Chiefs at Broncos - Week 8 - Record: 6-2

Yes, the streak had to end some time. Well, not really -- I'm happy with the Chiefs beating every team 100 straight times. And then continuing to beat them another 100 straight times.

The Broncos beat us today because Patrick Mahomes is not Superman. He can't do everything. It was said he was battling the flu, so, yeah. And the giveaways. How many times did we turn the ball over today? Ugh. And there were the times the offense matriculated down the field pretty decently only to end up with field goals every time. No Chiefs touchdowns today at all. Double ugh.

So yeah, not much to write about here. Just an ugly performance that led to a Broncos win that certainly had all Bronco-ites very very very happy finally getting to enjoy a game against the Chiefs.

Time to start a new streak against these guys next time!

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Chargers at Chiefs - Week 7 - Record: 6-1

Another day, another win over an AFC West team. I shouldn't speak too soon -- speaking about having this division wrapped up so early yet again, because the Chargers were playing us really tough in the first half. It was 17-all with a few seconds left until halftime when, yes, yet again...

Travis Kelce showed us all why he should be first get any girl he wants.

Patrick Mahomes threw a pass to him in the endzone and the cover guy simply could not keep up. PI, 1st-&-goal from the one. I believe it was on the very next play Mahomes did one of his shovel-like passes to Kelce at around the line of scrimmage and he was stopped.

Except this is Travis Kelce. And the top girl of all girls was watching, you know, Taylor was in the box right there next to Brittney and her 57 million-strong entourage thrilling to it all.

Thing is, Kelce took the pass at his knees, and because there was no more than 0.0008 seconds before everyone collapsed on him, he raised the ball quickly above his head and tried to single-handedly matriculate his body right on into the endzone about a foot away.

Only right as he got some push from his fellow linemen, the Chargers linemen all tried to snatch the ball from his grasp. It was a surreal look for just a moment, the ball held high while Chargers hands were flailing away at it to try to knock it loose. They were, needless to say, unsuccessful. Kelce fell into the endzone with the requisite mighty grip on that ball and with seconds left in the half the Chiefs went up 24-17.

In the second half the Chiefs D stiffened against a Chargers offense that has been notorious for wilting late in games. That is pretty much how it played out today. The Chargers did not score another point.

We lost Nick Bolton to what is considered a pretty nasty wrist injury, let's hope it isn't too bad.

A fun note about this one. After the Chiefs reacquired Mecole Hardman from the Jets where he went to play before the season started and was inexplicably little used, he was put in to return all our kicks today. On one occasion late in the game, Hardman took a punt that was returnable (it seems so few of any kick is truly returnable these days), and right as the television announcers were mentioning it was Dante Hall day when the Chiefs were putting Hall's name on the Ring of Honor, Hardman returned it fifty yards to set up our close-out touchdown. 

I got to meet Dante Hall nine years ago when he was coaching the high school football team that was playing my son's team that night. I was the football stadium announcer so I was privileged to be out on the field pregame getting acquainted with the player names I'd have to pronounce. What a joy it was to speak with him just for a minute, and have my son's picture taken with him.

Really neat to see him honored at Arrowhead today.

Next week we get the Broncos again, who I just noted beat the Packers today. Maybe they will be getting more of their game on, I mean they did actually do a good job against us last Thursday.

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The first image is from Chris Donahue at the official Chiefs site, the second is from Andrew Mather, thank you.

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Broncos at Chiefs - Week 6 - Record: 5-1 - Second Take

Nkay let's face it. The Chiefs actually have a pretty decent defense, arguably the best Mahomes has had in his tenure so far. The back seven, the LB and DB core, has been playing lockdown D, and last night our D-line was swatting QB tosses like flies. Our running game is solid with Isiah running "angry at the ground," Jerick picking it up with the outlet passing game, and yes, Clyde filling in admirably no matter how much other web efforts ("Arrowhead Pride" ::cough::cough::) so foolishly dismiss the guy. On special teams Tommy was booming punts and Harrison was blasting 60-yard field goals. And yes, Patrick-to-Travis is still rails, last night it was on its standard bright, brilliant display.

