3 reasons the Chiefs can win the Super Bowl, 1 reason they won’t
By KC Proctor
Why the Chiefs can win the Super Bowl reason 2: Their balanced attack
Chiefs Kingdom needs no reminder of the running back spoils that have riddled their franchise’s history. Ed Podolak, Marcus Allen, Christian Okoye, Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, and Jamaal Charles are the best to have donned a Chiefs jersey. Although the names that this year’s backfield is comprised of aren’t in that echelon, they balance out the offensive attack perfectly.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire was designated to the injured reserve in late November, and had all but lost the starting job at that point, but his successors have stepped up in a big way. 2022 seventh-rounder Isiah Pacheco has averaged 15.8 carries and 80 rushing yards per game (5.2 yards per carry) as RB1 over the past six weeks, and Jerick McKinnon has scored a touchdown in each of the past three games — multiple in each of the past two — as RB2.
With Mahomes’ heroics and continued excellence, all the Chiefs need to do is be good from a rushing perspective in order to keep teams on their toes. It’s fair to say that the running backs have been more than good over the past month, and it is common knowledge that teams who can run the ball and play tough defense are built to win.
Why the Chiefs can win the Super Bowl reason 3: The front seven
The veteran presence of Frank Clark, Carlos Dunlap, and Chris Jones has paid dividends for the rotational pieces of the defensive line — George Karlaftis, Derrick Nnadi, Khalen Saunders, and Mike Danna.
The youthful exuberance of the linebacking corps comprised of Nick Bolton, Willie Gay Jr., and Leo Chenal has electrified the middle of the field with physicality. After the Chiefs were among the worst in football in terms of QB pressures and sacks in 2021, the front seven has helped to reidentify the defense’s reputation.
One could argue that the personnel in K.C. would be better off in a 3-4 base rather than Steve Spagnuolo’s 4-3, but nonetheless, the front seven of this Chiefs’ defense has made a massive impact on the team’s success thus far. In previous years the Kansas City defense started slow and picked up steam down the stretch, but this unit, which has faced one of the toughest schedules of opponents in the NFL this year has remained steadfast.
As they continue down the stretch and into the playoffs, expect to see continued improvement in the sack and overall tackle numbers from the front seven.