You’ve heard the calls for #TakeItBack, or some other such hash taggery that indicates the Kansas City Chiefs aren’t just running it back this time around. Some go so far as to suggest that this is a revenge season, but I’ve prefer we call it one to “avenge” that blown Super Bowl LV opportunity. Beyond that, the goal is simple, and complex: to become the hunter instead of the hunted, and win back the Lamar Hunt Trophy, which means the Chiefs would get back to the Super Bowl for the third straight season. It all begins with…
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The Chiefs have the best quarterback at the most important position, some say, in all of sports. His magnificent arm, quick release, unique throwing angles, all come in second place to his ability to read defenses and make snap decisions, all within the context of head coach Andy Reid’s offensive scheme. It doesn’t hurt that he has a photographic memory either, so he doesn’t forget what hasn’t worked before. He’s made the no-look pass look cool and now you’ll find kids on playgrounds across the country trying out their own version, plus sometimes he even passes with his non-dominant left hand, leaving even his own fans bewildered.
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Mahomes has visionary vision and can see angles and passing windows that no one else in the game sees, or will even attempt. I used to be a fairly good athlete and was ambidextrous, so I once played a friend a game of ping pong using my non-dominant left hand… only I didn’t tell them that I was doing that. After I’d beaten them, they naturally begged for another game, to which I replied: “Okay, as long as I can use my right hand now.” They hadn’t noticed I’d been playing left-handed at all, and threw their paddle down in disgust. I also used to practice playing ping pong without looking at the ball. You can really develop your peripheral vision that way. Why share this with you? Because if you can imagine any of that… take it and multiply it time 1,000… and you have Patrick Mahomes.
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The big question this offseason has to do with Mahomes health and recovery from turf toe. However, that appears to have been answered this offseason already. Some won’t be hard core believers that he’s 100% healthy until they see him in game action. The recent workout video of Mahomes dodging cones and a defender has me on board, and I’m someone who thought he should take his time returning from surgery, and not push it. According to his offseason trainer, Bobby Stroupe, Mahomes has been running up to 20.6 mile per hour this offseason. Let’s not forget that Lamar Jackson’s top end speed during a game was 20.52 mph, so Patrick has been busting his hump to get back in shape.
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Travis Kelce will be the best Tight End who ever played the game by the time he’s done playing. His ability to break down the heart a defense makes every offensive play the Chiefs run a huge problem for DC’s and defenses all over the United States of America, and some even in Europe. Like several of he Chiefs other players, Kelce has overcome some early life obstacles to get where he’s at, like, getting thrown out of college. Also, you may recall that four years ago, Kelce once picked up a referees’ flag, and threw it back at him. Makes me laugh now to think about it, but the point is, he’s become a leader and consequently, his words mean even more to those who’ll listen to him in the clubhouse.
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The end of this episode of “America’s Game” on the NFL Channel had me in tears, because Kelce was in tears talking to his father, who said to him following the Chiefs Super Bowl victory, “You never got the acknowledgment you’ve deserved.” There aren’t many things a son wants to hear from their father than that. Still chokes me up. The point is, Kelce is an inspiration to those around him, which takes more than being a talented guy… which he also is, in spades. According to some, you couldn’t ask for a better teammate and he’s filled with confidence, good Karma and is creative to boot. I’ll never forget when he yelled, “You’ve gotta fight, for your right, to PAAARRRRTY!” plus… this version:
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“You’ve gotta fight, for your right, to Lombaaaarrrrdi!” Five years ago, Kelce laid this block (see below) on Pro Bowler Darian Stewart, who just might disagree with anyone who claims Kelce isn’t a great blocker:
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Tyreek has become a player with strength of character as well. A couple of offseasons ago, Veach drafted Mecole Hardman, presumably with the idea of him serving as Hill’s replacement, if the, then pending, situation with Hill went south. After a Super Bowl victory and another SB season in the books, as well as averaging 1,200 yards receiving per year for the past four years, Hill ranks right up there with the best in the NFL. In fact, Jordan Foote at SI.com wrote a piece towards the end of last season called: “Not Just ‘a No. 1’ — Tyreek Hill is the Best Receiver in Football” in which he says:
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“Hill has game-breaking speed and excellent hands. He runs crisp routes and creates separation in a way unsurpassed by anyone else in the sport. His ability to adjust to anything thrown his way, even when asked to out-leap defenders, is among the league’s best. He just put up the most outstanding receiving performance of 2020. Why isn’t he the best receiver in the league, exactly? If you want to split hairs among the Hopkins, Adams and Thomas class of the league’s top wide receivers, so be it. But there’s absolutely no excuse to leave Hill off that list any longer.”
