Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes enter season with championship hopes
By Matt Conner
Super Bowl favorites in Las Vegas, the Kansas City Chiefs are expected to make a deep January (and perhaps February) run.
Best-case scenario
The Kansas City Chiefs bring home their first Lombardi Trophy in 50 years. Andy Reid gets the monkey off his back, and Patrick Mahomes silences any remaining doubters. Moving forward, the league’s most dynamic offense feels like the NFL’s next great dynasty.
Worst-case scenario
Even in a worst-case scenario, the Chiefs will score plenty of points, but here, the wholesale defensive changes failed to work out. Injury woes and increased competition knock the Chiefs from atop the AFC West and the high-octane shootouts are just impossible to put up each and every week. Another postseason one-and-done for Reid.
Confidence level (Low, medium or high)
High.
There’s little reason to think the Chiefs can’t beat the New England Patriots with a revamped defense and an experienced Mahomes under center for the right to play for the Lombardi. Anything else is a major letdown, but for the first time, Chiefs Kingdom isn’t expecting the worst.
X-Factor
Frank Clark.
The Chiefs tied for the NFL lead in sacks last season, but traded away Dee Ford, released Justin Houston and allowed Allen Bailey to walk. That’s 28 sacks and an additional 51 quarterback hits out the door in a single offseason. Enter Frank Clark, for whom general manager Brett Veach moved heaven and earth to import and is now the defensive cornerstone for the next few seasons.
Turning point
Week 11. Chiefs at Chargers. November 18.
The first of two Chargers games should decide the AFC West. If the Chiefs can take this road game, they set themselves up well for a brutal stretch run to end the year a confident win.
Best moment in team history
Winning the franchise’s one and only Super Bowl IV. It was 1969, and Len Dawson and Otis Taylor, backed by one of the greatest defenses in pro football history,ea earned a historic win in the final game between the AFL and NFL. The Minnesota Vikings were two-touchdown favorites coming in but were blown out from the start, with Kansas City winning 23-7 in old Tulane Stadium.