Even though the Kansas City Chiefs fell behind 14-0 against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, there was no panic on the sidelines or in the huddle. Led by Quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, he orchestrated a perfect comeback victory that put to rest, he doesn’t have enough offensive support to make another Super Bowl run.
After the game, Las Vegas Raiders Cornerback, Amik Robertson was adamant and emotional that his team was better than the Chiefs. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that’s not the case. Not only did your team blow a 14-0 lead, but your Head Coach, Antonio Pierce didn’t prepare his team for what has been a recurring theme in Las Vegas, the Chiefs always find a way to win in Sin City!
With the AFC catching up to the Chiefs, and the Baltimore Ravens clinging to a half-game lead, KC’s victory was monumental. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, and the Chiefs are all 8-3 on the season. The Ravens stand at 9-3 after their big win over the hapless Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chiefs didn’t always play their best football, especially in the first quarter, but Mahomes caught on fire, spreading the ball, and relying on the trio of Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice, and Isiah Pacheco. They were the three-headed monster of the offense. If those three play that well moving forward, the AFC is in trouble – especially if they can put up thirty points a game from here on out.
Further, if the defense limits teams under twenty-one points, like it did Sunday against a decent Raiders offense, Kansas City will run the table for the remainder of the season and secure the Top Spot in the AFC.
Andy Reid might have coached one of his best games of the year. In listening to the CBS broadcast, Kansas City native, Kevin Harlan pointed out that Reid told him, the coaches did a lot of self-reflection on offense, and they criticized themselves watching game film, that adjustments were made.
The Chiefs offense has always been a free spirit. Well, that’s not the case anymore. So, Reid altered his playbook to introduce a game plan that fits his offensive personnel. That’s why Pacheco scored two rushing touchdowns, Rashee Rice had eight targets and a touchdown, and Kelce once again carved up the middle of the field to break out of his slump.
Reid did this because he has a quarterback that can assimilate any game plan, analyze any defense, and the confidence that if I was his best wide receiver, I’d catch the ball. In this game, the Chiefs receivers did a much better job finding open spots in the Raiders secondary, and Mahomes generally found them.
His touchdown to Justin Watson that tied the score at 14-14 in the second quarter was probably the biggest throw of the game. On the play, Watson was knocked down by a Raiders defender, got up, and found the soft spot in the end zone. He waited patiently until Mahomes threw the ball right between the numbers.
It’s that evolution of the offense that was striking in this game. Considering their struggles, in the last three games, where they lost two of them because of offensive ineptitude, Reid and Mahomes orchestrated a masterpiece without the full symphony behind them. In the end, it still sounded pretty good.
It can’t be stressed enough, Mahomes might have some bad games, but regardless of the drops and the penalties, he puts the ball where it needs to be on the field. On Sunday, he did just that, and the Chiefs are 8-3 on the season.
You can be upset at General Manager, Brett Veach for not adding a big-time wide receiver in the off-season or at the trade deadline. However, he chose to work out a contract with Chris Jones instead, and that was the right move. Jones has been a force this season, and he’s a big reason the Chiefs defense has played at its highest level since the 60’s teams.
If Kelce, Rice, and Pacheco play like they did Sunday, and eventually Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore can overcome their nagging injuries, and backup Tight End, Noah Gray keeps catching passes, they can be luxury pieces for Mahomes moving forward.
Over the final six games, the Chiefs don’t play a team with a winning record. They have three on the road and three games at Arrowhead. None of the teams standing between them and the top seed in the AFC has the firepower to defeat Kansas City.
The Raiders had their chance up 14-0 to show the NFL that the Chiefs were frauds. Instead, that big lead woke them up and now they have their swagger and confidence back.
