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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.