NFL power rankings: Patriots, Packers among Super Bowl favorites
Kansas City Chiefs 0-0
Last week: W, 30-6 vs. TEN
Last rank: 6th
The Kansas City Chiefs are both a Super Bowl contender and stuck in a sort of neutral state. In their last 26 regular-season games, the Chiefs are 22-4, the best of any team. However, they are 1-2 in the playoffs over the past two years, reaching the Divisional round in both campaigns only to fall short.
Many correctly point to a conservative offense as the main culprit, something the franchise has made an effort to change. Kansas City drafted Patrick Mahomes with its first-round pick, and while Mahomes won’t start until 2018, his presence should push Alex Smith to be more aggressive. Additionally, the Chiefs are expecting a breakout season out of Tyreek Hill, who posted 593 receiving yards and nine offensive touchdowns in only 40 percent of the team’s snaps.
Defensively, this is an upper-crust group. Kansas City has talent across the board in Marcus Peters, Justin Houston, Eric Berry, Derrick Johnson, Chris Jones and Bennie Logan. The Chiefs finished seventh in points allowed per game despite being 24th in yards allowed. The guess here? Houston’s full-time return and the addition of the run-stuffing Logan makes a big difference.
The Chiefs aren’t sexy, but they are well-coached by Andy Reid and stocked across the board with top-end talent. Kansas City will be back in the playoffs, but how far can they go with Alex Smith? Time will tell.