Chiefs: My Answers Are Yes, Yes, Yes and, Well, No, of course Not!

Chiefs: My Answers Are Yes, Yes, Yes and, Well, No, of course Not! – If you asked a question about the future for KC’s roster now it would be a lot easier to anticipate where strengths and weaknesses are posited. Indeed, that is what we have all been entertaining I our minds. Most of us are experienced with fielding pretty darned good football teams of recent years but also the heartache as in 2013 and “just not enough”… or 2018 when a player’s hand is in the dirt ahead of where it should have been, causing a penalty on a play where the Patriots legend QB, Tom Brady, throws a game ending INT. HEARTBREAK!!!!! We should’a, could’a, would’a….

Although, it was really more than just that. It was mind bending, unfathomable, and shocking, because it was an unbelievable and unforgivable penalty that prevented the Chiefs from being the AFC West Champion and representing the conference in the Super Bowl. It still boggles the Chiefs “collective ArrowheadOne mind.”

To answer the questions I have received recently had to begin at the point when the penalty gave the ball back to the Patriots: the tie, and then the OT and not having a possession of the ball during that OT, until, Sudden Death… and it was.

Can and will the Chiefs duplicate or exceed 2018’s success?

Answer: My view on this is that I have a total commitment to stating that they Chiefs will win 12 games or more, reach the AFC title game, win it and go to the Super Bowl. The caveat to that is to observe that barring one or more key injuries. We have to keep in mind that you the sport we are following is an impact, violent, collision of bodies, sport.

If the Chiefs have awful luck and experience 3 or 4 key injuries at key positions, the prediction has to be tempered due to this possibility. Can they overcome this? It remains to be seen and which players are hurt and how long they are out, plus, how many are injured at the same time? A worst case scenario? Patrick Mahomes is one of those knocked out of the game. How many games? Lost for the season? That is the type of condition that cannot be countered if it is more than 1 or 2 games.

Do the Chiefs have enough tools on offense to duplicate the numbers and success of 2018?

Answer: Yes. Patrick Mahomes is no fluke. He is the best QB in the NFL. He is a creative genius, and makes his OL better in his ability to avoid the sack and loss of yards, to escape and make a positive play on one which other QB’s would have had negative result.

Answer: Yes. Patrick Mahomes is no fluke. He is the best QB in the NFL. He is a creative genius, and makes his OL better in his ability to avoid the sack and to escape loss of yards and make a positive play, especially on plays which other QBs would have had negative result.

I think he’ll throw 50 TDs and toss 5k yards at least. Andy Reid will have added 50 new plays, the team has the aerial horses needed and then even more. Last year they passed the ball on 66% of the plays and the success of the ground game was not required to score or balance the production, protect the play action nor even be used for anything other than a different view of the offense. The differential difference is so obvious as to make it a nearly moot point. As proof, I offer up Seth Keysor’s recent analysis at the Athletic where he demonstrates the reason why the run game’s import is minimal. See the article –>  here.

The Chiefs have the tools to exploit to duplicate and/or exceed the success on offense we all witnessed in 2018. There is no doubt in my mind that the running game will be solid enough to go as far as it did in 2018. True, Kareem Hunt is gone but Damien Williams solidly duplicated the results of the run game in his performance. The Chiefs have added Carlos Hyde, and have in house, Darrell Williams and rookie Darwin Thompson (whom I expect to totally take the bull by the horns and be successful even if it is limited).

If a Fullback and a blocking bully is needed, it is my view that Anthony Sherman is on hand and is the best Fullback in the game today.

The aerial game will be one up because not only will Tyreek Hill be in play but Sammy Watkins returns and is in top shape to contribute. Brett Veach drafted Mecole Hardman, who is talented to succeed out of the gate as an NFL Wide Receiver. Behind Hill is Demarcus Robinson, Byron Pringle, Gehrig Dieter and more. A lot of talent exists at the WR role.

At TE the Chiefs have the best in the business: Travis Kelce.

This is a group of players who are among the best across the board with enough game changing contributors to be a constant threat to any defense in the NFL.

 Do the Chiefs have the horses to make it happen on Defense?

Answer: unequivocally YES. I cannot conceive of failure to drastically improve the defense. Sure, there are caveats which revolve around the new defense with a new Defensive Coordinator and his new staff but the players are shifted out as well so the disbelief in the change and resistance will not be present. That lack of resistance should be the framework where players buy in aids in the transition. In fact, the way I read the player commentary is that they have already been sold on the process and the defense players and are excited to get it going. The newness is not going to be resisted (staff, or 43 defense, either one). Even if the Chiefs only gained a ranking to get positioned at the front end of the bottom third of the NFL, that is a tremendous gain over being a team which was ranked in the last 3 or 4 teams of the NFL

Reasons for predicting success

3A. The Chiefs signed a top Safety to replace Eric Berry with the signing of Tyrann Mathieu. They then drafted a top fit for safety – Juan Thornhill, who is going to be a top candidate for RoY, and this young man will be a total success.

3B. I have covered the Front Four and how it might mix and match players and skills. This group is going to be monstrously successful, it will stop the run and mount a pass rush that has the possibility to also be a complete threat to opposing QB’s. Swapping out the 34 for the 43 is not going to be a problem because most of the talent needed to get it done to the basics was already in house: Jones, Nnadi who came along strongly, Breeland Speaks (miscast to an OLB role).

Brett Veach lost the potential of Justin Houston and Dee Ford as OLBs but gained by signing a 43 top tier performer at DE in Frank Clark, adding Alex Okafor and Emmanuel Ogbah.

3C. Linebackers in house already fit the 43 and that was made deeper with the acquisition of Damien Wilson, Darron Lee, having Anthony Hitchens, Reggie Ragland, Dorian O’Daniel and Ben Niemann already present. It is a stronger group but yes, it has to improve. A simplified assignment by DC Spagnuolo will also make things easier and the players are already reacting positively to the new defense.

3D. A question remains for the Corners but what I read from the players on hand is the staff is comfortable and believe in Charvarius Ward who was acquired from Dallas and got the opportunity to take on a starting role over the last 4 games of 2018. I would state he stepped up and won the role. Others are not convince. I would observe the Chiefs are comfortable and believe in Ward. Fuller is a top Slot CB which means the Chiefs are going to have Bashaud Breeland outside matching up across from Ward.

If any change is made, it will be to add an experienced CB who is starter quality and proven to this group. Indeed I am certain that this search is going on in the background. Then of course will come player releases as opening day occurs, or a trade to obtain that needed talent. There’s also Tremon Smith and Keith Reaser (whom I supported bringing on board from watching closely his play in the AAF). As well, the Chiefs brought in UDFA Mark Fields whom I think can and will make an immediate contribution due to his defensive moxy and speed to mirror and close on WR’s. Draftee Rashad Fenton adds to the mix.

Is this perfect stuff?

Nope, of course not. No team is perfect. No team has 22 starters who are All-Pro or Pro-Bowl players. Is this a group of players that is already meshing and jelling including all the newcomers and men vying for a role on an NFL team? I look and see a lot of talent as the Chiefs enter training camp in a few days now.

I am reading what I see as a group of players who will build the successful roster that is needed, one through sixty-three. We will begin to see results soon. I think that by the end of the first week of camp, we will know a lot more.

So my answers to 4 questions can be summarized as: Yes, Yes, Yes and Well, No, of course Not!

David Bell — ArrowheadOne

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