Our Kansas City Chiefs finish their regular season schedule today against a Los Angeles Chargers team with nothing to play for and a vague, bleak future ahead of them. At the start of the season, this looked like it would be a big-time matchup with two legit Super Bowl contenders. What the hell happened?
Turnovers. A bunch of turnovers happened. Only six teams in football have fumbled more times this year than San Die-err, uhh, the Chargers. I will not apologize for liking that stupid joke too much. The NFL's top five worst totals for interceptions per team come from the Bucs, Panthers, Steelers, Browns and Chargers. The Steelers are using second-string and third-string QBs all season long. The Panthers have a 23 year-old backup QB in Kyle Allen that already started 12 games this season. And the Bucs have Jameis Winston. Add the struggling 24 year-old Baker Mayfield to this list and the weathered veteran Philip Rivers is a clear outlier.
Maybe it's reductive, but Rivers' lack of effectiveness this season really is their key issue. He's ruined his team's chances to be successful in a way that's only comparable to Jameis, Baker and a bunch of backups. That's a long way for an eight-time Pro Bowler to fall, especially when his team went 12-4 last year. It's a darn shame that L.A didn't plan ahead like a certain other team in their division and groom a talented young quarterback to take the reigns for them soon.
This is just another reminder that Patrick Mahomes is decades of Chiefs drafting mistakes corrected. Finally pulling the trigger on a quarterback early in the first round of the draft, and choosing that quarterback wisely, may have just led Chiefs Kingdom into a new decade of consistently contending for championships. Let's all remember and enjoy that today while Mahomes molly-whops these disheartened Chargers and finishes off the regular season in style.
Doug LaCerte writes last-second blog posts about local sports and neglects his Twitter and Facebook.
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Expect Mahomes to Outplay Shaky Chicago Offense
On a clear, chilly night in Chicago, Chiefs Kingdom will watch on as their squad faces off with the Mediocrity of the Midway. Our Kansas City Chiefs paved their way to the playoffs already, and they're positioned to face a team with at least seven L's in the Wild Card round. If KC doesn't take care of business tonight, however, they could be forced into a tougher matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
Remember those preseason predictions that the Chiefs and Bears could meet in the Big Game? Well, Chicago and a young QB picked before Patrick Mahomes in his draft will enter this game with a .500 record and without playoff aspirations.
That QB shoulders a bunch of the blame for the Bears' problems this year because the defense looks playoff-worthy. Chicago ranks in the top ten in yards per game allowed, and only two teams in the league hold opponents to fewer points per game. Mitch Trubisky has certainly struggled, but he deserves credit for quietly becoming a competent scrambling QB. Let's keep a close eye on the ability of KC's defense to set the edge and keep Tru-Tru in the pocket. It could decide whether or not the Bears can make this game close. Actually, they're keeping almost all their games close; Chicago has only lost by more than a single possession two times this year. This is in large part to the Bears defense stuffing the run consistently.
Only three teams in football hold their opponents to a lower average on the ground, and only five teams limit the opposition to fewer rushing yards per game. Chicago's dominance of their opposition's rushing game throughout this season indicates that the Chiefs will struggle to control the clock and win the time of possession battle. KC has enough firepower to win this game seven times out of ten, but this inability to excel at old-school football may make this a tougher test than it seems at first glance. Let's not forget that the Chiefs also struggle to stop multipurpose weapons like Tarik Cohen.
It should be fun to see Mahomes find ways to pick apart one of the league's best defenses. Every game he plays is evidence that the Chiefs should score enough to stay out of reach of Chicago's struggling offense. Bears head coach and Andy Reid protege Matt Nagy should have his squad ready to rain on Reid's parade, but I expect our Chiefs to persevere at Soldier Field tonight.
Doug LaCerte writes about Kansas City sports and occasionally glances at Facebook and Twitter.
Remember those preseason predictions that the Chiefs and Bears could meet in the Big Game? Well, Chicago and a young QB picked before Patrick Mahomes in his draft will enter this game with a .500 record and without playoff aspirations.
That QB shoulders a bunch of the blame for the Bears' problems this year because the defense looks playoff-worthy. Chicago ranks in the top ten in yards per game allowed, and only two teams in the league hold opponents to fewer points per game. Mitch Trubisky has certainly struggled, but he deserves credit for quietly becoming a competent scrambling QB. Let's keep a close eye on the ability of KC's defense to set the edge and keep Tru-Tru in the pocket. It could decide whether or not the Bears can make this game close. Actually, they're keeping almost all their games close; Chicago has only lost by more than a single possession two times this year. This is in large part to the Bears defense stuffing the run consistently.
Only three teams in football hold their opponents to a lower average on the ground, and only five teams limit the opposition to fewer rushing yards per game. Chicago's dominance of their opposition's rushing game throughout this season indicates that the Chiefs will struggle to control the clock and win the time of possession battle. KC has enough firepower to win this game seven times out of ten, but this inability to excel at old-school football may make this a tougher test than it seems at first glance. Let's not forget that the Chiefs also struggle to stop multipurpose weapons like Tarik Cohen.
It should be fun to see Mahomes find ways to pick apart one of the league's best defenses. Every game he plays is evidence that the Chiefs should score enough to stay out of reach of Chicago's struggling offense. Bears head coach and Andy Reid protege Matt Nagy should have his squad ready to rain on Reid's parade, but I expect our Chiefs to persevere at Soldier Field tonight.
Doug LaCerte writes about Kansas City sports and occasionally glances at Facebook and Twitter.
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Can Drew Lock and Denver Play Spoilers at Snowy Arrowhead Stadium?
Beating up on the Pats in New England sure felt good, but now our Kansas City Chiefs return to Arrowhead to avoid the dreaded "trap game". The confidence for KC is riding high right now, and the 5-8 Denver Broncos are an objectively inferior squad this season, so does Chiefs Kingdom have any good reasons to fear this matchup?
Two key factors could make today's game closer than Chiefs fans would like. First off, the weather's going to be nasty. Local forecasts are now saying temperatures at the stadium will hover around freezing, and a blanket of snow already coats the field as of two hours before kickoff. KC's first-string running back Damien Williams is injured today, and the Chiefs struggle on the ground this year even when Damien's healthy, so perhaps this could cost them today. Patrick Mahomes' impressive-but-short resume would look great with a few more wins in inclement weather, but Denver would love to play spoiler in the snow today.
The other obvious difference between today's game and that 30-6 Chiefs win in mid-October is the Broncos' recent change at the sport's most important position. Drew Lock provides Denver with an inexperienced wild card at QB instead of a consistently sub-par option in Joey Flacco. Lock's effectiveness has led Denver to back-to-back wins over the Chargers and Texans in the Broncos' last two games. In these wins, Lock has a completion percentage over 72 with 441 passing yards and five touchdowns. Is it actually possible that Broncos GM John Elway finally found himself a QB that doesn't stink? Only time will tell.
Despite these two significant factors, KC should be victorious today, and I presume a large fraction of Chiefs Kingdom would be disappointed if Denver can even make it close. The Chiefs have found ways to win without a good run game all throughout this season, and as good as Lock may be, his best-case-scenario for today is still equivalent to an average game from Patrick Mahomes. KC may not sack Drew Lock 30 times like they did to Flacco, but they should pressure the rookie replacement enough to make him uncomfortable and force him to eat his first L ever as an NFL QB.
Doug LaCerte is now the proud father of a rescue puppy, so don't resent him for not updating his Twitter and Facebook.
Two key factors could make today's game closer than Chiefs fans would like. First off, the weather's going to be nasty. Local forecasts are now saying temperatures at the stadium will hover around freezing, and a blanket of snow already coats the field as of two hours before kickoff. KC's first-string running back Damien Williams is injured today, and the Chiefs struggle on the ground this year even when Damien's healthy, so perhaps this could cost them today. Patrick Mahomes' impressive-but-short resume would look great with a few more wins in inclement weather, but Denver would love to play spoiler in the snow today.
The other obvious difference between today's game and that 30-6 Chiefs win in mid-October is the Broncos' recent change at the sport's most important position. Drew Lock provides Denver with an inexperienced wild card at QB instead of a consistently sub-par option in Joey Flacco. Lock's effectiveness has led Denver to back-to-back wins over the Chargers and Texans in the Broncos' last two games. In these wins, Lock has a completion percentage over 72 with 441 passing yards and five touchdowns. Is it actually possible that Broncos GM John Elway finally found himself a QB that doesn't stink? Only time will tell.
Despite these two significant factors, KC should be victorious today, and I presume a large fraction of Chiefs Kingdom would be disappointed if Denver can even make it close. The Chiefs have found ways to win without a good run game all throughout this season, and as good as Lock may be, his best-case-scenario for today is still equivalent to an average game from Patrick Mahomes. KC may not sack Drew Lock 30 times like they did to Flacco, but they should pressure the rookie replacement enough to make him uncomfortable and force him to eat his first L ever as an NFL QB.
Doug LaCerte is now the proud father of a rescue puppy, so don't resent him for not updating his Twitter and Facebook.
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Can Patrick Put Specter of Pats' Success in KC's Past?
Chiefs Kingdom regards particular people from the Patriots dynasty as boogeymen of sorts, but that mentality is changing with the times. The things we fear about New England aren't a part of New England any more. The clock-killing Sony Michel is averaging a full yard less per carry this season compared to last. Tom Brady definitely isn't playing at a top-ten Hall of Fame QB level right now. Rob Gronkowski is done catching footballs and now spends his screen time making quips with Michael Strahan and Terry Bradshaw. However, while New England's 14th-best offense isn't very intimidating this year, the Pats defense certainly is. That same defense that's got a chance to set all-time records this season also helps the reigning champs dominate the turnover battle.
New England forces opponents into turnovers more often than any other team in football. That defense's 20 picks outnumbers every other team total by at least five. The Pats' +18 ratio is seven turnovers better than the second-best ratio in the league. Say what you will about Brady's ugly completion percentage in recent outings, but at least ole' Tom's wise enough to throw the ball into a crowd on the sideline instead of into the teeth of the defense. I will add, however, that Brady threw a pick in both of New England's losses.
Mahomes faces a huge test of his intelligence today. KC averages exactly 29 points per game, which makes the Chiefs the third highest-scoring team in the NFL. The Chiefs offense is undoubtedly good enough to outscore the Pats...if the turnover ratio is even, or if it favors KC. However, if you make mistakes against Brady and Belichick, it will result in the typical Patriots dominance. Patrick's ability to quickly read the defense and make critical decisions will decide who walks awake victorious after this memorable meeting.
