Thoughts the day after

[TwistedChief]

Went to bed embarrassed and mad. Woke up fine.

We've lost so infrequently over the past couple years that I think we've forgotten how to do it. And how to cope with it as fans.

That defensive performance was about as pathetic as I can ever remember. Literally no saving grace on that front. And that's concerning. But we can acknowledge that these two matchups were particularly bad for this team and we've seen Spags' defenses look lost in the past only to make adjustments and find a way to improve to semi-respectable.

The reality is we played a NUMBER of close games like this last year and each and every time the ball bounced our way. Now, a lot of that is because we have Mahomes who has papered over endless deficiencies for the last few years, but even as a recently as last week, if Chubb doesn't fumble, do we win that game? What is the narrative like then?

Clyde looks bad. Like, even below the status of a normal JAG running back. But I don't think you can fault Andy for running the ball in that situation. It's not like the guy has a LeSean McCoy recent history of fumbling for you (or at all). It happened. It sucks.

Anyway, guys, this is no different from prior seasons. We can beat any team. We have Mahomes and 99% of the time Clyde isn't fumbling there, Butker kicks a FG, we end up winning the game, and we're all doing cartwheels and looking forward to the Chargers. It didn't happen here, but that doesn't make us materially worse as a football team.

This team ex-Mahomes has been soft. Hopefully this toughens us up. We'll be fine.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Meh, at this point I'm just tired of arguing the point.

For the longest, the narrative was that anything short of championships was utterly unacceptable and that having a franchise QB was imperative BECAUSE IT MADE THE REST EASIER.

And my counter was, when we got to competent level QBing, we still weren't good enough AS A FRANCHISE to assure championships.

Now we have the best QB in the history of the sport, and the rest of the franchise is still mediocre, a lot of key aspects of the franchise are presently agysmal, and it's costing us games, and the narrative now is 'hey pretty passes' and 'at least we have A CHANCE.'

It's still a team sport, and having the best QB in history hasn't made us bulletproof, and it hasn't made our deficiencies any easier to overcome.

But it's fun, so I guess just have fun . . .

Well, most of that just isn’t true, or at least has so much hyperbole that it just makes you look silly saying it.

And they've now been to 3 consecutive AFCCGs, 2 consecutive SBs, and won one... so, I have no idea how any of this is remotely relevant. Yeah, the NFL doesn't just hand the SB trophy to the best QB every year (insert Tom Brady), but CLEARLY if you don't have one of the top few, you're at a huge disadvantage.

And once those best QBs in the league are playing each other, other phases/players/coaching make more of a difference.

I seriously doubt any reasonable person has said to completely ignore everything else and only have a franchise QB, period, and you'll be guaranteed SBs out the ass..... that's just how it gets painted in people's heads when they argue too much about it.

Yeah, we're all aware that a franchise QB needs a little help... but, Mahomes went to the SB with an injured starting RB, injured receiver, and like 18 injured offensive line. That's how important HE is to the team.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by tooge

Meh. Lost a game on the road in prime time to one of the best teams in the AFC by 1 point after getting into field goal range and ready to run out the clock for the win. All due to a fumble. It happens. No time to freak out.

Not time to freak out, but it was a significantly blown opportunity… up 11 towards the end of the third quarter. This loss could be an eventual factor in playoff seeding/tiebreakers with conference record.

And also the Ravens have 14 players on IR and lost another safety during the game last night, so it was also a missed opportunity against a banged up opponent.

[KCUnited]

Its also worth noting that we're on every AFC team's revenger tour. Lamar might get a statue erected after last night.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Well, most of that just isn’t true, or at least has so much hyperbole that it just makes you look silly saying it.

And they've now been to 3 consecutive AFCCGs, 2 consecutive SBs, and won one... so, I have no idea how any of this is remotely relevant. Yeah, the NFL doesn't just hand the SB trophy to the best QB every year (insert Tom Brady), but CLEARLY if you don't have one of the top few, you're at a huge disadvantage.

And once those best QBs in the league are playing each other, other phases/players/coaching make more of a difference.

I seriously doubt any reasonable person has said to completely ignore everything else and only have a franchise QB, period, and you'll be guaranteed SBs out the ass..... that's just how it gets painted in people's heads when they argue too much about it.

Yeah, we're all aware that a franchise QB needs a little help... but, Mahomes went to the SB with an injured starting RB, injured receiver, and like 18 injured offensive line. That's how important HE is to the team.

So your basic argument is that I look silly because the people I was criticizing understandably erred by saying some stupid stuff that I called stupid.

You can 'seriously doubt' the existence of those 'reasonable people' all you want, but the PASSIONATE mantra was 'get a franchise QB and the rest falls into place.' And my counter was always 'it's a team game, and all the pieces always matter.'

I'm not arguing that Mahomes isn't important, and I've never been anything but a passionate Mahomes advocate, earlier than most any here [ie, the day of the draft]. I'm arguing that 'it's a team game, and all the pieces always matter.' You can't go around saying 'hey, with a franchise QB mediocrity in other phases and areas is sufficient.' That snowballs, and all the sudden, you have abysmal in several key aspects.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

So your basic argument is that I look silly because the people I was criticizing understandably erred by saying some stupid stuff that I called stupid.

