MELLINGER: Dear Chiefs fans: C'mon, it's not that bad ...

[pugsnotdrugs19]

LINK: https://www.kansascity.com/sports/sp...223324950.html

ARTICLE:

Spoiler!

BY SAM MELLINGER
December 19th, 2018

This will be hard for some of you to understand. That’s not said negatively. Just factually. Because some of you came to follow the Chiefs because of Patrick Mahomes. Which is fine. Kansas City is not accustomed to rooting for trendy teams. These are strange times we live in.

But here’s a quick primer for those who started rooting for the Chiefs once they began playing a wizard at quarterback: Your new team is a habitual heartbreaker. The darkness in the stories you hear from your new brothers and sisters is real. They are not whining. They are speaking their truth.

And, you know, while we’re on the topic, here’s something for those of you who fell in love with this team long ago — you’ve never cheered for a team like this.

More specifically, you’ve never cheered for a quarterback like this.

You know that, of course. That’s been obvious since Week 17 of last year, if not earlier. But if last week’s loss shook your confidence, it’s worth pointing something out.

If this same Chiefs team — flaws and strengths, studs and duds — wore different uniforms and played in a different city, you would be jealous.

If this Chiefs team wore Colts uniforms, for instance, you would be terrified with all the scenarios of Mahomes driving a figurative knife through your metaphorical heart with a game-winning drive capped by a Tarkenton scramble with a sack-avoiding cartwheel and left-handed no-look pass threading four defenders.

This is, basically, what Kansas City has waited decades to see.

The Chiefs have the best quarterback in a league that’s never been more dominated by quarterbacks. They have the best offense in a league teaching fans who can’t remember the 2000 Baltimore Ravens that, actually, Offense Wins Championships.

These Chiefs have lost three games, by a total of seven points, each literally or essentially coming down to the final play. They are 3-2 against teams currently holding an AFC playoff spot, with two of those wins on the road.

The losses came against the New England Patriots, who have lost three of five, and the Los Angeles Chargers, who lost to the Chiefs at home and have led the Chiefs for just 4 of 7,200 seconds this season.

The Chiefs have flaws. Oh brother, they’ve got flaws. They have a defense fronted by Chris Jones and Dee Ford and Justin Houston with a solid group of cornerbacks and they’re still somehow terrible.

They have averaged 39.7 points in their losses. The defense scored or set up three touchdowns and the offense gave up two touchdowns in those losses, but still. If you can’t relax with 40 points, you can’t ever relax.

This team has problems keeping its quarterback clean, and has consistently amplified its problems tackling (worst among projected AFC playoff teams, according to Pro Football Focus) by being the NFL’s most penalized team.

So even without a playoff collapse presented in regular season form last week, you wouldn’t have to think too hard to come up with ugly scenarios.

But the AFC lacks a singularly dominant team. Usually, when that happens, the fallback logic is that the hottest team wins. Well, the Chiefs are well-positioned to be that team with a win this weekend in Seattle.

The Seahawks are a terrible matchup for the Chiefs, the league’s best rushing team against the worst rush defense. But they are also beatable, and a home underdog against the team so many here in Kansas City are freaking out about.

Win this weekend and no matter what the Chargers do the Chiefs can clinch another AFC West title and first-round bye with a win over the Raiders in week 17 (the NFL’s version of a layup).

Do all of that and they will be going into the playoffs with the league’s best quarterback and offense, and a defense that is at least getting healthier and presumably a little better with the return of safety Eric Berry.

That’s enough to fight with.

Look, the Chiefs might ruin your January. That is in play. Berry could be injured at any moment, a two-score lead disintegrated in 5 minutes, and a badly timed penalty or missed kick will stir up a lot of ghosts. The new fans will be quick learners on that. Welcome to the heartbreak, suckers.

But the longtime fans can learn something here. Meet in the middle. Open your eyes, and see a quarterback and team capable of scoring an average of 37.7 points against six projected playoff teams.

Unless you are old enough to remember 1969, this is the closest the team you root for has ever resembled the team you’ve wanted it to be.

If you’re giving up hope because of one loss in a year without a dominant team, well, nobody can fault you for protecting your heart. But they might also ask a simple question.

What are you waiting for?

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by TwistedChief

This board is in the midst of a holy war between those who think Mahomes has flipped the script on our playoff hopes and those trauma victims who are letting past seasons' PTSD overwhelm them.

I'm a part of the former but I understand the latter. Either way, this season isn't going to settle the debate. So just enjoy the ride for the time being and understand that this season isn't an all-or-none proposition.

We've got Mahomes for 10+ more years. There's plenty of time to build a dynasty.