The most recent notes about KC's injuries indicate that they may struggle with moving the ball on the ground and stopping the Pats from moving it through the air. This shouldn't take KC out of contention, though. The Chiefs will be missing two cornerbacks and two running backs, while the Pats listed only an offensive and defensive lineman each as officially out on their final report. I didn't expect to be praising KC's depth in the secondary this season, but I will, right now: KC has exhibited remarkable depth in the secondary this season. That should pay off today as New England's offense continues to under-perform against a crew of Chiefs safeties and CB's that continue to go underrated.
Sometimes, even in the game's biggest spotlights, football is still as simple as keeping a group of guys healthy and not turning the ball over. KC looks relatively healthy for this time of year, and the basic principal of ball safety remains crucial to their success, and our subsequent joy. That provides further evidence that our Chiefs are better than your average football team, and the Pats don't have a good track record when facing better-than-average teams in 2019.
There's a very clear relationship between good, mediocre and bad football teams and how the Patriots perform against them. The Pats dominate bottom-feeders, lose to legit playoff contenders and just scrape by against teams that are somewhere in betwen. New England won by at least two touchdowns against the Dolphins, Redskins, Giants, Steelers, Browns, the Jets and the Jets again. The Pats edged out the Bills 16-10 in Week 4 and snuck past the Cowboys 13-9 just before Thanksgiving. Brady's Boys lost comfortably to the Ravens 37-20, and Deshaun Watson's Texans beat New England last week 28-22. That's their whole schedule. Aside from maybe that Bills game, it's a pretty dang black-and-white description of crushing crappy teams and losing to good ones, right? Citizens of Chiefs Kingdom argue over many things, but we all know that KC is an objectively good football team right now. So, why by spooked by The Aging Wonder and that grumpy old Scrooge at Overpriced Razor Stadium?
Andy and Patrick are not intimidated by TB12, The Hoodie or the Foxborough faithful. I expect the Chiefs to win a thriller today and remind the country how good KC can be.
Doug LaCerte is too stressed about his Chiefs and his Christmas budget to update his Facebook or his Twitter.
New England forces opponents into turnovers more often than any other team in football. That defense's 20 picks outnumbers every other team total by at least five. The Pats' +18 ratio is seven turnovers better than the second-best ratio in the league. Say what you will about Brady's ugly completion percentage in recent outings, but at least ole' Tom's wise enough to throw the ball into a crowd on the sideline instead of into the teeth of the defense. I will add, however, that Brady threw a pick in both of New England's losses.
Mahomes faces a huge test of his intelligence today. KC averages exactly 29 points per game, which makes the Chiefs the third highest-scoring team in the NFL. The Chiefs offense is undoubtedly good enough to outscore the Pats...if the turnover ratio is even, or if it favors KC. However, if you make mistakes against Brady and Belichick, it will result in the typical Patriots dominance. Patrick's ability to quickly read the defense and make critical decisions will decide who walks awake victorious after this memorable meeting.
The most recent notes about KC's injuries indicate that they may struggle with moving the ball on the ground and stopping the Pats from moving it through the air. This shouldn't take KC out of contention, though. The Chiefs will be missing two cornerbacks and two running backs, while the Pats listed only an offensive and defensive lineman each as officially out on their final report. I didn't expect to be praising KC's depth in the secondary this season, but I will, right now: KC has exhibited remarkable depth in the secondary this season. That should pay off today as New England's offense continues to under-perform against a crew of Chiefs safeties and CB's that continue to go underrated.
Sometimes, even in the game's biggest spotlights, football is still as simple as keeping a group of guys healthy and not turning the ball over. KC looks relatively healthy for this time of year, and the basic principal of ball safety remains crucial to their success, and our subsequent joy. That provides further evidence that our Chiefs are better than your average football team, and the Pats don't have a good track record when facing better-than-average teams in 2019.
There's a very clear relationship between good, mediocre and bad football teams and how the Patriots perform against them. The Pats dominate bottom-feeders, lose to legit playoff contenders and just scrape by against teams that are somewhere in betwen. New England won by at least two touchdowns against the Dolphins, Redskins, Giants, Steelers, Browns, the Jets and the Jets again. The Pats edged out the Bills 16-10 in Week 4 and snuck past the Cowboys 13-9 just before Thanksgiving. Brady's Boys lost comfortably to the Ravens 37-20, and Deshaun Watson's Texans beat New England last week 28-22. That's their whole schedule. Aside from maybe that Bills game, it's a pretty dang black-and-white description of crushing crappy teams and losing to good ones, right? Citizens of Chiefs Kingdom argue over many things, but we all know that KC is an objectively good football team right now. So, why by spooked by The Aging Wonder and that grumpy old Scrooge at Overpriced Razor Stadium?
Andy and Patrick are not intimidated by TB12, The Hoodie or the Foxborough faithful. I expect the Chiefs to win a thriller today and remind the country how good KC can be.
Doug LaCerte is too stressed about his Chiefs and his Christmas budget to update his Facebook or his Twitter.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Oakland Comes to KC With a Lot to Lose
Our Kansas City Chiefs get a chance to ensure their divisional supremacy today against an old rival with a lot to lose. The Oakland Raiders' desperation could be their biggest advantage this afternoon. Oakland's coming off a humiliating defeat at the hands of the New York Jets, and they still get a chance to draw even in the standings with their divisional rivals. More importantly, Oakland is one of four different 6-5 teams fighting for the AFC's final spot in the playoffs.
Pittsburgh is technically the front-runner right now, but they have legit teams left to play. The Steelers face the Browns at home today, travel to Arizona, then come back home to face the 8-3 Bills. Pittsburgh then finishes the regular season with consecutive road games against the Jets and the Ravens. My guess is the Steelers drop three of their last five and finish the season around 8-8. That means they'll be out of the Wild Card race by the end, which brings us back to Oakland.
The Raiders, of course, face off with our Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead in just moments. Oakland then meets the Titans and Jags in Oakland, then go on the road to face the Chargers and Broncos. The Tennessee Tannehills are a tough team to predict, but they're equally tough to beat in the trenches, which could limit Josh Jacobs and Oakland's effectiveness. I'll take the Titans to beat the Raiders and bring more dismay to Oakland, which always brings me great joy. A hungry Raiders squad should fare well against the sub-par Chargers and Broncos, so I expect them to finish the season around 9-7.
Thankfully for Raiders fans, the AFC stinks so much this year that 9-7 could be enough for the #6 playoff seed.
Tennessee plays the Colts, Raiders, Texans, Saints and Texans again. I'll assume they lose at least three of those games and drift away from playoff contention. The Colts have a seemingly easier path to that Wild Card seed, however. Indianapolis plays the Titans in Indy today, then they travel for two weeks to face the Bucs and Saints. The Colts then come home to play the Panthers, then finish the regular season in Jacksonville. Indianapolis only has a clear disadvantage in one of those games, so if they take care of business against teams they should beat, they'll be a six-loss or seven-loss team when the regular season comes to an end.
An injury to Damien Williams indicates that KC will need to find creative ways to control the clock today. Other than that, and the aforementioned reasons why the Raiders are desperate to win this one, the Chiefs have a decisive on-paper advantage. The Reid and Mahomes combination dominates the Raiders and any other opponent they face after an extra week of rest. Frank Clark looks more and more like the guy Chiefs Kingdom has been begging to see all season long. Everyone not named Damien is healthy and ready for action. After a shaky middle of the season for the Chiefs, I expect KC to get back to looking like a Super Bowl contender. Finishing another Raiders Week victoriously sounds like a solid first step in that direction.
Doug LaCerte writes about Kansas City sports while procrastinating his Christmas shopping and neglecting his Twitter and Facebook.
Pittsburgh is technically the front-runner right now, but they have legit teams left to play. The Steelers face the Browns at home today, travel to Arizona, then come back home to face the 8-3 Bills. Pittsburgh then finishes the regular season with consecutive road games against the Jets and the Ravens. My guess is the Steelers drop three of their last five and finish the season around 8-8. That means they'll be out of the Wild Card race by the end, which brings us back to Oakland.
The Raiders, of course, face off with our Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead in just moments. Oakland then meets the Titans and Jags in Oakland, then go on the road to face the Chargers and Broncos. The Tennessee Tannehills are a tough team to predict, but they're equally tough to beat in the trenches, which could limit Josh Jacobs and Oakland's effectiveness. I'll take the Titans to beat the Raiders and bring more dismay to Oakland, which always brings me great joy. A hungry Raiders squad should fare well against the sub-par Chargers and Broncos, so I expect them to finish the season around 9-7.
Thankfully for Raiders fans, the AFC stinks so much this year that 9-7 could be enough for the #6 playoff seed.
Tennessee plays the Colts, Raiders, Texans, Saints and Texans again. I'll assume they lose at least three of those games and drift away from playoff contention. The Colts have a seemingly easier path to that Wild Card seed, however. Indianapolis plays the Titans in Indy today, then they travel for two weeks to face the Bucs and Saints. The Colts then come home to play the Panthers, then finish the regular season in Jacksonville. Indianapolis only has a clear disadvantage in one of those games, so if they take care of business against teams they should beat, they'll be a six-loss or seven-loss team when the regular season comes to an end.
An injury to Damien Williams indicates that KC will need to find creative ways to control the clock today. Other than that, and the aforementioned reasons why the Raiders are desperate to win this one, the Chiefs have a decisive on-paper advantage. The Reid and Mahomes combination dominates the Raiders and any other opponent they face after an extra week of rest. Frank Clark looks more and more like the guy Chiefs Kingdom has been begging to see all season long. Everyone not named Damien is healthy and ready for action. After a shaky middle of the season for the Chiefs, I expect KC to get back to looking like a Super Bowl contender. Finishing another Raiders Week victoriously sounds like a solid first step in that direction.
Doug LaCerte writes about Kansas City sports while procrastinating his Christmas shopping and neglecting his Twitter and Facebook.
Monday, November 18, 2019
Patrick Should Ease Panic in Chiefs Kingdom
Our Kansas City Chiefs found numerous creative ways to help themselves lose in Tennessee last week, which immediately added weight to this evening's meeting with the Chargers in Mexico. The reigning MVP returned to the field and racked up 446 passing yards and three touchdowns. Somehow, Kansas City then lost. This stunning defeat makes KC's chances at a first-round bye slim, to say the least. If our Chiefs cannot defeat the Chargers tonight, the lowly Oakland Raiders will momentarily claim first place in the division. Imagine explaining that to a member of Chiefs Kingdom when KC was 4-0 to start the season.
