartz. Very little was done to replace them. Have to improve in that area. Secondly, what most people are talking about, is the addition of a receiver that can create separation. In all fairness to the O line, there were times where Alex dropped back and had time, but was unable to find anyone open. Was it because Alex was playing too safe or because no one was open? Again, probably a combination of both. Zero receiving touchdowns is a stat no Chiefs fan is proud of. If the Chiefs improve on the O line and receivers positions, their offense can be potent. A lot of ifs there, but just saying.
Defensively, nothing to complain about here other than to re-sign Justin Houston. That's a must. The guy is a game changer and can greatly impact a game on his own. It's time to open up the check book and pay #50. The Chiefs will have to restructure deals and/or lets guys go, but they can do that. It won't be easy, but it must be done. If we do that, we will keep the best defensive line in football together and continue to be one of the best defenses in the NFL.
That's all for now. Looking forward to a great year in 2015. Go Chiefs!
At 9-7 the Chiefs finished the season better than most people predicted. With wins over New England and Seattle, the Chiefs showed they can beat anybody. With losses to Tennessee and Oakland, they also showed they can lose to anybody. So where do they go from here?
Let's start first with the offense. The offense struggled for most of the season to put up points. Failure to execute in goal line situations was the theme of the year. Touchdowns wins games. Offensively, the Chiefs do have the ability to score more touchdowns, but a couple of things need to happen. Number one, the offensive line has to improve. Alex was under way too much pressure for most of the year. Either the existing starters have to get better or new guys need to be brought in through free agency and the draft. It's probably a combination of both. After the 2013 season, the Chiefs lost Branden Albert, Jon Asamoah, and Geoff Schwartz. Very little was done to replace them. Have to improve in that area. Secondly, what most people are talking about, is the addition of a receiver that can create separation. In all fairness to the O line, there were times where Alex dropped back and had time, but was unable to find anyone open. Was it because Alex was playing too safe or because no one was open? Again, probably a combination of both. Zero receiving touchdowns is a stat no Chiefs fan is proud of. If the Chiefs improve on the O line and receivers positions, their offense can be potent. A lot of ifs there, but just saying.
Defensively, nothing to complain about here other than to re-sign Justin Houston. That's a must. The guy is a game changer and can greatly impact a game on his own. It's time to open up the check book and pay #50. The Chiefs will have to restructure deals and/or lets guys go, but they can do that. It won't be easy, but it must be done. If we do that, we will keep the best defensive line in football together and continue to be one of the best defenses in the NFL.
That's all for now. Looking forward to a great year in 2015. Go Chiefs!
Chiefs' locker room after beating the Chargers to end the season
Chiefs locker room after beating Oakland to stay in the playoff hunt!
Chiefs locker room after playing the Broncos on Sunday Night Football
Travis, Ron, Phillip, Ryan, and De'Anthony after the Jets game. Great win to get to 5-3. Chiefs!
Locker room after the Chiefs crushed the Rams!
Chiefs locker room after beating the Patriots on Monday Night Football. How about those Chiefs!!!
After the Chiefs game against the Titans (Ron Parker, Cairo Santos, Sean Smith, and Dee Ford)
After the Chiefs preseason game against the Vikings
Locker room after the Chiefs beat the Bengals in their first preseason game
@DeeFord welcome to the Chiefs family. Glad to have ya. Time to get to work!
Chiefs tight end Sean McGrath retires click to read more
profootballtalk.com - Sean McGrath led Chiefs tight ends in receptions last season,
profootballtalk.com - Sean McGrath led Chiefs tight ends in receptions last season,
Poll Results: It's WR, by large margin click to read more
espn.com - You've spoken in our ESPN poll about what the Kansas City Chiefs should do with their first-round pick and
espn.com - You've spoken in our ESPN poll about what the Kansas City Chiefs should do with their first-round pick and
Report: Dexter McCluster Likely To Sign Elsewhere click to read more
arrowheadaddict.com - Cross off Dexter McCluster from the potential re-sign list.
arrowheadaddict.com - Cross off Dexter McCluster from the potential re-sign list.
