Happy New Year!
The Chiefs got their wish, a No. 2 spot in the playoffs! A wounded Raiders team got run by Denver and ended up as a wild card, likely one and done. Meanwhile, the Chiefs with their best offensive point total of the season (37) won the division.
That’s the good news.
The bad: We likely will have to face the Steelers at home after the bye week, Then, if we can handle them, we will have to face New England at their home field. Yikes. But hey you have to beat the best to be the best, right!
The Chiefs big play was once again the unmatched in talent, TYREEK HILL‘S 95 yard punt return to sew up the win. Without it, the Chiefs may have been in trouble. Because they really were not stopping Phillip Rivers and the Chargers. Without an INT in the end zone and Hill’s long run, Chiefs could easily have lost this one.
Our defense was giving up tons of yards in the air and on the ground.
Chiefs QB Alex Smith could have wrapped it up in the third quarter, but yet another interception in the red zone that was returned by San Diego for a touchdown, put the game in jeopardy.
Hill fixed that with his electric, 95 yard punt return. He even had to run over one of his own guys on the sideline to score. His football IQ is uncanny and he has no equal in NFL history of this rare talent.
However the Chiefs have to find a way to use him more often in the post season because he’s the one guy who could help KC beat anybody.
Tight end Travis Kelce had only one catch but had some good blocks and Smith was solid other than the one INT.
Without our linebackers and Justin Houston especially, our defense is not so great. Eric Berry got dinged up as well. So the Chiefs need the rest to get everyone back for the playoffs.
There’s little doubt that the Chiefs are not New England’s equal, nor the Steelers, but at home we may be able to pull off a win against Big Ben if our D shows up.
Beating Tom Brady with his new offense and their No.1 NFL defense and newfound running game will be a load. Hey, let’s just get to an AFC title game.
This is the first Chiefs bye week in the playoffs since Dick Vemeil’s phony 2003 team that had no defense. This team finds ways to win.
Marcus Peters got his 6th interception and he is now likely ALL PRO, as is Kelce and Hilll. Perhaps Berry as well.
It’s been a fun season and now we have a home field play off game in two weeks.
Winning that game will be the measure of this season’s success. Beating the Steelers will be no easy task. We beat them here in a huge Joe Montana playoff win in 1994 for the 1993 season. We made the AFC title game against the Bills and then lost badly. It was our last hurrah for 25 years.
Wow. Happy New Years!
Welp, it’s been a long way back to respectability ever since the 2007 collapse. The Chiefs, nor anybody else, can compete with Big Ben or Tom Brady.
Am I right that almost every Superbowl in the last 16 years has had Brady, Big Ben, or a Manning in it?
Boy you are right on that one. Lets see Brady has 6, Big Ben has 2, Manning 4, who else is there from the AFC? Baltimore’s got two, who else in the AFC? Ah yes Oakland’s Rich Gannon..one more? Oh was it Tennessee?
Roethlisberger has been to 3 Super Bowls. Don’t forget the Steelers lost to the Packers when Aaron Rodgers won his Super Bowl.
I do believe the Chiefs have a shot now… so lets hope and enjoy…
Ok CG, my only beef with this entry is the statement:
“His football IQ is uncanny and he has no equal in NFL history of this rare talent.”
Seriously? You honestly think his football IQ is better than the likes of Joe Montana, Tom Brady, etc? Or were you talking about that his football talent has no equal in NFL history? Either way, that statement was a HUGE reach regardless of what you meant.
Guy I was not comparing him to quarterbacks he doesn’t play that position…his ‘talent’ is unequaled not his football IQ…ok..as a runner, returns, receiving or rushing distance…look how many plus 50 yard td’s he has already as a part time player…
I’ve been fighting this realization all year, but the Chiefs may have a chance now that they have the bye thanks to Derek Carr’s injury. Beat the Steelers and Patriots and they deserve it. Maybe the first Super Bowl appearance since 6 months after Neil Armstrong said “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind!”
Yes they sure have a chance Harry…. they do…
Vegas has Pats as top dog of course at about 1 1/2 to 1 to win the title. Dallas next but 3 to 1…then Green Bay at 9 to 1, Chiefs and Steelers at 10 to 1….Atlanta at 12 to 1….so they do respect KC but Pats are a huge favorite and should be, at home, best offense, defense Tom Brady and oh yeah, they are 8-0 without Gronk this year…plus they have a running game, Brady does not have to carry the team…it may be one of their best…so at home against KC or Steelers for AFC title is still uphill for everyone….Pats are just a great team in a sea of flawed teams…but things do happen.
I agree, KC is going to have a tough time just getting by Pittsburgh(unless Miami upsets them, unlikely but possible).
Tyreek Hill could lead the Chiefs to the Super Bowl. Andy is going to have to pull out all the stops, let it all hang out, let it ride..you get the drift.
Yes E.H. it will take a rock solid game plan to defeat the Steelers here next Sunday. I agree Hill is a key to winning. Steelers offense is deadly and they likely score more than 25 points so we need offense and to keep Big Ben off the field as long as possible. That means a running game and touchdowns not field goals.
Of course Kelce, Maclin,Conley and Wilson will be needed and our backs have to move the ball. We all know that.
Must have pressure on Ben from out D and do all we can to stop them from ‘big plays’ or running over us. It won’t be easy.
We all have seen Ben is not as deadly on the road, but he sure can be…and Hill needs to be more than a decoy. Alex will have to use his legs more often than he has of late.
I think KC can win at home. I see this one as a coin flip. I do think a Chiefs win would be a slight upset and expect the game to be a pick em or Chiefs due to homefield a 1 or perhaps 2 point fav. I like KC at home, but its gonna take our A game. Both sides of the ball.
Pats over the Giants in the big one.
Ah Pats revenge huh…could be. I don’t see Giants beating Packers at their home. I do think it will be a dogfight and close. Aaron is just on fire, but Giants are a great playoff team or have been, depends on Manning and him finding his receivers, also Giants will need some run offense. Packers defense is an issue, its just o.k., while Giants defense is better. I see Aaron doing a last minute drive to get Green Bay a game winning score to take this one, but I sure wouldn’t go bet big on that.
Expect the Giants/Packers game to be a dog-fight. But you never know, could be a romp. Exactly why they play the games….
agreed Nick.