In this edition of The Best in the West, I look to the division as a whole. I will try to predict how the season will shake out by focusing on the games played between divisional rivals. I will try to be as impartial as possible but I must warn you, the red tinted homer glasses may distort my already skewed line of sight. Let’s begin.
Our first division game takes our beloved Chiefs all the way to Los Angeles to visit the emerging Chargers. On September 24th at 3:25 we get to see our very own red and gold warriors stampede out of the tunnel of StubHub Center Stadium (capacity, 27,000) as we set forth to battle the powder blue enemy. If it were just a matter of colors we would win hands down. I mean who comes up with the idea for a football team’s color 
of powder blue? That person would have to take it to another person who said “Stop drilling you’ve struck oil! We MUST use powder blue as our colors!” Ok, back to my completely impartial look into the game. I believe the Chargers will receive the ball to start the game but it will be a touchback. Santos has really gotten good at those recently. Phillip Rivers will take command of the ball and after finally getting some help from their first round pick receiver Mike Williams march down the field and punch it in for a TD. Our turn. We trade blow for blow and by half time it is a one possession game with L.A. leading 21-17. Coming out of the half the crowd is wild. Chanting and stomping their feet. That’s enough of that crap. Hill shuts them up quick taking the first kickoff of the half to the house. One extra point later we are up 24-21. At the end of the day, we take home the victory 34-24. KC is 1-0 in the division.
Next, we go to one of the worst stadiums in the NFL. A stadium so bad that rather than fix it up, the team occupying it has decided to abandon it all together for greener (sandy?) pastures. Of course, I am speaking of the Oakland Coliseum. Some part of me hopes they will try to convert the aged coliseum into a replica of the Thunder Dome from Mad Max. That is the only fitting end I can see for that place. Come on, I want you 
to look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn’t want to turn on the TV and watch a televised battle to the death in the former black hole. I really should quit getting distracted. Moving on. It is a prime time showdown on Thursday, October 19th and the Chiefs will look to advance their standings in the race for the west. Derek Carr is on fire under the lights and picks our defense apart. Amari Cooper is running rampant in the secondary and their ground game, spearheaded by Marshawn Lynch, is firing on all cylinders. Going into the half I see us trailing 21-10. Coming into the second half the sputtering offense manages a touchdown on our first possession and it seems as if we may recover. Alas, it was not meant to be and we finish this abysmal game 38-17. Raiders fans are cheering and Chiefs fans are weeping. A terrible end to a promising night. KC is 1-1 in the division.
Alright. We must right the ship with a Monday night home game. The Broncos visit us on October 30th at 7:30. Arrowhead is rockin’ and with our guys having a long week to address the atrocities of the previous week we come out swinging. Denver wins the toss and defers. Our special teams will show the Donkeys who’s boss. A great kickoff return by Spiller puts us at the 40-yard line. Two plays later we are sitting in the red 
zone ready to punch the ball in. A quick slant to Kelce and we have the first points of many on the night. Crushing the Broncos we go into the half 17-0. Coming out of the halftime intermission our defense is fired up and Denver begins the carousel of quarterbacks. Pulling Siemian and plugging in Lynch does little for the Denver offense. After a slow 3rd quarter the score is 24-3. In the fourth is where things get interesting. Andy Reid has a seizure on the sideline and calls 2 sweep plays and a bubble screen. They work like a charm and we gain another 7 points. By now the Denver defense is upset and Talib is ready to poke out eyes everywhere. At the end of the day Denver is demoralized and we advance in our standings winning 38-3. KC is now 2-1 against divisional rivals!
The Raiders visit hallowed ground on December 10th for a noon game. The smell of barbecue is in the air and the fans are rabid. You can feel the electricity in the air as the players take the field in an epic showdown of the division leaders. The boys in red remember what happened the last time they met and are ready for vengeance. The Raiders riding a 3 game winning streak are coming into the game fresh and confident of a repeat win. Kansas City bungles the first possession with a quick 3 and out. Oakland with great field position gains two first downs before being stopped by the righteous men in red. What stopped them you ask? Oh, only a little thing called a pick 6. Marcus Peters undercuts a crossing route and takes it to the house after first stiff arming Carr to the dirt. Things will not get better for the black and silver. Going into the half KC leads 17-3. With their first possession of the second-half, the Raiders manage to rush for a 15-yard touchdown. This will be the only time they manage to hit pay dirt all afternoon. The first play of the next drive Smith finds Maclin on an out pattern and after a quick jog, he crosses the goal line. Oakland goes 3 and out on the next possession and Hill puts the final nail in the coffin of the Raiders day, returning the ensuing punt from King 64 yards for a TD. The Chiefs go on autopilot and win the day 34-10. KC is rolling and now 3-1 in the division.
The very next week the Chargers come to town on December 16th for an evening game. The boys in blue win the toss and defer to the second half. Chiefs ball. The first series yields little for the home team and after a quick Colquitt punt Rivers takes the ball down to the 5-yard line. Here is where we see some magic happen. Chris Jones has been a beast all season long and tonight he puts on a clinic. Sacking Phillip twice in the red zone and forcing them into a field goal try. As L.A. sends the field goal unit onto the field for a chip shot a gleam can be seen in Toub’s eye. Rushing in from the edge of the formation we see Terrance Mitchell diving in with outstretched arms. He timed it perfectly and blocked the kick. Rivers is throwing a tantrum on the sideline yelling and screaming at anyone who would listen. Calm yourself Phillip, it’s going to be one of those nights. At the half, the Chargers have only managed a paltry 3 points and the Chiefs have curb stomped their powder blue visitors with 27 points. The Los Angeles offense shows signs of life in the second half scoring on 2 of their 3 possessions but it is too little too late. The day is won by the red and gold 44-17. KC now sits firmly atop the AFC West with a 4-1 record with only one more divisional game to go.
Kansas City is on fire steamrolling the competition into submission. A fully healthy team and only one game left in the season. Sunday. December 31st. New Years Eve. The Chiefs have clinched a playoff berth and a first-round bye after throttling the L.A. Chargers the previous week. We take the field of Mile High Stadium in the heart of Denver, with backups. Patrick Mahomes sees his first start as a professional football player. Watching this game can bring tears to your eyes. Kansas City is down at the half 17-10. Mahomes is struggling in his professional debut. After the half, it doesn’t get much better. Throwing two interceptions Denver is leading the game 27-10. It is rough watching the future of our franchise struggle so much. Mahomes tries to right the ship by extending plays and moving in the pocket and manages a touchdown pass down the sideline but the die has been cast and we see the Chiefs losing their final game of the season 34-17. KC finishes the season 4-2 in the division.
This is not the way you want to see the season end. However, after already winning the division and clinching a first-round bye, Reid sees no reason to endanger the health of his starters and rests his weary men for two full weeks.
So what do you think guys? Pretty good right? Just let me take off these red tinted glasses so I can read all of your comments. Kansas City will win the division. Bank on it. Or maybe I am just delirious from too much Kool-Aid. As Always VIVA LA JET SWEEP and GO CHIEFS!
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