What's wrong with the Chiefs?

[Boomer B]

It reminds me of hockey, when fans and pundits think a goalie isn't very good because he's "not facing any tough shots" or making really flashy glove saves. But 99% of goaltending is being fundamentally sound, square, and at the right angles, plus anticipating where the shots will be coming from (good defense in front of you helps too of course). It makes the saves look mundane, like the shooters are just throwing it into the goalie's chest, but there's methodology behind that. A lot of times flashy saves are because the goalie is scrambling out of position.

Martin Brodeur didn't make a ton of flashy saves, but he won a lot of rings. Dominick Hasek (who was also great in his own right), made ridiculous, sprawling, athletic saves, but never brought home the cup.

Brady is the same way. He has the arm talent, no doubt about it, but he uses it in very subtle ways because his timing, accuracy, and anticipation are so good. So they look like "easy" throws because you're only seeing the .2 seconds of difficulty while the ball is in the air and not the hours of preparation and knowledge it took to get to that point. Mahomes is more like Hasek: flashy, and also great, but he won't win as much because those "How did he DO that!?" plays just have too much variance over time.

As a Canadian who watched a lot of hockey I gotta disagree with you. Hazek was unbelievable. He played on a crappy Buffalo Sabres team for years and carried them. First year with a good team in Detroit he won the cup.

 

[NFL Mystique]

i appreciate your post but i have zero clue about hockey so i don't know brodeur or hasek sorry

Hpnest

He's a generational player...of course he will. It's not like this guy will be playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in three years. But take a look at Aaron Rodgers career, and especially at the advanced stats (not the passer rating.). Despite all his talents, due to stubbornness, long slumps, inability to adjust, too much freelancing, he has had a lot of years where he's been average. Look at his adjusted net yards/attempt (ANY/A) and how inconsistent it is. Huge fall in 2012 and 2015; from 2017-19, he's maybe even below average. He relies now on a ton of great support because of his habits, obsession with hero ball, scrambling, etc.



Now look at Mahomes ANY/A. It's not bad yet, where he's a middling QB like Rodgers, but it's ticking down, and this is with a great supporting cast around him, no injuries, etc. Due to the big stats, accolades, TD/INT ratio, passer rating, we tend to overlook things like this, but they correlate with yards/play factoring turnovers, INTs, and the team's overall ppg. He's almost a full yard down on yards/play this year from last year. That's a big deal.

Leadership factor is the difference between Rodgers & Mahomes.

Every beat reporter, teammates, and coaches have consistently said Mahomes works with the younger guys. He also takes ownership of his mistakes.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Hpnest

Leadership factor is the difference between Rodgers & Mahomes.

Every beat reporter, teammates, and coaches have consistently said Mahomes works with the younger guys. He also takes ownership of his mistakes.

I'm not saying he's a douchebag like Rodgers. It's nothing to do with him a teammate, leader, etc. Just looking at his style of play and correlating it to his statistics...a pretty big dropoff. As a few people have pointed out, defenses have started playing cover-2 against him pretty often. Teams made adjustments to Rodgers in 2012 as well, hence he never really got back to that level (if you look at ANY/A and not at the mainstream stats.)

The defensive adjustments have brought Mahomes production way down, even though his passer rating and TD/INT ratio doesn't reflect it. The team will win a lot less games with a QB who averages a full yard less per play. He needs to adjust because he'll be able to put up plenty of gaudy stats and highlight plays even while having a lot less real production, but the team will win less. He should be getting rid of the ball quickly and taking what the defense gives him. He's not doing that.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Hpnest

Leadership factor is the difference between Rodgers & Mahomes.

Every beat reporter, teammates, and coaches have consistently said Mahomes works with the younger guys. He also takes ownership of his mistakes.

I hope he does like working with younger players. With those 40-50 mil cap hits for the next decade you guys will need to be filling that roster with younger cheaper players.

 

[BradytoMosstoGronk]

Should be interesting watching MVP candidate Herbert play KC twice this year. Wonder if they hold that Chargers offense below 30 either time.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

 

[PScottman]

It's good he has Brady's back because Shannon does not even the slightest

The show is completely scripted for one pundit to take one side of the debate and the other the other regardless of whether or not that's their own views. I doubt there is actual "dislike" at play - it's Shannon's job to create the controversial opposing view and vice versa.

It's just like DC - the majority of these politicians are extremely buddy buddy (Scalia and RBG - total besties while they were both on this Earth) while the media would have you think they're ready to stab each other in the eye with knitting needles.

Edit (why the heck did I type Shanahan at first...weird)

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

The show is completely scripted for one pundit to take one side of the debate and the other the other regardless of whether or not that's their own views. I doubt there is actual "dislike" at play - it's Shannon's job to create the controversial opposing view and vice versa.

It's just like DC - the majority of these politicians are extremely buddy buddy (Scalia and RBG - total besties while they were both on this Earth) while the media would have you think they're ready to stab each other in the eye with knitting needles.

Edit (why the heck did I type Shanahan at first...weird)

yeah i love the show...how bout them cowboyzzz.....it's way better than the herd or nick wright or stuff like that imo.

 

[Sicilian]

As a Canadian who watched a lot of hockey I gotta disagree with you. Hazek was unbelievable. He played on a crappy Buffalo Sabres team for years and carried them. First year with a good team in Detroit he won the cup.

Well I'm certainly not going to argue with the expert I'm basing it off of (somewhat faulty) memory of their playing days decades ago, so my evaluation may be off. My point was more stylistic, but I had also forgotten Hasek won in Detroit. Thank you for the trip down memory lane.

