Patrick's Prolific Passing Presents Problems for Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons began the year 0-5, and after losing their last three games, they are now winless in December. Atlanta's four wins came when the faced the Vikings, Panthers, Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders. It is now impossible for any of those teams to finish this season with a  winning record. Both sides of the ball deserve blame for this underwhelming season, but what went wrong with these still-star-studded Falcons?

Atlanta continues to feed Todd Gurley II a lot, but that strategy seems to be part of their problem. None of the 10 running backs with more than Gurley's 182 carries average less than his 3.5 yards per carry. Chiefs first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire has one less carry than Gurley and averages 0.9 more yards earned with his opportunities. Establishing a consistent running game makes sense when Derrick Henry is on the roster, because that guy averages more than five yards gained when he runs the ball. When a team heavily features someone as ineffective as Gurley, they set themselves up for a whole bunch of 2nd and 9's on offense.

Kansas City also faces an underpowered Falcons passing attack, as a hamstring problem will keep dangerous receiver Julio Jones out of today's game. Calvin Ridley may frustrate Chiefs fans a few times, but the rest of Atlanta's offense pales in comparison to the wealth of talent on KC's offense. 

The Falcons struggle mightily against good passing offenses and good tight ends. The Chiefs will undoubtedly bring those things with them to Georgia today. Travis Kelce ranks as #2 in the NFL in receiving yards among all players at all positions. Kelce consistently causes chaos across the middle of the field when facing teams with weaknesses similar to Atlanta's.

Even if the Falcons play top-shelf defense, the Chiefs are prepared to overcome that. The Dolphins, Ravens, Patriots, Bucs and Saints all rank in the top eight in points allowed per game. They all lost to the Chiefs. This Kansas City offense is tested. It continuously proves itself to be nearly unstoppable, and this game represents KC's chance to secure the #1 playoff seed in the conference. With plenty to play for, a uniquely great Chiefs offense faces a Falcons defense that struggles against any modestly effective passer. I predict that the Chiefs will earn a bye week with a 33-21 victory today.

Will Mahomes Magic Lose Luster In Louisiana?

    Kansas City tantalizes viewers with the possibility of seeing an offense capable of being the best of all time, but they undoubtedly have their work cut out for them this afternoon in Louisiana. We know today's game is a potential preview of the Kansas City Chiefs' next chance at a championship, but the Chiefs still has playoff seeding to worry about, and the New Orleans Saints are well-built to exploit KC's few weaknesses. 

    The Chiefs just overcame an elite defense last Sunday, but this week's opponent is a different kind of dominant. The Miami Dolphins defense represented a unique obstacle for the Chiefs. When they forced Patrick Mahomes into throwing two early picks, it represented his worst start to an NFL game in his entire career. After forcing a fumble and another pick in the second half, the Dolphins are now tied with Pittsburgh for the league's most takeaways. The only team on KC's schedule who allows fewer points per game than the Saints are those pesky Dolphins, but Miami's averages for rushing yards, passing yards and total yards allowed are all subpar. The Saints rank fourth or better in all of those categories, and only three teams in football allow fewer points per game. New Orleans excels in the turnover department, too. Only six teams in the NFL have better turnover differentials, and only six teams have more takeaways.

    The weakest part of KC's current roster will square off with one of the strongest parts of this stacked Saints roster. David Onyemata, Cameron Jordan and Trey Hendrickson consistently pressure opposing QB's without the need for extra blitzers. Vereran Chiefs offensive lineman Mike Remmers will miss today's game due to a back injury. Another back injury forced former #1 overall pick Eric Fisher to miss practice time early in the week, and he is currently listed as questionable. This just adds to damage already done to KC"s depleted offensive line. t's such a glaring advantage for the Saints that it almost made me predict a victory for New Orleans today. However, with studly Saints receiver Michael Thomas on the injury report and the Honey Badger on a rampage, I still give the edge to KC.

    Tyrann Mathieu brings fire and poise to this Chiefs defense that gradually galvanized them into one of football's best. That's not to mention the six interception for Mathieu, which is most among all safeties and third-most among everyone in the league. Tyrann's importance cannot be understated and will not be lost on a Chiefs fan who lived through a year of a similarly great Chiefs offense being held back by a Bob Sutton defense. Patrick Mahomes was still a fantastic quarterback that year, but our Chiefs' defensive woes will forever leave me lingering on what-ifs, because KC couldn't win it all without a better defense. The same improvements on defense that led the Chiefs to a championship last season lead me to predict an entertaining 30-27 victory for Kansas City when they visit the Saints today.

Mahomes Must Avoid Forced Fumbles To Defeat Dolphins

Today is not the day for the Kansas City Chiefs to let their guard down. The 8-4 Miami Dolphins enter this game hungry to prove themselves and add a victory over the champs to their resume. How scared should Chiefs Kingdom really be of Tua, or perhaps more accurately, of this Dolphins defense?

Starting at noon today, we'll see the #2 scoring offense in the NFL facing off against the league's #2 scoring defense. We'll also see perhaps the best cornerback in football in Miami's Xavien Howard lining up against the best deep threat in football in KC's Tyreek Hill. Facing off against an excellent secondary could translate to big games for Chiefs pass-catchers that aren't playing the role of #1 and #2 wide receiver. That means the effectiveness of Travis Kelce and Mecole Hardman could make or break the Chiefs offense today. While elite talent forces the Chiefs to adjust their offensive scheme, a history-changing global crisis will alter Miami's plan on offense.