It took a lot of things going wrong for our Chiefs to stumble into a loss last week, and that's a very important thing to remember going forward. Up to four different members of the offensive line were missing at some point due to injury. Damien Williams coughed up the football, which the Titans scooped up for a defensive touchdown. The reliable Harrison Butker missed an extra point. Then came the ugly, painful ending, wherein the Chiefs seemed determined to beat the odds and give away a win by any gut-punchingly wacky means necessary.
The prolific combo of Mahomes and Reid got the ball back in Titans territory with less than two minutes left in the game and a five-point advantage. KC failed to moved the chains, leaving 1:27 on the clock as the Chiefs set up for a 47-yard field goal attempt. Then, that botched field goal/intentional grounding thing happened. This disaster left Ryan Tannehill's Titans with the ball on the Tennessee 39 with a minute and 21 seconds left to play. That led to the touchdown which gave the Titans the lead, but Mahomes still had a little time left for magic. Even after all these shenanigans and mistakes, Patrick Mahomes put KC in a position to tie with a long field goal....but you know what happened next.
I'm hearing a bunch of media personalities jumping off the bandwagon after this disappointment, but that seems illogical to me. All this stuff, this somewhat self-inflicted and silly stuff, was necessary to make the Chiefs to lose a game to an average NFL team. I didn't expect this team to have four losses at this point in the season either, but we have to look at the long list of reasons why those L's exist before we jump to any excessively harsh conclusions. Then, look at KC's remaining schedule, and remember the fact that KC plays four of its six remaining regular season games against teams with losing records.
With Mahomes healthy, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo at least showing us an openness to adaptation, this Chiefs team still has a good chance at finishing the regular season as a more cohesive, effective football team than what we saw last year. If you believe that, then you still believe they have Super Bowl aspirations.
Now, if our Chiefs get stomped tonight by the 4-6 Chargers, we can all proceed to panic. I don't care about how surprising it is that the Chargers aren't better, and I don't care about their thus-far-underutilized talent. The Phightin' Philips simply aren't better than our Chiefs on paper or on the gridiron. Their yards-per-game average ranks in the middle of the pack, and their scoring ability is well below-average. But, while the Chargers offense looks unimpressive on paper, their defense looks elite.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Mahomes' Return Should Make KC's Travel to Tennessee Successful
It looks like our Kansas City Chiefs found a legitimate backup quarterback when they called on recently un-retired Matt Moore to don the red and gold. Moore helped the Chiefs upset the Minnesota Vikings last week and quelled any fears Chiefs Kingdom may have had about their team's potency without its most important piece. After that performance, KC's running defense seems ready for action against another squad with a powerful rushing attack.
Recently, KC's defense finally looked legit when they needed to stop the run. Over the last three weeks, opposing teams averaged only 3.8 yards per rush. The Chiefs just upset the Vikings due in large part to limiting Dalvin Cook, who still has the league's most rushing yards after being limited to just 71 over 21 carries last week. Through my extensive research, I've gathered that Derrick Henry is what kids these days call a "thicc boi". He's in the top ten in rushing yards and attempts this season, and both of Tennessee's sub-par QB's have relied on him heavily. The 6'3, 238 lb. Alabama product figures heavily into Tennessee's offensive strategy partly because he's really good, but also because their passing attack decidedly is not.
Tennessee's 212.9 passing yards per game ranks 24th league-wide, and their 18.7 points per game ranks 26th. This inefficiency helped the Titans to a losing record and the #10 seed in the AFC playoff picture so far this season. They've been held to seven points or fewer in three of their nine games, and they've only scored more than 27 points once. Our Chiefs scored more than 27 in each of their first four games this season - that is, until Patrick Mahomes was first hurt in Week 5 against the Colts.
All these advantages make KC a six-point favorite on the road today, but how can the Titans pull off an upset? A Chiefs loss today would need to include a lopsided turnover ratio and consistent pressure aggressively applied to Mahomes, as well as a productive day from Derrick Henry. If KC's defense can stay hot against a stumbling Titans offense, the return of our man Mahomes will result in another satisfying victory.
Doug LaCerte has written about Chiefs football for eight years, and he's neglected his Twitter and Facebook that whole time.
Recently, KC's defense finally looked legit when they needed to stop the run. Over the last three weeks, opposing teams averaged only 3.8 yards per rush. The Chiefs just upset the Vikings due in large part to limiting Dalvin Cook, who still has the league's most rushing yards after being limited to just 71 over 21 carries last week. Through my extensive research, I've gathered that Derrick Henry is what kids these days call a "thicc boi". He's in the top ten in rushing yards and attempts this season, and both of Tennessee's sub-par QB's have relied on him heavily. The 6'3, 238 lb. Alabama product figures heavily into Tennessee's offensive strategy partly because he's really good, but also because their passing attack decidedly is not.
Tennessee's 212.9 passing yards per game ranks 24th league-wide, and their 18.7 points per game ranks 26th. This inefficiency helped the Titans to a losing record and the #10 seed in the AFC playoff picture so far this season. They've been held to seven points or fewer in three of their nine games, and they've only scored more than 27 points once. Our Chiefs scored more than 27 in each of their first four games this season - that is, until Patrick Mahomes was first hurt in Week 5 against the Colts.
All these advantages make KC a six-point favorite on the road today, but how can the Titans pull off an upset? A Chiefs loss today would need to include a lopsided turnover ratio and consistent pressure aggressively applied to Mahomes, as well as a productive day from Derrick Henry. If KC's defense can stay hot against a stumbling Titans offense, the return of our man Mahomes will result in another satisfying victory.
Doug LaCerte has written about Chiefs football for eight years, and he's neglected his Twitter and Facebook that whole time.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Banged-Up Chiefs Face Major Mismatches from Minnesota
Our Kansas City Chiefs just gave Aaron Rodgers' Green Bay Packers a run for their money while the left side of the Chiefs' offensive line, their superstar QB and five key pieces on defense were parked on the sideline with injuries. Now, the reigning NFC Player of the Month, one of the five best running backs in the universe and a truly elite defense combine to bring another formidable foe to Arrowhead.
The 6-2 Minnesota Vikings look like a complete team that seems to have strengths wherever our Chiefs have weaknesses. Emerging star running back Dalvin Cook should rack up big numbers against a KC defense that struggles to stop runners with half that much talent. A blitz-happy Vikings defense should cause problems for a still-injured Chiefs offensive line. However, Minnesota's imperfections, combined with newly found strengths for KC, should keep this game competitive and fun-to-watch.
Although many facets of this Vikes team appear Super Bowl-worthy, Kirk Cousins could struggle and maybe throw a pick because of the fresh energy from Kansas City's pass-rushing core. The return of Chris Jones will undoubtedly help a squad that's already gelling and becoming more cohesive - so cohesive, in fact, that KC's blitzing game could finish the year as one of football's very best.
The Chiefs just doubled their team sack total over the last two weeks by sacking Denver's Joe Flacco nine times in Week 7 and bringing down Aaron Rodgers five times last week. This resurgence pushed KC into the top five of this year's team sack totals. The Vikings aren't far behind though, with 23 total sacks total this year. The absence of Chiefs offensive linemen Eric Fisher and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif may put Matt Moore in danger today.
This will be the second week in a row in which the Chiefs lose and Chiefs Kingdom is mostly okay about it. We won't sweat it too much because KC will lose a close an intriguing game in which the defense continues to show its growth. Say what you may about Kirk Cousins, but he's played like a top-tier QB over the last four weeks. Looking good in defeat to a capable, mismatch-filled Minnesota team will hurt KC's chances at a first-round bye in the playoffs, but it would still leave fans in Kansas City with high expectations for the very near future.
Doug LaCerte writes last-second articles about Kansas City sports while still neglecting his Facebook and Twitter accounts.
The 6-2 Minnesota Vikings look like a complete team that seems to have strengths wherever our Chiefs have weaknesses. Emerging star running back Dalvin Cook should rack up big numbers against a KC defense that struggles to stop runners with half that much talent. A blitz-happy Vikings defense should cause problems for a still-injured Chiefs offensive line. However, Minnesota's imperfections, combined with newly found strengths for KC, should keep this game competitive and fun-to-watch.
Although many facets of this Vikes team appear Super Bowl-worthy, Kirk Cousins could struggle and maybe throw a pick because of the fresh energy from Kansas City's pass-rushing core. The return of Chris Jones will undoubtedly help a squad that's already gelling and becoming more cohesive - so cohesive, in fact, that KC's blitzing game could finish the year as one of football's very best.
The Chiefs just doubled their team sack total over the last two weeks by sacking Denver's Joe Flacco nine times in Week 7 and bringing down Aaron Rodgers five times last week. This resurgence pushed KC into the top five of this year's team sack totals. The Vikings aren't far behind though, with 23 total sacks total this year. The absence of Chiefs offensive linemen Eric Fisher and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif may put Matt Moore in danger today.
This will be the second week in a row in which the Chiefs lose and Chiefs Kingdom is mostly okay about it. We won't sweat it too much because KC will lose a close an intriguing game in which the defense continues to show its growth. Say what you may about Kirk Cousins, but he's played like a top-tier QB over the last four weeks. Looking good in defeat to a capable, mismatch-filled Minnesota team will hurt KC's chances at a first-round bye in the playoffs, but it would still leave fans in Kansas City with high expectations for the very near future.
Doug LaCerte writes last-second articles about Kansas City sports while still neglecting his Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
How Can KC Compete With Packers While Reeling From Injury Issues?
We were cheering on an unbeaten team only weeks ago, but it now feels like eons since all was well in Chiefs Kingdom. Our Kansas City Chiefs are five-point underdogs at home against the 6-1 Green Bay Packers tonight. Our franchise QB, despite being a double-jointed freak athlete, will sit this one out to protect against re-injury. How can KC will their way to victory in front of the home faithful tonight?
Their efforts to upset Aaron Rodgers and Company revolve around the Chiefs' ability to stop the Green Bay running game and their ability to come through clutch against the Packers' bend-don't break style of defense. Only five teams allow more yards per game than Green Bay this season, but only eight teams have allowed fewer points per game. The Chiefs will win or lose depending on how they perform in the red zone and on third down tonight.
