Seth Keysor: The five stages of 2023 Chiefs fandom
 

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The five stages of 2023 Chiefs fandom

Let's work towards acceptance of who Kansas City is (a team with a puncher's chance), and who they aren't (a great team).
SETH KEYSOR
DEC 12


I wasn’t mad on Sunday night as I left Arrowhead Stadium. No, seriously, I wasn’t.

Sure, the Chiefs had just lost a(nother) frustrating close game, this time falling by a field goal to a desperate Bills team fighting to stay in the playoff picture. Sure, the Chiefs had basically tanked their chance at the 1-seed in the playoffs and even (gulp) put themselves in some jeopardy of missing the playoffs entirely if they aren’t careful. Sure, three of the last four games have been losses that should have been wins. And sure, once again self-inflicted errors killed what should have been a win. All of those things are quite frustrating. Maddening, even.

And yet, I was in a pretty good mood as I walked out of Arrowhead and drove back to the great white north. Maybe it was because I’d just had yet another fantastic weekend of friends and food (shout out to Meat Mitch, which sent me into a meat-induced food coma Saturday night). Maybe it was because the most beautiful woman in the universe was on my arm as we enjoyed a kidless vacation (love you, kiddos, I swear!). Or maybe it was because I had finally reached a healthy place with the 2023 Chiefs.

The rest is here st the link. It’s free to read.
https://substack.com/app-link/post?p...w96sexBWO5mhQ0

Too long did not read

spot on

flip a coin 4 times in a row

100% on the money. They just don't have the margin for error this year they have had previous years on offense.

It COULD change but not likely too much this late in the year.

When you got Mahomes you always have a chance.

This team is very close. Very, very close.

Good article actually. I am oscillating between sadness and acceptance right now.

Only have to win 4 coin flips in a row!

Really good perspective and I think most would agree with all of it. I’m stuck in the anger phase with what-ifs running through my head but it’s okay. I know Veach will fix it next year no matter how this season ends.

we know we can’t go to nor win a SB every year until Mahomes retires.

The Pats had some shitty teams and didn’t go to a SB with Brady for 10 years. We are not a shitty team. We are are a good team with a punchers chance.

that o-Line cost us a SB. They were complete shit. Veach got it fixed in one season. He can get the WR room fixed in one off season too.

^This

I am OK with a down year. Especially waiting for 50 years. We got 2. Of course I want to dominate but that means a TEAM and cash flow. I trust in our FO, coach and QB.

Still the only team that beats the Chiefs is the Chiefs. You can't say that about many other teams.

However, each is a separate event that is not dependent on the prior one.

6.25% chance

seems high tbh

I'm pretty much there (acceptance). I could never have dreamed of a run like we've had. And while it would be nice to continue every year, it's just crazy tough.

And I mean, is anyone going to COMPLETELY count out Mahomes and Kelce in the playoffs? 1 seed or 7 seed, we'll have a shot.

It’s a shitty but true feeling that anything short of a Super Bowl victory will feel like falling short because we’ve seen such success lately. Ten years ago we were still chasing our first playoff win in decades.

Actually, well put. This WR core sucks and we still have to face the Bengals then, if we win the AFC West (I think we will) we have an uphill fight through the playoffs and on the road. Going to be interesting to say the least. If Chiefs can turn the WR room around we have a chance - Let's freaking GEAUX and see how we do. Fingers crossed.

Good artticle. Thx for posting.



I guess I went through most of the stages after the first DEN game. By the time we lost to PHI, I reached acceptance, kind of. Still have some mad left about possibly wasting a prime Mahomes year, and possibly Travis' last season if he decides to hang 'em up after this season. But you can't win them all.

And it has been a hell of a run, so far. And Pat is a Great Eraser. They have a puncher's chance, yeah. With Pat, who knows?

They went twice in those 10 years but lost both times. But your overall point is valid.

And the 2007 Pats are a fluke catch away from universally being called the best team of all time.

They didn’t win but they most certainly went twice in those 10 years. Let’s hope Mahomes gets a lot more of those same shots and healthy years.

I think a big part of what makes this year different is the pressure to repeat. It’s about time it happened and if not for a shit O line it already would have

We are entering stage 2 of the Mahomes era. He’s getting top of the NFL money. Going to have to be cheaper somewhere else.

until Patrick Mahomes joined the Chiefs.

Still the team nobody will want to face in the playoffs as long as we get there whether it’s 1 or 7 seed.

Cut out the concentration errors and we can beat anyone out there.

Hell the Eagles just lost by 20 back to back against their key play off rivals yet the only game we really got totally outplayed was Denver 2nd time.

Nah, teams do not fear KC. The concentration errors are who they are this year. Other teams know this is the year to get them. Like the article said, they have a punchers chance. And even though there's a chance, it does not usually translate to victory. Wouldn't u rather face a puncher than a well rounded fighter? I would.

I remember Patrick Mahomes saying something that provided clarity a little while back,
I’m paraphrasing: To be a dynasty you must go through adversity.

Crap article. Get the details right, win a title.

What would it take to change our fortunes?