COVID-19 is sadly blame for Miami's serious disadvantage against our Chiefs today. Said virus rendered two of Miami's three top running backs unable to play, and the third is sidelined with a shoulder injury. That clearly gives our Chiefs a major advantage in the hours to come, but this Dolphins team wins games they should not. Miami's Week 8 win over the legit Los Angeles Rams is my main piece of evidence.

Rams pressure forced a Tua fumble early in this midseason meeting that came after Miami's bye week and represents the beginning of the Tagovailoa Era for the 'Phins faithful. A Jared Goff pick shortly thereafter gave Miami the ball and good field position, and this led to Tua's first career TD pass. Then, with the game still tied, Myles Gaskin fumbled on first down within 10 yards of his own endzone. This definitely doesn't sound like the description of a game that the Dolphins won by multiple possessions, but it happened. Miami's defense forced four turnovers from Jared Goff, and Jakeem Grant ran back an 88-yard punt for a Dolphins touchdown. Every Dolphins drive in the second half of that game resulted in a punt, yet they beat the Rams by 11.

The Dolphins had a healthy Gaskin and a healthy Matt Breida that day, but Tua and that tandem combined for only 60 rushing yards. It wasn't a strong running game that helped Miami defeat one of the league's best that week. Turnovers were the reason Miami pulled that one off, and they're now tied with three other teams for the fourth-best turnover differential in the NFL. KC's +11 differential ties them with Pittsburgh for the league's best. Enjoy the fact that the Chiefs' trajectory still points to greatness, but prepare yourself for a close game today.

Prepare to be upset when Tua scrambles and makes plays by exploiting the Chiefs' imperfect core of linebackers. Prepare for impressive pass-catching tight end Mike Gesicki to frustrate the entire Kingdom by helping Tua do so. I think that duo will be enough to keep things competitive today, but I also think a well-prepared Chiefs team should beat these Dolphins more often than not. I predict a hard-fought 30-24 victory for the Chiefs. If Miami's new golden boy at QB is the real deal, this will serve as only Scene 1 in the long, enjoyable story of Patrick vs. Tua.

Can KC Handle the Broncos and their Bruised Egos?

Only the New York Jets average fewer points scored per game than the Denver Broncos. The only team with a loss to Denver this year that currently has a winning record is the Miami Dolphins, who were sticking with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the time. After our Kansas City Chiefs took care of business last week against a playoff contender in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this week's competition won't exactly incite mass panic in Chiefs Kingdom.

We shift now from watching an all-time great trying to keep up with Patrick to watching a remarkably ineffective player trying to avoid embarrassment. Yardage, completion percentage stats and various forms of quarterback rating all infer that Drew Lock is one of football's worst starting QB's. The blame falls less on this 24 year-old and more on the coaching staff failing to maximize his potential, but the Chiefs won't feel sorry for taking advantage of those failures tonight.

That coaching staff would be wise to build a gameplan involving lots of running the ball for the Broncos. To beat the Chiefs when Patrick Mahomes is on his A-game requires a team to score more than 50, and I don't know if the Broncos will score more than 20 tonight. This means the best chance Denver has, unsurprisingly, is to dominate the time of possession battle with a successful rushing attack that keeps Patrick and his lethal offense off the field. Unfortunately for Broncos fans, Denver enters Week 13 with the fifth-lowest time of possession average in the NFL.

Oddshark has the spread for this game at 13.5, but perhaps pride will stop Denver from looking quite that awful today. I still predict a relatively comfy 31-20 victory for our Chiefs to get everyone ready for a tough road trip that includes meetings with the Dolphins and Saints.

Will Tom's Tumultuous Turnover Problems Persist When KC Provides Proper Pressure?

The Kansas City Chiefs face off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Florida this afternoon. We can expect excessive screen-time spent comparing the top-shelf quarterbacks facing off, but the pressure to outperform one another is nothing compared to literally dealing with pressure, especially when it's applied by a strong NFL defense.

Both teams apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks on over 25% of dropbacks, giving both teams a Pressure % in the top ten league-wide. Advanced stats indicate that Mahomes is around league-average against pressure, but Tom becomes one of the worst passers in football. Brady should continue this trend today when he faces a secondary with plenty to prove.

The Chiefs still rank eighth in passing yards allowed per game, but nobody on that defense can be too ecstatic about their last two weeks. Everything we know about Tyran Mathieu suggests he'll be seething. I believe the leader of that secondary will help them bounce back after allowing 310 and 275 passing yards to Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr, respectively. More importantly, the Chiefs gave up 31 points to consecutive opponents, which they haven't done since that game against the Rams in 2018.

Expect a fired-up Tyran to reap revenge and ruin Tom Brady's day. Both he and KC's defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will relish this opportunity to stifle Tampa Bay's gameplan. Disrupting the Buc's rhythm on offense is crucial because, believe it or not, this Brady guy is pretty good at winning football games.

A quick look at common opponents among these teams could concern some fans in Chiefs Kingdom. Tampa Bay has won all five games against teams that KC already faced this season. The Chiefs snuck by the Panthers 33-31, but Tampa beat Carolina twice already, and they won by 13 and 14 points. The Bucs also took care of the Raiders 45-20 with the help of Brady's best performance of the year. 

When he's on, Tom and his team still look Super Bowl-caliber. When he's off, which is admittedly rare until recently, Brady looks like a liability.

Brady began his latest game against the Saints with four straight 3-and-outs, and he gave away a chance for a comeback with two late picks against the Rams last week. Tampa Bay is 1-4 when they lose the turnover ratio, so Tom's turnovers may wind up costing them the division. Also, Brady is 0 for 19 in his last four games when throwing the ball 20 or more yards. I don't need to double-check the stats before I tell you that Patrick Mahomes isn't having that problem.

