Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs headlines for Tuesday, December 3
NFL Week 13 Takeaways: Updated Playoff Picture, Latest Eliminated Teams and More | Bleacher Report
Chiefs Need a Wake-Up Call
At 11-1, the Chiefs aren’t in danger of missing the playoffs, but after a loss to the Buffalo Bills, they have had stretches of going through the motions against inferior opponents, flirting with disaster.
Last week, against the Carolina Panthers, Kansas City nearly squandered an 11-point fourth-quarter lead and needed a field goal to win as time expired on the clock.
In this contest, the Chiefs settled for multiple field goals, which kept the Raiders in the game. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Las Vegas took the lead 17-16.
Once again, Kansas City flirted with an upset loss and needed a go-ahead field goal to knock off one of the league’s worst teams.
Head coach Andy Reid said the Chiefs got a “good wake-up call” in last year’s loss to the Raiders on Christmas Day. Kansas City can use this game for the same purpose in preparation for a playoff run.
The Outsiders
Kansas City Chiefs · QB · +2800
Why he could win: He’s fricking Patrick Mahomes. The best player on the planet is always going to be in consideration simply because of his reputation. Mahomes already has won this award twice, and he’s also picked up three Super Bowls wins in the past five seasons. Even with a second straight down year from a statistical standpoint — Mahomes is tied for third in the league with 11 interceptions — you still see his name appearing high on the betting odds of winning this award.
Why he couldn’t: Mahomes had a remote shot when the Chiefs were still undefeated. He could even make some noise late if he heats up this month, as Kansas City is going to face some tough defenses in the coming weeks (Chargers, Texans, Steelers, Broncos). The problem is the shine is off the Chiefs. They have so many issues in various areas — pass protection, pass rush, pass coverage — that this doesn’t feel like a year when Mahomes can solve all of them simply by being magical.
Final verdict: The bar has been set too high by Mahomes for him to have a shot at this award when he’s not playing well. He probably needs to be in the 4,600-yard, 40-touchdown neighborhood to take home the hardware moving forward.
NFL top-10 rankings: Lions keep top spot while Bills, Eagles shove; Ravens fall | FOX Sports
Last week: 4
The naysayers might call the Chiefs the luckiest team in the league, but it takes a champion’s mindset (confidence, resilience and competitiveness) to...
