A loss that shakes: The Chiefs must prove they are not who they now appear to be

[Hammock Parties]

Most ominous shit Sam has ever written

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/sp...223500455.html

SEATTLE

Do this job long enough and the signs make themselves obvious. The worst losses have a different sound afterward, the busy silence occasionally broken up by a locker door slamming, or team leaders declining to talk to reporters, or hope for hope’s sake.

The losses that sting make clear the difference between a team that’s earned the AFC’s No. 1 seed and a team that might still wear that title despite itself.

The moments that shake are the difference between a team that lost, and these Chiefs who lost their swagger after a 38-31 nationally televised loss here to the Seahawks.

“It seems extreme right now but that’s not the reality of it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Just a fix a couple things and we’ll be alright.”

He might be right. Actually, that’s not true. He is right. Just a couple things. The Chiefs have now lost four games, by a total of 10 points, each of them decided in one form or another late in the fourth quarter.

They’ve lost to two AFC teams. The Patriots have lost three of five, and the Chargers have led the Chiefs for exactly 4 of 7,200 seconds this season. The Chiefs play the Raiders at home next week, which is the closest thing the NFL offers to a week 17 bye. Win that and the Chiefs have the No. 1 seed.

So, Reid is right. Just a couple things. This is not a disaster.

But you sure can see disaster from here.

“You have to find a way to win these games,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “We haven’t been lately, so that’s the most frustrating thing. Everybody’s got to step up.”

Repeat: Just a couple things. We’ll be alright.

That works enough as coach speak in a postgame press conference, words that nobody in the room believes tell the whole story, but let’s play along. A couple things.

One would be the run defense. The Seahawks ran for the most predictable 210 yards in NFL history. Up the middle, around the edge, quarterback Russell Wilson on a scramble. Whatever. It all worked.

One would be the pass defense. The Chiefs again could not cover, and when they did cover, they could not make the play. They made up for all of that by missing far too many tackles.

One would be penalties. They padded their league-leading total with eight more, including one on a missed field goal and four others that gave the Seahawks first downs.

One would be the offense. Nobody wants to admit it, but this is two games in a row the offense has not been good enough. Last week against the Chargers, they needed one first down on their last possession. They went three and out. This week, they managed just 10 points with two turnovers (one that gifted the Seahawks a touchdown) before halftime. They had five possessions in which they punted or turned it over within three plays.

This team was always going as far as the offense would take it, whether that’s fair or not, and the last two weeks the offense hasn’t been good enough.

That’s four things, which is technically more than “a couple,” but this is no time for nitpicking so let’s get to the point.

Do you have confidence the Chiefs will fix these problems? And if so, why? How?

The Chiefs are in a precarious place. They are the probable No. 1 seed, even still, and are giving seldom-used rookie defensive backs the ol’ screw-it-how-much-worse-could-they-be opportunities in week 16 road games.

They have been the AFC’s best team for virtually the entire season, but at this point that feels more like an indictment on the rest of the conference than a reason to be confident in the Chiefs.

Assuming they beat the Raiders next week — and if they don’t, they’ve got much bigger problems — we are still three weeks from the Chiefs’ next real test.

And the heck of it is that Reid is factually accurate. They’re not that far off. The NFL’s gravitational pull means parody rules the day, always has, and the Chiefs will likely have homefield advantage, the best quarterback, and the best offense in the field.

That is an incredible place to be, particularly in what the organization originally forecasted as a transition year.

But the Chiefs are trending the wrong way, at the wrong time. That offense isn’t as dynamic as it once was. Eric Berry is playing again, but most of the biggest problems on defense still exist, even when he’s not on the sideline during the most important moments.

The Chiefs have everything in front of them, even still.

But the truth is a lot of their fans are terrified of what that means.

[Red Dawg2]

Its Mahomes first year. Build the OL and get some damn secondary. I would also draft a damn MLB leader type. We need a Wagner type stud in the middle.

[crayzkirk]

Originally Posted by TwistedChief

We were warned in a Taylor Swift parody video, dammit!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z447qc4ZRRA

Yeah, at least that brings a smile to my face as I chomp down my lump of coal in sour milk...

[Marcellus]

Scored 31 points in a game the other team had the ball 10 minutes longer than the Chiefs.

Offense isn't the issue.

God I hate Sutton.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Scored 31 points in a game the other team had the ball 10 minutes longer than the Chiefs.

Offense isn't the issue.

God I hate Sutton.

THIS.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Red Dawg2

We also have a WR problem. Kelce and Hill getting coverage moved should get Connely and Robinson in favorable match ups. They don't win them so we stall all the time. They suck ass.

Conley has had a couple key fumbles this year...
A couple too many for a 30 catch WR.

[bobbything]

I’ll never criticize an offense that hangs 31 on a playoff team on the road. The offense, though starting off a little slow, was more than good enough last night. I will not listen to any discussion about issues with this team that’s not 100% centered around this defense.

[bdlangton]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Scored 31 points in a game the other team had the ball 10 minutes longer than the Chiefs.

Offense isn't the issue.

God I hate Sutton.

We had five possessions with three plays or less. The offense was the problem last night. We know the offense has to carry this team. It may not be fair, but they are held to a higher standard.

[CaliforniaChief]

Last night my kid gave me a hard time for (correctly) predicting failure from the Chiefs. While I was right, so was he.

What's the point of being a fan and watching if it's going to turn me into a cynical piece of crap? I'm just going to put on my true fan glasses and enjoy the beauty of Mahomes, with the likelihood of crushing loss hanging over us but hope that they can do something different this time.

Just enjoy it.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Parody not equal to parity.

[stevieray]

I remember chucky running on the field @ Arrowhead after the faid knocked out of the playoffs the last game of the season.


If we lose to that team and get the 5 seed, we are exactly where we were a year ago.

Pretenders.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by bdlangton

We had five possessions with three plays or less. The offense was the problem last night. We know the offense has to carry this team. It may not be fair, but they are held to a higher standard.

That's so dumb...You couldn't be more wrong at anything than you are in this instance... The offense scored 31 points on the road and had the ball for almost a full quarter less than the other team. I'd say higher standards were met.

At some point the blame needs to be put on the real problem. The problem is the defense. Acknowledge it and fix it and stop putting an impossible task on the offense.

[Naptown Chief]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

Can't blame all the 3 and outs and inability to move the ball on offense...

If not the offense, then who would you blame?

[TEX]

Originally Posted by stevieray

I remember chucky running on the field @ Arrowhead after the faid knocked out of the playoffs the last game of the season.


If we lose to that team and get the 5 seed, we are exactly where we were a year ago.

Pretenders.

Yep. But even if we win, I don't think they're real contenders. Just can't beat several good teams in a row with a trash defense.

[Deberg_1990]

Zero confidence


They won’t fix a damn thing.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

Last night my kid gave me a hard time for (correctly) predicting failure from the Chiefs. While I was right, so was he.

What's the point of being a fan and watching if it's going to turn me into a cynical piece of crap? I'm just going to put on my true fan glasses and enjoy the beauty of Mahomes, with the likelihood of crushing loss hanging over us but hope that they can do something different this time.

Just enjoy it.

I appreciate your optimism. I was in your shoes the last few years until Mahomes happened.

My hope for the future was reborn, and along with it callused-over wounds being exposed.

What we have went through the past 25 years will pail in comparison with watching a once in a generation QB go to waste because of stubbornness and stupidity.