31-23, Chiefs.

KC Coaches Ready for Revenge This Raider Week

A change of location for their biggest rival cannot change the fact that the Kansas City Chiefs know their opponents in tonight's primetime game very well. The 6-3 Las Vegas Raiders lay claim to the only victory over this season's Chiefs. The whole world expects Patrick Mahomes to score in bunches every game, but the unpredictable variable most likely to decide the winner of this meeting is probably the effectiveness of Derek Carr's offense.

The Raiders' average points scored this year is eighth league-wide, but Carr's passing doesn't always play a role on first down. Only the Titans, Ravens and Browns run the ball with more frequency on first down. You'd think the Raiders found lots of success in this situation if that's their plan, but Las Vegas' 4.3 yards per carry on first down is actually below league average. 

Debatable efficacy combined with KC's mediocrity in stopping the pass on first down may force Raiders head coach John Gruden to readjust this week. The league average Passser Rating of qualified quarterbacks throwing to the short middle of the field (less than 15 yards) is 97. KC allows a 128 to opposing passers in that context this season. 

If it's close, tonight's game could come down to Carr's rare shots downfield. He looks great in a limited sample size throwing deep to the right, and he struggles throwing deep-left. KC shuts down the deep left of the field and sometimes struggle to stop big plays on the right side. Finding ways to push Carr to the left of the pocket while still defending against the short-pass attack will be key to the scheming strategy for Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

I think a few weeks studying what went wrong in KC's loss to the Raiders will be enough to help Spags coach this defense to victory today. A bunch of moments had to go the Raiders' way  in order for Vegas to sneak away with a W last time. I cannot expect Andy Reid to lose to the Raiders coming off a bye week after Andy lost to them weeks earlier. It seems like a recipe for revenge for Reid and the rest of Kansas City, so I predict a 34-24 victory for our Chiefs.

Could Panthers Present Problem for Promising Chiefs?

Practically zero football teams throughout the years are without a significant flaw. Our Kansas City Chiefs sometimes struggle to stop a potent rushing offense, despite their winning ways. The universe's greatest running back lines up today opposite a Chiefs defense that ranks fourth league-wide in rushing yards allowed per game. Christian McCaffrey may be rusty, but feeding him is the Carolina Panthers' best bet today and any day. On the other side of the ball, one of history's greatest combinations of quarterback and coach will work to make McCaffrey's contributions irrelevant.

Numbers indicate that Carolina's defense is remarkably average in most regards. All in all, 12 teams in football hold opponents to fewer points per game than the Panthers. The Chiefs faced two of those teams so far, the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots, and KC handled them both. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid guarantee the Chiefs an advantage in raw skill and experience over virtually any quarterback/coach tandem in football. This remains undoubtable when facing Teddy Bridgewater and rookie HC Matt Rhule. 

The Panthers could keep things close, as only Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers have defeated Teddy's Panthers by more than a single score this season. The current 10-point spread in favor of our Chiefs could bely an opportunity for a tight ball game today, especially if the returning McCaffrey looks healthy and refreshed. Carolina does well defending against tight ends, and KC's wide receiver core is depleted due to injury, so I expect a lot of running the ball by both teams. Clyde Edwards-Helaire could have one of his best performances of the season today as the Chiefs overcome a game Carolina squad 30-20.

When Your Team Plays The Jets, Nobody Wins!

I've predicted some comfy wins for KC at times this year when the Chiefs ended up losing or doing everything but. Today I'm not alone in thinking our guys can handle the winless New York Jets. I can break down a dozen reasons why, but I'd rather make it simple, because their woes aren't exactly hard to pinpoint right now.

Though the Jets' defense isn't a disaster, that offense is offensive. Sam Darnold has so far led his team to the lowest averages in the league for passing yards, total yards and points. For comparison's sake, remember that when we rank all 32 teams by their average points total per game, the margin between one spot and the next is currently no more than two and a half points - until you get to last place. The Jets' average is 5.3 points lower than the Giants' average of 17.4. In fact, you can add together the average score for both New York teams and still not reach Kansas City's average of 31.1 points per game. 

That indicates impressive output for the Chiefs, but it still barely gets them into the top five league-wide. The New York Jets would need double their current scoring output to even reach the middle of the pack among NFL offenses. Unless Sam Darnold and his crew can triple their efficiency today, an average performance from the Chiefs will be enough to earn KC another W.

Darnold is key when it comes to why New York simply cannot win. Judging by either Adjusted QBR or Quarterback Rating, he's one of the two worst QB's in football today. The guy the Chiefs beat last week, youngster Drew Lock in Denver, is the only guy with a lower completion percentage or a lower yardage average than Darnold. Maybe Adam Gase is the problem. He's definitely a problem. Either way, nothing less than a gun could convince me to put money on the Jets today.

I don't even think it will be exciting, and if I'm wrong, there will be reason for concern in Chiefs Kingdom. Today should be stress-free for KC, if not boring. Victory for our Chiefs is clearly expected, and anything resembling a close game will be seen as a sign of weakness, so it's sort of a lose-lose viewing experience for Chiefs fans. The Jets somehow became so lousy that they make football less fun to watch.

Could KC Be Beaten By Broncos' Beefy Defense?

After a Week 5 game that I'd rather forget, our Kansas City Chiefs bounced back with a nine-point victory over the playoff-bound Buffalo Bills last week. A well-known rival now stands in the way of another KC winning streak. Do the Denver Broncos have a real chance at an upset?

