KC Chiefs: What we learned about the AFC West after Week 9

What did we learn about the KC Chiefs?

It wasn’t an easy win for the defending Super Bowl champions this week, which was probably surprising to a lot of people. The Chiefs hosted the-then 3-5 Carolina Panthers, who gave Kansas City all they could handle in a 33-31 Chiefs win.

Matt Rhule was pulling out all the stops against this Chiefs team and it almost resulted in a Panthers victory at Arrowhead. The Chiefs once again looked disinterested in this game with the defense allowing Teddy Bridgewater to carve them up to the tune of 310 yards and two passing touchdowns and another 19 yards on the ground with another touchdown as well.

Christian McCaffrey also destroyed this team, racking up 69 rushing yards and a touchdown as well as a 82 receiving yards and another touchdown. He dominated the Chiefs defense, who clearly didn’t have an answer for CMC.

While the Chiefs defense didn’t have a good day, the offense was spectacular. Patrick Mahomes had a second straight MVP-like game, throwing for 372 yards and four touchdowns while both Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill went over the 100 yards receiving mark (and Hill had two touchdowns).

What we learned about the Chiefs is that they haven’t even been playing their best this season and they’re STILL 8-1. This is despite having several sloppy games, including this one, where the team just doesn’t look focused at all. The Chiefs were at their best when they beat the Ravens and they SMOKED them, so that’s a good sign, but sooner or later, not playing as well as they can is going to cost this team at one point or another.

Next up: The Chiefs head into the bye week at 8-1. When they return in Week 11, they’ll head to Las Vegas for a date with the Raiders on Sunday Night Football.