Chiefs at Patriots: Will The Chiefs Drive Their Stake in the Ground at Foxborough? OPEN THREAD – one thing is assured in this Sunday’s 3:25 game versus the Patriots: either the Patriot 2-decade long persona breaks or the Chiefs persona will not have been fully fleshed out and will fall short of being mentally prepared to win a championship game. It’s as simple as that. The Chiefs have yet to play to their full potential in 2019. If that potential emerges and the Patriots fall, the Chiefs could be set for a long run of Lamar Hunt AFC Championship Trophies of their own.
The Chiefs are on the cusp of being that team and begin their own era of Championships of the AFC. After all, they will end this season with their 4th consecutive AFC West title. Last year, they were one dumb play away, from going to the Super Bowl.
To lose this game would mean that the current makeup of the Chiefs team has not been constructed to completeness but the will to play tough through the ups and downs of big games and come out the other side and add a W to the book. They will not be mentally tough, honed to have the edge to force the game to the conclusion which is the mete-and-measure to which all title contenders are able to achieve. Either they arrive… or they are not yet the team ready for such an honor — being known as a True Grit Contender.
One thing about 2019 that I need to observe: the Chiefs have fended off various back-breaking events and player losses to the field of play and for the season and are still going to win the division. To play out and win out would decisively drive a stake in the ground notifying other AFC foes that the Chiefs are the team to beat. Then, the rest of the AFC must drive the Chiefs off their square to get to the Super Bowl.
Realize it or not: the Chiefs have a roster of good players. I went through the process of identifying 12 such top players a few weeks ago. It is said that a team must have 10-12 of these “Blue” players to be a true contender. The Chiefs have that. It is not a perfect roster but, neither has been the Patriots — the Pats have their own “Square” and it has existed since 2002. It is time to knock them off that square and establish that sacred ground is at Arrowhead!
This idea about playing solid football… I joked about weeks ago… playing the Madden theme but that theme is what I am looking for: The Bombastic Madden who might define great football teams as playing great football… and… good football teams playing good and sometimes great football.
Chiefs: Champion or Pretender?
This is all about team persona and I have indeed written about this periodically, begging the question: does this team have the players who make up that winning persona? Or not?
4 or 5 C’s: Consistency, Cohesiveness, Coordination and Concentration…
To that list of Four C’s a 5th “C” must be added: Coaching. Will the Coaching staff step forward and up and meet the challenges of shifting momentum and adjustments made by the opposing coaching staff? Man, that’s a tough one. Can Andy Reid, Eric Bieniemy, Steve Spagnuolo, and Brendan Daly make adjustments on the fly? That may be the single most important thing they can do.
Chiefs Must Believe: They’re Champions
The only way the Chiefs can attain the Championship persona is to get monkey’s off their back. They have done so with the AFC west, but now they must complete what was missed because of Dee Ford’s hand-length in the dirt in 2018 which negated a game changing play by Charvarius Ward. It’s as simple as that.
Chiefs Must Play: Like They’re Champions
Last week the Chiefs achieved something no one would have thought possible: they didn’t beat themselves up by playing “Stupid” ball. They did not commit one single infraction during the game. That is an astounding achievement considering the team was often being called for 10 or more penalties! They still must conclude each series of downs playing at their top level. Drive for the score, and stop the opposition short of a TD. If the Chiefs keep Dustin Colquitt on the bench and force the opposition into 3 point attempts they should win the game. If they do not do Stupid… the game should be in the bag. If the team plays through the difficult moments and establishes playing “fast” and playing well, they will win and have fun doing it.
Chiefs Top Players Must Lead
Here I think we have the quality leadership that is needed on the field. For the offense and team: Patrick Mahomes has emerged as the team’s leader and cheerleader. The players have faith and trust in him and that is exactly what is needed for a Championship run. On the Defensive side of the ball: Tyrann Mathieu has emerged with consistency, and that is a missing ingredient for the Chiefs defense for more than 2 years. In 2017 and 2018, Safety Eric Berry couldn’t get on, and stay on, the field. His leadership was sorely missed. This year? Mathieu has stepped it up and has assumed that role.
Is it Cooked Yet?
We have the team leaders. Now the rest of the Chiefs need to get on board and help achieve the team persona of a champion! I think the team is on the cusp of this identity. I also believe that they can set themselves as the clear leading team for years to come by winning this game in Foxborough and establishing their dynasty and drive a stake in the ground for the rest of the conference to see.
Oh. That Stake? It should be driven with force through the heart of the Patriots and end their dominion over the AFC — like driving a wood stake completely through the heart of the Dracula!
David Bell – ArrowheadOne
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