Chiefs: What’s Wrong With the Chiefs? Nothing, KC is the Top NFL Team

David Bell

Despite the various injuries, the Chiefs are competitive with any team, on any date, any place! The team will improve with the addition of Josh Uche and DeAndre Hopkins. These are my views as I understand where the Chiefs Team Stands, although I’m not using any scientific metrics to back up this view!

The Chiefs have won 7 games straight — this season — and will play in Week 9 next on MNF vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Arrowhead and battle for their 8th straight win of the 2024 season. While I do have thoughts that some could be added to aid the Chiefs Roster, having just signed DE Josh Uche was an excellent move by GM Brett Veach to further the defense was a huge move. Not only that, but Veach brought Uche aboard for a 6th-round draft pick… a year and a half from now (in the 2026 draft)!

On to Bigger Player Worries and an observation…

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Chiefs Do Have Weak Points: What Are They?

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1. An Experienced LOT – Could KC sign a Free Agent LOT such as Donovan Smith?
2. I could see the addition of a CB as still being possible.
3. Adding Uche adds Quickness – Important because Charles Omenihu appears to not be ready as quickly as I hoped. I was hoping mightily for his return.
4. Due to the hamstring injury suffered in the Chief’s 6th win the Chiefs are still suffering a bit due to likely being out as well for weeks 9 and 10. I am quietly advised he will be out until week 11. , the Chiefs are a bit hamstrung in their own right.

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Kingsley Suamataia may have been benched too soon. Wanya Morris is proving a weak player as well. I am not stating that either man won’t be a starter, but the LOT role is probably the weakest link in the chain aside along with the loss of two WRs to the IR.

I had written before Preseason ended, that I wished that Donovan Smith and his experience would be added to the LOT Role. I think that may still happen.

Brett Veach’s addition of DE Josh Uche may have been a master move! Josh Uche has the bend and speed on the edge and will force a multifold threat both outside and inside. I don’t know what the status of Charles Omenihu truly is, but HC Andy Reid had positive news on Thursday of this week:

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… however, one thing must be sure: Omenihu must not be advancing as quickly as I hoped in getting back to playing shape after his knee injury. I had greatly hoped he would be ready to play before the middle of November. Hence, adding Uche may be a powerful addition to the Defense Front end.

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Josh Uche game photo(Patriots) The Athletic Image credit

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Observations: Especially About the Defensive Secondary

How the Chiefs mesh and put it all together: it begins with HC Andy Reid and the coaching staff. Andy Reid made this thought known recently, in a quote by the Washington Post (subscription required):

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“It starts with your locker room, your coaches, &

just how do the guys like each other. . . and that

whole trust thing that they develop with each

other is important.”

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The coaching staff trusts the players and this must stem from the fact that the players have bought into the team goals because the Chiefs have had their share of adversity. Losing players to injury, but having depth players step up tells me the team has an inner strength among the players as a whole unit on Offense, Defense, and Special Teams.

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NFL Commentators are Buying the Chiefs

Commentators have a buy-in as well. I am giving the reader three obvious observers… and I am still buying in.

Stephen A. Smith, Nick Wright, and Tom Brady. All three observe the status of any of the Chiefs at this point and all three state that the Chiefs are the top NFL team in the NFL. Brady adds to the mystique and I like what Sir Tom has to say.

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Recently Laddie mentioned, as did I, that Stephen A. Smith also had the Chiefs power ranking as the Numero Uno team ranked according to his power ranking which again views the Chiefs at the top of the list and recaps the top 5 of the list, here:

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Again, I like “Get NickWright’s” reasoning about the top team being the Chiefs. So far, he has not been overturned about his view:

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Roster Strength Is Cut From Whole Cloth

There is no perfect roster, no matter what others might think, but I don’t think DHop remains as the #3 WR nor do I believe that Josh Uche remains the #3 DE.

