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2021 Season


onejayhawk

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we will have game threads in due course. This is more for articles involving the the whole season or the whole league. Nate Davis of USA Today has a sobering prediction for Chiefs fans--no Super Bowl. He predicts the Brown will win the AFC title, and implies that they beat the Chiefs in week #1. He makes one good point. With the rebuilt OL and DL, the early part of the season is going to be rough. 
https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-record-projections-2021-tom-120750909.html

(4) Kansas City Chiefs (12-5): Mahomes mused about going 20-0 last month – and later backed away from it – yet there are plenty of reasons to expect some measure of regression from a team that’s won five consecutive division crowns, reached three straight AFC championship games and appeared in the last two Super Bowls. Last year’s conference champs must navigate an unforgiving schedule, which includes a tough trio of AFC West foes, even as Andy Reid tries to dial in a revamped offensive line and seeks more production from his No. 2 wideout, likely Mecole Hardman. DE Frank Clark’s legal troubles could present another obstacle. However that schedule, which is heavily frontloaded, presents only two 2020 playoff teams after October. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Am I the only one who could care less what comes of Frank Clark’s legal issues?   
Dude is not a difference maker, or game changer m.         If he plays.. great..    if he doesn’t…. I’m not sure we lose much?   We just lose depth.  Or the ability to maneuver Danna and Wharton on sub packages more.  
 

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The article's title is a good question. What is the best case and the worst case for this offense? I don't care for the way the author approaches the subject. 
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/best_case_and_worst_case_scenarios_for_the_chiefs_offense/s1_16631_35658404

Here are some observations.

  • The OL is looking at least as good as last year's with better depth. In particular, Lucas Niang provides a backup LT.
  • The run blocking will be much better. Pass blocking is to be determined. Clyde will be better just for that. Again, improved depth. McKinnon gives them pass pro and receivng they never got from Shadey and Bell. Receiving from the backfield is vastly improved.
  • Sammy is gone but everyone else is back with, you guessed it, better depth. Sammy was gone half the time anyway. Kemp gives thema true big WR for the first time in forever.
  • Kelce has not just one backup but two. Blake Bell is back to actually block. 
  • Mahomes surgically repaired foot is healthy and Henne is back for his age 36 season. This is one place they could use depth.

Conclusion, the Chiefs are not worse and they have improved depth through most of the roster. Better run blocking and better backfield receivers lend to play action to complement the screens and jet sweeps they have always run. Deep speed is undiminished with Hill Hardman and maybe Fountain. This is a group that can play sledge hammer football and still scare you deep. 

The upside is that the offense can retool for more balance. Clyde should be improved but there is some monster in his upside. 2000 yards from scrimmage is possible. Mahomes as several new targets to use, including a couple of big receivers not named Travis. If it clicks, you could be looking at the Steve Young 49er offenses as a comparison. 

The downside is two edged. New things have small problems that need to be worked. It may not all click right away and we have three major games in the first five. The other side is the same as last year, depth runs out, particularly at QB. Mahomes has been very dependent on mobility. A minor tweak to his surgically repaired foot could turn him into a pocket passer, where he has been less effective. Hill and Kelce have backups but no true replacements. Losing one OT we can handle. Both would be a problem again. 

J

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Better depth at WR is questionable IMO. It’s basically the same depth as last year,   Just everyone moves up a spot. 
 

I agree with the rest,  and TE depth is obviously better.     But regardless of points scored,  the offense didn’t seem to flow as well without Sammy in it.   They scored,  but they struggled to control games where he wasn’t in.     OL and the run game should negate that also,  but I have a wait and see approach with any WR’s that tear up TC. Doing it in game is a totally different ball game.    Better depth along the OL also depends on how healthy Remmers, along, and LDT get.    Basically the same depth if those guys can’t contribute. 

 

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On 7/21/2021 at 5:03 PM, onejayhawk said:

 He predicts the Brown will win the AFC title, and implies that they beat the Chiefs in week #1. 

Brutal...

Quote

(4) Kansas City Chiefs (12-5): Mahomes mused about going 20-0 last month – and later backed away from it – yet there are plenty of reasons to expect some measure of regression from a team that’s won five consecutive division crowns, reached three straight AFC championship games and appeared in the last two Super Bowls. Last year’s conference champs must navigate an unforgiving schedule, which includes a tough trio of AFC West foes, even as Andy Reid tries to dial in a revamped offensive line and seeks more production from his No. 2 wideout, likely Mecole Hardman. DE Frank Clark’s legal troubles could present another obstacle. However that schedule, which is heavily frontloaded, presents only two 2020 playoff teams after October. 