The People's Champ: Dexter McCluster by Stephen Brown, writer for chiefconcerns.com
The people’s champ… Dexter McCluster. That’s what DMC is, because knockers (radio, media… sports talkers) don’t see the same value as fans.
McCluster is among Kansas City’s 2014 free agents.
Chiefs free agents: Tyson Jackson, Branden Albert, Dexter McCluster, Jon Asamoah, Kendrick Lewis, WR Kyle Williams, G Ricky Henry, Akeem Jordan, Quintin Demps, LS Thomas Gafford, Husain Abdullah, Geoff Schwartz, Frank Zombo and Jerrell Powe.
Critics think Dexter lacks “football smarts”, doesn’t always know the situation and he’s really not that fast. Not a good football IQ “they” say.
Funny, but fans love the “little guy” and think he gives all he’s got.
Certain guys show up at training camp, run hard each play and give 100 percent in attitude. That’s McCluster.
Before Andy Reid the hill players travel down and back up after practice in St. Joe Romeo Crennel made the players after practice take the steepest part back to the locker room. I watched seeing how they’d take the hill after a practice. What approach (attitude) the players took against the hill.
Besides Jamaal Charles Dexter is the most popular with fans.
Most walked but just two ran the hill. Receiver Jon Baldwin and McCluster.
That’s how Dexter functions, full throttle and all the time. It’s his best quality and what coaches admire most about the guy… his work ethic. Fans love it too, but like I said, faultfinders aren’t sure what Dexter brings.
Ones who don’t want Dexter think the experiment should be over.
It’s true… with each offensive coordinator there’s been different ways they’ve tried using McCluster. Brian Daboll with Crennel was the first to ask McCluster to learn to play receiver solely. He’s a unique unconventional player. But each coach from Todd Haley who drafted him, Romeo Crennel and now Reid all think there’s something there.
Stat wise 2013 was Dexter’s best season. He had a career-high 53 catches, 52 last season. Dexter’s 511 yards and 9.6 per catch were also new highs. If let go McCluster could be a top-15 free-agent receiver.
Some team would definitely take McCluster.
Even though I like McCluster – I think the Chiefs can use a player like him – Kansas City doesn’t need to overpay for Dexter.
I was very disappointed in Dwayne Bowe, but fans think a quality No.2 would help Bowe and benefit Alex Smith. Personally I’m not buying it, not anymore. Bowe needs to claim great himself, but there’s not a lot there WR wise for Smith.
Reid likes Dexter McCluster and I think McCluster is like Jamaal Charles who loves to play football. Not that Dexter would work for peanuts, but I think he’d reach a deal that works for both him and the Chiefs.
Why leave if the Chiefs with Reid are starting to win, McCluster will be wanting some of that too. I feel the Chiefs still want Dexter.
The people’s champ… Dexter McCluster. That’s what DMC is, because knockers (radio, media… sports talkers) don’t see the same value as fans.
McCluster is among Kansas City’s 2014 free agents.
Chiefs free agents: Tyson Jackson, Branden Albert, Dexter McCluster, Jon Asamoah, Kendrick Lewis, WR Kyle Williams, G Ricky Henry, Akeem Jordan, Quintin Demps, LS Thomas Gafford, Husain Abdullah, Geoff Schwartz, Frank Zombo and Jerrell Powe.
Critics think Dexter lacks “football smarts”, doesn’t always know the situation and he’s really not that fast. Not a good football IQ “they” say.
Funny, but fans love the “little guy” and think he gives all he’s got.
Certain guys show up at training camp, run hard each play and give 100 percent in attitude. That’s McCluster.
Before Andy Reid the hill players travel down and back up after practice in St. Joe Romeo Crennel made the players after practice take the steepest part back to the locker room. I watched seeing how they’d take the hill after a practice. What approach (attitude) the players took against the hill.