We have to get much, much better WR play. As far as I can see, the team's fortunes changing this year seem to depend on Rice leveling up two levels to provide the required balance on offense. Rice has some potential and is finally getting the snaps, but there's no hope the others will turn into players they are not. Without a receiver who creates problems, we're going to continue to be far too easy to defend.

The drive-killing penalties and turnovers are a problem too, but can the offense suddenly start being disciplined when the group is just... not? Seems unlikely. There's been very little improvement through 13 games.

I'm at the acceptance phase I think. The Chiefs whiffed on the offseason for the most part and it set us back a year or two.

Why are people so surprised games are so close? It's a simple matter of execution at this point as even as all of these teams are. The league is insanely balanced right now and that's a good thing. It's not that "everyone sucks". It's that no team had a noticeable talent advantage over anyone.

Solid read, thanks for posting

I'm in the acceptance phase, its too late in the season for drastic change

Quit beating ourselves. There hasn't been a loss this year where I've walked away thinking well, that team just totally outplayed us or they're just a better team.

It's always, "WHY DO WE DO SO MUCH STUPID SHIT!"

Does he mention those with vulture spirit animals. Claim "FEAST" on an 8-5 team

You need to get to the acceptance phase. The 2019 Chiefs are in the history books. We are entering Phase 2 of the Mahomes era.

Agree. However a litmus test for me is whether or not we bring Skyy back. I know he'll be on year three of a rookie deal, but we need to cut him. He brings absolutely nothing to the table at either WR or on ST. He's a waste of a roster spot, and we'd be better off taking a flyer on an UDFA than giving it to Skyy.

SB 55 and the AFCCG loss to the Bengals already met that bs requirement.

I've been in denial for so long that I see no reason to move onto stage 2...

Screw that. They have a good a chance at a title as anyone else. I'm not accepting shit...

Yeah, I really don't understand the dudes melting down.

**** we won not one but TWO Super Bowls. We went 25 years without winning a playoff game. That bought me a ****ton of grace. It's really hard to win Super Bowls. This shit was going to happen. It's not my idea of a good time, but I'll always enjoy watching Mahomes to Mahomes things.

Nailed it!
I think it gets fixed this off season. Next year it will be scorched earth time!

I just wish that was the reaction to mvs interference instead. That was obviously a ref **** up, but they stayed silent on it. The officials deserve to be called out for deliberate screw ups.

Oh yes. Part II begins next season!

Moore and Rice will be retained. So get use to that fact. We will get 5 new ones. I expect Veach to bring in a good WR in free agency. Tag and trade Jones. Use the draft capital to move up in the draft to get a WR.

Next year will be a revenge tour, but not ready to pack this one in just yet. We have had chances late in every one these losses and that’s with playing really shitty football for the most part. Obviously there are issues in the offense that aren’t going away but if we fix even half of the problems we are looking at a deep run. Maybe I’m in denial phase but this team is capable of way more than they’ve shown up to this point.

Im not gonna lie, I was in a reallly dark place Sunday night and Monday all day,until about 10pm. That is, when I ran across this thread and it really helped me process my feelings on this team.

Chiefs have a shot, especially since the AFC is in such a weak year. Chiefs can beat anyone. Get Pat to the playoffs with this defense and enjoy the ride!

I think I got caught up in the Anger/bargaining phase he lays out. Refs have been an issue but that was where emotionally I was stuck in. Chiefs used to overcome that trash when they were a great team. They aren't that anymore they are a good team with a shot. Got to re-adjust expectations and enjoy the season instead of being miserable.

Hey now the Dolphins lose, so we have a shot at top seed again. Let's go Chiefs!

Of course Rice will be retained. He's by far the best WR on our roster at this point, and why we're not feeding him the ball more will go down as one of the greatest mysteries of the 2023 season for me. It's really inexcusable.

I read part of the article but didn't finish. (Could use a proofreader BTW, holy hell typos.)

Bottom line I'm just not there. I still think this team can be great this year. It's an upgraded defense over last year, better O-line, and swap out Juju for Rice. Doesn't add up. Go on a run of wins to finish the season, then unleash hell in the playoffs which don't start until mid January. Shit ain't over.

Nor is each one truly random as a coin flip would be.

To me the MVS one is the worse of the officiating ****ery. But Mahomes was clear about it, and probably right, over the long term. He'd rather the refs let them play and let the chips fall where they may rather than the ticky tack shit.

But yeah, he's stayed out of the conspiracy stuff of "they're ****ing us" of which there is a compelling case, but it is smart to stay above.

The individual calls get the press, but what's infuriating to me is the disparity between calls.

Yeah, I get we have to get cheaper somewhere. I just believe that we got too cheap at WR. And the evidence seems to bear that out, unfortunately. Veach/Andy should've acquired at least one actual possession veteran WR, to leaven the youth/inexperience of the WR room. But they chose not to, for whatever reasons, that I'm no longer interested in.


But I'm fine with it at this point. What's done is done. We'll see if one or two of them can pull their heads out of their asses before the end of the season, or they won't. Thankfully we have Andy, Spags, Pat and Travis, so as the article said, we still have a decent puncher's chance to win another Ring.

2 Rings in the last 5 years makes this year's struggles seem temporary, so I can just sit back and enjoy the ride wherever it takes us, and not be too upset about the state of the offense in 2023.:D