Chiefs Toughest Challenges
Are Yet To Come
by Ransom Hawthorne
The Kansas City Chiefs started the year with an absolutely brutal schedule. They faced the Chargers, Steelers and Patriots, on the road, as well as a once mighty Jacksonville team that they didn’t just beat, but broke. They also played one of their toughest games of the season, in Mile High Stadium, against a team that played like it was their last game of the season. While the Chiefs easily demolished the Bengals, it should not be overlooked that a loss would have put the Bengals in the drivers seat for the AFC. After this impressive start, the rest of the schedule looks much easier, with one true challenge, on the road (Rams in Mexico), and a couple decent teams, at home (Chargers and Ravens). That said, Kansas City’s toughest opponents still lurk on the schedule, though you won’t find uniforms for them in an NFL shop.
Hubris: Pride is human nature. Freud wrote extensively about the ego, for good reason. If Mahomes isn’t getting a little bit of a big head, I’m not sure he’s even human. What Patrick has accomplished, thus far, is shattering record books, re-writing the way the game is played and making fans wonder if they’re witnessing the birth of the best QB in the history of the NFL? That’s all well and good, but you let it go to your head, and all of sudden you start to make some throws you shouldn’t. You start to believe you can escape and make a big play by running 20 yards back, out of field goal range. You run for extra yards, when you should just go down to protect yourself. We’ve seen a handful of these mistakes, but if that ego gets out of control, they could start to multiply. Andy Reid is well aware of this, and has been vigilant about it, that’s why you see him doing things like making fun of Pat’s voice. Mahomes is doing his best to stay humble as well, but, given the success so far, it’s got to be getting tougher.
Health: The Chiefs began the year pretty healthy. Yes, Eric Berry and Daniel Sorenson were hurt, but many teams have done much worse. That healthy wind seems to have changed like the Kansas weather, and Chiefs players are dropping like flies. In the last few weeks, Chiefs have lost LDT, Jordan Devey, Armani Watts, DeAnthony Thomas and Terrence Smith to IR. They’re also still waiting for Mitch Morse to come back from a concussion, Justin Houston from a hamstring and Berry to get off the bench. OL depth was carefully constructed, and has performed well, but no team can weather so many losses at the same position. K.C. needs to get healthy at safety and they need to stop getting hurt along the offensive line. They also need to keep doing what they’ve done so far and avoid an injury to any one of their stars on offense. The offense is fantastic, and the defense is finally coming together, but an injury at ILB, or on the OL, or to Kelce or Hunt… could prove disastrous. I love the killer instinct the Chiefs have shown this year, but, at a certain point, you need to take measures to protect some of your most valuable assets, once the game is in hand.
Complacency: Hardship drives you to be the best you can be. Suffering produces character. The Chiefs have had precious little of either, on offense. While the defense has been fighting to get better, the offense has been coasting. It may seem ridiculous to cast aspersions on the league’s best offense, but while they may be the best in the NFL, I’m not convinced they’re playing THEIR best. An offense that was criminally efficient, early in the year, is starting to pile up drops, and missed opportunities. Again, no team is perfect, but K.C. players need to hold themselves to a higher standard. The offense must not get worse, and it shouldn’t just stay the same. This is the NFL, improve or die. If this team wants to win a Super Bowl, with this defense, they might just have to play a perfect game, and that means no under-thrown balls into triple coverage, and no dropping TDs, or tripping on your way to the end zone. The Chiefs offense is great, but not great enough to rest on their laurels. A few things need tightened up.
Aside from the Rams, the Chiefs greatest danger comes from within. One bad decision from Mahomes, on a scramble could lead to an injury that completely derails their season. One more injury on the OL could risk the same result. A few hiccups, by the offense, in the playoffs, could be all the opening the Patriots need to beat the Chiefs in Arrowhead. If Kansas City wants to win a Super Bowl, they don’t get to be satisfied with where they’re at. They still need to get better… and I expect they will. Go Chiefs.
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