Yes, the Kansas City Chiefs are the best team in the NFL. They want their fans to be engaged in their games until the last second. Yes, they understand they get the best from all their opponents each week. Yet, they are 10-1 and atop the AFC.
After a thrilling 30-27 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs have a short week to prepare for their division rival, the Las Vegas Raiders. Their ‘Black Friday’ game will be a first for the NFL, and what better matchup than two of the original members of the AFL.
Last Christmas, the Raiders upset the Chiefs, but let’s hope they don’t make it two in a row. Despite losing their starting quarterback, Garden Minshew, to a broken collarbone, they’ll give Kansas City fits as they always do.
That means the post-Thanksgiving game could be yet another nail-biter for Chiefs fans. If it is, don’t panic; embrace the fact that no team in the NFL wins close games better than Kansas City.
Honestly, I’m tired of the doom and gloom of the Chiefs Kingdom. Yes, we get upset during the game, but did anyone believe Patrick Mahomes wasn’t going to make the plays to secure the win on Sunday?
In eleven games this season, he’s only failed to make that happen against the Buffalo Bills a week ago.
Chiefs fans must understand the regular-season game plan. The team’s goal is to win enough games to earn the best seed in the postseason. Kansas City understands the grind of the regular season and its purpose.
Yes, we all want blowout wins, but with deficiencies at the tackle position on offense and the secondary on defense, grind-it-out wins are the norm—not the exception.
Adding DJ Humphries at left tackle is a great move, but it will take him time to adjust to his new team and offense. Further, we don’t know if he’ll be better than the combination of Wanya Morris and Kingsley Suamataia.
Everyone has to understand that this team isn’t built like others in the NFL. As teams outside of Buffalo have learned, the trick is maintaining a winning culture from year to year, and no NFL team has mastered that feat better than the Chiefs.
The Ravens, Texans, and Bengals were supposed to be the challengers in dethroning the Chiefs, but they needed to be at their level. Instead, the Bills, who I thought would take a step back, are playing great football. They may not have the postseason success they want, but they’ve been the most dominating team in the AFC East since Tom Brady left the Patriots. With no big wins in January, though, they’ve not achieved near the same level of success as the team they are chasing every year.
Still, for fans worried about luck running out on the close games the Chiefs are playing each week, welcome to the new NFL. Blowouts don’t ensure success, and that type of game isn’t sustainable any longer.
Defenses have adjusted to Mahomes, and now he’s having to adapt to them. Although statistically, Mahomes is having a down year, he’s also 10-1 for the first time in his career. He controls the path to the top spot in the AFC—not the teams he faces.
I’ve often said that we live in spoiled times regarding the Chiefs. They’ve won three of the last six Super Bowls, played in four, and have the chance to become the greatest NFL team of all time if they can Three-Peat.
The grind is the regular season, but Hall of Fame careers are made in the postseason. This team has talent on both sides of the ball who understand how to win playoff games and Super Bowl trophies.
As we move toward December football, remember the Chiefs are getting some key players back from injury. They have a favorable schedule and understand the math and path to becoming the first Three-Peat Super Bowl winners.
So, whether they win by one point, three points, or a dozen, let’s enjoy that we have the best team in the land playing in Kansas City.