Okay okay, we all got that.

But, yeah, ahem...

This receiving core.

How about ranking them, this time simply by how well they are looking of late.

1. Rashee Rice. By far our best option. He not only looks really good downfield but he is exceptional at doing what we all thought he would be exceptional at: yards-after-catch. Every game this dude gets more experience the better option he'll be for Mahomes.

Now this is where it starts to get ugly, which is why the WR room is just kind of gruesome right now.

2. Skyy Moore. He did make some plays last night, which is why he ranks so high here. He does actually look really good catching the ball and making plays, he does, he's athletic -- that's good. How come we are just wondering when he'll take the next step?

3. Kadarius Toney. He too looks like a phenomenally gifted football player. It's just he looked really overwhelmed last night, especially when they tried to get him into open space so he could juke everyone out of their athletic supporters like we've seen him do before. Except that, well, once they had him run a wildcat and it exploded in the Chiefs face.

4. Justin Watson. After his two great plays last week he was invisible last night. Where was he? His one notable target was a dropped pass right in his hands. Sadly right after that he was driven into the turf by the cover guy and he suffered some kind of serious shoulder damage, putting him on the sidelines for a few weeks.

5. Marquez-Valdes Scantling. Also invisible, and mostly noted for an illegal block (another really questionable call by the official -- it could be called yes, I get it, but again, don't say the Chiefs aren't victims of niggling little interpretation calls either) that negated a long catch-&-run by McKinnon. I mean, the guy came through so much in our AFC Championship game last season against the Bengals, remember? He practically carried the team when during the game we lost a couple of our WRs. This season, where is he?

6. Justyn Ross. And where is this guy? At all? From what all of us can see, it is clear he has tons and tons of talent, drive, commitment -- if this translates into real potential why isn't he on the field? In some measure, with the WR crew like it is, why not get him more targets? I don't think there are any Chiefs fans who don't feel this way.

Here's the thing. It isn't as much that any one of them don't have the ability or any of that. We can see it whenever any one of them gets the ball. The problem is in them getting the ball.  How many times are we watching Mahomes step back to pass and look and look and look and look and look and look and look and look (I mean the O-line is really doing a fine job of giving him time) and look and look and look and look...

Sure the opponent D-backs could just be doing their jobs, but how about our WRs doing their jobs? Even when Mahomes scrambles he still looks and looks and looks and looks and looks and...

Do you see this? It is very much ::errrrghckghrrgh::...

Where are those WRs breaking open for him?

I do think a lot of it is on the coaching, and working to get those guys knowing what to do and getting those routes right and getting that feel for what the defense is giving them -- those are the things that make the best WRs. And when you have a Patrick Mahomes at QB? Yikes! How can you not be getting all that?

I'm very very very sure Andy Reid et al know all this, and I'm confident they'll get it worked out. Glad to hear Mahomes say after the game, as he always does, that he likes these guys and he is looking to see them improve day-by-day -- and I don't think he's just saying that. I think he means it.

Look forward to seeing how this all plays out.

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The photo is from Chris Donahue at the official Chiefs site. Thank you.

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Broncos at Chiefs - Week 6 - Record: 5-1

It's late and I have to work early tomorrow (I know, a common prime-time game refrain for this blog), so I'm going to put in one simple take then when I can tomorrow I'll see about adding a bit more.

But for now: two plays, very late in the game, one right after the other.

The second one of those, one of the most amazing sideline-of-the-endzone catches you'll ever see by the Broncos guy. Courtland Sutton made such a leaping, twisting, acrobatic touchdown grab -- keeping both feet in-bounds, with two Chiefs guys draped all over him -- that the officials simply did not know what to call. The Broncos coach had to ask for a replay, and sure enough, the replays showed it was a catch.

Phenomenal work. Well-deserved touchdown for the Broncos.

Thing is...

That touchdown never should have happened. 

