Chiefs: On the Doorstep of a Dynasty – by Dan Guinn – KCIRONFAN – Much of the last part of the 2020 season, we saw the Kansas City Chiefs grinding it out, winning close games, and showing only glimpses of the offensive dominance we have become accustomed to seeing under Patrick Mahomes. Yet, to be honest, we’d have to admit we’re also grinding, waiting and yearning for those full-blown aspects of the Chiefs offense to return, while all around whichever opponent fan base we were facing, accused the Chiefs of being frauds, and national pundits paraded out strange stats about the number of points games were won by, rather than looking at win totals. Others speculated that the Chiefs were “playing down to their opponents” or just “seemed bored.” In the midst of all that, the annoying droning on of “Patrick is only as good as his weapons” and the occasional opposite, “the Chiefs are no good without Patrick” just grated on our nerves.
What team wins a Super Bowl and has people say things like this? What quarterback makes an AFC Championship appearance in his first season active and a Super Bowl win the next year and still has doubters. Why has this been happening? I would suggest that a lot of this nonsense is rooted in not understanding the new and true phenomenon that is the Chiefs. This new reality is that of being Defending Champions, who are on the doorstep of a dynasty.
Moreover, it’s important to recognize the nature of that obligation, and what it physically and mentally entails. For starters, in addition to 17 regular season games, the Chiefs played three more last year. Not just any three games, mind you, but three dramatic games, culminating in their Super Bowl win. Sure they had an offseason, but it would be shortened a month and the next time they would be on the field, from game 1 to 17, the Chiefs would be playing every opponent as Defending Champions and taking other team’s best shot. Adjusting to this challenge would mean adjusting their mentality. Every opponent would be intent on testing their own championship status with the Chiefs as the measure of greatness. The Chiefs had arguably the toughest schedule in the league. Add to that, the understanding that every opponent would “get up” for you and give you everything they’ve got, trying to prove themselves and put themselves in the contention conversation.
So what about those other criticisms? None of the above even begins to consider the other adversities of playing during one of the most chaotic years of American history. From politics, riots, pandemic, injuries on top of the regular season grind was anything but regular. So, it’s understandable that the close games don’t matter to the Chiefs, only the W. The Chiefs can’t be frauds with a ring on their finger and a dominant winning record. The points “won by,” just don’t matter. If they are in the big game again, which they are, doubters and detractors can’t have it both ways. Either this is a team game… or it isn’t! Either Reid’s system, Patrick Mahomes and his mountain of weapons are either for real, or they are not. Name one good quarterback without weapons? Montana had Jerry Rice and Dwight Clark, Peyton Manning had Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Tom Brady had Randy Moss and Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski and numerous other targets. It’s a team sport! The system matters, the quarterback matters, the specialty players matter. They all have to be great to win and to be considered champions.
Fast forward now to the playoffs and the Chiefs, after a rest, seemed to flip their playoff switch on, and began to show us more dominance. In the divisional round, against the Browns, despite the onslaught from the Dawg Pound on twitter, and the Kareem Hunt “personal” distraction, the Chiefs put op 293 yards of offense… in the first half. However, with a strange tackle on Patrick Mahomes early in the third quarter, which put him out of the game, the offensive production slowed somewhat, and the Browns started to mount a comeback. Yet, they failed to account for one thing, Chad Henne, who despite being sacked the play before, would tuck and run for what looked to the be the needed first down to seal the game. Finally, when the measurement was short, Hene took care of business with a passive looking play that fooled Cleveland into believing they were trying to be drawn offsides, only to have an actual throw on 4th and inches to sure-handed Hill.
Here again, we see something telling, faced with adversity, this team does not lay down, instead it fights. Henne fought through an interception, being sacked and a bad call. This is the Defending Champions Chiefs grit — top to bottom — we must begin to acknowledge!
What about the next game? Mahomes is back, they are ready to for one thing, “Win and In!” Yet, the first quarter would prove to be dicey. While not being able to respond on the first series, and the muffed punt by Hardman, the Chiefs go down 9 points early. Thereafter, the Chiefs offense would set fire and go on a 35-to-6 run. Hardman would be provided multiple opportunities for redemption, which he would take full advantage of and the defense likewise, would begin to hold the Bills to multiple field goals, and make life miserable for Josh Allen, sacking him four times.
The Chiefs defense made a prolific Bills offense, who had put up gaudy numbers all year, look pedestrian. Yet, what was the formula? What made this work? It was how this team continues to attack adversity. During the game I kept cheering for Hardman to “Use it!” The chemistry on the sideline finally revealed on camera what many Chiefs faithful had discerned. This team is different when it comes to adversity. Mahomes, Kelce and others surrounded Hardman and helped him get his head right. Mahomes specifically telling him, “Be Us!” Later, Hardman elevated and events unfolded, Kelce returned with the following:
Hey! That’s how you handle adversity,
you smack it right in the mouth!
~ Travis Kelce
The challenge for this team has been to remain true to who they are. We should constantly stand firm that this is not some, lame mantra. No. When Mahomes says “Be Us!” That’s the kind of motivation to stand up and win against everything. It’s Reid’s “Attack Everything!” It’s the kind of war path one goes on that blocks out all distractions and remembers that an ordinary team can do great things together, but a highly skilled, phenomenal team, can do even more. They can defend as champion too. However, I think this notion even goes deeper. We should understand that, along with this team’s mindset, if you follow the logic, it holds that if you challenge them, you are challenging their identity. They are The Champions and you can’t just walk in and take that away from them. It also means they will show you that they are The Champions and they will win! It doesn’t just motivate them, it makes their resolve more firm at every step.
Yet the third aspect of “Be Us!” is, something others might underestimate. As Reid has said, “This team loves each other.” The chemistry of this team is that they are unified, love each other, like each other, and will go to war with each other. There is a quote in the interviews following the 1969 Chiefs victory from Jerry Mays that says something significant:
We’re very close. We really are. It’s the darndest team I’ve ever seen,
there’s not a guy on this team, I believe, that gets
on anybody’s nerves, much less dislikes anybody.
~Jerry Mays 75, after Super Bowl IV win by the Kansas City Chiefs
I would suggest that this team, the 2020 K.C. Chiefs, has that same mentality and more.
Finally, if we know one thing about this entire organization, it’s that it is myopic (nearsighted) from week to week, taking care of business and it keeps it’s eye on the end prize. They have been focused to run it back and the goal as Patrick Mahomes has said, “Is not to make it to the Super Bowl, it is to win the Super Bowl.”
Today, the Chiefs will rise to the pinnacle of their mission to #runitback, and their last stand of this season in their role as Defending Champions. For those that doubt their determination, endurance, grit or tenacity, I can’t help you. If you don’t realize it by now, no one can help you. For those that question their validity, skillset and team strength, what I can tell you is that nothing in this team’s character or skill set suggests that they will not show up and do what they’ve been living under during the Patrick Mahomes era. Nothing suggests that they will not defend their Championship status, and nothing suggests that they will not be Champions yet again and solidify the foundation of this dynasty!
Dan Guinn — ArrowheadOne
KCIRONFAN
See you at noon for the,
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