An almost exclusively Patrick Mahomes-led KC team is seventh in the league in 3rd down completion percentage. Rodgers' squad ranks 22nd. The Chiefs' ability to perform in those clutch moments under Matt Moore's leadership remains a mystery, and we can expect plenty of Moore handing the ball off tonight. That would both limit his impact on the game and exploit a weakness in the Packers' defense. Green Bay ranks 24th in rushing yards allowed per game this year, and the Chiefs rank 29th.
The apparently improved Packers defense held each of its first seven opponents to under 25 points, except for the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly beat Green Bay 34-27 in a Week 4 showdown in which Packers RB Aaron Jones ran the ball 13 times for 21 yards. Jones averages only four yards per rush over his 101 carries this year, and the Packers clearly struggle when he produces at a level below that average. Limiting Jones could present Green Bay with problems, but injuries to Frank Clark, Chris Jones and others leaves the Chiefs run defense riddled with holes and unsettling questions.
Oh, and Green Bay ranks 13th in sacks and 5th in total takeaways. You better believe that will play a part in tonight's game, as the injured KC linemen Eric Fisher and Andrew Wylie watch helplessly from the sideline as their replacements continue to stumble. It will take a truly remarkable effort from several Chiefs backups tonight to earn a memorable victory for KC. Despite a serious home-field advantage and a strong defensive showing their last time on the field, no betting man would give our Chiefs the edge in this one.
Doug LaCerte is too busy procrastinating everything in his life to post much on Facebook and Twitter.
Their efforts to upset Aaron Rodgers and Company revolve around the Chiefs' ability to stop the Green Bay running game and their ability to come through clutch against the Packers' bend-don't break style of defense. Only five teams allow more yards per game than Green Bay this season, but only eight teams have allowed fewer points per game. The Chiefs will win or lose depending on how they perform in the red zone and on third down tonight.
An almost exclusively Patrick Mahomes-led KC team is seventh in the league in 3rd down completion percentage. Rodgers' squad ranks 22nd. The Chiefs' ability to perform in those clutch moments under Matt Moore's leadership remains a mystery, and we can expect plenty of Moore handing the ball off tonight. That would both limit his impact on the game and exploit a weakness in the Packers' defense. Green Bay ranks 24th in rushing yards allowed per game this year, and the Chiefs rank 29th.
The apparently improved Packers defense held each of its first seven opponents to under 25 points, except for the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly beat Green Bay 34-27 in a Week 4 showdown in which Packers RB Aaron Jones ran the ball 13 times for 21 yards. Jones averages only four yards per rush over his 101 carries this year, and the Packers clearly struggle when he produces at a level below that average. Limiting Jones could present Green Bay with problems, but injuries to Frank Clark, Chris Jones and others leaves the Chiefs run defense riddled with holes and unsettling questions.
Oh, and Green Bay ranks 13th in sacks and 5th in total takeaways. You better believe that will play a part in tonight's game, as the injured KC linemen Eric Fisher and Andrew Wylie watch helplessly from the sideline as their replacements continue to stumble. It will take a truly remarkable effort from several Chiefs backups tonight to earn a memorable victory for KC. Despite a serious home-field advantage and a strong defensive showing their last time on the field, no betting man would give our Chiefs the edge in this one.
Doug LaCerte is too busy procrastinating everything in his life to post much on Facebook and Twitter.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Can Stumbling Chiefs Rebound Against Resurgent, Determined Denver Broncos?
At least three weeks have passed since our Kansas City Chiefs looked like the Super Bowl contenders I envisioned at the start of the season. Could KC's woes continue when they face off with the last-place, two-win Denver Broncos at Mile High tonight? It seems disturbingly possible.
Nothing about this Chiefs team looks elite right now, and multiple facets of the team are downright awful. An injury to the ankle of the most important man in Kansas City sports just exposed some flaws in the Chiefs' offense. Even with Tyreek Hill back on the field, KC failed to outscore Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans last Sunday. The injuries to the offensive line continue to make the Chiefs look fragile on the side of the ball where all of us assumed they would dominate. KC's inability to protect the team's most important asset in Patrick Mahomes threatens to invalidate their claim to being among the best teams in the league.
The gameplan to beat the Chiefs now looks simple; teams who get an early lead and run the ball successfully enough to move the chains in the second half just edged out wins against KC in consecutive weeks. For all its flash, a prolific Air Raid-style offense just got outscored on two straight Sundays because of not only the Chiefs' inability to protect their star QB, but also their inability stop the run. The five teams to allow the league's highest rushing yards-per game averages include the Bengals, the Dolphins, the Redskins, the Browns and our Chiefs. That's three awful football teams and two who are failing to live up to lofty expectations because of this exact problem.
While Denver won't light up scoreboards every week, they've played well enough to keep nearly every game within reach this year. The Broncos began their season losing to Oakland, Chicago, Green Bay and Jacksonville, but only the Packers won by more than one possession. Denver then beat the Chargers in Week 5 and shut the Titans out last week. Only three teams in football hold opponents to a lower total yards-per-game average. After starting the year with three straight games without a sack or a takeaway, Denver's defense gelled. Seven sacks and three takeaways resulted in victory during their last effort, the aforementioned 16-0 win against Tennessee.
The Broncos enter this important Thursday encounter with a bunch of momentum, and our Chiefs enter Denver with a bunch of questions. Tonight's result will bring into focus KC's true identity. Teams that we would deem "great" don't lose to a cellar-dwelling division rival after dropping two straight at home. If that happens tonight, then Chiefs Kingdom loses its claim to an elite football team. If the Chiefs win, it will be just one important step on the path to greatness.
Doug LaCerte is too busy overreacting to this mess to bother with Twitter or Facebook.
Nothing about this Chiefs team looks elite right now, and multiple facets of the team are downright awful. An injury to the ankle of the most important man in Kansas City sports just exposed some flaws in the Chiefs' offense. Even with Tyreek Hill back on the field, KC failed to outscore Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans last Sunday. The injuries to the offensive line continue to make the Chiefs look fragile on the side of the ball where all of us assumed they would dominate. KC's inability to protect the team's most important asset in Patrick Mahomes threatens to invalidate their claim to being among the best teams in the league.
The gameplan to beat the Chiefs now looks simple; teams who get an early lead and run the ball successfully enough to move the chains in the second half just edged out wins against KC in consecutive weeks. For all its flash, a prolific Air Raid-style offense just got outscored on two straight Sundays because of not only the Chiefs' inability to protect their star QB, but also their inability stop the run. The five teams to allow the league's highest rushing yards-per game averages include the Bengals, the Dolphins, the Redskins, the Browns and our Chiefs. That's three awful football teams and two who are failing to live up to lofty expectations because of this exact problem.
While Denver won't light up scoreboards every week, they've played well enough to keep nearly every game within reach this year. The Broncos began their season losing to Oakland, Chicago, Green Bay and Jacksonville, but only the Packers won by more than one possession. Denver then beat the Chargers in Week 5 and shut the Titans out last week. Only three teams in football hold opponents to a lower total yards-per-game average. After starting the year with three straight games without a sack or a takeaway, Denver's defense gelled. Seven sacks and three takeaways resulted in victory during their last effort, the aforementioned 16-0 win against Tennessee.
The Broncos enter this important Thursday encounter with a bunch of momentum, and our Chiefs enter Denver with a bunch of questions. Tonight's result will bring into focus KC's true identity. Teams that we would deem "great" don't lose to a cellar-dwelling division rival after dropping two straight at home. If that happens tonight, then Chiefs Kingdom loses its claim to an elite football team. If the Chiefs win, it will be just one important step on the path to greatness.
Doug LaCerte is too busy overreacting to this mess to bother with Twitter or Facebook.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Can KC Save Face Against Tough Texans Team?
Could the Chiefs' offensive and defensive lines play so poorly that it costs KC a chance at a championship? Could they really be so bad at old-school football and "winning in the trenches" that it spoils a season that should end in a Super Bowl appearance? Or is it all just overblown hyperbole from the spoiled citizens of Chiefs Kingdom?
Little column A, little column B.
Witnessing our Chiefs lose the way they did to the Indianapolis Colts last week shocked me. We've never seen any team stifle the strengths of a Mahomes Era Chiefs team enough to win in such a low-scoring manner. Today, KC faces even tougher competition when rising star Deshaun Watson brings a top-ten rushing offense and an elite defense to Arrowhead. When I see it all on paper, the Houston Texans scare me far more than that Colts team did.
A future Hall of Famer in J.J. Watt leads the talent-packed defense. A two-time All Pro in Deandre Hopkins provides nightmare fuel for sub-par secondaries every single season. The Texans also re-tooled their previously awful offensive line with draft picks and a huge trade for left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Frank Clark is the Chief Tunsil is expected to contain this week, and Clark already underwhelmed enough to be consistently called out by local and national football media, alike. Those players and matchups will be important for KC, but none of them will matter if the Chiefs' banged-up offensive and defensive lines continue to falter.
Quenton Nelson and Anthony Castonzo don't play positions that garner much attention, but their overwhelming success on the left side of Indy's offensive line won the Colts the game last week. However, I could also say the Colts' defensive line made the difference by consistently pressuring Patrick Mahomes. Throughout the game, Mahomes tried unsuccessfully to get his game going behind an injury-riddled O-line that often looked lost.
The Chiefs coaching staff undoubtedly preached the philosophy of winning one-on-one matchups at the line of scrimmage all week long in practice. Whether or not this philosophy turns into production on the field may decide the winner of today's game. Without Chris Jones, KC's defense needs to limit a capable running offense and make Watson uncomfortable. Without Eric Fisher or Andrew Wylie, KC's offensive line needs to protect Patrick enough to keep him healthy and simply give the magician enough time to make some magic. That could be a lot to ask when facing off against a legit playoff contender like the Texans.
Doug LaCerte writes about KC sports and still neglects his Twitter and Facebook.
Little column A, little column B.
Witnessing our Chiefs lose the way they did to the Indianapolis Colts last week shocked me. We've never seen any team stifle the strengths of a Mahomes Era Chiefs team enough to win in such a low-scoring manner. Today, KC faces even tougher competition when rising star Deshaun Watson brings a top-ten rushing offense and an elite defense to Arrowhead. When I see it all on paper, the Houston Texans scare me far more than that Colts team did.
A future Hall of Famer in J.J. Watt leads the talent-packed defense. A two-time All Pro in Deandre Hopkins provides nightmare fuel for sub-par secondaries every single season. The Texans also re-tooled their previously awful offensive line with draft picks and a huge trade for left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Frank Clark is the Chief Tunsil is expected to contain this week, and Clark already underwhelmed enough to be consistently called out by local and national football media, alike. Those players and matchups will be important for KC, but none of them will matter if the Chiefs' banged-up offensive and defensive lines continue to falter.