Because the play right before it, Chiefs safety Mike Edwards made a perfectly fine hit on Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson just as he threw up an incomplete duck. Thing is, they called roughing the passer. Please. It was at least a 3rd down play, may have even been 4th -- sorry I'm just not sure -- which meant the following play, the touchdown by Sutton, would never have happened.

Whatever the case, the main point with this is that all the silly claims that the refs are favoring the Chiefs are absolute bunk. What I do see or hear about Chiefs things, which isn't much, is often clouded by the reports of so many screeching about officiating favoritism for the Chiefs. Sorry.

It just isn't happening.

And after the ridiculous Mike Edwards call, it is still quite apparent the officiating favoritism can more easily happen against the Chiefs.

To be honest though, I really think the officiating overall this season has been pretty good. When the Chiefs get calls against them they do look fair. When the Chiefs get them in their favor, they do appear that they were correct.

In fact, a positive note! A Broncos player looked to fumble the ball away to the Chiefs early in the game, but no one could tell: Was he down first?

Well guess what.

Officials from somewhere radio'ed down to the officiating crew after a look at the replay. It was clear the ballcarrier was down just before losing the football, and and AND!!!...

They told them about it.

No red flags, no settling for the wrong call, no shrugging that no one could really tell, no any of that.

Just -- glory be...

Getting.

The Call.

Right.

How about that. What a concept!

By the way, postscript, Sutton's TD and the Broncos two-point conversion made the score 16-8 with about six minutes left. I should get to more of what happened tomorrow.

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The photograph is by Andrew Mather at the official Chiefs site. Thank you.

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Chiefs at Vikings - Week 5 - Record: 4-1

For a while I was joining all those expressing deep concerns about our receiving core. In this game it just seemed as if the naysayers were correct -- I was indeed starting to believe them. Our receiving core may really be just not all that.

And then Justin Watson came through.

In a big way Watson made one of the most tippy-toe of tippy-toe catches, reaching high to pluck a Mahomes toss at the sideline and barely getting the thread of the tip of both shoes down in the field of play, clutching the ball a nanosecond before sliding right on out-of-bounds. It was so close they had to look at it on replay, and sure enough, he made the play.

Thing is, just as impressive was another snag by Watson. Mahomes heaved the ball out to the place where Watson was, around midfield somewhere, and after the defender reached up to pick it Watson snatched it from his grasp.

Good thing, because this young receiving core definitely needs some of that action for inspiration. Here's the scoop on every other WR for today, just because it is truly the major talk regarding the Chiefs offense these days. Pretty much in order of the guys' rank, as it is pretty much considered. In my view Watson has solidified his role as No. 1, here're the rest:

Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Eh. Once he could have had an easy touchdown if he continued his route into the endzone after a Mahomes scramble, but he did have a nice catch in the right flat for a needed 1st down.

Skyy Moore. Eh two. He is not getting as many snaps and targets, but I do remember he did make a nice grab from a very high Mahomes pass. I don't think anyone should give up on him.

Kadarius Toney. The guy definitely has skill, but I'm just wondering if he can run deeper routes and get open well enough further downfield. They are just not throwing to him deeper than ten yards for some reason.

Rashee Rice. Definitely making his way up the ladder here. The guy is truly a beast -- big, strong, and fast especially after the catch. If he keeps learning, I mean, wow. He had a terrific slant route touchdown catch today.

Justyn Ross. Okay, we finally got to see some of this guy on the field, with some nice catches. He did drop a couple and he does look very raw, but still. I know everyone reeeally wants to see more of him out there.

About the whole WR thing Andy Reid said something like they like what they see but they've just got to work them in and keep them learning. Sounds about right. All of them can do well, and really, the one who shined the most tonight was Watson, But Reid has got such an imaginative playbook -- for one play Toney ran a wildcat -- and Mahomes is throwing the ball to everyone that the most experience they get on the field will only mean better things to come.