You can 'seriously doubt' the existence of those 'reasonable people' all you want, but the PASSIONATE mantra was 'get a franchise QB and the rest falls into place.' And my counter was always 'it's a team game, and all the pieces always matter.'

Have things not fallen into place since 2018?

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

Not time to freak out, but it was a significantly blown opportunity… up 11 towards the end of the third quarter. This loss could be an eventual factor in playoff seeding/tiebreakers with conference record.

And also the Ravens have 14 players on IR and lost another safety during the game last night, so it was also a missed opportunity against a banged up opponent.

I still think we win the conference by game 16 and can rest the final game. The only thing that will be debated is whether or not to play Mahomes and other important starters in the final game. We will lament at Mahomes not getting that extra game to put up stats.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Meh, at this point I'm just tired of arguing the point.

For the longest, the narrative was that anything short of championships was utterly unacceptable and that having a franchise QB was imperative BECAUSE IT MADE THE REST EASIER.

And my counter was, when we got to competent level QBing, we still weren't good enough AS A FRANCHISE to assure championships.

Now we have the best QB in the history of the sport, and the rest of the franchise is still mediocre, a lot of key aspects of the franchise are presently abysmal, and it's costing us games, and the narrative now is 'hey pretty passes' and 'at least we have A CHANCE.'

It's still a team sport, and having the best QB in history hasn't made us bulletproof, and it hasn't made our deficiencies any easier to overcome.

But it's fun, so I guess just have fun . . .

Having a franchise QB does make it so much easier. Get one and you have solved 90% of your issues.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

For a team that utilizes the passing game as an extension of the running game, who also has the best QB on the planet, when no one had covered Kelce all night, (or really anyone other than Tyreek) when you need to run the clock AND gain positive yardage...

And you give the ball to a RB who had gained precisely ONE yard in the previous 4? drives combined?

I just can't get on board with the call.

Son of a dirty whore. I didn't realize it was THAT bad. Shamefully I was trying to get some work done in the office and probably doing neither well.

That changes my tune a little bit. I was OK with the run, probably because I wasn't watching, but if the box was stacked and CEH had been that ass-horrible, yeah. I'm with you. I'll take the L on my previous position.

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

Did you see how Minnesota lost yesterday?

Being in FG range means shit. Had CEH not fumbled, and Butker missed the kick, everyone here would be blaming Butker...

Instead of blaming the conservative play calling when you have the best QB on Earth and had been moving the ball at will, especially to the TE.

Christ, different situation, but we were more aggressive trying to close out a playoff game with CHAD HENNE under center than we were last night with the Half Billon Dollar Man.

That's another succinct statement.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Having a franchise QB does make it so much easier.

Someone should tell this to Andy Reid… with an 11 point lead use your ultimate cheat code QB to deliver the death blow instead of handing the ball off for 5 yard losses with a struggling running game.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Having a franchise QB does make it so much easier. Get one and you have solved 90% of your issues.

90% is Aaron Rodgers
100% is Tom Brady

pick your aspiration.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

So your basic argument is that I look silly because the people I was criticizing understandably erred by saying some stupid stuff that I called stupid.

I'm saying you either look silly because you're currently arguing against points made by people who were either trolling or have an IQ of 75, or because you took valid arguments and turned them into the extreme takes in your previous post.

FFS, do you realize just how bad other parts of the team have to be for the Chiefs to not win an AFCCG? Sutton defense bad. And how bad do they have to be to not win a SB? 4th/5th string offensive line bad.

And how bad they had to be last night on defense to lose by one point? 250 rushing yards bad.

In all 3 of those scenarios, "top 30 in the league" would have been enough to win those games.

How does any of that prove a reasonable point? Yeah, they can't completely ignore other parts of the team, but they can still basically do so and make it to the AFCCG. That was never a point, no one has ever said to get down to 4th string offensive linemen or have a reincarnation of DRob defense for the sake of drafting Mahomes.... yet, they've still managed 3 consecutive AFCCGs.

If you still want the Alex Smith model, there are plenty of other teams to root for that don't have a franchise QB and won't be sniffing late January playoff games any time soon.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

Someone should tell this to Andy Reid… with an 11 point lead use your ultimate cheat code QB to deliver the death blow instead of handing the ball off for 5 yard losses with a struggling running game.

No argument here.

[Bearcat]

Uh, you can 100% say mediocrity in all other phases wins SBs with Mahomes, outside of needing a couple guys like Tyreek and Kelce. Those 3 guys and mediocrity everywhere else, without the worst offensive line ever or worst run defense in the league, etc... yeah, they'll win Super Bowls.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

90% is Aaron Rodgers
100% is Tom Brady

pick your aspiration.

Brady is a unicorn. Won't be another one like him.

[dirk digler]

Just like the Ravens shouldn't have gotten away from the run as often as they did, the Chiefs were too run-heavy on early downs. "Balance" is a myth -- keep passing until they stop you, *then* increase your run frequency if necessary. Don't preemptively shoot yourself in the foot pic.twitter.com/GlXHiFCg7C

— Ethan Douglas (@EthanCDouglas) September 20, 2021