 

Seems like he's searching for reasons. I think he's outsmarting himself. Can you see where we lose 5 games? I take the point about the early season rust, but I'm struggling to find 5 losses.

So Weeks 1-3 we get Cleveland here, go to Baltimore and have LAC here. I'll ring us up for 1 loss in this span. 2-1

At Eagles, Buffalo here, at Washington, at Tennessee. I'll give another L here, given the travel. See this is another thing, the toughest opponents we face come to us.... 5-2

Packers here, at Raiders, Cowboys here, Denver here, Raiders here....another loss in this stretch...10-3

At LAC, Pittsburgh here, at Cinci, at Denver. If you're looking for a loss here it will be within division, but I can't see it to be honest with ya'll.  3 losses in total. 

Edited by BigTrav
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I'm with you. At no point this season should we be the underdog. it comes down to how many games that we should win but don't. It's a good point about the tough teams coming to Arrowhead though not all of them. Baltimore and Washington are both road games and come after tough home games. I could throw in Las Vegas after Green Bay just because it's the Raiders.

Still, it looks like only six real tests all season unless the Chargers or Broncos surprise. If we come out of the first six unscathed, I will start believing in 20-0. It's the one thing Tom Brady couldn't do.

Sun, Sep 12 vs    Cleveland 
Sun, Sep 19 @    Baltimore
Sun, Sep 26 vs    LA Chargers  
Sun, Oct 3 @    Philadelphia    
Sun, Oct 10 vs    Buffalo    
Sun, Oct 17 @    Washington 
Sun, Oct 24 @    Tennessee
Mon, Nov 1 vs    NY Giants   
Sun, Nov 7 vs    Green Bay 
Sun, Nov 14 @    Las Vegas
Sun, Nov 21  vs    Dallas
Bye Week        
Sun, Dec 5 vs    Denver
Sun, Dec 12 vs    Las Vegas    
Thu, Dec 16 @    LA Chargers   
Sun, Dec 26 vs    Pittsburgh
Sun, Jan 2 @    Cincinnati 
Sun, Jan 9 @    Denver   

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The Chiefs received an A- grade on their offseason retooling exclusive of the draft. The Patriots and Jets received As, and five other teams received A-. Only Houston received an F. 
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/offseason_report_cards_for_every_nfl_team/s1__35605904#slide_18

7 players make ESPN's top 100
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2021/8/30/22649055/7-chiefs-named-to-espns-top-100-nfl-players-for-2021

Edited by onejayhawk
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Wylie has always been a player who will do anything for the team. Now he's renegotiating his contract to free cap space.
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2021/09/02/kansas-city-chiefs-andrew-wylie-new-contract-cap-space-cleared/

It's clear the team know they would lose Tim Ward if they waived him, yet they did anyway to keep six LB. This long article is about why. in 2019, the Chiefs were among the best in the NFL. Last year, middle of the league.
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/hustle_and_toub_how_much_do_special_teams_players_matter_to_the_chiefs/s1_16631_35766848

Here, in this final data set, we have the strongest statistical argument in support of the Toub-as-shadow-GM theory. The Chiefs have more players getting a 50% snap share on special teams than any other team in the NFL, and it isn’t particularly close. The Chiefs have nearly 25% more players getting 50% or more of their special teams snaps than the two teams in third place, Chicago and Minnesota. They have used almost twice as many special teams contributors as Tampa Bay. Simply put, the Chiefs rely on more of their 53-man roster to contribute significant snaps to special teams than any other team....Toub, for better or for worse, wields more influence over the final 53 than any of his peers.

Andy's little brother Randy visits. 
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2021/9/2/22653947/watch-randy-reid-returned-to-chiefs-training-camp

Spoiler

He's actually named Eric Stonestreet. They are just lookalikes.

Daurice Fountain made the team after coming to the Chiefs off the street. He was a 5th rounder in 2018, so there is a pedigree but only two career catches. GM Veach talks about how he worked his way onto the roster.
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2021/09/02/kansas-city-chiefs-brett-veach-reflects-on-daurice-fountain-making-53-man-roster/

Edited by onejayhawk
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