I know that's a dirty phrase to utter, but it's important to keep things in perspective here.
We *barely* lost the game, and unfortunately there were some critical rookie mistakes, horrendous misses from an off-the-street kicker. We also had Gay & McDuffie out. A very weak personal foul call was a fatal blow. It sucks, but sometimes it be that way.
Looking ahead
Taking a big-picture view, we have one of the strongest rosters in the league, one of the youngest rosters in the league, with the best QB in the league, and multiple key starters locked up for at least the next 2 years. We also have a top-2 coach in the league, with a top-5 GM in the league armed with a talent evaluation staff that is top-notch. Our medical and training staff is among the best in the league as well.
We will have more than par picks next year. We have no reason to believe that our young defensive players will not continue to ascend, similar to Gay/Bolton. We should have cash to spend next year as well, should we choose to.
While we should absolutely be competing for a Super Bowl every year that we have Mahomes, and we likely will this year, it's crazy to think that we are this good and well set up for the future on a year where we are overhauling our entire receiving corps and have a fresh-out-the-womb defense.
We are going to rip butts wide open for the next 3-5 years if we see this thing through, and likely get a few rings because of it. Games like yesterday are part of the growth, as grumpy as that makes us on a week-to-week level.
Update - 2/15/23
Brett Veach lifts up the Lombardi Trophy, as he says, "This is what a rebuilding year looks like in Kansas City."
Originally Posted by Razaele:
The Chiefs are an elite team. We don’t have rebuilding years. We now expect to contend every year. This year is not a rebuilding year.
You can still rebuild and contend of course. This isn't a rebuild of a 4-13 team.
I'm just saying the moves they made in off-season it seems more like they are building for future as opposed to a 'win now,' mode like some NFL teams have chosen. [Reply]
Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy: You can still rebuild and contend of course. This isn't a rebuild of a 4-13 team.
I'm just saying the moves they made in off-season it seems more like they are building for future as opposed to a 'win now,' mode like some NFL teams have chosen.
Originally Posted by Detoxing:
Well, if Butker is here no one would be freaking out, but there'd still certainly be cause for concern as to why we didn't stomp those fucks.
Chiefs barely beat several bad teams during their run of 4 straight AFCCG hosts.
Now we're learning when you play like shit you better have a stud kicker to bail you out. [Reply]
I mean...when you look into all the defensive metrics, they're sitting in the middle of the pack. How is that NOT a gigantic plus sign as the year continues to develop? We are FOURTH in the league in sacks. How can we not be optimistic about this? History tells us the offense AND the special teams will usually play well. The big story is this - if our defense looks this good this early with so many rooks playing, what will things look in December? [Reply]
I'm sorry but the rebuilding year excuse is tiring already. There is still way too much talent on this team to have games like yesterday. There's too much talent not to expect to compete for a Superbowl. That verbiage may fly with an Alex Garrapollo under center, but it certainly doesn't fly with this squad. [Reply]
A completely loaded team "rebuilding year" :-) you can't make this shit up. These aren't pesky underdogs you're trying to make them out to be, they should be rabid wolves. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dallaschiefsfan:
I mean...when you look into all the defensive metrics, they're sitting in the middle of the pack. How is that NOT a gigantic plus sign as the year continues to develop? We are FOURTH in the league in sacks. How can we not be optimistic about this? History tells us the offense AND the special teams will usually play well. The big story is this - if our defense looks this good this early with so many rooks playing, what will things look in December?
mahomes and kelce will get right and we will be the one seed
one thing people aren't talking about is how good juju looks
he and mahomes already have a great chemistry
MVS is catching the ball better than he ever has, too, and almost had a huge TD yesterday [Reply]
Originally Posted by Hammock Parties:
Chiefs barely beat several bad teams during their run of 4 straight AFCCG hosts.
Now we're learning when you play like shit you better have a stud kicker to bail you out.
The Chiefs got compared to the Golden State Warriors a lot and honestly, basketball seems like an apt comparison.
When your outside shots are falling and the passes are crisp, you can run the sort of show the Pistons ran in the early aughts when they beat the Lakers and were winning championships without a true superstar.
But when things are wonky, it suuuuure helps to have a guy you can just throw the ball to, clear out and let him drive it to the hoop. You need that go to scorer who can make something from nothing when the chips are down.
Tyreek Hill was that guy the last few years. When shit's going sideways "Fuck it, Tyreek's down there somewhere..."
Well he ain't anymore. And that doesn't mean you can't win without him, but there are times you're gonna have to do it the hard way. You're gonna need the crisp passing out the outside shots to fall.
Because you can't just throw it to MJ on the wing anymore and say "alright, go get us a bucket..." [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
The Chiefs got compared to the Golden State Warriors a lot and honestly, basketball seems like an apt comparison.
When your outside shots are falling and the passes are crisp, you can run the sort of show the Pistons ran in the early aughts when they beat the Lakers and were winning championships without a true superstar.
But when things are wonky, it suuuuure helps to have a guy you can just throw the ball to, clear out and let him drive it to the hoop. You need that go to scorer who can make something from nothing when the chips are down.
Tyreek Hill was that guy the last few years. When shit's going sideways "**** it, Tyreek's down there somewhere..."
Well he ain't anymore. And that doesn't mean you can't win without him, but there are times you're gonna have to do it the hard way. You're gonna need the crisp passing out the outside shots to fall.
Because you can't just throw it to MJ on the wing anymore and say "alright, go get us a bucket..."
This is why this team needs to be drafting WR early and often and worry less about our D. Memories are short here it seems but people were pretty insistent that Mahomes being a "force multiplier" meant replacing Hill with MVS and JJSS and drafting in the 2nd would be fine.
Sure and this is what fine looks like. We'll win a lot of games but our offence will take a step back. Just amazes me that people watched Hill these years and thought, yeah that's ALL Pat, we won't miss a beat with the WR committee approach.
People worrying about whether we snuck Pickens early in the 2nd rather than Moore also seem to be the people who didn't really prioritise WR. We know Pat's great, and now we know great WRs can also elevate great QBs. [Reply]
