A loss that shakes: The Chiefs must prove they are not who they now appear to be

[Hammock Parties]

Most ominous shit Sam has ever written

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/sp...223500455.html

SEATTLE

Do this job long enough and the signs make themselves obvious. The worst losses have a different sound afterward, the busy silence occasionally broken up by a locker door slamming, or team leaders declining to talk to reporters, or hope for hope’s sake.

The losses that sting make clear the difference between a team that’s earned the AFC’s No. 1 seed and a team that might still wear that title despite itself.

The moments that shake are the difference between a team that lost, and these Chiefs who lost their swagger after a 38-31 nationally televised loss here to the Seahawks.

“It seems extreme right now but that’s not the reality of it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Just a fix a couple things and we’ll be alright.”

He might be right. Actually, that’s not true. He is right. Just a couple things. The Chiefs have now lost four games, by a total of 10 points, each of them decided in one form or another late in the fourth quarter.

They’ve lost to two AFC teams. The Patriots have lost three of five, and the Chargers have led the Chiefs for exactly 4 of 7,200 seconds this season. The Chiefs play the Raiders at home next week, which is the closest thing the NFL offers to a week 17 bye. Win that and the Chiefs have the No. 1 seed.

So, Reid is right. Just a couple things. This is not a disaster.

But you sure can see disaster from here.

“You have to find a way to win these games,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “We haven’t been lately, so that’s the most frustrating thing. Everybody’s got to step up.”

Repeat: Just a couple things. We’ll be alright.

That works enough as coach speak in a postgame press conference, words that nobody in the room believes tell the whole story, but let’s play along. A couple things.

One would be the run defense. The Seahawks ran for the most predictable 210 yards in NFL history. Up the middle, around the edge, quarterback Russell Wilson on a scramble. Whatever. It all worked.

One would be the pass defense. The Chiefs again could not cover, and when they did cover, they could not make the play. They made up for all of that by missing far too many tackles.

One would be penalties. They padded their league-leading total with eight more, including one on a missed field goal and four others that gave the Seahawks first downs.

One would be the offense. Nobody wants to admit it, but this is two games in a row the offense has not been good enough. Last week against the Chargers, they needed one first down on their last possession. They went three and out. This week, they managed just 10 points with two turnovers (one that gifted the Seahawks a touchdown) before halftime. They had five possessions in which they punted or turned it over within three plays.

This team was always going as far as the offense would take it, whether that’s fair or not, and the last two weeks the offense hasn’t been good enough.

That’s four things, which is technically more than “a couple,” but this is no time for nitpicking so let’s get to the point.

Do you have confidence the Chiefs will fix these problems? And if so, why? How?

The Chiefs are in a precarious place. They are the probable No. 1 seed, even still, and are giving seldom-used rookie defensive backs the ol’ screw-it-how-much-worse-could-they-be opportunities in week 16 road games.

They have been the AFC’s best team for virtually the entire season, but at this point that feels more like an indictment on the rest of the conference than a reason to be confident in the Chiefs.

Assuming they beat the Raiders next week — and if they don’t, they’ve got much bigger problems — we are still three weeks from the Chiefs’ next real test.

And the heck of it is that Reid is factually accurate. They’re not that far off. The NFL’s gravitational pull means parody rules the day, always has, and the Chiefs will likely have homefield advantage, the best quarterback, and the best offense in the field.

That is an incredible place to be, particularly in what the organization originally forecasted as a transition year.

But the Chiefs are trending the wrong way, at the wrong time. That offense isn’t as dynamic as it once was. Eric Berry is playing again, but most of the biggest problems on defense still exist, even when he’s not on the sideline during the most important moments.

The Chiefs have everything in front of them, even still.

But the truth is a lot of their fans are terrified of what that means.

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by King_Chief_Fan

A couple of dropped passes, one defensive stop and a fumble that cost 7 points away from winning this game.
I don't see it as a disaster.

The defense will continue to be the Issue for the remainder of season.

They are still in this for sure

Keep the faith!

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

The team came out flat against the Seahawks and that is on Andy. He can't seem to motivate his team during big games.

