Five reasons why KC Chiefs are different team from week 6 loss

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The Kansas City Chiefs run onto the field (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

PENALTIES

At the time of the Texans game in week 6, The 2019 season average for penalties was 6.7. The Chiefs had 11 penalties for 79 yards against the Texans.

Seventy-nine yards might be in the double digits and is not just horrible, but it is still 79 yards, which is the equivalent of what could have been a touchdown drive, tying the game, possibly forcing overtime, and possibly a totally different outcome.

This is an area of the Chiefs team has seen definite improvements, including a monumental game against the Raiders, where the Chiefs had zero penalties for zero yards. The Texans are not a team you want to get behind the chains with, or Whitney Mercilus and J. J. Watt will make the Chiefs pay for it.

False starts seem to be an issue with the offensive line, but this also has been cleaned up. A false start is only a five yard penalty, but when laundry is hitting the field two or three times a drive, those types of mental errors turn into drive killers.

PLAYOFF MODE!

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In no way am I suggesting that the Chiefs weren’t playing the Texans hard the first time they faced them, but everyone knows that playoff football just has a different feel to it.

The Kansas City Chiefs are a cohesive unit, quarterbacked by one of the best signal callers in the league in Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs do not lack motivation and it is safe to say that they have been competitive every year of Andy Reid‘s time in Kansas City, but more in these last two seasons than they ever have before during Reid’s tenure.

The Chiefs had a glorious season last year, one that was tragically and painfully cut short during overtime of the AFC Championship game, denying the Chiefs their first Super Bowl berth in 50 years. I’m willing to bet that that loss stuck with every player and coach on the 2018 Chiefs team.

Now, in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Chiefs are nearly back to the point that they left off, well aware that it is time to go big or go home.

Going into the week six game against the Texans, the Chiefs had had a grueling run in tough games such as the Ravens, Lions and a loss on Sunday Night Football to the Colts, where they had their lowest scoring performance of the season. Now coming off of a bye week, the Chiefs are fresh, whereas the Texans are coming off a hard fought come from behind victory over the Bills during Wild Card weekend.

The Chiefs have one of the more desirable situations of the teams in the playoffs, having a first round bye and getting to play the Texans at home. Both of these factors strongly work in the Chiefs favor; The bye week gave them extra time to rest up, recover minor injuries and game plan and also ensured that they will be surrounded by an absolutely roaring Arrowhead Stadium. Also, thanks to a little load management, Shady McCoy will be the freshest runner in the Chiefs back field.

In week six, the Chiefs defense allowed 472 yards of total offense and 31 points. Both sides of the ball were decimated with injuries to key players, the rushing attack was almost non-existent and penalties were an issue, and still the Chiefs only lost by a touchdown.

The regular season is over. There’s no more being able to lose a game and knowing that you will live to play another game next week.

Next. Five Keys to Victory vs Texans in Divisional Round. dark

Chiefs fans have been waiting for this all season, with the regular season almost just being a preamble to the playoffs to pick up where the 2018 Chiefs left off, and winning the divisional round is the first step in doing so and anything less would be a total disappointment.

These next two weeks will require the absolute best version of the 2019 Chiefs, with the first Super Bowl berth and victory in 50 years being the obvious end game, and they are in the best shape possible, at least since the beginning of the season, to offer that up and put the hammer down.

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