AFC West Champions:
The 2016 Kansas City Chiefs
The 2016 Kansas City Chiefs took the hardest road possible, but somehow, some way, they were crowned AFC West Champions in a locker room celebration for the ages yesterday afternoon. Of course, this came about because of a broken leg to Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, a fantastic offensive performance by the Chiefs against the San Diego (Super) Chargers and a throttling of the Raiders by the hapless Denver Broncos.
The stars had to align, some voodoo had to happen and everything had to work out, and it did, and now the Chiefs have not only won the division for the first time since 2010, but secured a first round bye in the playoffs, guaranteeing at least one team (either the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans or Raiders) will have to travel to the confines of Arrowhead Stadium in two weeks for the Divisional Round.
In preparing to write this piece, I wanted to look back to the September 10th piece that our Editor-in-Chief(s), Ladner Morse posted titled ArrowheadOne Writers Chiefs Season Predictions to see exactly where I thought the Chiefs would end up. Here’s what I had to say:
“In looking at the Chiefs’ schedule, it’s difficult to find a week in which they’re the overwhelming underdog. It’s not until Week 10 until the Chiefs face last year’s NFC Champion Carolina Panthers can I say they may lose a game. I suppose the Pittsburgh Steelers could give them a run for their money when the Chiefs travel to the Steel City in Week Four. This seems much more likely since the guy who smokes more weed than Josh Gordon and loses more cell phones than Tom Brady will actually be playing when they meet. Of course, of I’m talking about all-pro rusher Le’Veon Bell, who will sit out the first three weeks of the season because of his drug habit. The only other loss I can possibly see on the Chiefs schedule is a possible trap game in Week Eight when KC travels to Indianapolis to face the Colts. While I don’t think the ponies come close to matching the Chiefs in talent, the boys in red and gold always struggle with Indy no matter where the game is played.
In the end, the Chiefs match their franchise-best season win total and get 13 en route to an AFC West division title and an appearance in the AFC Championship game, which be played in the BBQ City, courtesy of a No. 1 seed.”
So, I was a little bit off, but not by much. I was on the money with the Chiefs dropping their week 4 contest to the Steelers–their biggest loss of the season–and the fact that they would go on to win the AFC West title, but I missed on their loss to to the Colts as well as the seeding.
Still, not too shabby, huh?
So where does that leave the Chiefs now?
First, head coach Andy Reid is 16-2 coming off of a bye. Let’s get that out in the open right now. While the team won’t know who they’re preparing for until after the Wild Card weekend games are played next Saturday and Sunday, the fact that they haven’t had a day off since the drubbing they took at the hands of the Steelers in Week 4 has taken its toll. This extended break has the potential to allow linebacker Justin Houston, running back Spencer Ware and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin the chance to get fully healthy before playing their next game.
Next, while the Chiefs weren’t perfect in Arrowhead this season, the two games they did lose were–what I consider to be–fluke games. Both were 19-17 losses to similar teams (the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans) who were not as good as the Chiefs. While I don’t see any rhyme or reason for these losses–though both included an identical score and an Alex Smith interception in the red zone… yes, I’m superstitious… I don’t think they’re indicative of the Chiefs’ play at home. In fact, I am extremely confident in their ability to beat any of the three potential opponents at home in the playoffs.
Still, some don’t share that confidence and enthusiasm. While I’d be much happier and confident in an AFC Championship game if the Chiefs played the Texans or Raiders, that will only happen if the Miami Dolphins march into the Steel City and take out the yellow-and-black-towel-waiving Steelers. That, I’m not very confident in. However, I did see and interesting tidbit tweeted out during yesterday’s epic afternoon.
Big Ben at home this yr: 71%, 320 YPG, 20 TD, 5 INT, 102.8 QB RTG
Big Ben on the road: 59%, 238 YPG, 9 TD, 8 INT, 78.4 QB RTG
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) January 1, 2017
That is quite the difference in stats. I mean a serious difference. Almost a one-to-one touchdown to interception ratio on the road? Really? Over 80 yards less per game? That’s insane. That tells me that Big Ben isn’t unstoppable. And with the Chiefs having middle linebacker Justin March-Lillard returning to the lineup, he can help shore up the run defense. Le’Veon Bell will still get his. But if it’s a one-dimensional game as that stat above would have us believe, the Steelers are beatable.
By the time yesterday was over, six NFL teams were getting an early start on the search for their new head coach. This included half of the AFC West with the Chargers and Broncos both losing their leadership if different ways. It wasn’t long ago that the Chiefs were in this boat. Now, they’ve gone 43-21 in the last four years under Andy Reid and Alex Smith. They’ve won their first playoff game in over 20 years. They swept the division for only the second time in team history and the first time since the divisions were realigned. They won the division for the first time since 2010. The last time this team was AFC West Champions, they were a paper team, akin to the Texans. They were the best team in a bad division. This year, they were the best team in the best division in the NFL.
Something about this team feels different. The national pundits like to say the Chiefs have the best record in the NFL since Week 7 of the 2015 season. They’re only two wins from going to the biggest game of the year.
Don’t look now, but we’re just getting started.
Superbowl 51, here we come.