For now I'll just be happy if we finally get a win over a legitimate playoff team this century

[Spott]

Originally Posted by Best22

I agree

If we could dump our history from 1990-2017, fans would have more confidence

We need to dump our history from 1970-1990 as well.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by TwistedChief

This board is in the midst of a holy war between those who think Mahomes has flipped the script on our playoff hopes and those trauma victims who are letting past seasons' PTSD overwhelm them.

I'm a part of the former but I understand the latter. Either way, this season isn't going to settle the debate. So just enjoy the ride for the time being and understand that this season isn't an all-or-none proposition.

I didn't have an issue losing to NE or LA. We went down swinging. Just as I didn't mind our playoff losses to Pitt or NE... it frustrated the hell out of me, but we were simply outmatched. I hope Mahomes can take us deep into the playoffs but if we lose this way... there's always next year.

The Indy, Tenn, SD loss will always sting me in a different way because I will never like when we play not to lose instead of playing to win. We had no business losing any of those games.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

I didn't have an issue losing to NE or LA. We went down swinging. Just as I didn't mind our playoff losses to Pitt or NE... it frustrated the hell out of me, but we were simply outmatched. I hope Mahomes can take us deep into the playoffs but if we lose this way... there's always next year.

The Indy, Tenn, SD loss will always sting me in a different way because I will never like when we play not to lose instead of playing to win. We had no business losing any of those games.

They literally lost the Indy game because they played to aggressive in the 2nd half.

Had they not played the LA game like that, they probably win.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Sam's right. But this place thrives on angst and drama, so I'm sure most will disagree.

Mellinger is pulling a Colin Cowherd(hot take), and was an Chiefs apologist last season too.

We have the QB, but the defense will be KC's downfall if the opposition's offense has the ball last in the waning moments of the game, or just shits themselves when the Chiefs offense puts up 35 or more points.

[ptlyon]

.They have a defense fronted by Chris Jones and Dee Ford and Justin Houston with a solid group of cornerbacks and they’re still somehow terrible.

Interesting take

[O.city]

He's not wrong on that part.

Can it really be that the ILB's and safeties kill this team that bad?

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by O.city

He's not wrong on that part.

Can it really be that the ILB's and safeties kill this team that bad?

yes

[Color Red]

Originally Posted by Flachief58

No one is worried about the O. The other side of the ball has us scared shitless

We understood this going into the season, that defense was a problem. What has exacerbated the problem oddly, is that the offense has done so well, that teams come into a game with us knowing they need to score a lot of points to compete, and that plays into our weakness.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by O.city

It's easier to win in the NFL playoffs than baseball though. It's a single game.

It is year one, hopefully of a long tenure for Pat here. But I don't think anyone figures he's going to have years like this every year. As RUNKC just said, would anyone be surprised if the Chiefs were to waste a QB like this because they're the Chiefs?

The NFL this year doesn't have a clearly dominant team and the Chiefs are at the top of the heap of teams that could be right there. They aren't going to do that by having to go on the road in January which is what looks to be happening.

Now that they have the QB, why fall into the "theres always Next year" mantra?

"There's always next year" is actually a good thing when you're in the mix every year... pre-Mahomes, there wasn't a 'next year', there was only the same old shit.

No, I would not be surprised if the Chiefs screwed it up.

I'm not going to dwell on that for the next two decades though. Personally, all I've wanted from them is to be competitive in the playoffs. That doesn't mean make the playoffs every year or 'win one playoff game against some shit team'... but I'd also not care if they only won a Super Bowl or two in the next 15+ years (well, as long as Mahomes is there and worth watching).

If they're a contender in mid-late January most years, I'll be happy... because it also means there's a good chance of winning a Super Bowl or two.

I think that's the most any sports fan can hope for without driving themselves crazy.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Sorry, I don't play that game. I'm not miserable about anything.

But I see no issue whatsoever with fans putting pressure on Reid to change. He stubbornly didn't listen when everyone told him to can Sutton. He still hasn't figured out how to hold a lead. These are things he can change. Without the pressure, history tells us he won't change anything.

We can still enjoy watching while not settling for things that can actually be changed.

Do you really think most of this is on Sutton? The run defense sucks, and the safeties and CBs are probably the worst in football. Do you think blitzing like Gunther and putting those same terrible DBs on islands is going to solve a bunch of problems? I understand varying calls so that a defense isn't predictable, but you'd think the futility of Buddy Ryan in Arizona and Houston compared to his success in Chicago and Philadelphia (and the fact that no one has run a true 46 successfully since), the tepid defenses fielded by Belichick over the last several years, and the spectacular flameouts of numerous defensive coordinators would teach people that the only thing that really matters on defense is talent. Dick LeBeau got into the HOF as a DC and he was slightly better than rewarmed pig shit as soon as he went to Tennessee. Amazingly, it's harder to be a DC when you don't have James Harrison, Polamalu, Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Timmons, Shazier, et al.