Quenton Nelson and Anthony Castonzo don't play positions that garner much attention, but their overwhelming success on the left side of Indy's offensive line won the Colts the game last week. However, I could also say the Colts' defensive line made the difference by consistently pressuring Patrick Mahomes. Throughout the game, Mahomes tried unsuccessfully to get his game going behind an injury-riddled O-line that often looked lost.
The Chiefs coaching staff undoubtedly preached the philosophy of winning one-on-one matchups at the line of scrimmage all week long in practice. Whether or not this philosophy turns into production on the field may decide the winner of today's game. Without Chris Jones, KC's defense needs to limit a capable running offense and make Watson uncomfortable. Without Eric Fisher or Andrew Wylie, KC's offensive line needs to protect Patrick enough to keep him healthy and simply give the magician enough time to make some magic. That could be a lot to ask when facing off against a legit playoff contender like the Texans.
Doug LaCerte writes about KC sports and still neglects his Twitter and Facebook.
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Can KC Continue Success Against Indy?
Our Kansas City Chiefs represent the elite in the NFL, but they'll once again face an unproven team from an AFC marred in mediocrity. The 2-2 Indianapolis Colts claimed victory against the Titans and Falcons, but they also lost to shaky Chargers in Week 1 and the Raiders last week. Like many teams in KC's conference, I still can't decide if Indy's a playoff team this season or a top-ten draft pick recipient next season.
The Colts rank 19th league-wide in yards per game and 16th in yards allowed.The only objectively strong facet of this Luck-less Colts team is their rushing attack that averages the 7th-most yards per game this season. Unfortunately for them, and for Chiefs fans curious about KC's defense, Marlon Mack's availability is a game-time decision. Mack is practicing with his squad on the field this afternoon, so most are hopeful that he'll play adequately, but any kind of diminished production from him makes a big impact on tonight's game.
With or without a strong Marlon Mack on the field, Chiefs Kingdom will keep a sharp and critical eye on KC's defense tonight. The Chiefs' run-stopping abilities looked suspect throughout the first quarter of the schedule. A lack of big plays from Frank Clark and the rest of Steve Spagnuolo's defense allows fans' fears to endure in Kansas City. This flaw could be heart-breaking for fans when top-shelf teams play the Chiefs, but that's not the case tonight.
While the Colts seem to be great at nothing, KC excels in passing the ball at a nearly historic level. The second-best passing team in the NFL averages 55 fewer yards per game than our Chiefs. Only two AFC teams allow more points this season than the Colts. Without the field-stretching Tyreek Hill or #1 overall draft pick Eric Fisher, the Chiefs are tied with Baltimore entering this week for the highest points-per-game average in the league. It should take more than being maybe above-average to beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead.
I expect Chiefs Kingdom to celebrate long into the crisp Kansas City night after a prime-time victory, but I also know that KC cannot overlook any opponent on their schedule. Each team the Chiefs play this year will be excited to prove themselves against elite competition. Thankfully for Chiefs fans, Andy Reid and his crew won't get caught looking past the Colts, but no statistic available would indicate that Indianapolis has the advantage in tonight's game.
Doug LaCerte writes about Kansas City sports and makes great wine in suburban Kansas City, which usually leaves him too preoccupied to mess with his Facebook or Twitter.
The Colts rank 19th league-wide in yards per game and 16th in yards allowed.The only objectively strong facet of this Luck-less Colts team is their rushing attack that averages the 7th-most yards per game this season. Unfortunately for them, and for Chiefs fans curious about KC's defense, Marlon Mack's availability is a game-time decision. Mack is practicing with his squad on the field this afternoon, so most are hopeful that he'll play adequately, but any kind of diminished production from him makes a big impact on tonight's game.
With or without a strong Marlon Mack on the field, Chiefs Kingdom will keep a sharp and critical eye on KC's defense tonight. The Chiefs' run-stopping abilities looked suspect throughout the first quarter of the schedule. A lack of big plays from Frank Clark and the rest of Steve Spagnuolo's defense allows fans' fears to endure in Kansas City. This flaw could be heart-breaking for fans when top-shelf teams play the Chiefs, but that's not the case tonight.
While the Colts seem to be great at nothing, KC excels in passing the ball at a nearly historic level. The second-best passing team in the NFL averages 55 fewer yards per game than our Chiefs. Only two AFC teams allow more points this season than the Colts. Without the field-stretching Tyreek Hill or #1 overall draft pick Eric Fisher, the Chiefs are tied with Baltimore entering this week for the highest points-per-game average in the league. It should take more than being maybe above-average to beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead.
I expect Chiefs Kingdom to celebrate long into the crisp Kansas City night after a prime-time victory, but I also know that KC cannot overlook any opponent on their schedule. Each team the Chiefs play this year will be excited to prove themselves against elite competition. Thankfully for Chiefs fans, Andy Reid and his crew won't get caught looking past the Colts, but no statistic available would indicate that Indianapolis has the advantage in tonight's game.
Doug LaCerte writes about Kansas City sports and makes great wine in suburban Kansas City, which usually leaves him too preoccupied to mess with his Facebook or Twitter.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Could KC Really Be Tested By Unbeaten Lions?
Are the Detroit Lions actually good? I still can't really tell. After a Week 1 sister-kisser with an Arizona Cardinals squad that still has zero wins, Detroit went on to beat the Chargers and Eagles. I expected both those teams to play well this year and have an advantage against the perennially underwhelming Lions, so count me as one of many NFL fans wondering if they wrote Detroit off too early this time. Do they have the talent on-board to stay afloat in the NFC playoff race throughout this season, and do they have what it takes to win against our Kansas City Chiefs today? Probably not, and no.
Saying that Detroit isn't Super Bowl-bound is not the hottest take of the week, but Chiefs Kingdom should be aware that their squad already faced a tougher test last Sunday when the Fightin' Lamars came to Arrowhead.
The Baltimore Ravens challenged KC with a stout defense and a mobile QB with a bright future and something to prove. Even after losing to our Chiefs last week, the Ravens still lead the league in yards per game. The Lions rank 12th. The key to victory against Kansas City must be to run the ball through KC's porous interior defense, right? The Ravens also lead the NFL in rushing yards per game, while Detroit is 18th. Perhaps Matthew Stafford can attack the Chiefs' weak spots in the secondary with more success than Lamar Jackson, but not even that is guaranteed. The Lions' 269 passing yards per game is 11th-best in the league right now, while Baltimore's 295 is 7th-best.
The Lions deserve credit for edging out tough competition for some early-season victories that fostered real hope for fans in the Motor City. Truth is, if they can look good in defeat much like Baltimore did last week, they can hold on to much of that hope moving forward. This Chiefs squad moved past talking about hope long ago, however. They expect to dominate throughout the year, and for good reason. If I can't decide whether or not KC's opponent is an above-average team, the Chiefs expect to take care of business against said opponent. The mindset with Mahomes at the helm is to achieve greatness, which makes now a truly great time to be a citizen of Chiefs Kingdom.
Doug LaCerte will soon be searching through Twitter and Facebook for retirement tributes to the great Ned Yost, and you better believe he's gonna cry a little. Thank you for the memories, Ned. Kansas City will always love you.
Saying that Detroit isn't Super Bowl-bound is not the hottest take of the week, but Chiefs Kingdom should be aware that their squad already faced a tougher test last Sunday when the Fightin' Lamars came to Arrowhead.
The Baltimore Ravens challenged KC with a stout defense and a mobile QB with a bright future and something to prove. Even after losing to our Chiefs last week, the Ravens still lead the league in yards per game. The Lions rank 12th. The key to victory against Kansas City must be to run the ball through KC's porous interior defense, right? The Ravens also lead the NFL in rushing yards per game, while Detroit is 18th. Perhaps Matthew Stafford can attack the Chiefs' weak spots in the secondary with more success than Lamar Jackson, but not even that is guaranteed. The Lions' 269 passing yards per game is 11th-best in the league right now, while Baltimore's 295 is 7th-best.
The Lions deserve credit for edging out tough competition for some early-season victories that fostered real hope for fans in the Motor City. Truth is, if they can look good in defeat much like Baltimore did last week, they can hold on to much of that hope moving forward. This Chiefs squad moved past talking about hope long ago, however. They expect to dominate throughout the year, and for good reason. If I can't decide whether or not KC's opponent is an above-average team, the Chiefs expect to take care of business against said opponent. The mindset with Mahomes at the helm is to achieve greatness, which makes now a truly great time to be a citizen of Chiefs Kingdom.
Doug LaCerte will soon be searching through Twitter and Facebook for retirement tributes to the great Ned Yost, and you better believe he's gonna cry a little. Thank you for the memories, Ned. Kansas City will always love you.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
KC Finally Faces Formidable Foe for Arrowhead Homecoming
Our Kansas City Chiefs looked like a mess at the start of last week's face-off with the rival Oakland Raiders, but it only took one quarter for reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes to wipe the short-lived grin off Jon Gruden's smug face. KC faces a tougher test today, however, as the Chiefs come home to host the 2-0 Baltimore Ravens at Arrowhead. National NFL media is pushing this game as a potential AFC Championship preview, but don't be too sure of that this early in the season. Are the Ravens really legit, and what elements of KC's squad will matter most in today's game?
Baltimore's ability to block Chris Jones could be a big factor today. CJ was a consistent presence last week in Oakland with three hits on Derek Carr, a sack and a tackle-for-loss. Jones and the rest of KC's interior defense struggled to stop the run, however. They'll have their hands full today when the league's best rushing offense comes to KC. Oakland's Josh Jacobs racked up 99 yards on just 12 rushes against the Chiefs last week. Lamar Jackson alone ran for 120 yards in Week 2 when Baltimore beat Arizona. The Ravens as a team average 38.5 more rushing yards per game than the next-best running team in football.
The Ravens look great, but they haven't played a decent team yet this year. Baltimore destroyed the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, but Miami has been outscored by 92 total points in just two games. The Ravens went on to win a tight game last week against the Arizona Cardinals - a team with a new, constantly criticized head coach and a rookie QB who was chosen first overall in the most recent draft. Arizona is still relatively unknown, too, and after tying the perennially sub-par Detroit Lions in Week 1 of the season, many justifiably wrote them off as a squad that's still well below-average.
