It’s easy to slam the remote to the floor, shake your head, and curse the injuries, but in the end, the Kansas City Chiefs, despite the adversity, questionable play calling at times, and being hunted every Sunday, do one thing better than any other team in the NFL—THEY WIN!
The Kansas City Chiefs are living the American Dream! They are the best team in the NFL, and it’s not even a close race. They don’t have the best roster, they’ve lost their top THREE offensive weapons, not named Travis Kelce, and they stand 5-0 on the season.
In doubling up the New Orleans Saints Monday Night, 26-13, the Chiefs left at least ten to fourteen points on the field. However, even after the Saints closed the fourth-quarter gap to three points, 16-13, there was never a doubt Andy Reid, Steve Spagnuolo, and Patrick Mahomes would lose this game.
Despite all the adversity this team faced with the loss of Rashee Rice and the news he’s likely out for the season before kick-off, JuJu Smith-Schuster looked like—a 22-year-old receiver, snagging seven catches for 130 yards.
His 50-yard Gallup, after the Saints closed the scoring gap, punched New Orleans right in the mouth, and the Chiefs never looked back. They scored ten unanswered points to close their last game before the bye week.
There were so many heroes in this game, including Kareem Hunt, who had 102 yards rushing and a touchdown. Travis Kelce, with his usual workmanlike game, extended first downs and crazy plays, pitching the ball to Samaje Perine at a critical time in the game.
Defensively, the Chiefs have the best unit in the NFL. They were relentless on a night where they struggled to sack Saints Quarterback Derek Carr. Give New Orleans credit; they had a mash unit of offensive linemen playing Monday night, and until the all-out blitz that ended their last straw of hope, the Saints finally succumbed to the power of KC’s defense.
Spags might not get enough credit for his work this season, but he reminds me of Coach Yost in ‘Remember the Titans’ – “All right, now, I don’t want them to gain another yard!”
It’s that mentality that fuels his defense. If the Chiefs don’t allow a team to score over 20 points in any game this season, they won’t lose again this year. That’s bold, but I’m excited about how this team wins games.
What they do is not normal, nor is it logical that they’ve become the master at winning tight games. The Chiefs have not lost a game since the Christmas Day massacre against the Raiders last season.
The narrative suggests that Kansas City is always in a game if Patrick Mahomes is on the field. That’s true, but the sum of the parts must mesh on any given snap, and the captain must execute the game plans with the next men up.
It’s interesting because most NFL experts, though they love the Chiefs, believe the Baltimore Ravens are the team to beat in the AFC. So, I challenge them to think about whether, if they lost Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers, they could overcome those injuries like the Chiefs seemingly do every week.
Not a chance!
We are spoiled in Kansas City, but we must sit back and enjoy the Chiefs for what they are and especially who they are. They are simply the best football team in the game. Yes, they keep it interesting, but it takes time to solve those losses when you sustain that many injuries to key starters.
Kansas City has done that five times this season, and with the Bye Week, they can afford to take a deep breath, work on some of their shortcomings, and get ready for back-to-back road games against the San Francisco 49ers and the Las Vegas Raiders.
In reality, as other teams attempt to solve the NFL’s Rubik’s cube of winning, the Chiefs cracked that code with one hand tied behind their back.