The Chiefs lack talent in areas that are easily exploited. No, Sutton isn't a great DC, but no DC is worth a shit when they don't have the horses. Jones and Ford are good pass rushers, but when the DL is getting annihilated by the run and the corners are not physically talented enough to cover the receivers, there's only so much you can do.

If you want to complain about someone, complain that Veach didn't bring in Eric Reid, Breeland, or pull the trigger on an Earl Thomas trade ASAP. Those are where the real problems lie.

Do you really think Andy Reid is any better as an OC this year than he was in 2017? Of course not, and neither does anyone else. The only thing that changed is the talent level.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by O.city

They literally lost the Indy game because they played to aggressive in the 2nd half.

Had they not played the LA game like that, they probably win.

Indy is unusual bc of bad clock management. It doesn't explain Tennessee, SF, Arizona, Denver. It doesn't explain the stalls vs Pitt & SD week 1 & 2.
People wanted to blame the Tenn loss on not running enough. But most on CP at least could see that Alex Smith was not taking the chances he was taking in the first half. He went back to managing the game.

Not running the ball doesn't mean we're aggressive. Our offense falls in to sideways passes and dink and dunk. It did with Alex Smith. It's continuing that with Mahomes, a QB capable of much more than that.

My hot take, but if you have an alternate explanation, have at it. Other than Jacksonville where Mahomes was ultra aggressive, it feels to me like he's trying to manage the game home instead of relying on his instincts as an aggressive passer. Let him loose. Tell Mahomes a 10 point lead is basically a 0-0 game. Anything other than what we've already been doing, which hasn't worked.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Mahomes has gotten away with a lot of shit because he's uber-talented, which is awesome, but you will court disaster with that approach, too. Point is, if he's slinging it, don't get pissed if he has two second half INTs that bring the other team back in the game, because that's the door you open.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Indy is unusual bc of bad clock management. It doesn't explain Tennessee, SF, Arizona, Denver. It doesn't explain the stalls vs Pitt & SD week 1 & 2.
People wanted to blame the Tenn loss on not running enough. But most on CP at least could see that Alex Smith was not taking the chances he was taking in the first half. He went back to managing the game.

Not running the ball doesn't mean we're aggressive. Our offense falls in to sideways passes and dink and dunk. It did with Alex Smith. It's continuing that with Mahomes, a QB capable of much more than that.

My hot take, but if you have an alternate explanation, have at it. Other than Jacksonville where Mahomes was ultra aggressive, it feels to me like he's trying to manage the game home instead of relying on his instincts as an aggressive passer. Let him loose. Tell Mahomes a 10 point lead is basically a 0-0 game. Anything other than what we've already been doing, which hasn't worked.

It doesn't explain it because teams aren't going to come out and score on every possession or move the ball up and down the field every possession.

They scored on like 5 straight possessions against the 9ers, same with the Broncos.

He played like that against the Rams. We saw what happened.

You can't always do that.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Do you really think most of this is on Sutton? The run defense sucks, and the safeties and CBs are probably the worst in football. Do you think blitzing like Gunther and putting those same terrible DBs on islands is going to solve a bunch of problems? I understand varying calls so that a defense isn't predictable, but you'd think the futility of Buddy Ryan in Arizona and Houston compared to his success in Chicago and Philadelphia (and the fact that no one has run a true 46 successfully since), the tepid defenses fielded by Belichick over the last several years, and the spectacular flameouts of numerous defensive coordinators would teach people that the only thing that really matters on defense is talent. Dick LeBeau got into the HOF as a DC and he was slightly better than rewarmed pig shit as soon as he went to Tennessee. Amazingly, it's harder to be a DC when you don't have James Harrison, Polamalu, Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Timmons, Shazier, et al.

The Chiefs lack talent in areas that are easily exploited. No, Sutton isn't a great DC, but no DC is worth a shit when they don't have the horses. Jones and Ford are good pass rushers, but when the DL is getting annihilated by the run and the corners are not physically talented enough to cover the receivers, there's only so much you can do.

If you want to complain about someone, complain that Veach didn't bring in Eric Reid, Breeland, or pull the trigger on an Earl Thomas trade ASAP. Those are where the real problems lie.

Do you really think Andy Reid is any better as an OC this year than he was in 2017? Of course not, and neither does anyone else? The only thing that changed is the talent level.

The D scheme isn't overall garbage. It's a mix of talent gaps, some instances of egregiously bad situational playcalling, and poor coaching (players standing around, poor tackling, and 14 games in and we have no clue whatsoever will line up on the ball).

I don't have any delusion that a new DC fixes everything. But it fixes enough things.