The Chiefs probably haven't played a playoff-caliber team this year either, but KC's deep run in last year's playoffs proved their legitimacy. The entire country already knows Mahomes and the Chiefs are legit, but big questions still surround Baltimore. I like our Chiefs' chances to win, but you also won't find me putting any cash on KC at Bovada today. A five-point spread in a game against such a tough-to-gauge team as Baltimore makes me too scared to drop any dough this time around. This should be a fun one to watch and yet another intriguing test for a confident KC team that should come into Arrowhead eager to prove themselves against formidable opposition.
Doug LaCerte is too busy playing Madden and Rimworld to properly beg for people to follow him on Twitter or like his posts on Facebook.
Baltimore's ability to block Chris Jones could be a big factor today. CJ was a consistent presence last week in Oakland with three hits on Derek Carr, a sack and a tackle-for-loss. Jones and the rest of KC's interior defense struggled to stop the run, however. They'll have their hands full today when the league's best rushing offense comes to KC. Oakland's Josh Jacobs racked up 99 yards on just 12 rushes against the Chiefs last week. Lamar Jackson alone ran for 120 yards in Week 2 when Baltimore beat Arizona. The Ravens as a team average 38.5 more rushing yards per game than the next-best running team in football.
The Ravens look great, but they haven't played a decent team yet this year. Baltimore destroyed the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, but Miami has been outscored by 92 total points in just two games. The Ravens went on to win a tight game last week against the Arizona Cardinals - a team with a new, constantly criticized head coach and a rookie QB who was chosen first overall in the most recent draft. Arizona is still relatively unknown, too, and after tying the perennially sub-par Detroit Lions in Week 1 of the season, many justifiably wrote them off as a squad that's still well below-average.
The Chiefs probably haven't played a playoff-caliber team this year either, but KC's deep run in last year's playoffs proved their legitimacy. The entire country already knows Mahomes and the Chiefs are legit, but big questions still surround Baltimore. I like our Chiefs' chances to win, but you also won't find me putting any cash on KC at Bovada today. A five-point spread in a game against such a tough-to-gauge team as Baltimore makes me too scared to drop any dough this time around. This should be a fun one to watch and yet another intriguing test for a confident KC team that should come into Arrowhead eager to prove themselves against formidable opposition.
Doug LaCerte is too busy playing Madden and Rimworld to properly beg for people to follow him on Twitter or like his posts on Facebook.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Will KC's Defense Look Better Against Rival Raiders In Week 2?
An intriguing challenge for our Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 seemingly became less intriguing when Nick Foles left the game and seemingly erased the Jacksonville Jaguars' realistic hopes for victory. However, rookie backup QB Gardner Minshew completed his first 13 pass attempts and the Jags finished the day with 428 total yards. a . Minshew was the 2018 PAC-12 Offensive Player of the Year, and his story is legit, so perhaps he's better than many in Chiefs Kingdom had presumed (myself included). Still, members of that new Chiefs defense must've been shaking their heads after allowing an unheralded sixth-round pick to earn a 122.5 Quarterback Rating.
Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr earned a 121 Quarterback Rating against the Denver Broncos last week. Even though I call him mean nicknames for my own amusement on a regular basis, Carr is a veteran QB who just led his squad to a win over a division rival with a solid defense. His offensive line also stopped the intimidating duo of Von Miller and Bradley Chubb and the rest of the Denver D from sacking Carr a single time. Chiefs Kingdom is justifiably scared about both the secondary and the edge rushing capability of this freshly rebuilt KC defense, so this looks like another setup for a fitting test.
My focus is clearly on the defensive side of the ball for the next chapter of this recently lopsided rivalry because it's still easy to be confident about KC's offense. Tyreek Hill is tough to replace, but the Chiefs just so happened to spend their first-round pick with the motive of replacing Tyreek Hill for several weeks. This should somewhat ease the minds of Chiefs fans everywhere, as we can once again be confident about rolling into Oakland with a high-octane offense. Add the Jonathan Abram injury to the mix, and we've got the makings for Mahomes Magic and a lot of points on the board. My only concern would be keeping Patrick safe from Clelin Ferrell and Company. Let's see how the Mahomes-Mecole Connection feels, and let's see how KC's defense bounces back from their uninspiring start to the season.
Doug LaCerte is currently too busy looking at Gardner Minshew memes to care about Twitter or Facebook.
Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr earned a 121 Quarterback Rating against the Denver Broncos last week. Even though I call him mean nicknames for my own amusement on a regular basis, Carr is a veteran QB who just led his squad to a win over a division rival with a solid defense. His offensive line also stopped the intimidating duo of Von Miller and Bradley Chubb and the rest of the Denver D from sacking Carr a single time. Chiefs Kingdom is justifiably scared about both the secondary and the edge rushing capability of this freshly rebuilt KC defense, so this looks like another setup for a fitting test.
My focus is clearly on the defensive side of the ball for the next chapter of this recently lopsided rivalry because it's still easy to be confident about KC's offense. Tyreek Hill is tough to replace, but the Chiefs just so happened to spend their first-round pick with the motive of replacing Tyreek Hill for several weeks. This should somewhat ease the minds of Chiefs fans everywhere, as we can once again be confident about rolling into Oakland with a high-octane offense. Add the Jonathan Abram injury to the mix, and we've got the makings for Mahomes Magic and a lot of points on the board. My only concern would be keeping Patrick safe from Clelin Ferrell and Company. Let's see how the Mahomes-Mecole Connection feels, and let's see how KC's defense bounces back from their uninspiring start to the season.
Doug LaCerte is currently too busy looking at Gardner Minshew memes to care about Twitter or Facebook.
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Chiefs Face Intriguing Week 1 Test In Jacksonville
Meaningful Kansas City football returns today, Chiefs Kingdom. We all want to see our reigning MVP go wild, but I'm actually more excited to see KC's torn-down, rebuilt defense face off against an improved Jacksonville Jaguars offense. We'll inevitably be amazed by Patrick Mahomes again and again, but we already knew that coming into the season. The Chiefs' defense gives us no such certainty, especially in Week 1 against a Jacksonville squad that KC cannot underestimate.
The Jags ranked 27th in yards per game and 31st in points per game last season, but veteran Super Bowl champ Nick Foles will look like a Hall of Famer to Jacksonville fans after their previous ugly experiences. A healthy Leonard Fournette is a great Week 1 test for the Chiefs' new run-stuffing strategies. He's one of the league's best when he's on his game, and KC's new 4-3 defense will need to limit backs like Fournette in order to be successful. That's no easy task for a group that has never played a meaningful game together.
At no fault of its own, this defense lacks an identity. Edge rush threat Frank Clark brings an impressive four-season resume with him, along with some of that Legion of Boom mystique, but he's in a new place with a new coach and system for the first time in his career. It's tough to say whether or not he can improve upon his 13 sack season in 2018. The much-maligned secondary saw dramatic alterations as well. On paper, they're better this season, but can newcomers like Tyran Mathieu and Bashaud Breeland mesh with Kendal Fuller and Company this early in the season? Nobody knows yet, but I'm excited to learn more.
New defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo knows that his mission is to once again upend the New England Patriots' chances at a Super Bowl. However, to give the Chiefs solid seeding in the playoffs, Spags and KC need to win consistently against good-not-great teams like Jacksonville. The majority of the football world would wager that KC's defense will improve this year, but today we'll see what the new unit is capable of when it actually matters. With the Chiefs' potentially record-breaking offense and consistently stellar special teams play, the Kansas City defense will be the biggest worry for the Kingdom. The speed in which that group of guys finds cohesion factors heavily into the Chiefs' chances to go all the way this season.
In just minutes, we get to witness Chapter One of a story that could conclude in Super Bowl glory. Soak that in and have fun today.
Doug LaCerte is a freelance sportswriter with a Facebook page and a Twitter feed that he likes to neglect equally.
The Jags ranked 27th in yards per game and 31st in points per game last season, but veteran Super Bowl champ Nick Foles will look like a Hall of Famer to Jacksonville fans after their previous ugly experiences. A healthy Leonard Fournette is a great Week 1 test for the Chiefs' new run-stuffing strategies. He's one of the league's best when he's on his game, and KC's new 4-3 defense will need to limit backs like Fournette in order to be successful. That's no easy task for a group that has never played a meaningful game together.
At no fault of its own, this defense lacks an identity. Edge rush threat Frank Clark brings an impressive four-season resume with him, along with some of that Legion of Boom mystique, but he's in a new place with a new coach and system for the first time in his career. It's tough to say whether or not he can improve upon his 13 sack season in 2018. The much-maligned secondary saw dramatic alterations as well. On paper, they're better this season, but can newcomers like Tyran Mathieu and Bashaud Breeland mesh with Kendal Fuller and Company this early in the season? Nobody knows yet, but I'm excited to learn more.
New defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo knows that his mission is to once again upend the New England Patriots' chances at a Super Bowl. However, to give the Chiefs solid seeding in the playoffs, Spags and KC need to win consistently against good-not-great teams like Jacksonville. The majority of the football world would wager that KC's defense will improve this year, but today we'll see what the new unit is capable of when it actually matters. With the Chiefs' potentially record-breaking offense and consistently stellar special teams play, the Kansas City defense will be the biggest worry for the Kingdom. The speed in which that group of guys finds cohesion factors heavily into the Chiefs' chances to go all the way this season.
In just minutes, we get to witness Chapter One of a story that could conclude in Super Bowl glory. Soak that in and have fun today.
Doug LaCerte is a freelance sportswriter with a Facebook page and a Twitter feed that he likes to neglect equally.
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Can KC Win Arrowhead's Biggest Game Ever?
Tomorrow's game will be a one-of-a-kind battle against two teams with extremely different histories. The New England Patriots just reached their eighth consecutive AFC Conference Championship game. Our Kansas City Chiefs haven't reached a conference championship game in a quarter-century, and they haven't won one in a half-century. Those were the only other times in team history KC made it this far. New England won their division in each of their last 15 seasons with a healthy Tom Brady. The Chiefs, on the other hand, just won their first divisional round home game in team history. In the 17 seasons when the Pats have The Hoodie and a healthy Brady, they've reached the Super Bowl eight times. That's an almost-LeBron-like level of excellence, and it's completely unmatched in professional football.
However, Chiefs Kingdom has numerous reasons to believe our squad is still Super Bowl-bound. That same Tom Brady of legend looks very human in road games this year. The 11-5 Pats took every L on their schedule on the road, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions. None of those teams reached the playoffs this year, and none of them benefit from the record-breaking, raucous home crowd we provide. The vastly different histories of these franchises won't mean much to members of the Kingdom at Arrowhead this Sunday. All that really matters is the effectiveness of the two teams on the field. Without taking away from the historical importance of this game, let's momentarily suspend all pretense and talk numbers.
