Following a decisive victory over the Baltimore Ravens, the Kansas City Chiefs appear to be back on track, a team many believed they could be this season. After a tough 0-2 beginning, they’ve won two in a row and seem to have regained some of their lost identity.
Make no mistake about the Kansas City Chiefs’ 37-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens; that was their best home performance in two years. Additionally, with Wide Receiver Xavier Worthy back on the field, the offense suddenly regained its rhythm and was nearly unstoppable.
Patrick Mahomes threw four touchdowns to four different players; he was clearly the best quarterback on the field, and the defense received substantial contributions from unexpected sources in a game that was a must-win for the Chiefs.
I’m not sure I can say this team is fully back, but they are a step closer to regaining the confidence that was shaky until the second half of the Giants game. In the short term, this offense has been very efficient for six straight quarters, and they’ll need to be on top of their game during the next two weeks with an away game at Jacksonville and a home game against Detroit.
So why were the Chiefs so dominant against the Ravens on Sunday?
The simple answer is the injuries that have accumulated in Baltimore, but they have capable backups and one of the deepest rosters in the NFL. In the future, they’ll need it, especially if Lamar Jackson misses significant time.
Yet, none of that matters to the Chiefs, who made plays in all three phases of the game. I’ve said this before, and I’ll repeat it: the only team that can beat the Chiefs is themselves.
You can’t underestimate the importance of playing mistake-free football. Offensively, they managed the run just enough to let Mahomes connect with nine different targets. Additionally, the defense was as aggressive as I’ve seen them in quite a while.
With Spags dialing up blitzes on every possession, Jackson couldn’t handle the heat, and that was the design of the game plan. The Chiefs executed it perfectly, despite their best defender, Chris Jones, arriving at the stadium thirty minutes before kick-off.
After attending his aunt’s funeral in Mississippi, he flew a private charter back to Kansas City and arrived at Arrowhead with a police escort just in time to play. I’m sure that motivated his teammates.
The Chiefs were written off as dead and chants claiming their dynasty was over, but they suddenly turned the NFL on its ear today, with everyone saying they always knew they’d bounce back.
Kansas City remains the team to beat in the NFL, and with the Chargers losing on the road to the New York Giants and their star left tackle, Joe Alt, suffering a high ankle sprain, they didn’t look good on Sunday.
Given how the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos are playing, I’m unsure if either team can stop the Chiefs from winning their 10th consecutive AFC West title.
Let’s keep perspective; the Chiefs must win the division. Also, although they face challenging games against Buffalo and Indianapolis, they still have five games left within the division.
What we all saw on Sunday was a team that benefited from Xavier Worthy’s return to the field, an aggressive passing attack, and just enough rushing yards to regain its rhythm.
For the second consecutive week, the Chiefs won back-to-back games by double digits, demonstrating why fans of the Bills, Chargers, Jaguars, and Colts should still fear the Chiefs.
Once Rashee Rice returns from his six-game suspension, he should debut against the Raiders in week seven. That will prepare him for important road games at Buffalo and Denver after the bye week.
In reality, the Chiefs needed time to find their footing, and now that they have, they can take pride in climbing out of a 0-2 start and heading into their next opponent with confidence.
