NFL Power Rankings: Sloppy Seattle Opens Door For New Orleans

Oct 27, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback

(11) throws a pass during the second half of the game against the Cleveland Browns at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

TEAM OF DESTINY

1. Kansas City Chiefs

Record: 8-0

Previous Ranking: 1

The NFL is all about adjustments – how quickly and how accurately you make them. Fail to make the right adjustment quick enough and everything could fall apart at the blink of an eye.

KC’s adjustment over the next few weeks has to be the passing game. Consider this:

ALEX SMITH in SEPTEMBER

60.27% completions, 6.55 yards per attempt, 7 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 89.9 quarterback rating

ALEX SMITH in OCTOBER

57.86% completions, 5.99 yards per attempt, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 74 quarterback rating

This is a bad trend. Blame it on whatever or whatever you want, but we should all agree the passing game has to improve from where it has been for the last four weeks.

Alex Smith has to better than what he was in October. That passing attack isn’t beating Denver or San Diego on the road or Indianapolis. Getting back to the September numbers may be enough to pull off some of the victories KC will need to win the AFC West, but even that may not be enough.

How to get back to those numbers is a complicated answer, and one that is going to take a few weeks to figure out. Fortunately the Chiefs have a bye week coming after the Buffalo game. Hopefully the lack of a passing game doesn’t bite the Chiefs before the break.