Spags Stuffing Buffalo's Run-Game Can Keep KC's #1 Seed Hopes Healthy

Patrick Mahomes is so damn great that he constantly overshadows how good Josh Allen is, and I think that will continue this afternoon at Orchard Park. Their 2025 output looks remarkably similar. Allen's completion percentage is exactly one point higher than Patrick's. His average for yards per pass attempt is 0.5 yards higher, and his Passer Rating is 0.5 points higher. Both elite QB's have thrown four picks and been sacked 14 times for 85 yards lost. While both these future Hall of Famers feasted on bad defenses in weeks prior, they both face elite pass defenses this afternoon.

The Bills rank second league-wide in passing yards allowed per game, and the Chiefs rank third. Every AFC team that always has Mahomes standing between them and a Super Bowl appearance needs to focus on making their secondaries solid, and it seems Buffalo has done that this season. The strength of the Bills' secondary paired with the Buffalo defense ranking 30th in rushing yards allowed per game could result in the Chiefs running the ball more often and with more success. KC isn't as bad at anything as Buffalo is at stopping the run, but the Chiefs defense also isn't great at slowing down great running backs. While KC's defense ranks fourth overall in yards allowed per game, they rank 11th in rushing yards allowed per game. James Cook III is second only to Jonathan Taylor in total rushing yards, and as ESPN's preview of the game pointed out, the Bills are undefeated when he either reaches 100 rushing yards or scores.

How Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo chooses to counter this and how the defense implements his decisions will decide the winner today. Cook III averages only 28.7 rushing yards per game over his career against the Chiefs, but he also averages 3.3 receptions for 30 yards per game. Consider that a small sample size, though, because Cook III will face KC for only the fourth time in his fourth pro season today. Last time he saw KC's defense was in the Arrowhead Invitational, known in some parts as the AFC Championship, when he finished with 85 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns and 49 receiving yards. KC managed to win that game thanks to an 11-point fourth quarter, but allowing 29 to any team is concerning.

Both of these top-shelf teams need this win to keep their hopes for the #1 seed in the AFC healthy. Mahomes typically succeeds when it matters most, and this is the most important game he'll be a part of until the start of the playoffs. This largely untested Bills team is hungry, but they looked far-from-perfect when they lost to New England and Atlanta in back-to-back weeks. Despite the Chiefs facing perhaps their toughest test of the regular season today, I knew all week who I would pick to win this important face-off. I'm taking the Chiefs in a hard-fought 26-24 battle.

KC Hosts Dominant Detroit Offense After Disappointing Defeat

Week 6 of the NFL season is underway, and the Kansas City Chiefs' true identity is still a mystery. Despite starting 2-3 with a quarterback that ranks 19th in Passer Rating, I still believe this is a Super Bowl-caliber team led by the greatest football player ever born. The Vegas odds-makers seem to echo my sentiment so far, because despite their losing record, KC still has the fourth-best odds to win it all this year. Today's opposition, the 4-1 Detroit Lions, are betting favorites to win the NFC.

The Detroit Lions' success stems from their offense averaging 2.2 more points per game than any other team in football this season. They've scored at least 34 in their last four games. Three of the defenses they battered - Chicago, Cincy and Baltimore - all rank in the bottom-six in yards and points allowed this season. They also put up 34 on a tough Browns defense during that stretch, which is impressive. KC ranks 13th in both points and yards allowed this season, so tonight will be the closest Detroit has come to facing an average NFL defense. If that translates into the Lions scoring their average amount of points tonight, the Chiefs can't win without Patrick Mahomes looking great.

To be honest, if Detroit scores more than their season average of 35, the Chiefs will lose tonight. KC hasn't scored 35 or more since September of 2023, typically because they don't need to score that much to win. KC looks completely different on offense when Xavier Worthy is healthy, but the Chiefs still cannot expect to win this game 41-38. They need Steve Spagnuolo's defense not to totally stuff Detroit's prolific offense, but to just slow it down a little. Basically, Spags will coach this game like he's coaching against prime Steph Curry in the playoffs - you don't have to limit him to 10 points, just don't let him go off for 50.

A team leading the league in points scored makes me picture a team that's throwing the ball all the time, but the Lions have the third-lowest passing play percentage in the NFL. Dan Campbell's style revolves around Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, who both carried the ball over 60 times for over 300 yards this season. Amon-Ra St. Brown still averages 8.2 targets per game this season, but the perpetually underrated Trent McDuffie should limit him like he limits every other #1 receiver in football. Today's game will come down to KC's ability to slow down that prolific Lions rushing offense and Mahomes' ability to exploit the weak points of Detroit's banged-up secondary. The Lions are down two defensive backs and a linebacker because of injuries, so they could struggle more than usual to stop Mahomes and KC's passing attack.

