What a difference a depleted offensive line makes.
You have to remember, we lost five good starting offensive linemen at some point over the last year.
As you may know, I'm a Golden State Warriors basketball fan. When the Warriors were playing the Toronto Raptors for the 2019 NBA Title, they were going for back-to-back titles just as the Chiefs were. In that series they were holding their own and could have won, but they lost Kevin Durant to a torn Achilles, and then Klay Thompson to a torn ACL. As the series wound down it was obvious there was no way we could win.
We just didn't have the guns.
Those five offensive linemen we lost?
First, our fine looking just-drafted tackle Lucas Niang opted out because of the Covid hysteria. He was one of very few picks in that entire draft to do so, certainly the only one among the very top picks who didn't play a down for his team. He was the ninth tackle taken overall. The fourth tackle taken? Tristan Wirfs, who was right there tonight resolutely protecting Tom Brady.
Second, our very good guard Laurent Duverney-Tardif opted out also because of the Covid hysteria, but he felt he had to go to Canada and offer his fine medical services there for the entire year.
Third, Brett Veach did a great job picking up an excellent guard, Kelechi Osemele, and he was injured and out for the season in, what, the third or fourth game of the season?
Fourth, our All-Pro tackle Mitchell Schwartz had such severe back issues about half-way into the season, he was gone for the year.
Finally in the AFC Championship win two weeks ago our other All-Pro tackle Eric Fisher tore his Achilles.
That's an entire Super Bowl-caliber offensive line right there, and just plain not anywhere near the Super Bowl tonight.
It is nice to think Brett and Andy could fill those holes and get us a serviceable O-line, and by golly they tried hard, but against this outstanding Tampa Bay front four, it really was a hopeless effort. All Tampa Bay had to do was rush those four and flood the defensive backfield.
Even Patrick Mahomes was incapable of doing anything with that.
Really though, looking over what Mahomes did, in light of what he was facing, he was truly amazing.
We truly would have been in this game if we didn't drop so many of his incredible passes while scampering for his life back there, so it was clear the Bucs' dominance on the line affected the whole team's play.
Couple of other notes then I'm done. This is too difficult. Just going to leave it until I feel like coming back to it, whenever that may be.
Brady's luck. Not saying he isn't a great quarterback, but by golly he sure does get the breaks. It never stops. With about 3:30 left in the 3rd quarter and us down 28-9 and the Bucs facing a 3rd down in our territory, the snap went way over Brady's head. This was our one chance, a break going the Chiefs way for once, the time we could rev up that splendiforous comeback. Brady still recovered the ball. They kicked a field goal to make it 31-9. That just turned out to be the insurmountable score.
Then there were the ridiculous penalty calls against the Chiefs in the first half.
It was like deja vu from the 2018 AFC Championship game.
So yeah, while it wasn't all the refs, I can blame the refs as much as I want in my blog. Others agree, there were in particular a number of calls that really cost us this game, yes, as early as in the first half.
The most egregious one was the Mathieu interception that was called back because they saw a phantom hold on Charvarius Ward. His physicality on Mike Evans was not any more than any coverage has always merited. They threw the flag anyway, nullifying the pick. The Bucs went on to score a touchdown. That to me just felt like the game.
I really thought we could get back in it, that Mahomes and Reid could just pull another rabbit out of the hat and get back in it to at least make it close. But frankly, let's face it, Reid just got outcoached -- neglecting to have the game plan for what we knew the Bucs were like. We simply didn't run the ball enough early or have Mahomes just make some deftly arranged quick strikes on short routes.
I have to add briefly that many have to believe that what happened with Reid's son Thursday night, the DUI related accident that left a little girl seriously injured, weighed on him. How is he going to effectively coach the biggest game of pro football with that. I'm sure there will be some meaningful things said about it in the next few days.
I'm done. I did actually think before this started, just like most everyone else, that Mahomes and company could really take it to them. But when you have those issues turning out to be that massive, especially that with the offensive line, it is just something you cannot overcome.
Even superheroes have their kryptonite.
But hey. Look at it this way.
Think of the motivation Mahomes will have.
He's still got that incredibly bright future in front of him.
And he's already a proven Super Bowl winning quarterback.
That's cool.
And hey.
We were in the Super Bowl.
That was awesome. It was an awesome season.
Nothing to be ashamed of. Proud of every single one of these players and everyone who's a part of making the Kingdom what it is.
Great job everyone, and a big thanks.
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