Analysis: Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs remaining schedule.
As of week 8 of the 2021 NFL Regular Season, the reigning AFC champions are 4-4. Already two losses more than their 14-2 record the previous 2020 season. With two of these losses being sheer blowouts from granted, very good teams, it still begs the question, how is it that the best regular season team from less than a year ago, already doubles the losses from the previous season? This article will outline exactly how the Chiefs are falling apart, and more importantly, what are their current strengths that will need to stay intact for the rest of the season.
It’s important to re-iterate just how infallible the Chiefs have been for the past 3-4 seasons. Last year they were AFC Champions, only losing their third game of the season in the Super Bowl against Tom Brady. The season before that, they won the Super Bowl. The season before they won it all, they reached the AFC championship. Kansas City has only lost 12 games in the span of these three seasons including the playoffs. Yet, the Chiefs have a third of these losses not even halfway into the 2021 regular season. This isn’t a case of a slow start, or some misfortune, the current Chiefs have a serious problem on their hands heading into the future.
According to YouTube channel, “Football Analysis”, This problem is how other teams have been preparing against Patrick Mahomes, and more specifically, Tyreek Hill. The Ravens went up against the Chiefs and went in with the philosophy of stopping Tyreek Hill in any way possible. This proved effective as Tyreek Hill not only had 3 catches for 14 yards, but the Ravens WON the game. This win wasn’t without bumps however. Travis Kelce had well over 100 yards and the win was by a one point margin. Their next loss to the Buffalo Bills was in a sense, a reformed philosophy the Ravens had. The Bills went in focused on Tyreek Hill with one safety essentially covering deep on Tyreek Hill’s side on every play, but they compensated for other players by giving Tyreek space for short passes underneath, resulting in 7 catches for a mere nine yard average. This time, the Bills won by 18.
Mahomes seemingly ignores a wide open Tyreek Hill against the Bills
Despite their offense not performing up to expectations, Mike Tannenbaum of ESPN still has Patrick Mahomes ranked as the 8th best QB in the NFL, around guys like Dak Prescott and former #1 pick Joe Burrow. It’s the flipped side of the coin that exposes the more heinous issues regarding this struggling Chiefs team…
The Chiefs defense ranked 13th of 32 in the NFL last season. However, in 2021 they rank… 27th. Replacing the Cincinnati Bengals ranking from the 2020 season, however, the Bengals were missing 4 starters. The Chiefs have minimal excuses. Giving up 30 points in their first 5 games is abysmal at best. The sixth game being the struggling Washington Football Team who scored 13 points, but the defense was back to old ways against the Titans who dropped 27 in their victory over them. The most egregious stat of them all comes from Football Analysis once again who says that the Chiefs, after week 5, were on pace to give up more points than the 2016/2017 Cleveland Browns who went 1-31 during these two seasons.
The combination of new looks the offense is receiving, a disastrous defense, a poor running game, and underperforming players have resulted in… A 4-4 record. The Kansas City Chiefs are still weaponized with MVP caliber offensive powerhouses and there’s no doubt it can only go up from here. However, if these issues aren’t addressed, it could be time to see a rapid decline of the Chiefs era, and Patrick Mahomes could be on his way out of his Kansas City uniform…