TAKING STOCK: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

BY ADAM GREENE

It’s safe to say, heading into his sixth season as a starting quarterback in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes’ Pro Football Hall of Fame jacket is already getting measured. The dude has started five years and made it to the AFC Championship in every one of those seasons. Three times he’s taken the Chiefs to the Super Bowl and now, after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII, has won it twice. This is a career trajectory not seen since Tom Brady’s early years with the New England Patriots and, right now, Brady is only leading him by a single Super Bowl win, not appearance. And the fact that Mahomes could remedy that this upcoming season and no one, not a single human on the planet, would be surprised is everyone’s problem.

It was no easy road for the Chiefs. They had to go through the league’s best to make it back to the Super Bowl after taking a year sabbatical. They knocked off the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-20, in the AFC Divisional Round. In a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game, the KC defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in the final seconds, breaking a three-game losing steak to that team in the process, 23-20. In the Super Bowl, they squared up against a loaded Philadelphia Eagles team with Patrick Mahomes playing on one healthy leg and won 38-35.

Head coach Andy Reid, who was already headed to Canton, is now in the conversation as one of the best head coaches of all time and, on most lists, is considered the best coach currently in the league.

Mahomes went 14-3 as a starter with a 67.1 completion percentage in 2022-23, throwing for 5,250 yards, 41 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He rushed for 358 yards and four touchdowns. Isiah Pacheco, a rookie seventh round pick, led the team in rushing with 830 yards and five touchdowns. Travis Kelce caught 110 passes for 1,338 yards and 12 TDs. He’ll likely be the guy already in the gold jacket introducing Mahomes when he gets into The Hall. Chris Jones finished with 15.5 sacks to go with 44 tackles, 17 for a loss, four passes defended, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Nick Bolton had an astronomical 180 tackles with nine for a loss, two sacks, three passes defended and one forced fumble. L’Jarius Sneed and Juan Thornhill tied for the team lead with three picks apiece. Sneed added 108 tackles, 11 passes defended, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and five tackles for a loss. Thornhill had 71 tackles, nine passes defended, one sack and four tackles for a loss.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

2022-23 Record: 14-3

Playoffs: Won Super Bowl LVII over the Philadelphia Eagles

2023 Super Bowl Odds: +650

2023 AFC Championship Odds: +360

2023 AFC West Odds: -160

NOW WHAT?

The Chiefs have kept a target on their back so this upcoming season is nothing new. What they need to return to their sixth consecutive AFC Championship Game is for the young receivers on their roster, Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore, to blossom into their full potential, or at least competent pass catchers. With Kelce in the middle of the field and Mahomes throwing the ball, all KC needs is those guys, along with Marquez Valdes-Scantling (finally winning a Super Bowl after falling short with the Green Bay Packers multiple times) to just be a little better than average.

Looking over their schedule is pretty much worthless as the Chiefs have the ability to beat every single other team in the NFL. They won’t, obviously. Going undefeated, especially in a 17-game regular season, might be legitimately impossible. It’s more interesting to pick potential losses than wins and the first real danger the Chiefs will face won’t be until Oct. 22 when they host the Los Angeles Chargers. The Miami Dolphins, again in Arrowhead, will be a challenge on Nov. 5. They get a rematch against the Eagles, at Arrowhead, on Nov. 20. Host the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 10 and the Bengals on New Year’s Eve. It’s almost suspicious how KC faces its toughest opponents at home, with the lone exception being their second match up with the Chargers in Week 18.

THE DRAFT

Most of the holes on the Chiefs’ roster are guys they let go because they were financially unable to keep them. It’s a recurring problem and one that will eventually cost Kansas City, but we’re not there yet. I gave them a C+ in my draft grades. They had a solid pick at the bottom of the first round in Feliz Anudike-Uzomah out of Kansas State. He’s the only guy out of that class that will start, barring injury, but their third rounder, Wanya Morris, offensive tackle out of Oklahoma could step in if called upon.

FREE AGENCY

Kansas City didn’t sit on their wallets in free agency, adding right tackle Jawaan Taylor from the Jacksonville Jaguars, defensive end Charles Omenishu from the San Francisco 49ers, left tackle Donovan Smith from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, linebacker Drue Tranquill from the Chargers, backup QB Blaine Gabbert from the Bucs, wide receiver Richie Hames from the New York Giants, defensive end Matt Dickerson from the Atlanta Falcons and cornerback Lamar Jackson from the Denver Broncos.

AFC WEST

While it’s true that the Chiefs have made the AFC Championship for five consecutive seasons under Mahomes, it’s also true that Mahomes has never, even one time, played a road playoff game. That might be the real secret in how to keep the Chiefs from repeating. An improved overall AFC West could conceivably make nabbing home field more difficult, but all the other great teams in the AFC are also in brutal divisions. Anything between 12-14 wins and another Super Bowl trip, where they’ll be undoubtedly favored, is possible for Kansas City.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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