Despite starting the day with a losing record, a closer look at Denver's schedule reveals some key ingredients of a successful football team. The Broncos faced off with two other AFC championship contenders in the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers to start this season, and Denver lost both games by a combined total of seven points. It doesn't much matter if Drew Lock can only put up 18 points if the Broncos defense can hold a Cam Newton-led Pats offense to just 12. The old "bend, don't break" cliche seems apt for the Broncos defense; while they fail to crack the top ten in stopping the pass or the run, Denver's 22 points allowed per game is still the 11th-lowest average in the NFL.

That should conjure in me some form of concern, even worry. It does not. Denver's offense is to blame for that. Patrick Mahomes gets some credit too, but that practically goes without saying at this point.

Only the Washington Football Team and the two New York football teams average fewer points per game than Denver. If I didn't fear Josh Allen last week, I can't pretend to fear Drew Lock and the Broncos today. It's worth noting that Denver has faced off against good or great defenses every week they didn't play the Jets this year. However, the Chiefs defense looks legit on paper now, too. Kansas City's opponents average only 21.2 points per game - 0.8 points fewer than Denver's opponents.

Even the Broncos' strengths won't stop Patrick from scoring at least enough to overcome Drew Lock and a Denver offense that's still struggling to find their footing. I expect something like a 30-20 win to keep Chiefs Kingdom calm and content.

Mahomes Bound to Bounce Back Facing Bad Bills Pass Defense

Today, we will witness an intriguing meeting of two legit AFC champ candidates who both hope to bounce back from recent stinkers. Our Kansas City Chiefs stunned me and most of the football world by losing to the Las Vegas Raiders last week. Will they rebound this afternoon, and will Patrick Mahomes outperform the polarizing QB standing in KC's way? 

Josh Allen played like an MVP candidate through the first four weeks of this season, then looked bad in his last game when the Tennessee Titans blew his Bills out 42-16. I like Allen. His proven ability to learn and grow can't be discounted. The Bills are presumably playoff-bound and he's just as much the reason why as any other player in Buffalo. That's enough to bring many in the media to think Allen will achieve elite status at some point, and perhaps that take is warranted. However, nobody thinks Josh Allen is Patrick Mahomes. 

Patrick clearly had one of his most forgettable games last week amidst a memorable stretch of historically unprecedented success. Mahomes arguably never played a worse second half in his entire career. Still, if you just compare the difference between the reaction to these two quarterbacks playing poorly in their last game, you can see the clear difference in status right now. Allen struggled, and everyone now wonders which version of him is to be expected every Sunday (or Monday, or Thursday, or Tuesday, or whenever.) Mahomes struggled, practically everyone was surprised by it, and practically nobody wonders whether Patrick will return to his typical elite form. 

We all know Mahomes' performance wasn't up to his own standards last week, but it's important to remember the same for the strategy employed by the Chiefs' head coach. I expect Andy Reid to acknowledge a lack of balance in last week's offensive gameplan as part of the reason the Chiefs were stunned by the Las Vegas Raiders. This means Clyde Edwards-Helaire should have a more significant impact this week, but that's not to say that Patrick won't be chuckin' it today. Buffalo's defense ranks in the bottom-10 in stopping the pass, and we know the Chiefs offense comes into this game with something to prove.

Kansas City's defense struggled in its own right recently, but their key weakpoints aren't facing a particularly bad matchup today. Only the Houston Texans allow more rushing yards per game than the Chiefs at the time of this writing, but only five teams in football average fewer yards on the ground per game than the Bills. It's time for KC to get back to their winning ways with a convincing, if not hard-fought victory over a solid squad. I'm going with a 42-34 win for a Super Bowl-winning Chiefs team that will be very well-prepared to silence doubters worldwide.

Chiefs Ready to Rock Raiders' Shaky Defense

Vegas think's we'll beat Vegas in comfortable fashion today. To be more clear, the Vegas oddsmakers currently favor our Kansas City Chiefs by 10.5-11 points against the freshly relocated Las Vegas Raiders today. However, that shaky meeting with New England last week conjured some real concern in Chiefs fans. A legit QB with a bunch of haters to prove wrong and a Wild Card spot to fight for should incite more fear than every QB on the Pats' roster not named Newton combined. Derek Carr will provide us a proper test today, as his strengths align perfectly with the weaknesses of Kansas City's defense. Unfortunately for the team that used to represent the Chiefs' arch-nemesis, the Raiders' inadequacies elsewhere on the depth chart suggest that KC's dominance is bound to continue.

The Raiders seem poised to claim the #2 spot in this division after playing respectably against tough competition in the first four weeks of the season. They beat a Carolina Panthers club with a healthy Christian McCaffrey in Week 1, then surprised many with a win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. They've lost two straight since then, first to the Pats and last week to the impressive Buffalo Bills, so you could still say they've only lost to teams that are probably playoff-bound.

Carr and Patrick Mahomes exceled through the first quarter of the season with a surprisingly short passing attack. Carr and Mahomes both have an average of yards per passing attempt that ranks in the bottom five of the league amongst healthy starters, yet they both have Passer Ratings that rank in the top six. The Raiders may find success with this style against an underwhelming core of KC linebackers, especially with Carr's growing reliance on TE Darren Waller. They may stretch the field with that successful short passing attack enough to take some shots with speedster rookie wide-out Henry Ruggs III, a guy I was totally in love with during this year's draft. He's listed as questionable today, but whether he's effective or not, Carr and Company match up well against an injury-riddled KC secondary and an underperforming core of linebackers.