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Tyrann Mathieu is a consensus top Ten Safety in the NFL, and I’d place him in the top five. It’s amazing when CBS Sports, ESPN, MCNBC, Brett Kollmann, as well as ArrowheadPride, all agree on anything, but when it comes to Tyrann Mathieu, there’s no doubt. Pick Six Podcasts ranks Mathieu as the #2 Safety in the league right behind the Broncos Justin Simmons. It gives you perspective when you hear two non-Chiefs fans pick a Chiefs player. What they have to say about Mathieu also gives a more complete picture of his career and league wide impact:
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Mathieu may have been left off of a recent NFL’s Top 50 players list (by PFF) — which was a grievous mistake on their part — but I still expect Mathieu and the Chiefs to come to a new contractual agreement prior to the time the 2021 season beings… and if that doesn’t happen, it would also be a grievous mistake.
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That same NFL’s Top 50 list of players by Sam Monson at PFF, rates Chris Jones as the 19 best player. Whereas he gets it very wrong about Mathieu, he’s likely right about Chris Jones and has this to say about StoneCold:
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“Aaron Donald isn’t just the best interior defensive lineman in the NFL. He is one of the best defenders the game has ever seen. The competition to be the next-best at that position is a fierce one, however, and Chris Jones has as good a case as anybody. Over the last three seasons, Jones has the second-best PFF pass-rushing grade at the position (trailing Donald, obviously) and is just two total pressures behind Fletcher Cox for second-best. Jones has also had some of his best games on the biggest stage, including the Super Bowl.”
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I find the Aaron Donald – Chris Jones comparison one that is revealing. While Donald has averaged 57 defensive snaps per game, over the past two seasons, CJ has average 51.5 defensive snaps per game. So, keep that in mind as you review the following chart:
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Chris Jones leads in two categories (two blue columns):
1) Snaps per Quarterback Hits and
2) Snaps- Pass Defensed and/or Forced Fumble (combined)
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Yes, Donald leads in the popular stats line of sacks per season, but when you add in the number of snaps it takes for him to get a quarterback hit or the number of snaps it takes for him to get a Pass Defensed and/or a Force Fumble — two categories CJ easily wins — then you begin to see a clearer picture of why I consider Chris Jones right up there with the best Defensive tackles in the game today, and that includes Aaron Donald.
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One significant difference in their stats includes the way each is used: Donald has taken more than 84% of the defensive snaps for the Rams while Steve Spagnuolo likes to rotate his DL so Jones has taken less than 63% of the defensive snaps (over the past two seasons). I prefer the way Spags keeps his defensive linemen fresh by using a platoon system, and it should help to sustain CJ’s career as well.
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You’re probably surprised to find Harrison Butker on this list. However, he’s one of the top kickers in the league and his presence should not be taken for granted. CBS Sports ranks the top ten kickers with Butker at #2, and the rest look like this:
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Yes, Butker missed some extra points last year, but that seems more like an anomaly than a precedence. Remember the Chargers game when he hit a 53 yarder in overtime to win it, but Nick Allegretti was called for moving early, then he hit a 58 yarder but they called a time out, then he hit that 58 yarder again, like he was dropping a mic.
