Stampede Blue
I asked two weeks ago “What are your expectations for the next 3 games”. 90% were expecting either two wins, or that we would sweep the three games. Due to the klunker in Pittsburgh, we will now have to go to KC and win, if we are going to be correct about our prognostications. We do have the advantage of the bye week and seeing KC have a tough interdivision game with Denver this week.
I do not think that the events of the last two weeks have seen many (probably a few) ready to jump ship. Some weaknesses have been exposed, we are no longer being included in all of the top 5 power rankings, and the words unstoppable and historic are no longer being uttered. We have been punched in the nose, now we have to see how we bounce back from a punch in the nose. Luckily, we get a week to see the doctor, get the nose set, and hopefully start breathing normally again.
Even with the Chiefs midland record of 5 – 4, a win in their building will carry some weight. It would be another conference win and provide a sweep of the AFC West. The West has 22 wins, which would make them right behind the NFC West’s 23 wins, for the most of any division. It could also help boot them from the tourney that they have owned since before Mahomes and Kelcee were household names, and Manning level pitch men. A loss sees the chances of us keeping the #1 seed take a hit and see the national narrative use the pretender label more often than that of contender.
After the Chiefs, we’ll have 6 games remaining. They are the ones after Thanksgiving, which gain “real importance” status. I’m not going to argue how a late season game is more important than an early one, since they all only count as one game, but I get the gist of the sentiment. Our division will definitely be decided during that stretch, with 4 divisional games against the 2nd and 3rd place teams in the division. We hold a two game lead over the Jekyll and Hyde Jags and a three game lead over the slow out-of-the-gate Texans.
It looks to me like we can end up with three types of regular seasons as we move forward.
A win over the Chiefs, sets us up for an awesome season and possibly a #1 seed. A loss to the Chiefs, but holding of serve against the division foes, sees us win the South and host a game. Most of us have consistently said that winning the division and a playoff game would allow us to label this season as a success. The third option sees a collapse that results in the “limp in”, or even worse, the “What happened? Blow this s**t up!” mantra that has been too familiar lately.
With two weeks to have the best chance to make option one a reality,...