All that may work pretty well, but our man Mahomes will have plenty of opportunity for success today, too. Vegas gives up a bunch of yards through the air and on the ground, and their pass rush is one of the worst in football. Patrick Mahomes always plays well against the Raiders, and Derek Carr always plays poorly at Arrowhead. Whatever advantage Las Vegas has against KC's defense pales in comparison to how the Chiefs stretch the field with speed and exploit mismatches with Travis Kelce. Last week's win was relatively ugly for the Chiefs, but at least it gives this dangerous offense something to prove this week. I expect Kansas City to enjoy a comfy 38-24 victory, since apparently enjoying boring victories over the Raiders is now a city-wide tradition as common as barbeque and complaining about the weather.

Patriots Provide KC A Key Test Despite Cam Newton's Absence

Our Kansas City Chiefs overcame their presumed competition for the conference crown last week with relative ease, and tonight they face off against a ghost of their peculiar past. The New England Patriots won't be fully operational today without Cam Newton leading the offense, but could Bill Belichick and a defense that still commands respect stun the football world with an upset over our Chiefs? If so, how?

KC could increase New England's odds and increase the heart-rates of fans like me by stumbling out of the gates, and they've been susceptible to that lately. After finishing in the top ten in 1st quarter scoring during their championship campaign, the Chiefs entered Week 4 ranking second-to-last in the NFL with 2.2 first quarter points per game this season. New England's defense has allowed only 3.3 points to opponents in the 1st quarter this season, and that can only be bested by six defenses in football.

A slow start for KC could save the Pats from an early slaughter, and their defenses excels at disrupting opponents' short-to-intermediate passing game. It's almost like Bill looked at what his own team accomplishes with the same offensive strategy and said, "don't let that happen to my defense." Today will provide us with a strength-on-strength matchup featuring perhaps the two best football minds in the game. The intrigue of such a meeting of the minds makes me even more bummed that we don't get to see how this new Pats squad looks with Cam healthy.

Stats indicate that Patrick Mahomes is averaging shorter, quicker passes this season, which may sound like a let-down to some fans in the Kingdom. However, there's a big, beautiful reason why football savant Andy Reid utilized this change in strategy, and his multi-faceted reasoning further exemplifies his unique savvy.

First, it's important to note that this short-pass strategy gives defenses the old Muhammad Ali "okey-doke" before delivering some key knockouts by landing long-pass haymakers, kinda like how KC just victimized the highly-touted Baltimore Ravens. It also makes the Chiefs' newest weapon more unpredictable, as Clyde Edwards-Hellaire could damage a defense equally via run or reception. Clyde is key to this change because he completes Kansas City's total coverage of the field with their offense. Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce already stretch opposing defenses to their limits, but now the new #25 is here to turn "spread the field" into a major understatement. If he proves to be worthy of a first-round pick, it's gonna feel like cheating.

I don't think the Pats can stop the Chiefs when Cam is healthy, and part of me hopes that's some juicy foreshadowing, but that means my prediction for today isn't in doubt. I think our Chiefs win a comfy 34-17 game while I imagine Bill wringing his hands like a comic book villain and calculating his strategy for next time...

Mahomes vs. Jackson III Epitomizes Must-See Football

Fear is my first feeling as a fan envisioning tonight's game. As a fan, I fear the uniquely skilled QB facing off against our Kansas City Chiefs. I fear Lamar's leg's and their ability to hurt KC's recently iffy rushing defense. I fear how drastically he improved last season, and I fear that he looks even better right now. I also fear the studly, proven Baltimore defense. What I do not fear is our QB's ability to step up to a challenge of this magnitude. He's done it before, and he'll do it again. However, how many times can Patrick Mahomes pull it off against another potential face of the sport in Lamar Jackson?

Lamar vs. Mahomes epitomizes a must-see matchup. Comparing the two is as inevitable as it is entertaining. Both played in 33 games prior to tonight's face-off. My guy Mahomes has a remarkable 89/18 TD/interception ratio. Lamar's at 83/9. Both claimed their franchise's first MVP award in their second season of a potentially legendary career. Patrick's piled up 9925 passing yards, while Lamar's racked up 2000 rushing yards. That's an average of more than 300 passing yards per game for Patrick Mahomes and over 60 yards per game via Lamar's legs.

When facing the Chiefs, Lamar ran for 67 and 46 in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Mahomes finished each meeting with over 370 passing yards. Expect both men to step up in tonight's spotlight yet again. This incites those wonderful main-event prize fight feelings in me, and I can only hope this game lives up to the hype. If the Chiefs' D doesn't show up though, we're in for a shootout. Baltimore's defense and effective rushing attack would surely give them the advantage in such a game if not for Patrick. He's got Lamar's number, and I cannot predict that to change tonight. I'll pick our Chiefs in a back-and-forth 34-31 game that reminds everyone watching of which two teams are the cream of the crop in this conference.

Can Chargers Challenge Chiefs for Divisional Dominance?

Your Kansas City Chiefs achieved victory last Sunday when they soundly defeated the Houston Texans, but does today offer a tougher challenge? The Los Angeles Chargers escaped Week 1 with a 16-13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals were, uhh, not good last year, and are expected to be, uhh, not quite exactly as good as your Chiefs will be this year. Protecting Patrick Mahomes from the likes of Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa will be important for the Chiefs today, since limiting the record-breaking KC offense is a key first step to any effective Chargers game-plan. Bosa recorded one of L.A's three sacks last week, but KC's offensive line is objectively a cut above the group defending Joe Burrow in Cincy.