I believe the Chiefs will win today, but I admit that my reasoning in this particular instance is based more on history than on current events. I know these Chiefs are currently a losing team with some unanswered questions. I won't be shocked or incredibly disheartened if this strong Lions team beats KC tonight. I also know that Mahomes losing a game after a disappointing defeat happens very rarely. In the seven prior seasons of Mahomes as full-time starter, the Chiefs have lost consecutive regular season games four times. I'm predicting a 30-27 victory for the Chiefs.

Will Persistent Penalty Problems Help Philly Fend Off KC?

Many, many things had to go wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs to lose last week's season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers. With true #1 receiver Rashee Rice out due to a suspension, the Chiefs lost their next #1 when Xavier Worthy dislocated his shoulder less than two minutes into the game. Chargers QB Justin Herbert finished his day with a Passer Rating north of 130. Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor committed four penalties in the first 32 minutes of game-time. All these issues still left KC's defense with a chance to give the ball back to Patrick Mahomes late in the fourth - if only they could stop the Chargers from converting on that 3rd and 14 right before the two-minute warning.

The Chiefs incurred 10 total penalties, but eight of them were incurred with more than 13 minutes on the clock in the third quarter. Four of those eight were on Jawaan Taylor, who was tied for first last season in total flags drawn. He also represented 17.27% of the Chiefs' total penalties, which was the highest percentage in the NFL last season. Taylor has constantly drawn too many penalties throughout his career, so there is little surprise that he is the most penalized player in football after Week 1. To be the biggest penalty problem on the team, and to do so by the biggest margin in the NFL, all while representing a bigger cap hit than anyone not named Mahomes, is an objectively significant problem. 

Playing that kind of ugly football against the defending Super Bowl champs will probably result in a loss for KC. Philly's defense may not be as good as last season's after some significant offseason departures, but they seem to have retained their ability to apply pressure to opposing QB's. In Week 1, the Eagles pressured Dak Prescott 13 times, but Dak was able to evade most of the contact and play a relatively clean game. If Mahomes can do the same, the opportunity for big plays down the field should present themselves. KC needs to take advantage of these moments, all while tightening up in their own secondary, if they have any real hope to win this Super Bowl rematch. 

Justin Herbert excelled in the intermediate passing game last week, according to his most recent pass chart. Young Chiefs like Chamarri Conner, Jaden Hicks and Bryan Cook all need to improve coverage over the middle of the field within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage or Kansas City is doomed against opponents with competent quarterbacks. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has a tough job balancing this with trying to stop future Hall of Fame back Saquon Barkley from gutting KC's interior defense all afternoon long. Spags is a master at his craft, though, and I trust him to plug the right holes with creative blitzing packages and coverage schemes today. His ability to do so, plus the Chiefs' ability to limit costly penalties today, will decide who comes away from this big rematch with a win.

Like I said, I have faith in Spags to get the chess pieces where they need to be today. I'm predicting a fun, gritty 24-23 victory for our Kansas City Chiefs. I really, really don't want to be talking about Jawaan Taylor's penalties for another week of analysis. If that happens, we'll see Jaylon Moore getting more significant snaps very soon.

Allen Again Standing In the Way of Chiefs Chasing Championship History

I want to be the guy who does deep dives on the opposition's second-stringers, and sometimes I am, but today's story being told on the field revolves around the two historically great quarterbacks trying to reach the Super Bowl. Josh Allen's greatness is the only obstacle left for a Kansas City Chiefs team trying to reach their fifth Super Bowl in six years. Allen is either the MVP or the runner-up this season. A Bills team that many pundits expected to regress wound up tying their franchise record for regular season wins, thanks largely to Allen's poised performance and a ridiculously strong team turnover differential.

The Chiefs' turnover differential of +6 was bested by only nine teams in the league this season. The Bills led the league in turnover differential by a margin of eight. Their differential is precisely four-times Kansas City's. This huge disparity exists largely because Josh Allen reduced his interceptions from 18 in 2023 to just six this season. This improvement didn't cost Buffalo their ability to score a bunch of points, either; Buffalo's starters scored at least 30 points in 12 of their 16 regular season opportunities, and they've scored at least 40 in three of their last four. The only bright side for Chiefs fans here is that this Chiefs defense - especially in the playoffs - outclasses anything the Bills experienced this season.