One more shout-out (among many that there could be), this one to L'Jarius Sneed. Oh my did he shut down Justin Jefferson. At one point early Jefferson was doing a bunch of flopping and flailing to get penalty flags against us, and on a subsequent play Sneed just hauled off on him. As the play started Sneed just deliberately shoved his hands all up into his face shield, knocking Jefferson back off his feet. Oh yes he got penalized for it, but really, it was genius.

In no uncertain terms Sneed had to make the statement. Don't eff with us. No more of that crap. You want some of this, here it is.

Jefferson was a total non-factor for the entire game. 

In the second half, however, he went out with a hamstring pull, but this was purely that evil artificial turf they still have in these stadiums. Travis Kelce twisted his ankle earlier on that turf, but he later came back and even scored one of our touchdowns.

Still. Please, get rid of that artificial turf. I'm really surprised the players' union and even just plain NFL for that matter doesn't address this more fully.

Anyway, we have a quick turn around to play the still-woeful Broncos on Thursday night. I keep thinking this team has to beat the Chiefs sometime. Yes, it could be Thursday night, it could, this is the NFL -- this vaunted 4-1 Chiefs team has still had four of its five games decided by only one score.

But again, weird, as if we don't all already know this, the last Broncos win over the Chiefs was that other Thursday night game in September of 2015. Eight years ago. 15 such game match-ups ago.

So is this Thursday night the time the Broncos can pull it off? Again, could be, but with the way both teams look right now, not so sure. I should admit I just peeked just now, and the Chiefs are already ten-point favorites.

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The photograph is from David Gray at the official Chiefs site. Thank you.

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Chiefs at Jets - Week 4 - Record: 3-1

I wonder how many Chiefs fans are getting a bit exasperated with watching right tackle Jawaan Taylor mess up. He's actually not done terribly with his play but it just head-scratching the whole thing with his line positioning getting penalized (which didn't happen tonight) and his getting other penalties like the facemasking call tonight that resulted in a safety for the Jets. He also had an almost crushing holding penalty late when the Chiefs were driving to try to score and put the game away.

That safety was a huge momentum turn-arounder. Forgive me, I don't know what to call it except that. 

The Chiefs owned the 1st quarter, surging out to a 17-0 lead and well on their way to the blowout everyone thought this would be. But then early in the 2nd quarter Taylor got enough of the Jets pass rusher's facemask, barely at the goal line, to get the Jets two points.

Shortly after that it was 17-5.

Then 17-12.

After a Chiefs FG they got a TD to make it 20-20 at the half.

Um...

Thing is, Zach Wilson was actually playing really well. Everybody was hoping for a miracle as he was forced into playing regularly when Aaron Rodgers went down for the season in the very first Jets game. In fact we were all hoping to finally see that Rodgers-Mahomes matchup. I think to some extent the fact that everyone knew Taylor Swift was going to show up again made up for that -- for many people it definitely made this primetime affair well worth tuning in.

As for the Jets quarterback play, again for most of the night Wilson was throwing darts. If anything his receivers were messing up a bit too much by dropping too many balls. The main issue with Wilson was one single play that really gave the win to the Chiefs. These games can really turn on those kinds of things.

With about eight minutes left in the game and the score still tied, the Jets had the ball at close to midfield. Wilson was in the shotgun and as the snap came to him he looked up too soon, and dropped the snap. The Chiefs recovered, and the Jets offense never saw the ball again.

Penalties on both teams made the last eight minutes or so go on forever. The Chiefs had 3rd-&-long twice but the Jets committed penalties on both, you know, those holding or illegal-use-of-hands calls that give the offended team five yards and a first down.

The Chiefs then ran the ball well enough to get those other critical first downs. One of those runs featured Mahomes running free to the end zone but... you know the new strategy... don't score a touchdown. With a new set of downs at the Jets one-yard line you can now run out the clock without letting their offense have the ball removing any chance for them to do anything.

Final score in this very weird game: Chiefs 23-20.

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The photograph of Isiah Pacheco is by Mikayla Schmidt at the official Chiefs website. Thank you.

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