Kansas City Chiefs: How Do Chiefs Fair Among AFC Contenders

Cincinnati Bengals

I spent time covering the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason and was high on them coming into the regular season. While they still haven’t gotten rid of Marvin Lewis as their head coach, they have made some significant changes in the organization. Signing former Dallas offensive line coach Frank Pollack and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has significantly changed the look of both sides of the football.

Cincinnati’s defense was good last season, but that was it. With nagging injuries, the secondary struggled at times. On the offensive side of the ball, the Bengals terrible offensive line play limited their season in 2017. It didn’t help that they fired their offensive coordinator after Week 2 of last season. With a full offseason of improvements and time to develop a new offense that fits the strengths of their playmakers, Cincinnati has looked great in the first two weeks.

I wanted to get some more insight from a Bengals writer. I reached out to Jack Lane who took over the Stripe Hype website this offseason. I’ve worked with him all offseason and think that he will provide some good intel on the Bengals for us as we look at contenders in the AFC.

The Bengals have improved their offensive line, still not great, but not terrible, how much has that helped the offense?

It’s made all the difference in the world. Now that this unit hovers around league average, Joe Mixon has enough space to get to the second level, and Andy Dalton has a clean pocket to dissect the defense. Mixon’ YPC and Dalton’s passer rating are evidencing enough of this. 

Does Andy Dalton look remarkably better from last season? Would you say 2015 form?

JL: Dalton has definitely been better this year, but I don’t think it’s because of some radical change from last season. Having a cleaner pocket, better weapons, and more creative playcalling has given him what he needs to make great throws. This is the best he’s looked since 2015, though, and I do expect that to continue.

How does the offensive scheme look different?

JL: The change in scheme hasn’t been drastic, but there have been some very important adjustments. First, giving Joe Mixon the bulk of the work was necessary. He’s showing why he’s a workhorse, and his elusiveness in space is a driving force behind this offense. AJ Green and Tyler Boyd are also now the two top targets on this team. Using Green in the slot, especially in the red zone, is getting him favorable matchups. Boyd has lined up all over the field, which has made him a more reliable 2nd target. 

How has the defense looked so far? 

JL: The defense has not been elite like I thought they would, but it’s been really good. The pass rush is absolutely nuclear, led by Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap. Carl Lawson has 11 pressures and Sam Hubbard has 1.5 sacks too, so good luck stopping them. The secondary, led by William Jackson III, is handling receivers in space really well too. 

How do you feel about the Bengals not only in their division but the AFC going forward?

JL: There are only a few teams that truly scare me. I don’t want to play the Patriots if possible, and Jacksonville can lock this offense down. Otherwise, the Bengals can matchup against any AFC team. The Steelers will always be a threat, but right now, the Bengals can beat them handily.

How do you look at Kansas City from an outside perspective in the same way of AFC contenders? 

JL: What they’ve done so far does not surprise me. I was high on Mahomes and Tyreek coming into the year, so that connection should stay hot all year. That offense could be the best in the NFL. I’m still terrified of that defense, as they put up 42 points and still almost lost. Aside from Justin Houston, I don’t know of any playmakers on that side of the ball. They can certainly win the AFC West and do some damage in the playoffs, but I want to see them win games when the offense isn’t at inferno-level.