Chargers at Chiefs - Week Three - Record: 1-2

This was an abominable game. Yes, it is still early and the Chiefs will come back this season to make something of a run to the playoffs.

But with this defense --- ugh. And that we thought we'd go 20-0 --- double ugh.

I could say a million things about this game, but just not going to waste my breath. We all know we had three ugly turnovers at the very beginning of the game. That alone was enough to cost us the game.

But what really cost us the game was not having a good enough defense to stop teams who will now be playing four-down football on a regular basis. Did you get that? Teams now know never to punt the ball ever again if they can help it, just to make sure Patrick Mahomes cannot get on the field. No matter what, the rule is, don't punt against the Chiefs. Even if you don't convert, Mahomes will have the ball back anyway. But why not take the chance? Why give him the ball anywhere on the field? Why do that when you've got that one more play to use to keep him off the field?

On my count there were three different times the Chargers went for it on 4th down, and converted each time. On that last one they had a 4th-&-9th late in a tie game, and got it. They then went on to score a touchdown to win the game.

Patrick Mahomes has indeed changed the game.

And because of that, Brett Veach's job is now that much harder.

Why?

Well, first, I just don't think the go-for-it-on-4th will work all the time. And for another thing, this was a game where insanely stupid things did us in. Those won't happen all the time either. The Chiefs dominated the Chargers in every statistical category except the score, turnovers, and luck. 

Well, I can't refuse to add that -- give them credit -- their receivers were catching the tough passes, and ours were not. That last drive with seconds left, Hill and Pringle really should have caught passes that would've given us a decent chance to win. Those same kind of throws from their quarterback were caught by their guys.

But here's the thing about that other-team-going-for-it-on-4th-down thing.

If we can't stop them on four downs, we simply will not win.

We'll win games, but we will not win like we expect to win with a talent like Patrick Mahomes in there. There is this idea that we need to surround Mahomes with the offensive talent he needs to succeed.

But that applies just as much to the defense. If we can't stop four-down offenses, who really now have an extra down to do things with, then we are going to make Mahomes' job impossible over on the offensive side.

Yeah, I could say a ton more about this ugliness today. But here is the conclusion of this one.

It is simple.

Brett.

Brett Veach.

Please start drafting defensive player after defensive player after defensive player after defensive player after defensive player after defensive player, ad infinitum. If I see you draft a single offensive player, unless it is the second coming of Jim Brown or Jerry Rice, I will run down to the Chiefs draft war room and bop you quite resoundingly upside the head.

So there.

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Chiefs at Ravens - Week Two - Record: 1-1

Okay, well we can stop with all the 20-0 talk. That's a relief. 

The score was 36-35, and we're moving the ball in Ravens territory ready to run clock and kick the game-winning field goal with no time left. Easy-peasy.

And Clyde Edwards-Helaire fumbles for the first time in forever.

Oh wow. It should never have gotten to that point. In close games like this anything insane like that can happen, games turn on these horrors. But it shouldn't have come to this -- we should've put this game away early.

But our defense. Owwwwwch.

We even had a chance to stop them on 4th-&-1 with good minute of game-time left for us to get the ball back -- yet sure enough they still get that 1st down to end it.

To open the game we were told the Ravens had tons of injuries. Their replacements played pretty great to keep this one close. Thing is, Lamar Jackson's running abilities made the Ravens in this one. The Chiefs just cannot stop the run. In fact, I really wonder why the Ravens simply do not run Jackson just about every single play. After a while it seemed they did.

The game started with Ray Lewis making an appearance inspiring the Baltimore crowd. That said everything when it comes to the Chiefs. Yep. I can't not say it again: we just really truly actually need a Ray Lewis in there. Yes Derrick Johnson was wonderful, I got that. Yes Ray Lewises are a rare breed, I got that.

But these Chiefs. Ugh. Maybe a Nick Bolton can step up and be something even remotely close to that Ray Lewis type. If we can't get that play, look out. The Ravens ran all over us tonight, even without their best running backs in there.

