Josh Kingsley
The CHIEFS played the 49ers in week 7. Two major results came from the game. First, the CHIEFS left the Bay Area with a resounding victory, which sends them into the BYE week at 5-2 and leading the AFC West. A most righteously positive result. The other result was 2019 nostalgia, and it was thick for the entire week leading up. Head to head home and away stats came up, but the real, and obvious, focus was the Super Bowl LIV rematch. It was a great narrative.
Games against NFC teams are rare… ish. I add the “ish” because it happens now 5 times a season. However, it is a set NFC division as opposed to the matching division standing that sees us play Buffalo every season. What this means is the NFC games are interesting more from lack of familiarity and less for any kind of rivalry. The closest teams to an NFC rivalry for the CHIEFS are probably the Seahawks and Rams due to former divisional alignment and geography. I believe the 49ers are one of, if not the, next closest option. Things like the Montana and Smith trades come to mind, but more than anything the games always seem meaningful.
I spent the week in a place of nostalgia, but it was broader than the rematch or any of the above stuff. My focus was more on that greatest season I have personally seen.
A Look Back to 2019
This week and topic dawned on me slowly. I went to the same place as the masses at first considering the rematch, and it stacked from there. This current season reminds me of the 2019 more and more that longer it plays. First up is the overall vibe of the offseason and the start of the season.
The Lingering Pain
Patrick Mahomes took off like a rocket in 2018 collecting his first MVP trophy in the process. The team took care of business securing the #1 seed in the AFC and running the path to the Super Bowl through Arrowhead. Everyone knows the value of home field, but also the track record of beating Brady and the Pats at Gillette. The CHIEFS took all the necessary steps to rep the AFC in the Super Bowl EXCEPT win the AFC Championship game. We all remember 55 offside. The 2019 season started with a mission to right that wrong.
The CHIEFS started the 2021 campaign fresh off a second consecutive Super Bowl appearance, which was another big loss to Brady… and his D line. The entire offseason before last campaign focused on revamping the line and protecting Patrick. Another top seed, #2, put the path once again through Arrowhead. The CHIEFS hosted the AFC Championship games for the 4th consecutive year, and hosted the Bengals. We all remember the CHIEFS simply failing to close out that game.
Here we are in 2022, and the season started with a mission to right that wrong. I, like many fans, felt and continue to feel, the pain of missed opportunity in 2018 and 2021, and believe in my core that the CHIEFS would beat both versions of the Rams.
Here’s to 5 and 2
The next thing to grab my attention is the similarity in starts. Both the 2019 and current editions won 5 of the first 7, and the feeling is remarkably similar. Week 1 against the Jags brought Foles back into the narrative, and unofficially launched Arrowhead Kingdom. A romping of the Raiders, thriller against the Ravens, and close win against the Lions spelled a 4-0 start in 2019. This seasons first 4 wins came in the form of severe beatings of the Cards and Bucs and close divisional victories over the Chargers and Raiders. The 5th wins both came in the form of beat downs after a loss. Denver in ’19, San Fran just now.
The 2 losses are where the real parallels form in my mind. In 2019 the losses were consecutive in weeks 5 and 6 to the Colts and Texans. These we essentially the same game: in Arrowhead, gashed by the running game, and frustrating as heck. Both games were there for the taking. The CHIEFS saw both teams back in Arrowhead that post season. This season’s losses spread out, but are also frustrating. I cannot call the Colts a playoff team for certain, but they may end up there. The Bills are 100% a playoff team, and I expect to see them again. Again, the CHIEFS had winning positions in both games.
Team Composition
Both this and the 2019 team’s profile as offensive firepower and defensive liability. Most fans speak similarly of the D coordinator as well. The big difference is the front office effort. Veach and Co spent time, FA dollars, and substantial draft capital, on the D this past offseason. I see improving results on D. The other thing I believe I see is a less potent offense. Unfortunately for the rest of the League this CHIEFS team is #1 in points per game and #2 in yards per game. The numbers for this D are interesting to me. They are bottom of the barrel in passing yards per game allowed, but #3 on rushing yards per game allowed. Games against Josh Allen and Justin Herbert take the pass total up. However, the Cardinals, Bucs and 49ers chucking that ball all over the field in junk time inflate those numbers tremendously.
I am still suspect enough of the D to make this comparison, but this edition is significantly better.
Where We Go from Here
The 2019 CHIEFS lost week 8 to Green Bay, eked one vs the Vikings, lost to Tennessee, hit their BYE, and rolled their last 5 opponents to a 12-4 record and #1 seed. I project the CHIEFS will lose 1-2 more games in route to another 1 or 2 seed. My goal is to hit the second half of the season to start projecting results, but I see the losses coming from some combination of the divisional games and maybe the Bengals, Rams or Seahawks. The season as a whole has a deja vu feeling at this point, and that is just fine with me.
Game Recap
This game v the 49ers was a massacre. The CHIEFS took all their frustration from the Bills loss… and put it to the 49ers. My one critical comment is of the Mahomes forced pass, that resulted in an INT. That play was maddening to watch, but I found perspective. The game is different for Mahomes this year as he evolves to accepting the D schemes and playing them accordingly. It is a far cry from the abuse he levied on defenses in recent seasons, so he does need to be different. Was it a bad decision with a horrible result? Yeah. Is there another way to truly learn the consequence of that type of situation? Not really. The mission now is to avoid a repeat. Overall this has the ability to pay off.
My real critical commentary and analysis was of Greg Olsen. He was a total liability in the booth. He had bad takes, non-takes, and spots where he seemed lost for comment. It was like watching Pepper Brooks adding color commentary. At one point he talked about the great QB match-up on the field. At the same time Erin Andrews, who totally knows her stuff, was on the sideline talking about how Christian McCaffery asked for a playbook as soon as the trade became final. Stick her in a booth already.
The O line looked great in pass and run blocking. Pacheco and Clyde traded each series and pushed each other. My favorite sequence was Pacheco’s big kick return to start the third, and Clyde capping the drive with a 16-yard run. Those guys can fight over the lead back role all season.
Movie of the Week
I watched the movie “Big” for the first time in, well, I have no clue. It had been a hot minute for sure. Sometime in the middle of college I happened to watch movies from my youth with a more grown up perspective, and totally caught things my parents surely enjoyed watching sail over my head.
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“Coming to America” became, and remains, my favorite comedy movie from that experience. Re-watching “Big” was extra special after the last column given the solid focus on Tom Hanks’ John Baskin at work. The great moments surrounded the instances where tenured professionals failed to get out of their own way while a 13-year old crushed marketing trends. It reminded me of countless meetings I have attended. The iconic scene is the floor piano, but my favorite scene was the “I don’t get it,” bit about the transformers. Simply brilliant.
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Josh Kingsley — ArrowheadOne and Arrowhead Kingdom
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