Patrick Mahomes completely changes the way I analyze this game. The incredible offense he leads makes me focus less on how the Chiefs can limit the great Tom Brady and more on how the Pats defense can limit Patrick. The only teams that held KC to below 30 points were the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers have Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa, and the three other defenses have top-11 season sack totals. How do the rushing attacks from KC and New England compare to the rest of the league?
Only Aaron Donald and J.J Watt have more sacks than emerging Chiefs stud Chris Jones this year. Dee Ford's 13 sacks ranks 7th league-wide. 13 sacks is also the season sacks total for the Oakland Raiders. The whole team. New England tied the New York Giants for the second-lowest sacks total in the league with 30.
So, it seemingly takes a strong pass-rushing attack to limit KC's offense, and the Pats don't have that. But, only two of the four teams that beat the Chiefs in the regular season held them under 40 points. The teams that won against KC all had a prolific passer, a prolific coach, or both. The club that unarguably has both is the same one now standing between Chiefs Kingdom and a Super Bowl.
I said last week that Reid/Mahomes > Reich/Luck, but Bill Belichick/Brady > every other coach/quarterback combo ever. The amazing home crowd at Arrowhead, the uncanny talent on the offensive side of the ball and a duo of talented pass-rushers will give the Chiefs a very realistic shot to win tomorrow. Sadly, I cannot predict that such a young QB can overcome the greatest coach/quarterback tandem in history. I predict that the dastardly Pats sneak away with a 34-33 victory. It almost hurts me to imagine the delirious joy I'll feel if Mahomes proves me wrong.
This is the most important moment in Chiefs history in at least 25 years. Are you ready, Kingdom?
Doug LaCerte writes about the Chiefs and the Royals, and he occasionally does stuff on Twitter @DLaC67.
However, Chiefs Kingdom has numerous reasons to believe our squad is still Super Bowl-bound. That same Tom Brady of legend looks very human in road games this year. The 11-5 Pats took every L on their schedule on the road, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions. None of those teams reached the playoffs this year, and none of them benefit from the record-breaking, raucous home crowd we provide. The vastly different histories of these franchises won't mean much to members of the Kingdom at Arrowhead this Sunday. All that really matters is the effectiveness of the two teams on the field. Without taking away from the historical importance of this game, let's momentarily suspend all pretense and talk numbers.
Patrick Mahomes completely changes the way I analyze this game. The incredible offense he leads makes me focus less on how the Chiefs can limit the great Tom Brady and more on how the Pats defense can limit Patrick. The only teams that held KC to below 30 points were the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers have Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa, and the three other defenses have top-11 season sack totals. How do the rushing attacks from KC and New England compare to the rest of the league?
Only Aaron Donald and J.J Watt have more sacks than emerging Chiefs stud Chris Jones this year. Dee Ford's 13 sacks ranks 7th league-wide. 13 sacks is also the season sacks total for the Oakland Raiders. The whole team. New England tied the New York Giants for the second-lowest sacks total in the league with 30.
So, it seemingly takes a strong pass-rushing attack to limit KC's offense, and the Pats don't have that. But, only two of the four teams that beat the Chiefs in the regular season held them under 40 points. The teams that won against KC all had a prolific passer, a prolific coach, or both. The club that unarguably has both is the same one now standing between Chiefs Kingdom and a Super Bowl.
I said last week that Reid/Mahomes > Reich/Luck, but Bill Belichick/Brady > every other coach/quarterback combo ever. The amazing home crowd at Arrowhead, the uncanny talent on the offensive side of the ball and a duo of talented pass-rushers will give the Chiefs a very realistic shot to win tomorrow. Sadly, I cannot predict that such a young QB can overcome the greatest coach/quarterback tandem in history. I predict that the dastardly Pats sneak away with a 34-33 victory. It almost hurts me to imagine the delirious joy I'll feel if Mahomes proves me wrong.
This is the most important moment in Chiefs history in at least 25 years. Are you ready, Kingdom?
Doug LaCerte writes about the Chiefs and the Royals, and he occasionally does stuff on Twitter @DLaC67.
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Can KC and Mahomes Make History at Arrowhead?
I already know I'll be a mess of emotions today, whether or not our Kansas City Chiefs can exorcise some demons and win their first divisional round home playoff game in franchise history. The Indianapolis Colts offer Chiefs Kingdom plenty to be afraid of while also leaving fans confident about certain elements of this KC squad. Before I get emotional, I'll take a look at what to fear and what to feel good about today.
A combination of Andrew Luck, a revamped offensive line and a recently stout defense are what got the Colts to this point. These pieces allowed Indy to win nine of their last 10 regular season games and pound the Texans in Houston. Andrew Luck started in all 16 regular season games this year behind a drastically improved O-line and finished with career highs in season Quarterback Rating and QBR. Luck's effectiveness kept Indy in the playoff hunt through the second half of the season. The only time either quarterback threw more interceptions than touchdowns this year is when Patrick Mahomes had two picks and no TD's against Jacksonville.
Luck didn't experience this level of success behind his offensive line from last year, though. The Colts upgraded here big-time in the last draft by picking second team All-Pro Quenton Nelson in the first round and Braden Smith in the third. Pro Football Focus and Football Outsiders agree that the Colts have a top-five O-line, while KC's is just middle-of-the-pack. Indy's pass protection ranks second league-wide, and they allowed the fewest sacks of any team in football.
Despite all the success on Luck's side of the ball, Indy also wouldn't have reached this tournament without impressive contributions from their defense. This squad held four teams below 10 points in the regular season, including a shutout against a hot Dallas Cowboys squad in Week 15. Limiting KC's star tight end is always important for the Chiefs' opponents, and perhaps nobody in the league has more potential to successfully defend Travis Kelce than emerging star Darius Leonard. This studly rookie linebacker is a huge part of why pundits nationwide started saying that Indy has one of the league's best defenses.
However, that trendy take isn't perfect. In their last ten regular season games, the Colts picked up nine wins to barely grab the last spot in the playoffs. Seven of these wins came against the Bills, Raiders, Jags, Titans, Dolphins and Giants. Simply put, those teams do not have good quarterbacks. Your quarterback, the undisputed King of Chiefs Kingdom, just finished his first full regular season as an NFL QB, and he gave us one of the three greatest seasons in NFL QB history.
This same Colts defense that many expert analysts are so high on gave up 27 points to the Giants, 28 to the Raiders, 38 to the New England Patriots, 34 to Cincy and 42 to the mighty New York Jets. The Colts have been good lately, sure, but they've often been good against QB's that are average or worse.
That's far from the only reason to feel good about your Chiefs today. Limiting Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill's effectiveness is as difficult as it is important. Kelce has at least five catches in every game since Week 1. He ranks second this season in total catches, total yards and yards per game. Hill has the fourth-most receiving yards and fifth-highest yards per carry average among anyone in the league and the highest on all remaining playoff squads.
Indy does a great job protecting their QB in passing situations, but both teams excel in this area. KC's front line allowed the fifth-best protection and the fifth-fewest sacks allowed during the regular season. The Chiefs should also have the edge regarding turnovers. Kansas City forced more fumbles than all-but three NFL teams, and only three NFL teams fumbled the ball fewer times. KC's overall give-take differential of +9 is the sixth-best in football, while Indy ranks 13th.
KC led the league in regular season yards per game, despite ranking just 16th in the NFL in rushing yards per game. Indy's running game seemed legit against the Texans last week, but over the year, they average only 107.4 rushing yards per game, which ranks 20th league-wide. Luck's success running this apparently high-flying offense is also deceptive. Luck's regular season performance seemed impressive, but he's usually just "dinkin' and dunkin'".
The Colts completed only 41 plays yielding 20 or more yards this season, which is the fourth-lowest total in football. Kansas City did this 65 times to lead the league. Mahomes' 8.8 yards per passing attempt is second only to Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Luck's 7.2 ranks him 23rd. This year's Chiefs defense struggles mightily against the short-to-intermediate passing attack, but at least the 70-yard heart-breaker pass plays are less likely today.
The coach and the quarterback matter even more than usual in playoff match-ups. Andy Reid is better than Frank Reich. Mahomes, right now, is better than Andrew Luck and perhaps every other player in football. A combination of nasty weather and the NFL's greatest home crowd guarantees that the atmosphere at Arrowhead will be intense. Despite KC's shortcomings, I cannot predict the #6 seed to handle this situation well. I think the Chiefs make history today and beat the Colts 33-31 in a classic.
The "do or die" era of Patrick Mahomes' career begins today, Chiefs Kingdom. For devoted fans, playoff games inflict a certain kind of enjoyable illness. My stomach churns. My heart races like I'm already late for something very important. I did not sleep well last night. I never do before moments like this. This unusual and seemingly unwarranted level of stress is wonderful. It is a unique moment in which something in our heads knows that the stress we're feeling doesn't come from life-threatening responsibility but instead from passion - the passion we have for a team that will soon either etch their names in franchise history with a victory or end their season in defeat. Please remember to enjoy that feeling today, Kingdom, regardless of the outcome.
Doug LaCerte writes about Chiefs stuff, Royals stuff and enjoys anti-Raiders memes on Twitter @DLaC67.
A combination of Andrew Luck, a revamped offensive line and a recently stout defense are what got the Colts to this point. These pieces allowed Indy to win nine of their last 10 regular season games and pound the Texans in Houston. Andrew Luck started in all 16 regular season games this year behind a drastically improved O-line and finished with career highs in season Quarterback Rating and QBR. Luck's effectiveness kept Indy in the playoff hunt through the second half of the season. The only time either quarterback threw more interceptions than touchdowns this year is when Patrick Mahomes had two picks and no TD's against Jacksonville.
Luck didn't experience this level of success behind his offensive line from last year, though. The Colts upgraded here big-time in the last draft by picking second team All-Pro Quenton Nelson in the first round and Braden Smith in the third. Pro Football Focus and Football Outsiders agree that the Colts have a top-five O-line, while KC's is just middle-of-the-pack. Indy's pass protection ranks second league-wide, and they allowed the fewest sacks of any team in football.
Despite all the success on Luck's side of the ball, Indy also wouldn't have reached this tournament without impressive contributions from their defense. This squad held four teams below 10 points in the regular season, including a shutout against a hot Dallas Cowboys squad in Week 15. Limiting KC's star tight end is always important for the Chiefs' opponents, and perhaps nobody in the league has more potential to successfully defend Travis Kelce than emerging star Darius Leonard. This studly rookie linebacker is a huge part of why pundits nationwide started saying that Indy has one of the league's best defenses.
