Like any other Kansas City Chiefs fan at ArrowheadOne, I dream dreams about K.C. signing wonderful Free Agents like DE Melvin Ingram — I know, dream on — and offseasons where they create an extraordinary OL — I know what you’re thinking: “been here done that” — then signing and drafting defensive players who can freeze opposing offense’s… hey, wait, we appear to be there already!… So, go with me there now…. oh, the places we’ll go! Plus… I guess we’re already going!
Chiefs Biggest Threats in the AFC
The top teams in the AFC right now look like this:
- New England Patriots
- Tennessee Titans
- Baltimore Ravens
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Buffalo Bills
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Indianapolis Colts
Let’s take a look at each:
New England Patriots – HC Bill Belichick made all the right moves this past offseason and has his Patriots right back in the thick of things this year. Only throwing three passes in their game vs the Bills means they have a potent running game which could also be a threat to the Chiefs.
Tennessee Titans – with no Derrick Henry at RB, I don’t think QB Ryan Tannehill has what it takes to carry his team to a championship.
Baltimore Ravens – the Ravens have a terrific running game, but it mainly revolves around QB Lamar Jackson. Jackson still hasn’t proven he can win a game agains a formidable foe with his arm, and until he does, the Ravens will be suspect. Since HC John Harbaugh has placed all his eggs in Jackson’s basket, winning a big game at the end of the season doesn’t look like a possibility.
Los Angeles Chargers – Justin Herbert has a big arm and at times very accurate. He ranks 7th in completion percentage among QBs with at least 3,000 yards passing this year (ahead of Patrick Mahomes). The problem is, the Chargers are ranked #22 in rushing this year and although they beat K.C. earlier in the season — long before the Chiefs defensive resurgence — the Chiefs should be able to handle them. Especially with DE Melvin Ingram now playing for the good guys.
Cincinnati Bengals – the Bengals just aren‘t there yet.
Buffalo Bills – the Bills have no running game and place far too much responsibility on QB Josh Allen’s shoulders. That makes them far Too predictable and that‘s a bad thing.
Pittsburgh Steelers – King Roethlisberger should have retired long ago. He might have a good game every now and then, but his old teammate, Ryan Clark, is right when he says, “Big Ben’s hurting this team now.“ It hurts just thinking about him.
Indianapolis Colts – the Colts are a team I respect a lot. They have a top flight running game with Jonathan Taylor and a top flight offensive line to boot. Outside of the Patriots, traveling to play the Colts in the playoffs would be a tough task for K.C.. However, the Colts have yet to play he Patriots and the Cardinals and, the Chiefs are a game and a half ahead of them… so… traveling to Indianapolis in the playoffs look like a long shot.
Perhaps we can all agree, the team who represents the biggest threat to the Chiefs in the playoffs, is the team that wins the AFC in the regular season and would force the Chiefs to play the AFC Championship game on their home field. Of all the AFC teams, I’d least want the Chiefs to have to visit, is the Patriots in Foxborough.
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Wide Receiver Number Two
Let me get this out of the way: I like Mecole Hardman and have long supported him. That being said: he is not, nor will he ever be, the Chiefs #2 WR. Nine (9) snaps versus the Broncos this past Sunday should show that this is a Chiefs reality.
Byron Pringle – the Chiefs have obviously changed the way they approach offensive play calling and that does not include sending a speedy WR long on every other play. Thus, the need for a guy like Hardman has diminished, and the need for someone like Pringle has grown. However, we’re going to have to see much more consistency from Pringle. He had one reception on four targets vs Denver.
Demarcus Robinson – DRob is here on a one-year deal and it’s hard to see him ever elevating his game to the level of a #2 WR.
Josh Gordon – Gordon is full of potential. Whereas Hardman had one catch v the Broncos, Gordon had zero. Since Andy Reid keeps saying Gordon is about to breakout, I’m of the opinion that the Chiefs plan for him is to fill the Sammy Watkins role… and ha role was he #2 WR.
Other WR– I’d love to see Gordon eventually have a breakout game and give opposing teams another offensive weapon they’d have to worry about and plan for. However, I firmly believe the Chiefs plan on creating a #2 WR, the way they used o use Sammy Watkins. Consequently, coach Reid may be waiting until the playoffs to unveil his “Gordon as #2WR” threat… or… Reid and Veach will be planning for a high round WR in the next draft.
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“Where Have All the Powers Gone?”
For now, it appears that the most powerful teams in the NFL are in the NFC. The Arizona Cardinals look like the toast of the league at the moment with a 10-and-2 record, the only team to reach double-digit wins so far.
REMINDER: one week from today, on Thursday Night Football, the Chiefs will visit SoFi Stadium and the Los Angeles Chargers, the site of Super Bowl LVI on February 13:
Perhaps by next Thursday, the Chiefs will have their own tenth (10th) victory.
Green Bay Packers – many have been touting the Green Bay Packers and saying that the only reason the Chiefs beat them was because they didn’t have Aaron Rodgers that day. Although, if I remember that game correctly, i didn’t look like it would matter if they did have him. However, I would take the Packers over any other AFC team if they reach Super Bowl LVI… except the Chiefs of course.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – the team that started the craze: two safeties deep approach when facing the Chiefs offense. When he WFT beat the Bucs a month ago, 29-19, they exposed some weaknesses that makes be believe the Chiefs will be able to whip them, should they hook up again in the coming Super Bowl. Other AFC teams? Not so much. I’d take any of the above teams over any other AFC teams. Many have claimed that the Cowboys should be on this lis, but I’m not one of them. A good reason to say… all the power teams seems to have gone to the NFC… except for the Chiefs that is.
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Orlando Brown Jr.
I’ve gone back and forth this season on Orlando Brown Jr. … about whether or not the Chiefs should re-sign him in the offseason. Seth Keysor has a good piece on Brown called: “Orlando Brown flattens Denver defenders: a compilation” (Subscription required) in which Keysor is “Looking at why edge rushers only try to beat the hulking left tackle around the edge” and he has some positives to report. Here’s the first gif Keysor shares in his piece with a dangerous tweet that follows:
While I don’t typically follow Keysor’s articles anymore, he supports the idea that there are plenty of plays in which Brown kicks booty. PFF (Pro Football Focus) gives us reasons to believe Brown will be returning to K.C. in 2022:
When looking at overall scores and rankings for a position like tackle, I can’t be sure PFF is lumping all tackles together, which would put Brown up around the 6th best, but if not, then 12th best is still very, very good, especially when you consider that PFF typically grades 40 or more Left Tackles at a time.
Here’s Daniel Harms, from RGR Football, doing a film study on LT Orlando Brown from the Broncos game in which he says of Brown, “He gave a clinic.” I’ve edited Harms clip from 23:36 to 5.25. Enjoy.
I’ll end with quote by David Bell:
“I hear a lot about those who don’t like Brown. I think that is foolish. This OL is new to one another and they are just now gel’ing… He is not great at KC … But he has been very solid for the last 5 games or so. Moreover, I trust what I see. I viewed two complete game tapes. Orlando Brown should be retained and with the same mix? The K.C. OL in 2022 will be monstrously successful.”
Although I doubt Brown will be getting a top dollar contract from the Chiefs this coming offseason, I can see him returning on a reduced scale with loads of incentives… like… if he makes a Pro Bowl???… then…. but that’s not in the cards this season.
Wha do you think?
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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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