I think it's more of the case of opening jitters, Mahomes overthrew a couple of passes early in the game including a wide open TD to Kelce. That being said this loss like our others puts the blame squarely on the Defense, at some point they have to do something to help out.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by RunKC

It is what it is. Sutton was kept. Yes the players suck and that’s on Andy and Veach, but Sutton is bad too.

This defense needs a complete makeover top to bottom. New staff and a handful of new players.

If Sutton is kept again after this season than it’s time for Andy to go.

I look at this defense and see pretty good talent.

The proper scheme, tackling, and attitude would have this unit ranked in the middle or higher.

[MVChiefFan]

Originally Posted by notorious

I look at this defense and see pretty good talent.

The proper scheme, tackling, and attitude would have this unit ranked in the middle or higher.

This. I honestly don’t think we’re many players away. Definitely a safety and a corner. We’re stuck with Hitchens, all we can do is hope that he regains last year’s form. But, yeah, I think a coaching change, that will play more to our players abilities, will go a long way. I mean, all we needed to be this year was top 20, and we would be fine.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by MVChiefFan

This. I honestly don’t think we’re many players away. Definitely a safety and a corner. We’re stuck with Hitchens, all we can do is hope that he regains last year’s form. But, yeah, I think a coaching change, that will play more to our players abilities, will go a long way. I mean, all we needed to be this year was top 20, and we would be fine.

Shoot, for the remainder of this season, I'd be all in favor of totally selling out to stop the run, and unleash Mahomes to make every game a shoot out. Advantage KC.

At least that way, we may be able to stop the running teams from getting so much TOP advantage.

[MVChiefFan]

Originally Posted by TEX

Shoot, for the remainder of this season, I'd be all in favor of totally selling out to stop the run, and unleash Mahomes to make every game a shoot out. Advantage KC.

At least that way, we may be able to stop the running teams from getting so much TOP advantage.

It’s a good thought. At this point, the more we have Mahomes on the field the better off we’ll be.

[WilliamTheIrish]

That loss last night was terrible.

But, I don’t care.

We have the QB to get it done. **** the AFC. **** the crybabies. **** them all. We are going to win on Sunday and then jettison some scrub team two weeks later to get the playoff monkey GORILLA off our backs.

With that playoff monkey gone, PM II will lead us to th SB.

**** you and your mothers. Pussies.

I’m going to down to the quad for some streaking. Who’s in?

[KChiefs1]

Chiefs Rewind

https://youtu.be/X0Gm6LLgfrU

[ILChief]

Originally Posted by MVChiefFan

This. I honestly don’t think we’re many players away. Definitely a safety and a corner. We’re stuck with Hitchens, all we can do is hope that he regains last year’s form. But, yeah, I think a coaching change, that will play more to our players abilities, will go a long way. I mean, all we needed to be this year was top 20, and we would be fine.

Hitchens was good before he entered Suttons stupid defense. He'd be fine with a new DC. We need a CB to start opposite Fuller and move Nelson down a spot. Also a safety. No more Parker/Murray/Sorensen.

[ILChief]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

Chiefs Rewind

https://youtu.be/X0Gm6LLgfrU

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by ILChief

[Naptown Chief]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Andy Reid kept Sutton after another catastrophe in the playoffs. Veach ignored the secondary all offseason.

Those are the culprits, not Sutton.

[New World Order]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

That loss last night was terrible.

But, I don’t care.

We have the QB to get it done. **** the AFC. **** the crybabies. **** them all. We are going to win on Sunday and then jettison some scrub team two weeks later to get the playoff monkey GORILLA off our backs.

With that playoff monkey gone, PM II will lead us to th SB.

**** you and your mothers. Pussies.

I’m going to down to the quad for some streaking. Who’s in?

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!

[Naptown Chief]

Originally Posted by notorious

I look at this defense and see pretty good talent.

The proper scheme, tackling, and attitude would have this unit ranked in the middle or higher.

I feel the same way. 4-3 with a competent coordinator and I'd be willing to bet they'd be substantially better.

[Naptown Chief]

Originally Posted by ILChief

I love that gif(?)