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When I take a look at the existing 53-man Roster, I am hard-pressed to discern what I would change by adding a Free Agent Save finding a starting LOT, especially as it relates to that Role. Position by Position, you can see what’s possible as at least a starting player plus depth (this is not the coach’s view; rather key Chiefs personnel). We have to know what the 44-man roster will look like for MNF. Here is my basic summation about the Chiefs Roster and worries a couple of days ago…

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My thoughts on the remaining team position weaknesses

DHop will indeed complete the Chiefs and make him the #1 aerial attack target for Patrick Mahomes. I do agree that a lot of work still needs to be done for the WRs. I believe the focus will quickly shift into attack mode as Hopkins primary WR. The Chiefs can’t do that without him. Losing Rice, Brown, and I guess to an extent, Skyy Moore, due to his core muscle surgery, hurt the WR depth so to speak.

Mecole Hardman must turn it on now and it appears to me Justin Watson has turned it up a notch (Watson had 3 catches vs the Raiders). When we consider Isiah’s injury, I am thankful that Hunt has performed admirably with Pop still out. Still, the WR group is going to begin to key on Hopkins and I hope Pop’s return is very soon. Without Hopkins, the aerial attack will continue to be anemic at best.

Final thought: The LOT role is a complete liability. Hiring Donovan Smith was something I remarked on before pre-season. I think it would help a bunch. I had hoped that Kingsley would grow in the role quickly. I continue to think that benching him was the wrong thing to do. Morris has done the duty, but he has shown the weakness in the LOT Role.

Charles Omenihu’s not being available probably worries me to a good extent but Adding Uche will help.

Jaylen Watson’s injury is a concern for me. Thus far though, players are filling things up well for the DB crew with Dave Merritt’s players. I’m not going to list players, but rather positions I would see as a strength, which includes Safety, LBs, and now the DL… with the addition of Uche.

I am a bit concerned about the CBs since Watson’s name had to be subtracted, but at least Nazeeh Johnson has played well, and they added CB Keith Taylor. On offense, the obvious problem is having Brown and Rice on IR, but adding Deandre Hopkins alleviates much of the worry. Right now, JuJu Smith-Schuster, suffered a hamstring injury so I don’t yet know how soon he will be able to play.

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JuJu Game photo – Chiefs image credit

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To be sure, the Chiefs will suffer due to JuJu’s absence. From AllChiefdUp, they write that it appears that they are thinking he will play again in Week 11 vs. the Bills. Beyond this, I certainly wish Pacheco would get back as soon as possible as well so we could not only get a duo running game threat with Hunt to match him… but to alleviate the risk of injury to Hunt.

Will Veach add a LOT or CB to the roster at or before the trade deadline? I’d like to see a starting level LOT, that would be my basic thought as it stands now. No game roster is perfect and I think the Chiefs could strengthen their case as I have noted. Also, I still think Marquise Brown will make it back for the post-season. That would help a ton.

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Who Might Be Added to the WR Crew?

If another player is injured, the Chiefs PS has dependable Depth for WR which includes: Justyn Ross, Nikko Remigio, and others as well. Just a few days ago, WR Montrell Washington was added to the active roster. The Chiefs are confident that Remigio and Ross could take on an active roster role… with little to no playbook training.

Noteworthy player? I add to my list of players: Noah Gray!

This needs to be iterated multiple times especially due to the injury to Jody Fortson. I hope he sticks with it. Even Justin Watson has proven a boon to the WR crew so I think the Chiefs are confident about the Receiver role, including TEs and RBs.

Cornerbacks? It’s now Trent McDuffie, Nazeeh Johnson, Joshua Williams, and Keith Taylor.

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Depending on Spagnuolo’s Defense?

Spags game photo – Newsday image credit

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At this juncture, I’d lay good odds on the Chiefs — due to the Chiefs defense and DC Steve Spagnuolo, as well as the moving parts of the various defense team coaching staff — Chiefs defense is “handling it!

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No Realistic Truth — Yet

I have no clear idea of running the string out to the end and winning the Super Bowl, but no one else does either. However, I am already fairly certain that the Chiefs will win the AFC West again, which gives the Chiefs a good shot at potential Playoff Bye. Beyond that? The proof awaits the games played and that’s a “Future’s Bet” but I absolutely will not count the Chiefs out of LIX, no, I am not going to count the Chiefs out of it.

Prove to me that I am wrong.

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NFL LIX image credit

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David Bell — ArrowheadOne

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