Is This the Real Life… Or Is This Just Fantasy: The Kansas City Chiefs

Is this the real life, or is this just fantasy,

Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality…

– Freddie Mercury, Lead Singer of Queen, 1975

I find those lines from the hit rock opera (is that what you would call Bohemian Rhapsody) quite fitting given the show we were all privileged enough to see on Thursday night as the Kansas City Chiefs took the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots to task, and thoroughly ruined their banner-raising party.

First, on a personal note, it was very satisfying for me, because my wife and I watched the game with our new neighbors, who happen to be Chiefs fans as well, as he hails from Kansas City, Kansas. If you know anything about military life, the only thing that is constant is that things change, and our previous neighbors retired and moved back to their home in South Dakota at the beginning of summer. Getting new neighbors in military housing can be a stressful thing, because we mostly live in duplexes, and sometimes you are intimate part of your neighbors’ relationships with their wives, husbands and kids. Much to my surprise, as my kids were playing with their kids, their son (who is the same age as my daughter) said while looking at my Kansas City Chiefs flag flying from my porch “Hey, my dad is a Chiefs fan too,” and I thought, well how perfect can this be?

I came to find out that they had just been assigned here from Guam, and had not received their household goods shipment (which means they are living out of a suitcase) and therefore, I would not stand to force them to watch the game on their laptop. Instead, the whole family joined mine, and we screamed and hollered at my 70 inch television together, as our favorite warriors in red and gold crushed the spirit of the reigning champs.

These were some observations I made during the game in no particular order:

The offensive line looked extremely strong. I think this is far and away the absolute best line this team has had in the Andy Reid era. In fact, I know we are only one game in, but this is probably the best line this team has had since the bulldozing lines of the early 2000’s who were blocking for Priest Holmes. We will see how they hold together over the next several weeks, but they looked good. The sacks that Alex Smith took were solely on him for holding onto the ball too long and trying to make a play. That is not to say that they were bad sacks, in fact, I thought they were smart…except the play where he slipped and fell down. That one was embarrassing.

Some teams are blessed with drafting elite quarterback after elite quarterback. Some teams horde all the league’s talent at pass rushing. Some teams get the receivers. The Kansas City Chiefs somehow have the knack having the best running backs in the league. What’s better, they come out of nowhere. The Chiefs have gone from Christian Okoye, to Priest Holmes, to Larry Johnson, to Jamaal Charles, to Spencer Ware and now to rookie phenom, third-round pick Kareem Hunt. He was absolutely electric, and I can’t wait to see what else the kid can do.

I am not going to go all I-told-you Alex-could-throw-the-deep-ball on you, but darn-it… his passes were sharp. Only the uneducated amateur football analyst makes the ridiculous argument that Smith can’t throw the deep ball. He has shown the ability to do it through his career, but never the inclination that it was his first option. I would give the argument that may be because he has never had the pieces around him that he does now. An offensive line that can keep him upright, the fastest player in the league who can track the deep ball well playing as his No. 1 wide receiver, and an elite tight end, make those play calls easier for Andy Reid to make and Smith to execute. I hope this wasn’t a fluke, and it’s the sign of things to come.

Speaking of that elite tight end, I know Travis Kelce did not have a great showing on Thursday night, but he quietly had five catches for 40 yards and a rush for four more. I really like that fake run, shovel pass to Kelce play the Chiefs ran several times. That is definitely a new wrinkly Reid was playing with. I know there are probably some more options that go with that play. Now that Reid has it on tape for other teams to scheme against, we may see the rest of it in future games, but it was a great way to pick up five yards in a pinch.

While many of us (yes, me included) were upset with Defensive Coordinator Bob Sutton’s approach to sending only a three-man rush at Brady for most of the first half, we were sprinting while Sutton was running a marathon. He knew exactly what he was doing, as his scheme got progressively more aggressive throughout the second half, culminating with pressures and stunts that Tom Brady couldn’t read. Those turned into two Justin Houston sacks and an Allen Bailey sack when Brady hit the turf. I need to remind myself not to question the mad scientist. He knows what he’s doing.

I think Chris Conley could have a big year. He was a reliable target when Smith looked his way. He only had two catches, but they averaged 21.5 yards per grab.

While I am heartbroken that the heart and soul of the team, Eric Berry, is done for the year with a blown Achilles tendon, I am confident the defense will pick up the slack. You can’t replace Berry, and you surely can’t replicate his production, but this team has decent depth at safety including “Dirty” Dan Sorenson and Eric Murray. I will be interested to see how they rotate these players around.

From here, we are on to Reid’s former team, the Philadelphia Eagles. It will be the Arrowhead home opener, and I am sure the Sea of Red will be packed. Carson Wentz did not look phenomenal today, but he didn’t look bad either, so the defense will have to step up. I will be curious to see how Reid is able to take it to his former protege, Doug Pederson.

There they are, my friends. I think this is the template I will take for my pieces this season. I will give you a little insight into how I watch the game in the Seibel house, and then just give you my raw thoughts on what I thought of the game… good, bad or indifferent. 

This goes without saying, but please let me know what you think of my thoughts, and give me your own in the comments below.

Is it Sunday yet?  Is it Sunday yet? Is it Sunday yet?

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