Then there is the reality that we absolutely cannot stop teams in the red zone. I know we were bad, but the television people went and pointed out that we're the absolute worst. No team is as bad at stopping a team from scoring a touchdown once they get into the red zone than the Chiefs. Errcgck. Here's what I think. Many may disagree, but here's what I think. Next year -- in fact the year after that -- in fact for the next ten years: draft no one but defensive players, please. Nick Bolton looks like he's the only tackler out there, but he can't do it by himself.

What about the offense, and players to get there in the draft? I just think Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid will do fine with whoever we can get out there. But dang do we need some bodies who can win the line on the defensive side, we so need them.

It seems like we have good players there on defense, yes. But wow. We just got steamrolled tonight. I don't know how when we're told we have Chris Jones and Tyrann Mathieu and Frank Clark and everybody who is supposed to be good. What I see in real life is our defensive guys getting shoved right out of just about every play.

Then there was our braindeadedness. One time we had the Ravens at 2nd and 24 on their side of the field and right after that two blown coverages on two consecutive plays gave the Ravens a touchdown. Errrrrgcghck.

Our offense meanwhile showed some amazingness as always. Mahomes used a bunch of different receivers tonight: Robinson got a long TD catch, Pringle and Kelce both took short passes the distance. That's great.

But because we lost by one single point, there were two instances that got us severely messed up tonight. Either one of those being turned into points might have made a difference.

Creed Humphrey made me nervous last week with some snaps that were not sharp. He totally missed one tonight, a wretched snap that put us way back and we could not take advantage of that series. After that though he was solid.

Then we could have put the Ravens away in the 3rd quarter but Mahomes made a poor choice when being dragged down he tried to fling a ball to someone and his wobbly pass was intercepted. That was the turning point.

The Ravens really took over from there.

Still, the key is the work Brett needs to do with that defense. Go for it Brett, I can see the wheels spinning right now. I see him reviewing the college ranks right now preparing for the next draft when we select the most ferocious defender with every single pick. I can't wait until he attacks that defense like he attacked the offensive line this off-season.

But this season? For now? We won't face Lamar Jackson every game, that's cool. But still, it just seems our offense must be perfect on every single drive to make up for whatever ugliness the defense spews up.

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Browns at Chiefs - Week One - Record: 1-0

First the good news.

We have Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce out there playing football for our team.

We also sometimes get the very spiffy benefit of some very fortuitous turnovers by the other team, three critical ones that were really significant to us winning. We were down 22-10 at the half, and ended up winning 33-29.

After scoring a touchdown on our first drive of the second half, their excellent back that we simply refused to tackle the entire day fumbled the ball over to us. We got a FG, but when they got the ball back they scored another touchdown.

The play right after the kickoff, though: Mahomes to Hill for a nifty 75-yard TD pass completion.

Then the Browns messed up their next punt attempt, we got the ball on a super-short field and sure enough Mahomes-to-Kelce, and we have our first lead of the day.

Now the bad things.

Our O-line does indeed really needs to gel. We were getting pushed all over the place at the line, and that always means doom. Again those turnovers saved us. But back to the O-line, two new vets on the left side, three rookies on the right. It was obvious -- sometimes they very much looked out of sync. Edwards-Helaire could never get really untracked and Mahomes didn't look fully comfortable back there. Of course give the Browns credit, they had Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney on their D-line. Both sandwiched Mahomes for a 4th-down-forcing sack very late when we could've run out the clock with a couple first downs.

Our tackling was atrocious. Ay-TROHSH-eeus. I know the Browns have very good backs in Chubb and Hunt, and likely very good O-linemen (after all they are forcing the issue all day), but the times I watched our guys whiff at the point of attack was... UGGH. Our linebacking crew -- Hitchens got injured at one point, Willie Gay was already out. Ben Niemann was being shoved out of every play even though he did recover the Chubb fumble and did make a strong play just before the 2-minute warning to stall Cleveland's last drive -- I still wonder if there is anyone else we can get out there any better. Nick Bolton looked very good at times, and maybe he just needs to get out there on the field more.

The scary thing right now is that -- our run defense. Chris Jones was still monstrosious today, but we do just need people like Willie Gay, Frank Clark, and Tyrann Mathieu back in there soon.

Otherwise, wow.

Having a set of all-time great quarterbacks and receivers, coupled with some real helpful turnovers means you've always got a chance to win.

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The photo is from Steve Sanders at the official Chiefs site.

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