Besides Jamaal Charles Dexter is the most popular with fans.
Most walked but just two ran the hill. Receiver Jon Baldwin and McCluster.
That’s how Dexter functions, full throttle and all the time. It’s his best quality and what coaches admire most about the guy… his work ethic. Fans love it too, but like I said, faultfinders aren’t sure what Dexter brings.
Ones who don’t want Dexter think the experiment should be over.
It’s true… with each offensive coordinator there’s been different ways they’ve tried using McCluster. Brian Daboll with Crennel was the first to ask McCluster to learn to play receiver solely. He’s a unique unconventional player. But each coach from Todd Haley who drafted him, Romeo Crennel and now Reid all think there’s something there.
Stat wise 2013 was Dexter’s best season. He had a career-high 53 catches, 52 last season. Dexter’s 511 yards and 9.6 per catch were also new highs. If let go McCluster could be a top-15 free-agent receiver.
Some team would definitely take McCluster.
Even though I like McCluster – I think the Chiefs can use a player like him – Kansas City doesn’t need to overpay for Dexter.
I was very disappointed in Dwayne Bowe, but fans think a quality No.2 would help Bowe and benefit Alex Smith. Personally I’m not buying it, not anymore. Bowe needs to claim great himself, but there’s not a lot there WR wise for Smith.
Reid likes Dexter McCluster and I think McCluster is like Jamaal Charles who loves to play football. Not that Dexter would work for peanuts, but I think he’d reach a deal that works for both him and the Chiefs.
Why leave if the Chiefs with Reid are starting to win, McCluster will be wanting some of that too. I feel the Chiefs still want Dexter.
Chiefs: Defense go get some by Stephen Brown, writer for chiefconcerns.com
One thought, just one slapped me on my face watching the playoffs… DEFENSE!
I’ve seen… defense work in the playoffs, do their job and protect the lead, get nasty and obnoxious, talk the talk (i.e. Seattle Seahawks) and walk the walk.
Hey, it’s the best of the best in the playoffs not “pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man”. Chiefs, you listening?
It’s irritating. Offensively Kansas City did their j-o-b, could have slammed the Indianapolis Colts just like the New England Patriots.
But as Chiefs fans we’ve heard that a thousand times before, the Chiefs’ defense didn’t come to play. Took a vacation after the first two quarters.
No guts no glory, Chiefs defense left their warrior spirit back in Week 9. Finishers, Chiefs got to have it, especially defense.
Despite Andrew Luck passing for 331 yards against the Pats Luck did no real damage. Colts’ T.Y. Hilton was held to 4 catches, 103 yards and no TD’s against New England.
The Pats hit Luck 10 times and sacked him three. Patriots CB Alfonzo Dennard was Pro Football Focus Secret Superstar as a rookie. Dennard was tested but held his own against Luck. The cool part, Dennard was picked in the 7th round. He showed up when it mattered, the postseason.
Who cares where you were drafted, it’s how you play the game.
Chiefs’ Eric Berry was picked 5th overall, is collecting $8,340,717 in 2014, but went invisible against the Colts. So did Derrick Johnson and Dontari Poe.
The Chiefs hit Luck 4 times and sacked him once, can’t triumph like that. Bob Sutton shouldn’t have had Tamba Hali resting on the sidelines in the second half playing Frank Zombo instead. Keep Hali in every series in the playoffs.
Put the foot on the throat and don’t let up, isn’t that playoff defense?
Without the Washington game (6 sacks), Kansas City had just 5 sacks in 7 games after their bye.
It’s not all on the coverage, got to thinking on that as well watching the playoffs. Sure, too many big plays given up during the season by the secondary (third most 20-plus plays given up in the NFL with 63), but pressure man. How about bringing the heat? That’s been a problem since before Andy Reid.
Cover guys can be world beaters, but give a QB lots of time? Bad things happen. Both the players and Bob Sutton kept leaving the kitchen sink.
Just one biggie that struck me viewing the playoffs. As always (with me) it comes back to how it relates to the Chiefs.
