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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