Don't be shocked or scared if Tyrod Taylor's comfort level as a Charger grows and he looks good against a Chiefs defense with a seriously depleted secondary. Second-year defensive back Rashaud Fenton and rookie L'Jarius Sneed will presumably start today's game due to the absences of Bashaud Breeland and Charvarius Ward. That would worry me more if KC's depth chart didn't list the best duo of safeties in perhaps the entire league. Let's remember how lucky we are as Chiefs fans that the tandem of Tyrann Mathieu and Juan Thornhill anchors this otherwise iffy secondary.

KC's defense must also make due without Alex Okafor, but the Chargers enter today's game without trustworthy veteran center Mike Pouncey. The sensational and freshly-paid Chris Jones could cause chaos in the middle of the field when he lines up against Dan Feeney, a fourth-year lineman who usually plays guard and usually doesn't sport such regrettable facial hair. The Chiefs' D is better than the Bengals' defense that held L.A to 16 points and Tyrod Taylor to 16 completions in 30 attempts for 208 passing yards. I like Tyrod, and he still has a chance to have a better year than his overrated predecessor Philip Rivers, but L.A doesn't have enough firepower on either side of the ball to keep up with KC this year. I foresee the Chiefs cruising to a comfortable 38-17 victory.

A New Chapter of Our Chiefs Chasing History Starts Now

We are all part of a unique and legendary moment in Kansas City football history, Chiefs Kingdom. The freshly-paid prince of this city and this sport in general returns with the vast majority of his Super Bowl-winning supporting cast for another chance to achieve greatness of the grandest scale this sport can provide. You know the hashtags. You've heard the word "dynasty" passed casually around town, with or without the important word "potential" in front of it. We're just moments away from beginning Chapter 2 in the tale of our team working towards historic greatness. Maybe it's Chapter 3 or 4, depending on where you want to start. We can't get ahead of ourselves, though. Do the Houston Texans have any chance of screwing up this early chapter in this amazing story?

It's not easy to predict how successful the 2020 Texans can be. Brandin Cooks will be limited today, or perhaps I should say more limited than the rest of these newly acquired Texans receivers and backs who have negligible experience with this offensive scheme. I'm hesitant to believe that losing DeAndre Hopkins and picking up other, less-talented pieces will make Houston's offense better.

New acquisitions for Houston's defense such as PJ Hall and Ross Blacklock may step up and make themselves an unexpected problem for KC's offensive line, especially with Laurent Duvernay-Tardif away being a real-life hero and medical science polymath. The also-freshly-paid Deshaun Watson may use his new variety of receivers to poke holes in a Chiefs secondary with plenty of room for improvement. A certain legendary playoff comeback for our Chiefs surely gave Houston enough fuel to cook up a whole bag of chips to put on their shoulder tonight, but I don't think that will be enough to overcome KC.

Patrick Mahomes is still the most valuable athlete in this and perhaps all sports, and he's got all his same weapons from a squad that just became champs. I think I'd be confident in KC winning this game even if Mahomes didn't have a first-round pick stud in Clyde Edwards-Helaire to incorporate into this legendary offense. Unless I missed something, Houston didn't do much to improve a secondary that gave up the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL last season. 

The absence of Breeland coinciding with the return of impressive second-year safety Juan Thornhill indicates that perhaps the best safety tandem in football will provide support for an otherwise exploitable core of cornerbacks. Houston's points-per-game average ranked 14th in the league last season. They only outscored KC's 28.2-point average six times in the regular season. I think Chiefs Kingdom will enjoy a stylish 34-24 victory tonight. Enjoy the return of your defending champions.

Will Chiefs Chase History By Defying Draft Logic?

NFL draft speculation is dominating sports media in this unique time-frame in which the sports world is otherwise paused. It makes me wish I was already a draft mega-nerd, but I sadly don't have the chops that these experts have. As a wannabe journalist and a long-time fan of your world champion Kansas City Chiefs, I can only express my own desires and fears. With all of Chiefs Kingdom riding a wave of confidence that can come only from Super Bowl success, it only makes sense that what I want from this draft is defined more by fans' desires than by their fears.

I did not want a wide receiver initially, despite the apparent depth of worthwhile picks available, but things change quickly when talking about the draft. I thought about maybe five positions before thinking about wide receiver for the first-round pick, but it's worth remembering that the Chiefs probably won't have Sammy Watkins or Demarcus Robinson after this upcoming season. With that in mind, rumors about KC trading up for Alabama receiver Henry Ruggs III caught my attention and slowly started sounding more believable. Quotes that Andy Reid "loves Ruggs" gave me visions of a possible future that induced some serious goosebumps.

Ruggs ran a ridiculous 4.27 forty-yard dash and oozes with natural talent. His already-high projection as a first-round pick somewhere between #10 and 20 overall was perhaps damaged by starting at 'Bama alongside fellow elite receiver prospect Jerry Jeudy. Some say Ruggs displays more skills relatable to excelling as an NFL wideout than Jeudy, who many experts rank as their #1 receiver prospect. Henry's the fastest guy in the draft, regardless of position, and suddenly I realize that I really, really want him on my team at all costs.

It's not as if the Chiefs are totally screwed if they don't draft for a particular position. The front line of Steve Spagnuolo's defense has some depth and talent already, and the safety position is as solid as it can be. I read numerous Chiefs blog offerings about Kansas City aiming for an offensive lineman, but this speculation came before we knew the Canadian doctor would return to wear red and gold this season. Now that Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is officially back in action and veteran Mike Remmers will also be joining the squad, I don't think Veach wants to go O-Line in the first round, either.