Offense did the least talking, but had the best improvement in the end.
Sure, add pieces, but Reid directly had his hands on the offense and it showed. I was happy with what the offense gave, especially with losing playmaker Jamaal Charles in the first offensive series of the first quarter against the Colts.
If the Chiefs had beaten the Colts it would have been all about Alex Smith and how he put Kansas City on his back without Charles to win.
But until the defense learns to play with that playoff-caliber attitude every game? Hey, it won’t matter how pretty Reid gets the offense. Remember Dick Vermeil?
Bob Sutton! Get to work man!
One thought, just one slapped me on my face watching the playoffs… DEFENSE!
I’ve seen… defense work in the playoffs, do their job and protect the lead, get nasty and obnoxious, talk the talk (i.e. Seattle Seahawks) and walk the walk.
Hey, it’s the best of the best in the playoffs not “pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man”. Chiefs, you listening?
It’s irritating. Offensively Kansas City did their j-o-b, could have slammed the Indianapolis Colts just like the New England Patriots.
But as Chiefs fans we’ve heard that a thousand times before, the Chiefs’ defense didn’t come to play. Took a vacation after the first two quarters.
No guts no glory, Chiefs defense left their warrior spirit back in Week 9. Finishers, Chiefs got to have it, especially defense.
Despite Andrew Luck passing for 331 yards against the Pats Luck did no real damage. Colts’ T.Y. Hilton was held to 4 catches, 103 yards and no TD’s against New England.
The Pats hit Luck 10 times and sacked him three. Patriots CB Alfonzo Dennard was Pro Football Focus Secret Superstar as a rookie. Dennard was tested but held his own against Luck. The cool part, Dennard was picked in the 7th round. He showed up when it mattered, the postseason.
Who cares where you were drafted, it’s how you play the game.
Chiefs’ Eric Berry was picked 5th overall, is collecting $8,340,717 in 2014, but went invisible against the Colts. So did Derrick Johnson and Dontari Poe.
The Chiefs hit Luck 4 times and sacked him once, can’t triumph like that. Bob Sutton shouldn’t have had Tamba Hali resting on the sidelines in the second half playing Frank Zombo instead. Keep Hali in every series in the playoffs.
Put the foot on the throat and don’t let up, isn’t that playoff defense?
Without the Washington game (6 sacks), Kansas City had just 5 sacks in 7 games after their bye.
It’s not all on the coverage, got to thinking on that as well watching the playoffs. Sure, too many big plays given up during the season by the secondary (third most 20-plus plays given up in the NFL with 63), but pressure man. How about bringing the heat? That’s been a problem since before Andy Reid.
Cover guys can be world beaters, but give a QB lots of time? Bad things happen. Both the players and Bob Sutton kept leaving the kitchen sink.
Just one biggie that struck me viewing the playoffs. As always (with me) it comes back to how it relates to the Chiefs.
Offense did the least talking, but had the best improvement in the end.
Sure, add pieces, but Reid directly had his hands on the offense and it showed. I was happy with what the offense gave, especially with losing playmaker Jamaal Charles in the first offensive series of the first quarter against the Colts.
If the Chiefs had beaten the Colts it would have been all about Alex Smith and how he put Kansas City on his back without Charles to win.
But until the defense learns to play with that playoff-caliber attitude every game? Hey, it won’t matter how pretty Reid gets the offense. Remember Dick Vermeil?
Bob Sutton! Get to work man!
Neil Smith, one of the greatest players to ever put on a Chiefs jersey. Unbelievable combination of speed, size, and power. Only his late friend Derrick Thomas has more sacks in franchise history. He definitely surpassed the expectations put upon him when he was drafted second overall in the 1988 draft by KC.
DJ after playing the Colts on 12/22
Junior and Dontari after falling to Denver in week 12
Kendrick and DJ after losing to San Diego in week 11
Dexter and Kendrick after beating Cleveland in week 8
DJ after beating Houston in week 7