However, that trendy take isn't perfect. In their last ten regular season games, the Colts picked up nine wins to barely grab the last spot in the playoffs. Seven of these wins came against the Bills, Raiders, Jags, Titans, Dolphins and Giants. Simply put, those teams do not have good quarterbacks. Your quarterback, the undisputed King of Chiefs Kingdom, just finished his first full regular season as an NFL QB, and he gave us one of the three greatest seasons in NFL QB history.
This same Colts defense that many expert analysts are so high on gave up 27 points to the Giants, 28 to the Raiders, 38 to the New England Patriots, 34 to Cincy and 42 to the mighty New York Jets. The Colts have been good lately, sure, but they've often been good against QB's that are average or worse.
That's far from the only reason to feel good about your Chiefs today. Limiting Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill's effectiveness is as difficult as it is important. Kelce has at least five catches in every game since Week 1. He ranks second this season in total catches, total yards and yards per game. Hill has the fourth-most receiving yards and fifth-highest yards per carry average among anyone in the league and the highest on all remaining playoff squads.
Indy does a great job protecting their QB in passing situations, but both teams excel in this area. KC's front line allowed the fifth-best protection and the fifth-fewest sacks allowed during the regular season. The Chiefs should also have the edge regarding turnovers. Kansas City forced more fumbles than all-but three NFL teams, and only three NFL teams fumbled the ball fewer times. KC's overall give-take differential of +9 is the sixth-best in football, while Indy ranks 13th.
KC led the league in regular season yards per game, despite ranking just 16th in the NFL in rushing yards per game. Indy's running game seemed legit against the Texans last week, but over the year, they average only 107.4 rushing yards per game, which ranks 20th league-wide. Luck's success running this apparently high-flying offense is also deceptive. Luck's regular season performance seemed impressive, but he's usually just "dinkin' and dunkin'".
The Colts completed only 41 plays yielding 20 or more yards this season, which is the fourth-lowest total in football. Kansas City did this 65 times to lead the league. Mahomes' 8.8 yards per passing attempt is second only to Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Luck's 7.2 ranks him 23rd. This year's Chiefs defense struggles mightily against the short-to-intermediate passing attack, but at least the 70-yard heart-breaker pass plays are less likely today.
The coach and the quarterback matter even more than usual in playoff match-ups. Andy Reid is better than Frank Reich. Mahomes, right now, is better than Andrew Luck and perhaps every other player in football. A combination of nasty weather and the NFL's greatest home crowd guarantees that the atmosphere at Arrowhead will be intense. Despite KC's shortcomings, I cannot predict the #6 seed to handle this situation well. I think the Chiefs make history today and beat the Colts 33-31 in a classic.
The "do or die" era of Patrick Mahomes' career begins today, Chiefs Kingdom. For devoted fans, playoff games inflict a certain kind of enjoyable illness. My stomach churns. My heart races like I'm already late for something very important. I did not sleep well last night. I never do before moments like this. This unusual and seemingly unwarranted level of stress is wonderful. It is a unique moment in which something in our heads knows that the stress we're feeling doesn't come from life-threatening responsibility but instead from passion - the passion we have for a team that will soon either etch their names in franchise history with a victory or end their season in defeat. Please remember to enjoy that feeling today, Kingdom, regardless of the outcome.
Doug LaCerte writes about Chiefs stuff, Royals stuff and enjoys anti-Raiders memes on Twitter @DLaC67.
Saturday, January 5, 2019
KC vs. Every Playoff Team: Wild Card Round Edition
The Kansas City Chiefs broke hearts all across Chiefs Kingdom in last year's playoffs. Will Patrick Mahomes be the difference between success and another divisional round disappointment? How would KC match up against not only the teams who they'll potentially face next weekend, but every team in this year's tournament? Without taking a deep look at any stats or specifics, I'm looking at each of this year's playoff teams and taking a guess at how the Chiefs would fare if they faced them.
Indy - The Indianapolis Colts enter the Wild Card Round red-hot, with Andrew Luck healthy behind a stout offensive line. I know little about their D, but it's apparently good enough to keep the offense within striking distance. KC would exorcise some demons by beating Indy at Arrowhead, and if Luck can beat Deshaun in Houston, the Chiefs will need to do exactly that. My guess is that Indy's offense would light up KC's inferior defense, but Mahomes still gets it done for a 7-10 point victory.
Texans - Watson looks legit and has led his squad to a great run after starting off slowly. The Texans D could limit KC, and their playmakers on offense match up well against the Chiefs' sub-par play at safety and ILB. I'm more scared of Houston than Indy, but I think Patty gets it done with a 3-7-point victory to prove the franchise was right in picking him over Deshaun in the draft.
Seahawks - Future Hall of Famer Russel Wilson had to play to his full potential to barely sneak past Patty and KC in the regular season. Andy Reid will not lose to that admittedly solid team twice in the same season. I'd imagine it would be close, but the Chiefs would have about a three-point edge against Seattle in a hypothetical rematch.
Cowboys - I simply don't trust Dak in the playoffs, and I don't think this Cowboys team is as good as they're hyped up to be. Chris Jones and #55 could apply pressure on Prescott, but stopping Zeke poses a real problem to the porous Chiefs. Ezekiel Elliot's hypothetical success would limit Mahomes' potential to make plays, leaving the Chiefs with a relatively low-scoring, single-possession victory over Dallas.
Chargers - I've heard enough about the L.A Chargers being the better team than KC. The eye-test still says that the Chiefs offense is dangerous every single snap, and while numbers show that Rivers is having a great season, it took a miracle for L.A to even split the series this year. Gotta give KC the slightest advantage in what would be booked and hyped as an extremely close game.
Ravens - Lamar Jackson almost got 'em the first time. While I would generally give my trust to Andy Reid in rematches because of his experience and ingenuity, I think the opposite about Chiefs DC Bob Sutton. I don't trust Sutton to get better at defending against that unique, run-heavy offense. I like Harbaugh, and I like that same Ravens D that number crunchers have loved since the start of the season. I'm going against the grain here perhaps, but I think Baltimore could sneak up and beat the Chiefs in an ugly, low-scoring game in front of the hypothetically disgruntled home fans in KC.
Philly- Nice Nickname Nick is a legend, and he could very well set the NFL ablaze yet again by beating Chicago on Sunday. Still, I can't honestly pick him and the up-and-down Eagles to beat my Chiefs at Arrowhead. Alshon Jeffery is an underrated stud, but as a whole, Philly's offense shouldn't have the kind of big-play firepower that KC's does. Mahomes Magic should give Chiefs Kingdom the edge in this what-if scenario. KC should beat Philly by 7-10 if they faced off in this year's Wild Card Round.
Da Bears- Mitch Trubisky has looked like the future of the franchise often this year, but he also fought through moments of looking young...probably because he's young. Tarik Cohen scares me more than a league-best defense led by Khalil Mack, but both frighten me deeply. Mahomes>Trubisky, but Tru only needs to be adequate while his defense stops Pat from being perfect. I think Chicago would beat KC by 7-10 points right now, but the level to which a Divisional Round victory would galvanize this squad would be impossible to foresee.
Indy - The Indianapolis Colts enter the Wild Card Round red-hot, with Andrew Luck healthy behind a stout offensive line. I know little about their D, but it's apparently good enough to keep the offense within striking distance. KC would exorcise some demons by beating Indy at Arrowhead, and if Luck can beat Deshaun in Houston, the Chiefs will need to do exactly that. My guess is that Indy's offense would light up KC's inferior defense, but Mahomes still gets it done for a 7-10 point victory.
Texans - Watson looks legit and has led his squad to a great run after starting off slowly. The Texans D could limit KC, and their playmakers on offense match up well against the Chiefs' sub-par play at safety and ILB. I'm more scared of Houston than Indy, but I think Patty gets it done with a 3-7-point victory to prove the franchise was right in picking him over Deshaun in the draft.
Seahawks - Future Hall of Famer Russel Wilson had to play to his full potential to barely sneak past Patty and KC in the regular season. Andy Reid will not lose to that admittedly solid team twice in the same season. I'd imagine it would be close, but the Chiefs would have about a three-point edge against Seattle in a hypothetical rematch.
Cowboys - I simply don't trust Dak in the playoffs, and I don't think this Cowboys team is as good as they're hyped up to be. Chris Jones and #55 could apply pressure on Prescott, but stopping Zeke poses a real problem to the porous Chiefs. Ezekiel Elliot's hypothetical success would limit Mahomes' potential to make plays, leaving the Chiefs with a relatively low-scoring, single-possession victory over Dallas.
Chargers - I've heard enough about the L.A Chargers being the better team than KC. The eye-test still says that the Chiefs offense is dangerous every single snap, and while numbers show that Rivers is having a great season, it took a miracle for L.A to even split the series this year. Gotta give KC the slightest advantage in what would be booked and hyped as an extremely close game.
Ravens - Lamar Jackson almost got 'em the first time. While I would generally give my trust to Andy Reid in rematches because of his experience and ingenuity, I think the opposite about Chiefs DC Bob Sutton. I don't trust Sutton to get better at defending against that unique, run-heavy offense. I like Harbaugh, and I like that same Ravens D that number crunchers have loved since the start of the season. I'm going against the grain here perhaps, but I think Baltimore could sneak up and beat the Chiefs in an ugly, low-scoring game in front of the hypothetically disgruntled home fans in KC.
Philly- Nice Nickname Nick is a legend, and he could very well set the NFL ablaze yet again by beating Chicago on Sunday. Still, I can't honestly pick him and the up-and-down Eagles to beat my Chiefs at Arrowhead. Alshon Jeffery is an underrated stud, but as a whole, Philly's offense shouldn't have the kind of big-play firepower that KC's does. Mahomes Magic should give Chiefs Kingdom the edge in this what-if scenario. KC should beat Philly by 7-10 if they faced off in this year's Wild Card Round.
Da Bears- Mitch Trubisky has looked like the future of the franchise often this year, but he also fought through moments of looking young...probably because he's young. Tarik Cohen scares me more than a league-best defense led by Khalil Mack, but both frighten me deeply. Mahomes>Trubisky, but Tru only needs to be adequate while his defense stops Pat from being perfect. I think Chicago would beat KC by 7-10 points right now, but the level to which a Divisional Round victory would galvanize this squad would be impossible to foresee.
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