 

[BobDigital]

Chiefs fans are not taking things well.
Chiefs superfan 'X-factor' knocked out during fan fight (Video) (msn.com)

Well KC fans are among the worst in the NFL. Not as bad as Baltimore or Philly fans, but not a lot better. A lot of no class people in those stands. This doesn't mean all or even most of them, but it doesn't take many bad apples to cause a fanbase to suck. KC has more than their share.

 

[sb1]

Bayless worships Brady + Tebow + Parcells

Yet hates Bill, LeBron, and Aaron Rodgers.

He's been this way for years.

FIFY

 

[PatsFanInVa]

KC has the same record as us. Their defense is letting up an average of 32 points a game. Mahomes has looked off a lot this season.

What's the problem in KC?

Did Brady/Bucs break them? Are defenses figuring them out now the 4 man front and 2 deep safeties?

What can they do to get back on track?

Obviously Andy Reid the GM got in the way of Andy Reid the coach.

 

[50-yard-line]

I have watched that throw about 50 times, and I still cannot believe he put that ball in that 1 foot space with a defender up his ass. Unreal. He didnt do it sidearm though so it doesnt count.

That throw is sick - and would be even if he wasn't about to eat a charging bull.

Brown's sudden cut up-field is unworldly - and I hate the guy, but are you kidding me?

 

[BobDigital]

As for the actual issues with KC... I don't know what I can add. The defense is a problem, but a lot of that has to do with playing 4 of the top 10 offenses early this year. The rules are set up that unless you have a good D, good offenses role on everyone. LAC, CLV, BAL and BUF did what they should have done against a below average unit. That being said, we are judging them right now coming off their worst defensive game of the year. They aren't as bad defensively as they looked last night. But they clearly aren't close to good.

When talking about their D we also have to keep in mind that they don't get the benefit of an offense playing sub-optimally. Everyone knows KC will score at some point. Teams are going for 4th downs regularly on them and making most of them, as they should. Most 4th downs are high percentage plays cause you have 3 plays to get yourself into a good spot for them. We also need to remember that this team has turned the ball over this year, a lot. Something they were good/lucky about not doing in the past. 11 turnovers in 5 games isn't going to help your defense hold teams down. They have lost the turnover battle this year in 5 games 11 to 5. Part of that is bad luck, part of that is chickens coming home. KC has in the regular season the last 3 years has been very fortunate with Mahomes not turning it over. He had the most dropped picks in the NFL last year or close to it. Something like that. Also, he rarely had those 'WTF' picks that happen to QBs on occasion. This year both are going against him.

A lot of happenstance has led to this D being horrible this year, and that WILL turn around a little at some point. They have talent there and will not end the year as a bottom 5 unit. The turnovers will lessen, and the D will face weaker teams. They'll be bad, but not as bad as they have been.

Offense to me is the more concerning issue. They built this team with offense in mind. They have the best offensive play book in the NFL and the most explosive players. Teams have figured out generally how to keep them in check. Get back, make them earn it. KC is impatient and they want to do what they do best and force the ball down field. In reality the offense has gotten worse for KC every year. This year is no exception. A lot of fans and pundits talk about them like they are they 2018 KC offense, they aren't. They had more talent then (Hunt/Watkins) and took the league by storm with Mahomes who is a generational talent with a unique play style. They have lost some key depth and teams have figured out how to play Mahomes and KC to a degree. They aren't getting those huge plays like they use to, and they never will again. Teams won't leave Hill in space deep and they are more prepared for the broken/extended play.

Also as some people have mentioned, they are having a super bowl/success hangover.

KC will be fine on the whole. As long as they have Mahomes and Reid or any decent coach they will be a top team, they may even still win the super bowl this year. But they aren't the power house clear #1 team in the NFL people talked them up to be. They are coming back down to earth a bit. It really makes you appreciate what the Patriots did. And even the Patriots came back down to earth during their run a number of times.

 

[Joker]

Leadership factor is the difference between Rodgers & Mahomes.

Every beat reporter, teammates, and coaches have consistently said Mahomes works with the younger guys. He also takes ownership of his mistakes.

why thank you for the unbiased reply, Mrs. Mahomes...(BTW wipe the mascara and eye liner from your cheeks....sobbing a lot lately?)

 

[varjao]

They are losing games

 

[Pats2000]

He's got faults.

But I'm willing to bet Mahomes figures this out and gets out of the "Slump".

He might be too busy buying shoes to get out the slump, who knows.

 

[RIpats88]

Idk why it's funny to me the pats have the same record as the chiefs

 

[Pats2000]

Mahomes can't overcome a garbage D anymore. Most QB's can't.

I'll shred him for making some boneheaded picks since Baltimore.

But it's a function of him trying to be perfect. He knows that thrash defense won't help him out.

So the defense is the main issue. Will it turn around? Who knows.

Mahomes is still great. But sometimes you need your D to be functional.

I dunno man, seems like almost every play turns into a scramble drill. It's almost like he's looking for the homerun every time he touches the ball. I get it, but part of helping your crap D is keeping the other offense off the field. Long methodical drives that wear out the opponents defense will do wonders for you in closing out games. And it limits the opponents scoring opportunities. It also gives your D time to rest and make in game adjustments.

 

[VectorPrime]

Idk why it's funny to me the pats have the same record as the chiefs

At this point I’d say both have a similar chance at winning their division lol