Kansas City Chiefs: 20 interconnected thoughts on Week 14

The Kansas City Chiefs knocked off the Miami Dolphins 33-27 to wrap up the franchise’s fifth straight AFC West title.

I’m trying out something new in lieu of my old 10 Likes and 10 Dislikes after every Kansas City Chiefs game. It got a bit tiresome writing, in so many words, that Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce are great, Andy Reid’s going to be in the Hall of Fame someday, and the rest of the league is playing catch-up with the guys from Kansas City.

Plus, all of my dislikes? They felt like nitpicking. Sure, the Chiefs are flawed, but poking holes in each victory felt kind of hollow.

I’m going to take a look across the world of football and present 20 thoughts that, in some way, have to do with the Chiefs. I will, however, start directly with them.

1. The Chiefs looked sloppy against the Dolphins, but still won that game easily. Sure, they fell behind 10-0 early on, but then they racked up 30 straight points. Were you worried when it was suddenly 30-24? I was not. That’s just what this team does.

2. The Dolphins look like a team that, while it will challenge for the AFC title occasionally, won’t do so every year. Sunday’s game against the Chiefs was the first time I was able to see Tua Tagovailoa in the pros, and I was left unimpressed. Still, that’s a team that will stick around, but I don’t expect them to be consistent challengers against the Chiefs.

3. It would’ve been interesting to Tagovailoa in the AFC West, and he would be had the Dolphins passed on him at No. 5 in this year’s draft. Most likely, the Los Angeles Chargers would have pounced on him with the next pick. I don’t know who will end up having a better career, Tua or Justin Herbert, but it would be more fun, as a Chiefs fan, with Tua in the AFC West.

4. Sticking in the AFC West for a moment, the season has gone off the rails for the Las Vegas Raiders. After crushing the Broncos 37-12 in Week 10, the Raiders were 6-3 and vying for the AFC West title. Since they’ve gone 1-3 with the lone win coming against the Jets thanks to a career-ending call from the sidelines.

5. Week 14’s loss was the end of the line for Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther. In the past four games, the Raiders gave up 35 to the Chiefs, 43 to the Falcons, 28 to the Jets, and 44 to the Colts. Earlier this year, the defense gave up at least 30 points in four of the team’s first five games, and then came out of the bye week giving up 45 to the Buccaneers. Can’t blame Jon Gruden for this decision.

https://twitter.com/thecheckdown/status/1330728212490379264

6. Guenther won’t be the only top coach in the AFC West to lose his job in 2020. Expect big changes with the Chargers after the season ends, possibly even including head coach Anthony Lynn getting the pink slip. And I’ll be curious to see what happens in Denver after yet another disappointing season. One-and-done for offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur?

7. Shurmur’s offense did come to life in Week 14 against the Carolina Panthers. The Donkeys put up 32, second-most they’ve scored this year (the most came against, obviously, the Jets). Drew Lock went 21-for-27 for 280 yards and four touchdowns, two to rookie wide receiver K.J. Hamler. Lock’s had a rough 2020, but after this game, he’s at least got the same number of touchdown passes as he does interceptions.

8. The Broncos find themselves in a tough spot going into 2021: they’re 5-8, which is by no means good but is also not anywhere near bad enough to grab a top quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft. Currently, they’re positioned to pick 13th in the first round. By that point, taking a quarterback would be a stretch as the top-tier guys will be gone.

9. So the question becomes: go with Lock or bring in a veteran quarterback to challenge him? There will be quarterbacks aplenty available in free agency or via trade in 2021, among them: Cam Newton, Sam Darnold, Jay Cutler (just kidding), Carson Wentz, Matthew Stafford, Jameis Winston, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Andy Dalton, Mitchell Trubisky, and perhaps even Philip Rivers. Which of these guys gives the Broncos the best shot at hanging with Mahomes and the Chiefs?