Kansas City Chiefs: 3 Reasons Why They Are Contenders

The Kansas City Chiefs have won their last two games by somewhat convincing fashion. Do they have what it takes to contend in the playoffs?

The NFL playoffs are starting to take shape and the Kansas City Chiefs are one win closer to cementing their spot among the best teams in the league. Do they have what it takes to compete against the likes of New England and Pittsburgh?

It’s understandable if your mind jumps back to week one when the Chiefs manhandled the Patriots in Foxboro, but that was then, this is now. The Patriots have obviously gotten better and the Chiefs have not had such an easy path since.

The same can be said about the Steelers. The Chiefs were still in that game before Phillip Gaines helmet gave Antonio Brown an early Christmas present to put the game away. Since that game in week six, the Steelers have looked like a true contender, the Chiefs lost six of seven.

The last two weeks has seen Kansas City rebound into the team we saw early in the season. At the least a fragment of that team. At the most, they may even be playing better at the moment. Let’s take a look at three reasons why the Chiefs should be considered a contender.

Reason 1

Patrick Mahomes. Just kidding. Reason one is the emergence of the defense. The Chiefs defense has been playing lights out the last two weeks as they continue their dominance of the AFC West. The Chiefs secondary has come up with huge turnovers that are coming in abundance. Those turnovers are possible due to the pressure being put on the quarterback, thanks in large part to the defensive line. That d-line has been obsolete for most of the season, but they seem to be turning up the heat as of late, which is perfect timing.

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Even in the blowout victory against the Patriots, the defense wasn’t what most people would say was impressive. The additions of players such as Reggie Ragland and Darrell Revis has bolstered the depth on the defensive side of the ball. These additions allow for the coaching staff to keep enigmas such as Phillip Gaines off the field.

If the defense can keep up the pressure and the attentiveness they have shown the last two weeks against teams that experts across the land thought were the better team, there is no reason they can’t continue that trend.

Reason 2

Kareem Hunt has found his mojo once again, and once again he is breaking records. Reason two is simple. If Hunt can run the ball like he has the last two weeks it is impossible to say the Chiefs can’t be in any game against any team. Especially when he is involved in the passing game as he was in week 15 against the Chargers. That equation opens the door for a whole new offense to be displayed.

As the sun rises in the West, it too is evident that the Chiefs are a serious contender when Hunt gets going. The Chiefs losses in the middle of the season can all be attributed to the lack of a running game. Hunt was missing for seven weeks, as his picture was pasted on the back of milk cartons across the great city of Kansas City.

As long as defenses are forced to respect the Chiefs running game, that opens up the possibility of big plays down field, which brings us to reason three.

Reason 3

Tyreek Hill is so fast, defensive players stop giving chase if he has beaten them. If Hill can get past the defender, there is no stopping him. You can’t stop what you can’t catch. You can’t catch what you can’t stop.

Tyreek Hill is unlike any other player in the league. He will shortly become one of the top two or three elite receivers in the league, especially with a quarterback who likes to throw the ball downfield. Even with Alex Smith, who isn’t known for his arm strength, Hill has become a dominant force. A force that seemingly can’t be stopped, or caught.

In closing

The Kansas City Chiefs may not be better than either the Patriots or Steelers, but they have the weapons to keep things interesting. The better team doesn’t always win in the NFL, which makes the league and the sport so intriguing. There is no Golden State Warriors in the NFL, although the Patriots do seem to be close.

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With no best of seven series in football, all the Chiefs need to do is beat these teams one time when they enter the playoffs. They have already shown that even if they aren’t at their best, they can still compete, if not beat, the best in the league.