KC's defense allowed the fourth-fewest points per game in the regular season. Buffalo did not play a team that allowed fewer. The Bills defeated the Chiefs earlier this season and scored 30, and when Buffalo faced the Detroit Lions' 7th-ranked scoring defense, Allen's offense put up 48. A key factor here was Detroit finishing that game with zero sacks. Josh has been incredible using his legs this season, but he won't get away with that as much today.

Steve Spagnuolo's defense sacked Houston's C.J. Stroud eight times last week. That came from six different Chiefs and included five sacks in the fourth quarter. Spags' unique prowess in sending blitzes that confuse opposing offenses is an intriguing skill to have when facing a quarterback who excels at stealing first downs with his legs when no passing options are available. It will be fascinating to see how Spagnuolo balances his clever blitz packages with limiting Allen's running skills. Since I believe in the other Hall of Fame-caliber talent doing what they always do in the playoffs, this Spags Vs. Allen chess match should be what decides today's winner.

Today's game should be a true nail-biter. The Bills will likely win the turnover battle. Josh Allen will invariably frustrate Chiefs fans everywhere by converting some crucial third or fourth downs using his scrambling skills. The connection between Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce will continue to be the greatest in NFL history, but Buffalo's desire to limit it could lead to the potential for a home run play to someone like Xavier Worthy or Hollywood Brown. All this should result in an all-time classic victory for our Chiefs, 30-27, in overtime. I hope you can enjoy all of it with people who love football and love you.

I Re-Watched Last Year's AFC Championship So You Don't Have To

Last year's AFC Championship game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals broke every heart in Chiefs Kingdom. Selective memory made it genuinely difficult for me to recall specifics from that game, lest the thought of it hurt me all over again. I thought it would be wise to watch it one final time before this week's Bengals-Chiefs faceoff. The viewing experience gave me indigestion. 

It all started so well; KC's defense forces a three-and-out on the Bengals' first drive, then Mahomes immediately marches down the field for a first-drive touchdown. Cincy's offense begins moving the ball methodically on the next possession as the Chiefs fail to stop either Joe - Mixon or Burrow. The Bengals push deep into enemy territory, but KC's secondary disrupts two straight pass attempts to the end zone to force Cincinnati to kick a 32-yard field goal, resulting in a 7-3 score nearing the end of the first quarter.

KC responds with a 44-yard connection to Mecole Hardman on the first play of the following drive, which ends with a TD pass to Kelce. Cincy is quickly forced to punt on the next drive, leaving KC with a 14-3 lead and the ball with 10 minutes to play in the second half. Successful and aggressive play-calling immediately leads KC to yet another TD, this time to Hardman. It was five minutes 'til halftime and the Chiefs were up 18. I know what happened next, but how the hell did it happen? Just how?

Veteran running back Samaje Perine slips through some porous defense before the end of the first half for a quick Cincy touchdown. With a minute and a second, KC moves the ball swiftly with quick shots to Hill and Kelce. A pass interference call on Tyreek leaves the Chiefs with nine seconds and a 1st and Goal on the 1 yard-line. An incompletion leaves them five seconds. A completed pass for no gain to Tyreek leaves no time on the clock and a heavy sense of regret in the hearts of everyone in Chiefs Kingdom. Despite driving all the way to Cincinnati's 1 yard-line, the Chiefs failed to put more points on the board.

No problem though, right? The Chiefs get the ball to star the second half, and they're already up 11, so it's still all good. Then KC fails to get a single first down in this possession, and they punt. The Bengals offense responds to the roars of the Arrowhead faithful with impressive competence, until a Delay of Game penalty stifles the drive and forces a punt of their own.

The Chiefs start on their own 7 yard-line. They soon punt from the 25. Burrow, Chase and Mixon look frighteningly good as they march into Chiefs territory. KC's defense tightens up to limit Cincy to a field goal. KC gets the ball back with a lead and under five to play in the third. Everything should have been fine. 

On the second play of the possession, Mahomes feels the pressure of a blitz coming from his right, and he fires a quick pass to his left that bounces off the hands of another defender closing in on him. The ball bounces upward and lands in the hands of Bengals defensive tackle B.J Hill. This is the moment in my re-watching experience that I paused the video and went to grab some cookies. Not even the good kind, but the cheap ones, the off-brand chocolate chip cookies that only I seem to enjoy, even though they make my stomach ache. I only stoop to eating them when I have a particularly low sense of self worth. I returned to the video prepared to hurt myself in more ways than one. 

