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.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by notorious

We thought Mahomes would cancel him out. Instead, another one of Reid’s warts in Sutton continues to sabotage their chances.

How can a guy that is obviously very smart make such stupid decisions over and over?

I wholeheartedly agree with this post, but I'm unable to contribute to the conversation in any meaningful way...

[3rd&Long]

I've been kneed in the nuts too many decades by the Chiefs and their inept post-season failures. They won't get me this time because I don't give a shit anymore.

[FloridaMan88]

The main source for hope at this point that things will change when the playoffs start from what we’ve seen the past two games is the long awaited return/availability of everyone... Sammy Watkins, Eric Berry without a snap count, hopefully LDT, etc.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

The saddest part of this defensive shit show is that the AFC will never be as winnable as it is now. Every team has serious flaws, and we’ve got home field advantage there on a plate.

Chiefs: awful defense, can’t win with them
Patriots: not really good in any one area, bad defense
Texans: awful OL, lack of offensive weapons, inconsistent defense
Ravens: can they pass with any consistency?
Chargers: probably most complete team but they Charger’d it up Saturday
Colts: not talented enough yet on either side of the ball IMO
Titans: see Ravens

And yet we’re still gonna **** this up with the blood all over Bobby Sutton’s hands.

Andy Reid kept Sutton after another catastrophe in the playoffs. Veach ignored the secondary all offseason.

Those are the culprits, not Sutton.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Andy Reid kept Sutton after another catastrophe in the playoffs. Veach ignored the secondary all offseason.

Those are the culprits, not Sutton.

Sutton doesn’t get any blame for doing the same old shit that he knows hasn’t worked for years? Really?

He gets paid to be the defensive coordinator. More often than not he looks like the opponent’s offensive coordinator.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

The main source for hope at this point that things will change when the playoffs start from what we’ve seen the past two games is the long awaited return/availability of everyone... Sammy Watkins, Eric Berry without a snap count, hopefully LDT, etc.

Sure there's always the hope that what we have witnessed the past two games is not a prelude to the playoffs. Pretty sad when "hope" is the main ingredient for needed change...

[MVChiefFan]

You can blame Andy and Veach for being too loyal or turning a blind eye, but Bob is DEFINITELY to blame. His defenses are constantly toward the bottom of the league. So, Reid and Veach can get some blame, but Bob needs to be out of a job... and soon!

[chiefzilla1501]

A week after being critical of the offense playcalling... This week didn't bother me much. Players didn't execute. You can't gift wrap two fumbles to the other team in a shootout and expect to do much damage. Mahomes showed in the second half how incredible the guy is with his back against the wall. You have to reward that kind of play with stops of our own and we didn't.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

Sutton doesn’t get any blame for doing the same old shit that he knows hasn’t worked for years? Really?

He gets paid to be the defensive coordinator. More often than not he looks like the opponent’s offensive coordinator.

Nope.

Andy runs this franchise. He got fired in Philly because of his blind loyalty and now it looks like the same thing is happening.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by FAX

I'm familiar with the pain, Mr. pugsnotdrugs19. I, too, have been laughed at and humiliated by donk fans and stooler fans and pats fans and fat girls and homeless people whilst wearing my Chiefs hat. Our playoff failures are legendary.

I knew we could have won last night and I know it now. In fact, I was surprised as hell that the offense got off to such a slow start. Shocked, really. I simply choose not to wallow in despair over a late-season road loss to a good team fighting for the playoffs while we're playing backups in practically every position of importance.

I don't know what's going to happen, but I'm not interested in succumbing to hopelessness when we've actually turned a big corner. I focus on the big picture. And my picture has Mahomes and Wally hoisting the Lombardi ... if not this year, very soon.

FAX

It's a sad state we're in. I watched luck duff an entire first half in comically bad fashion. Watched brees completely duff the second half. Mahomes came close to scoring more in one half than each of these qbs in a full game....

Patrick mahomes literally has to play two perfect halves to win games. That's just insane. Not just good halves. Perfect. In all four losses, mahomes had at least one half that would be considered a dominant performance.

[PHOG]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Andy Reid kept Sutton after another catastrophe in the playoffs. Veach ignored the secondary all offseason.

Those are the culprits, not Sutton.

You blame Reid for keeping a sub-par Sutton, but then exonerate Sutton in the next sentence?

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Nope.

Andy runs this franchise. He got fired in Philly because of his blind loyalty and now it looks like the same thing is happening.

He gets some blame. But Bob is the one who was lucky as **** to get another chance at this and still didn’t change anything. He’s the one who still calls the same predictable coverages over and over every game, every year.

[KCUnited]

[MVChiefFan]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Nope.

Andy runs this franchise. He got fired in Philly because of his blind loyalty and now it looks like the same thing is happening.

So, what you’re saying is, fire Andy and leave Sutton as defensive coordinator?

[Nzoner]

The Chiefs have now lost four games, by a total of 10 points,

Can you add Sam?