I don't have the kind of drafting wisdom that the experts have, but I know the Chiefs lack depth at the linebacker and cornerback positions. If KC picks someone from either of these positions, I'll still be happy, as a lot of talent will reportedly be available at #32. Noah Igbinoghene is athletically impressive and also shows some incredible instincts and anticipation skills. A.J Terrell from Clemson is a physically gifted CB, and linebackers like Patrick Queen or Zack Baun project as one of the best Chiefs at that position in years. I'll be damned, though, if this silly wide receiver rumor doesn't have me salivating a little bit.

Honestly, if we draft anybody in the first round that isn't a QB, I'll just assume Brett Veach knows best and stay content. After all, Veach built a roster that brought back a ring, and I wanted to draft Watson instead of Mahomes.

Speaking of Veach, he already went out and added depth at numerous other positions of need by singing or re-signing trustworthy veterans. All his recent moves could be perceived as evidence that he would like to maintain his ability to draft for talent instead of drafting for need. That philosophy makes sense when the vast majority of a Super Bowl-winning roster is already set to return this upcoming season. Despite their aforementioned lack of depth on defense, the Chiefs don't "need" to draft any particular position. Drafting a trustable linebacker or CB would ease some concerns in the Kingdom, but that doesn't define it as something KC "needs". So, why wouldn't Veach pick somebody that he and Andy Reid thinks can achieve greatness?

Brett Veach deserves credit for trying to go big if Ruggs III is a significant part of his plan. Imagine if the Alabama standout becomes the standout in the NFL that many of the league's best talent analysis experts think he can be. The Chiefs will have Patrick Mahomes throwing to Mecole Hardman, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and another star with elite speed for at least two full seasons - and they'll be able to somehow afford it.

Trading up is a risky, expensive ordeal, and deciding to do so would mean that the entire organization thinks the potential reward outweighs the big risk. Upgrading the offense with another elite receiver would give KC the potential for historically unprecedented success on offense. Making this decision would mean that Veach and Reid envision Henry Ruggs III turning the Chiefs into the greatest offense in football history.

I don't know if it's the smart thing to hope for, but the heart wants what it wants.

Precisely zero mock drafts that I can find have the Chiefs doing this, but predicting a team to trade up is tough. I say that, but two mock drafts from CBS Sports include the Philadelphia Eagles or Denver Broncos trading up to acquire the 'Bama blazer instead, and those aren't the only interested teams. Other possible destinations for Ruggs III include San Francisco and Las Vegas. It sounds like Chiefs Kingdom could wind up loving or hating him based on what happens tonight.

I'll still buy into drafting anybody that doesn't help KC's lack of defensive depth because of Brett Veach's previous triumphs as a big-time decision-maker. For many reasons, this truly unique draft should be seen by Chiefs Kingdom more as a source of fun than a source of stress. Let's all enjoy the respite as much as possible.

Doug LaCerte writes about Kansas City sports and mostly neglects Twitter and Facebook until there's stuff going on that's actually worth talking about.

Mahomes Makes Chiefs Championship Favorites

Are you ready for the most important football game of your life, Chiefs Kingdom? I thought the extra week between games would be unbearable, but it turned out to be euphoric. Part of me wants it to never end. I really will miss having the world's eyes on this team we all hold so close to our hearts. I may not be emotionally ready for all this, but Patrick Mahomes is, and he'll be the difference maker today. The San Francisco 49ers are a more complete team with a stout defense and a frighteningly effecting running game. The most important player in Chiefs franchise history faces another seriously daunting test, but can his talent, wit and will bring our Chiefs a championship?

You've probably heard about the five first-round picks that make up the the Niners' defensive line. You probably know Richard Sherman, future Hall of Famer defensive back and perennial dream-killer for young NFL quarterbacks. You probably remember a certain edge rusher named Dee Ford, too. The effectiveness of San Fran's defense as a whole should not be understated, but their job today is to stop a guy who was seemingly built in a video game to poke holes in great defenses. Having the best deep threat and the best receiving tight end in the universe doesn't hurt.

If San Fran double-teams Tyreek, then Travis Kelce will gouge the admittedly solid second layer of that defense. Double-team Travis, and the Chiefs will have an excellent route-runner in Tyreek Hill ready to find small spaces in San Francisco's zone-heavy defense. Double-team both of these superstar passing targets and watch Mahomes scramble for big gains while distributing to Sammy Watkins and Mecole Hardman. The pick-your-poison line about multifaceted offenses is cliche, but it fits this team to a T.

The tenacity and poise of San Fran's defense limits the amount of big plays made by every team they face. Patrick is just too good, however, at making something magical happen when a play breaks down or must be extended. These kind of matchups are how truly epic sports moments are born. Mahomes needs to be great to give the Chiefs a chance at a championship, but Chiefs Kingdom knows that nobody in this world is more capable of such greatness.

Kansas City already overcame that 24-point playoff deficit against the Texans. They already overcame the prototypical underdog and ended the Cinderella story for a Titans team which also had the consummate Boogeyman at running back. This 49ers team should concern us as Chiefs fans, but now the Kingdom and the team itself is above fearing any team in football. San Francisco could make our hearts pound out of our chests today by looking really good, but the Kingdom knows that Patrick Mahomes is ready to be great. This is his league now. This is his time.

Enjoy every moment of this, Chiefs Kingdom. Remember how much it means to Andy Reid and Andy Reid's entire family and every person who ever played for Andy or went to the same school as Andy or sold Andy a cheeseburger. Remember how great sports can feel when we're all in this together. Hug the people who love football and love you. This is our time, too. Make the most of it.


Doug LaCerte still neglects his Twitter and Facebook, but he appreciates every member of The Kingdom experiencing this moment with him.