So now it's Bengals' ball with a little over two to play in the third. Before the fourth quarter begins, Cincy ties the game with a touchdown drive and two-point conversion. KC responds by going three-and-out.

 L'Jarius Sneed then brings the Arrowhead crowd to an unhealthy decibel level with an interception that quickly ends the Bengals' next possession. Despite all their stumbles, the Chiefs still had the ball in Mahomes' hands with a tie and under 14 left in regulation. The Chiefs responded to this opportunity by going three-and-out, as Mahomes is sacked on third down on consecutive possessions. 

A memorable third-down scramble from Burrow keeps the Bengals' next drive alive despite consistent pressure from KC. On consecutive third downs - both 3rd and 7 - Cincy's remarkable young QB uses his legs to move the chains. The bend-don't-break Chiefs defense gets a stop on Burrow's Bengals eventually, but not before Cincy gets in range for Evan McPherson to hit a 52-yard field goal that gives the Bengals the lead with only six minutes left in regulation.

Patrick Mahomes was made for moments like this. He nearly proves it with a long drive that gave KC a first down on Cincinnati's 4 yard-line. KC failed in ugly fashion to punch it in, but instead relied on Harrison Butker to tie the game with a 44-yarder as time expired. 

Overtime. KC wins the toss. Incomplete pass on first down. Another on second down that almost results in an interception. On third and 10, Mahomes goes deep downfield to Tyreek in double coverage. Bengals safetey Jessie Bates III gets a hand in between Hills' hands as Tyreek leaps up and reaches for the ball. Bates swats the pass away, and it lands in the hands of his fellow Bengals defender Von Bell. A Mahomes interception gives Burrow the ball in overtime.

The Chiefs defense cannot stop the Bengals on the ground or through the air. Burrow sets his team up for a 31 yarder. The kick is good. Mahomes winces as Burrow celebrates. Pleasantries are exchanged as Chiefs fans everywhere hold their reeling heads in their hands. Kansas City just scored three touchdowns on their first three drives of the game. The man with the best start to a career of anyone in the history of his position was one step away from the sport's ultimate stage, and he came up short. That hurt Chiefs Kingdom in a unique and unforgettable fashion.

Winning today would be little solace. This is only the 12th chapter of a 17-part story, and if that story goes well enough, KC gets to start a new and more important story when the playoffs begin. Only when the Bengals and Chiefs meet again when it's do-or-die will KC get a chance at true redemption. Consider this afternoon's game a tease of a bigger story yet to be told. With all that foreshadowing out of the way, we do have a slightly more technical topic to consider.

Burrow killed KC's defense in aforementioned crucial moments by using his legs on third down. I don't get paid the big bucks to know how to limit that, especially since Madden was enough to teach me that a QB spy strategy simply leaves a team one less defender to guard one of the Bengals' dangerous wide receivers. Whatever Steve Spagnuolo can think of to limit this will be utilized from now on, but it may be as simple as guys in the middle of KC's defense like Nick Bolton using their athleticism to close on Burrow ASAP on third down. Bolton's rapid improvement and the growth of Willie Gay should mean KC is better equipped at dealing with Burrow's scrambling skills this time.

I cannot predict a win for KC today. Until proven otherwise, Cincy has KC's number. Nobody knows how effective Ja'Marr Chase will be today after missing four games with a hairline fracture in his hip. Cincinnati is fresh off an exciting win over a solid Tennessee Titans team who also lost to the Bengals in the playoffs last year. The Chiefs are coming off a yawn-inducing victory over a Los Angeles Rams team who had to start their relatively unknown third-string quarterback. I'm predicting another thriller but unfortunately another defeat at the hands of Joe Burrow. 30-27, Bengals. Don't forget, though; the real test comes in January.

Can KC's Defense Bother Burrow's Bengals?

It's tough to tell what will limit Joe Burrow any given week. He's won and lost against teams with varying pressure rates, yards allowed per game and any other relevant stat I could think to Google. Burrow lost by three to both Aaron Rodger's Green Bay Packers and Mike White's New York Jets. The Cincinnati Bengals' young signal-caller ranks 6th league-wide in passing yards while tying for the league lead in interceptions, which results in a 52.7 QBR that ranks 13th. His upside is tremendous, but Joe's still justifiably unpredictable.

