Arrowhead Pride
1. Chiefs
Current record: 5-4
Projected record: 12-5
Kansas City’s quest to win its 10th straight division title may come down to what happens during its two games against a Denver team that is looking to take the throne. The Chiefs may not be the invincible force that they once were, but they’re still a supremely talented team, led by two-time league and three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes.
The Chiefs edged out the Broncos in these projections based on a better division record.
Super Bowl predictions, midseason update: Seven NFL favorites to win it all in February | NFL.com
5 votes · +600
Jeremy Bergman: Chiefs over Eagles. My preseason pick is my midseason pick. Despite the Chiefs’ harried start, there was never a doubt they’d turn it around for a playoff run.
Chad Reuter: Chiefs over Lions. After the Eagles experienced a moment in the sun, the Chiefs rip back the spotlight by winning their fourth Lombardi Trophy in seven seasons.
Dante Koplowitz-Fleming: Chiefs over Seahawks. Mike Macdonald’s defense stymies the Chiefs in the first half with two takeaways and a defensive touchdown, but Patrick Mahomes leads another Super Bowl comeback to earn his fourth Super Bowl MVP.
Anthony Holzman-Escareno: Chiefs over Packers. Patrick Mahomes wins his fourth Super Bowl MVP, inching closer to the ghost of Tom Brady.
Grant Gordon: Chiefs over Rams. Standing strong with my August prognostication … Nope, the Chiefs aren’t done yet. Patrick Mahomes rekindles his deep-flight ways to lead Kansas City to the big game against the Rams, who are buoyed by a tough-as-shoe-leather Matthew Stafford, whose bad back doesn’t hinder his great arm. In the finale, the Chiefs rally for a nail-biting triumph, winning 26-24.
Chiefs at the bye: 3 predictions for the second half of the season | The Athletic
Per TruMedia, the Chiefs have two of the best four backs in the NFL at avoiding negative plays. Isiah Pacheco (7 percent) is best in the NFL when it comes to percentage of runs that are zero or fewer yards, while Kareem Hunt (11 percent) is fourth in the same metric. That’s out of 47 qualified running backs.
It might not be flashy, but it can still be effective. Pacheco and Hunt are both bigger backs who tend to move the pile forward, gaining an extra 2-3 yards on carries that a different back might fail to get.
And that’s why most running-back advanced measures indicate that the Chiefs’ running backs are … fine? Maybe even above average?
Hunt, for instance, averages 0.8 yards over expected per carry per Next Gen Stats’ metrics. That ranks 13th out of 43 qualified running backs, and also is the same total as...