Despite Henry's Heroics, Mahomes Makes K.C Super Bowl-Bound

Who saw that one coming? What the hell did Chiefs Kingdom witness last weekend? When did a 24-point deficit become meaningless? Why did Bill O'Brien do all the stupid things he did? How did the Chiefs make so many mistakes in a row, so early? How did Patrick Mahomes make all those mistakes so irrelevant, so quickly? How my dog sleep through the whole thing?

I have more questions, but I'll stop for now.

Wow. With that one comeback victory, KC accomplished a long list of things that no football team has ever done before. Patrick Mahomes showed us his leadership and his heart and made memories for football fans worldwide. Daniel Sorensen played brilliantly enough to earn free beers in Kansas City for life. The whole team somehow returned to championship-caliber play as soon as the second quarter began, galvanized by their glimpse at potential failure.

That must've been the Chiefs' biggest test on their way to a championship. Nothing can be tougher than overcoming that huge deficit against a hungry Texans team, right? Don't be so sure.

The Chiefs defense essentially needs to focus on one man today, but that one man is terrifying. There's a reason why We, The Media have already made you hate hearing his name. It's because he's football greatness incarnate right now. Derrick Henry already proved himself capable of dictating the pace of any game he plays in, playoffs or not. His recent stretch of nearly unprecedented dominance gives us no reason to believe the Chiefs can shut him down. Thankfully for Chiefs Kingdom, KC does not need to stop Henry to keep their Super Bowl dreams alive.

First off, let's not forget that the Titans lost seven of their regular season games. The Chiefs rank 25th league-wide in rushing defense, and three of the teams who beat the Titans ranked 24th or lower in that same category. I'll admit that earlier in the year Tennessee didn't feed Henry like they have been since realizing that he's Bo Jackson. However, the Texans and their 24th-ranked rushing D limited Henry to 86 yards over 21 carries in a crucial late-season showdown. If that struggling Houston defense can stop Derrick Henry from ruining their chances at victory, so can this much-improved Chiefs defense.

Also, the latest Twitter news indicates that Chris Jones is "trending towards being active" and has a "good chance" of being able to go today. Any form of a productive Chris Jones on the field is obviously a huge bonus for this team's run-stopping capabilities. I think KC can win despite this new Boogeyman of the NFL, but his efforts today should keep things frighteningly close.

The Chiefs lost one regular season game without Patrick Mahomes healthy and three games in which their opponent dominated with a single running back. The Colts' Marlon Mack racked up 132 yards over 29 carries in early October to hand KC their first L of the season. Former Chief Carlos Hyde then carried the ball 26 times for 116 yards and started a Chiefs losing streak. Then, in Week 10, Henry himself ran for 188 over 23 carries to lead Tennessee to victory. There is a clear strategy to employ when playing the Chiefs, especially if you have a top-shelf running back on your team. A great game from Henry doesn't guarantee success for the Titans, but a mediocre game from him would almost guarantee their doom.

Henry will be the most important Titan on the field today without a doubt, but he won't be the most important player. There is one key reason to believe the Chiefs can overcome today's adversity, and Patrick Mahomes is that reason. He's the reigning MVP. He's the best player in football. He has a talent-packed offense surrounding him and a Hall of Fame head coach on the sideline. Patrick Mahomes is about to lead his team to the Super Bowl, and witnessing that will be a blessing.


Doug LaCerte writes about Kansas City sports while neglecting his Twitter and Facebook, and he will not apologize for crying during every playoff game hype video.

Mahomes and KC Ready To Shine Bright In Playoffs Spotlight

Football analysts nationwide largely agree that our Chiefs have the edge against the Houston Texans today, but the Texans aren't exactly expected to lay an egg, either. Whichever team gets off to a hot start in a cold Arrowhead Stadium will drastically increase their odds of advancing to next week's AFC Championship Game. Our Kansas City Chiefs have the better chance to do so according to their production in the first quarter throughout the season.

Kansas City averages 5.6 points scored in the first quarter this season, which is the seventh-highest average league-wide. Only the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskin scored fewer than the Texans' 2.8 first quarter points per game. Sure, that looks like bad news for Texans fans, but the return of an oft-injured asset for Houston's offense may change things.

Will Fuller's name was all over talk radio this week because his positive influence on the Houston offense is obvious and nobody knew if he'd be ready to suit up this afternoon. Now that Fuller is officially expected to play and impressive Chiefs rookie safety Juan Thornhill is out for the year, KC's defense is unusually susceptible to giving up big plays today.

I expect other members of the Chiefs secondary, namely Armani Watts, to step up and help limit the Texans play-making capabilities. Houston head coach Bill O'Brien knows damn well that the easiest way for the Texans to sneak away with a victory today is to get a early lead and use the Texans' superior rushing attack to kill clock and limit the chances for Patrick Mahomes to be magic.

I think Mahomes will be magic anyway, of course. This Texans team only beat the Buffalo Bills by 3 points last week. Buffalo QB Josh Allen completed 24 of 46 passes for 264 yards. Our man Mahomes consistently gives us more than that, and I believe he'll be great when he needs to be great. The same goes for Andy Reid, the master of making the most out of bye weeks. Houston is a determined, legit contender that won't go down without a fight today, but the next chapter in the story of the Chiefs franchise will be about the joy of success, not the disappointment of defeat. We have all the right in the world to be not only extremely stoked, but logically confident about today's game.

In mere minutes, a major moment of Kansas City football history will be written. Are you ready, Chiefs Kingdom?

Doug LaCerte writes about Kansas City Sports while neglecting Facebook and Twitter.