Kansas City Chiefs: A Fresh 24 – This is How We Roll!

Kansas City Chiefs: A Fresh 24 –

This is How We Roll!

by David Bell | January 20, 2019

It is now a Fresh 24 — 24 hours before the kickoff as I sit with pen — keyboard — and finish the introduction to the Chiefs-Patriots AFC Championship game. We start with the positives and build from that point on! It’s the Kansas City Chiefs: A Fresh 24 – This is How We Roll!

People have written about sitting and waiting, gnawing on finger nails, sitting on pins and needles. Descriptions of anxiety could be added to the list, ‘ad infinitum’. Not me. It is cold and I warmed things up, broiled a steak and watched a movie. I diverted my attention looking for something to watch for the evening, something with Kiefer Sutherland in it. No luck on that one I am afraid.

It is said it takes 12 top players to be a champion. This season, I believe the Chiefs have at least that number of playmaking talent. You can judge by these 7 items below.

An-tic-i-pa-tion… An-tic-i-pa-a-tion

1. Masterful leadership – Patrick Mahomes will not have game jitters. He won’t throw interceptions due to poor passing choices, or trying to make something happen out of nothing. He will move the chains and put the Chiefs in scoring position due to the weapons available in the Chiefs arsenal. If you had asked anyone how far PMII has come as the leader of this team or what they foresaw before opening day, they would not, I think, have anticipated that Patrick Mahomes would have been able to accomplish what has accomplished since opening day. The Chiefs have a new and top level helmsman at the wheel.

2. The Aerial Arsenal – It appears to me that the Chiefs have players who can catch the ball and get YAC. Almost all of them, even the #2 Tight End. The Chiefs boast the best Tight End in the game, a #1 WR who can get over the top and beat you on a short slant for a TD. Opposite Tyreek Hill is a very good possession receiver in Sammy Watkins. Watkins missed several games but his game versus the Colts came to a high point at the right time for the offense. The Chiefs have a 1-2-3 punch for receiving the ball. For that matter, Hill is a threat on the ground as well. Add to that the emergence of a good number 3 alternative WR: Demarcus Robinson. Chris Conley has contributed and Gehrig Dieter now has an NFL catch.

3. The Front 5 (or 7) – It’s not easy to boast about the Chiefs Offensive line at all for the past 6 seasons. Despite injuries, the Line has been managed well with newcomers taking place of starters. Special recognition should go to Mitch Schwartz who has had a remarkable run of consecutive snaps and he won special recognition as the best OT in football from PFF this week (for 3 seasons somehow, Mitch has been ignored for a ‘pro-bowl’ nod when he has deserved it).

The Chiefs boast Solid Starters: Mitch Schwartz, Eric Fisher, Cam Erving, LD-T and Mitch Morse. When players were injured, Mitch Morse, Cam Erving and LDT missed time due to injuries across the front 5, some very good play was contributed by people who were not on the roster in 2017. Substituting in good stead has been a godsend in player acquisitions: Andrew Wylie, Jeff Allen, Austin Reiter especially but we should also give Jordan Devey a credit too. Right now? The question is will LDT start or will Wylie, because Laurent Duvernay-Tardif has returned to the roster and is ready to play. That’s good stuff right there. Think about it: 8 men who can get the job done for the Kansas City Chiefs on the roster, proven, all at the same time.

4. Still a 3 Headed Beast – the Chiefs have 3 running back depth for the championship game: Damien Williams, Spencer Ware and Darrell Williams. All can run the ball but note: all three are good receivers in their own right.

It is more difficult to write positive superlatives about the Chiefs defense. Yet I think I must. The past three games, the defense has played very well culminating in an extremely well-played Division round versus the Indianapolis Colts. Things have come together at the right time and it appears that the improvements has the players on that side of the ball peaking at the right time for a championship run.

5. The Front 7 – A strong effort was mounted during that contest and just listing the players will suffice because all of them made plays, including guys in the secondary: Justin Houston, Dee Ford, Chris Jones and Derrick Nnadi across a front 7 with a good performance by Allen Bailey added in. Behind them, Reggie Ragland and Anthony Hitchens had a good game playing downhill and making tackles in the backfield.

6. The Secondary – Corners Stephen Nelson, Kendrick Fuller and Charvarius Ward shut down the routes and this was backed up by Jordan Lucas, Eric Murray and Daniel Sorensen manning the safety roles and included in dime and nickel looks. I would not have said this could happen this season but it has happened. Three very good games in a row by the defense. It won’t win awards but it will play, as a unit and now the back end will have Eric Berry back on the field.

7. Special Teams – Often left out of the equation is the unit performance of Special Teams. All season long the specialists have done their job and more: Punter Dustin Colquitt, Place-kicker Harrison Butker and long snapper James Winchester have been totally solid. Other performers fulfilling different roles are just as important from blockers to gunners. A rookie deserves a lot of credit here as well — Tremon Smith who took over the kickoff return duties.

The Point – The Chiefs have top players in all three phases of the game

The Chiefs are poised to win the AFC Championship. They have top players on both sides of the ball and on Special Teams. If these young men continue to play and support one another, if they get after it every single snap of the game and stick together, they have the elan to win the Lamar Hunt trophy. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the case. There is no doubt in my mind that the talent is present to win any game against any team in the NFL on any given day.

Adversity struck and they overcame it during the season. Close games were lost against top teams and close games were won across a 16 game regular season schedule. In 2018, the Chiefs drew a bye and gained home field advantage for all games of the playoffs. They won the divisional round game and now I am sure the players are raring to go.

My basic comment to an advantage that may be missed: Team Speed. The Chiefs have speed and young legs and that is also a big factor in how the game is played. This is the true x-factor in my view: Team Speed and a young roster too boot. The Chiefs age has been reduced since Brett Veach took over the helm. Additional players who made a big contribution were added. It seems to me that Clark Hunt is at the top of that complete chain of players, organization talent and coaching staff from top to bottom and back. I said before the season started, this was a very good roster. I believe the players proved my point.

The fans will be right there along side the players on the field in spirit and heart. The players know it. Something huge is in the offing.

My prediction was 34-24 this week. I am sticking with it and the Mahomes led offense…with the added bonus of Eric Berry being on the field on the opposite side of the ball. Let’s Roll!

David Bell – ArrowheadOne

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