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Reid has had some recent press by making his way to the top of the rankings of the best head coaches. He’s done that, placing first according with PFF and CBS Sports as well as placing #10 all time by the Pro Football Network. What makes this team great is having one of the best head coaches of all time, and any time you can get the best HC paired with the best QB in the league, you got a dynamite for a decade situation. One that should give K.C. many winning seasons for years to come… for sure.
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I may surprise some of you with this take, but the Chiefs General Manager, Brett Veach, has been just, above average… perhaps by a lot, but he is not a top five GM… yet. This past draft — as well as offseason — may be his best so far, but that only lends to the idea that he’s been on a learning curve. Yes, he’s made many, may great moves, and I like his — work is never done attitude — but there’s no getting around some of his worst decisions, like:
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- drafting Breeland Speaks
- signing Anthony Hitchens: his performance and contract have been horrible, so far
- trading for Frank Clark and giving him that bloated deal… and no, his performance hasn’t matched that contract
- signing Cam Irving
- Bringing in a slew of mediocre, non-solution, LB: Reggie Ragland, Darron Lee, Damien Wilson, Dorian O’Daniel, Darius Harris, and Ben Niemann
- Plus selecting a late round DL/OL transformation experiment, a real bust, Kahlil McKenzie
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Gregg Rosenthal at NFL.com ranked the GMs this past spring and he had Veach at #10. I won’t disagree with that assessment… for now anyway. I do think he’s climbing up the ladder and will one day be the best GM in football. What I don’t agree with — at all — is Rosenthal’s view that Jerry Jones is a better GM than Veach (he has Jerry at #8).
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One bit of information that has expanded my view of Brett Veach is what Rosenthal says about the Chiefs starters, other than Mahomes: “only two of the other 23 draft picks since Mahomes was taken, have started at least 25 games,” which includes Derrick Nnadi and Kareem Hunt (and as we know, Hunt is no longer with the team). That means 21 players, not named Mahomes, have underperformed, players drafted by Veach.
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The flip side of that is… in 2019 Veach traded 1st, and 3rd round picks — 29th and 92nd — as well as the 64th pick, a 2nd-rounder… to Seattle in exchange for DE Frank Clark and a 3d-round pick, the 84th pick. The good side of that deal is: Frank Clark has started 29 games for K.C., which should be counted towards Rosenthal’s list. The bad news is: Frank Clark has started 29 games for K.C….. as well as cost the Chiefs a boatload of cap booty. Let’s hope he makes it worth our while in 2021. The roadblocks appear to be removed for Clark having a great 2021 season… if he can stay out of off the field trouble.
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I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the multiplicity of top shelf moves Veach has initiated, which include: his input on the Patrick Mahomes selection (before he became the GM, and really, is there a more critically important decision in all of football than trading your 27th pick and moving up 17 slots to take a gamble on a prospect?), signing Tyrann Mathieu (and hopefully re-signing him), L’Jarius Sneed (the 138th pick who was re-drafted at the #7 pick overall), Juan Thornhill (the next Pro Bowler in my book), Derrick Nnadi, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Damien Williams, Harrison Butker, Nick Allegretti, Jarran Reed, Joe Thuney, and of course, the Orlando Brown swap. Plus, Creed Humphrey and Nick Bolton will likely become stellar studs in the Chiefs lineup.
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Let’s see, you’ve got the best QB in the game, the best coach, the best tight end, one of he best wideouts who also happens to be the fastest guy in the league, one of the best Safeties, a top level defensive tackle, a top two kicker, and a GM on his way up the ladder of greatness… and… not a bad supporting cast (who might take offense at me calling them that). Things are looking skyward in the Kingdom. There’s just so much to like about these Chiefs, on their way to Avenging last year’s Super Bowl bust, and it looks like they’re using that as motivation to take-it-back… and… avenge that trophy!
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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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