What's more predictable is the continued success of the Kansas City Chiefs defense. Nobody but the Los Angeles Chargers' objectively strong offense has mustered more than two touchdowns in a game against KC since the first day of November. Only four teams in football hold opponents to fewer points per game than the Chiefs. Cincinnati's passing offense will pose a serious threat today. The Bengals rank 8th overall in passing yards per game and seventh in points per game. However, KC overcame a similarly potent opponent very recently when they outscored Justin Herbert's Chargers just two weeks ago. Herbert's offense ranks fourth in passing yards and total yards per game this year, and the Chargers score 0.1 points per game fewer than Burrow's Bengals.

The spotlight once again shines brightly on Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who once again deserves his roses for the incredible improvement shown by this defense. This improvement, when paired with a quarterback-coach tandem that's destined for the Hall of Fame, will give the Chiefs the advantage today. I predict an exciting 31-27 victory for Kansas City.

Can Chargers Damage Chiefs' Championship Chances?

This week's Thursday Night Football will present the most important game of the regular season for the AFC West. All eyes will be on the 9-4 Kansas City Chiefs when they line up against the 8-5 Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium tonight. As fans prepare for this pivotal meeting, as well as all the playoff drama that's soon to come, I'm coming to grips with a bitter truth regarding the quarterbacks in tonight's game.

Chiefs Kingdom knows how great Patrick Mahomes is, but Justin Herbert has been better than our guy this season. Don't kill the messenger - it's a simple mathematical fact. Herbert's been better in every major statistic except for sacks and sack yards lost. When they faced off earlier this season, the young Chargers QB threw for four touchdowns without a turnover and recorded an Adjusted QBR that was 23 points higher than Patrick's. There is no denying that Herbert won the first battle of the season. The Chargers winning the war tonight would do serious damage to the Chiefs' chances at claiming another championship.

This game could come down to the last possession, as indicated by the three-point spread, and the way Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo coaches around a few key omissions to the defense could decide who wins tonight. Both teams could be dealing with major omissions to the roster, but we know for sure that Kansas City will be without Chris Jones, Willie Gay and L'Jarius Sneed. I was happy to give Spagnuolo credit recently for this defense's drastic improvement, but tonight is his biggest test of this regular season. I have faith that Spags can pass that test, especially because I have faith in guys like Nick Bolton and conference defensive player of the week Mike Hughes to make the most of their increased snap count.

It's a good time to be hot, and nobody's hotter than the Chiefs right now. Nobody's reached double-digits on this defense in three games, and nobody's scored more than 17 in the last six. Only five teams in the NFL now hold their opponents to fewer points per game. That's an objectively good defense, and a good defense succeeds even when missing key talent. I believe the Chiefs can meet these somewhat lofty expectations and win this one 31-24.

Impressive Defense Improves Chiefs' Championship Chances

Major improvements to the Kansas City Chiefs defense have completely altered the way the world views this team. Don't forget that Kansas City took a losing record into November this year. They allowed each team they faced to score at least 29 points in every game from the start of this season until the middle of October. That defense put Chiefs Kingdom in a position where we wondered if KC would miss out on the postseason completely. Now, after all those fear-inducing failures, the Chiefs are a first-place 7-4 team with realistic Super Bowl aspirations. After one of the worst starts to a season in the history of NFL defenses, the Chiefs' 22.7 points allowed per game currently ranks as exactly league average.

It's no surprise that it took various specific changes to make this transformation possible. Brett Veach's strategy of never overspending on cornerbacks works wonders when under-rated players like Rashaud Fenton, L'Jarius Sneed and Charvarius Ward avoid the injury report. The coinciding addition of Melvin Ingram seems to have ended the experiment of Chris Jones as an edge rusher for now. This decision immediately improved KC's ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo deserves a ton of credit for limiting snaps for Chiefs defenders susceptible to giving up big plays. Spags also deserves praise for expanding the roles of emerging young talent like Nick Bolton and Willie Gay. The center of Kansas City's defense hasn't looked this good since Derrick Johnson's prime, and it could be key to making the Chiefs a championship contender again.

All these changes give the Chiefs a tangibly greater chance of success every time they take the field. Kansas City allowed 32.6 points per game in their first five games of the season. They have allowed 11.75 points per game in their last four. I'm aware these victories came against Daniel Jones, Jordan Love and a Dallas Cowboys team without their two best receivers. Dallas didn't have problems putting up points without Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb on Turkey Day, but I digress. The Chiefs' improvements on defense surely have something to do with the teams they're playing, but tests against elite teams with elite quarterbacks are rare. Without this improvement from the defense, the Chiefs probably wouldn't have this four-game winning streak, and our playoff dreams would already be dashed.

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.

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.

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.