2022 Season

[onejayhawk]

We had a thread for broader topics during the 2021 season, so this is one for 2022. The impetous is this article, say that the Chiefs have the toughest schedule in the NFL.
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2022/4/4/23010175/chiefs-will-have-nfls-hardest-2022-schedule-according-to-new-ranking

We play in the toughest division and three at large games against division winnders--Cincinnati, Buffalo, and Tampa Bay. That's nine tough games before with get to the NFC West and AFC South. Still, as the article says, we have to play the games. 

Week    Date    Opponent    Time    
1    Sunday, Sept. 11    @ Arizona Cardinals    3:25 p.m. CT on CBS    
2    Thursday, Sept. 15    vs Los Angeles Chargers (TNF)    7:15 p.m. CT on Amazon Prime Video    
3    Sunday, Sept. 25    @ Indianapolis Colts    Noon CT on CBS    
4    Sunday, Oct. 2    @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (SNF)    7:30 p.m. CT on NBC    
5    Monday, Oct. 10    vs. Las Vegas Raiders (MNF)    7:15 p.m CT on ESPN    
6    Sunday, Oct. 16    vs. Buffalo Bills    3:25 p.m. CT on CBS    
7    Sunday, Oct. 23    @ San Francisco 49ers    3:25 p.m. CT on FOX    
8    Sunday, Oct. 30    BYE    BYE    BYE
9    Sunday, Nov. 6    vs. Tennessee Titans (SNF)    7:20 p.m. CT on NBC    
10    Sunday, Nov. 13    vs. Jacksonville Jaguars    Noon CT on CBS    
11    Sunday, Nov. 20    @ Los Angeles Chargers    3:25 p.m. CT on CBS    
12    Sunday, Nov. 27    vs. Los Angeles Rams    3:25 p.m. CT on FOX    
13    Sunday, Dec. 4    @ Cincinnati Bengals    3:25 p.m. CT on CBS    
14    Sunday, Dec. 11    @ Denver Broncos (SNF)    7:20 p.m. CT on NBC    
15    Sunday, Dec. 18    @ Houston Texans    Noon CT on CBS    
16    Saturday, Dec. 24    vs. Seattle Seahawks    Noon CT on FOX    
17    Sunday, Jan. 1    vs. Denver Broncos    Noon CT on CBS    
18    Saturday / Sunday, Jan. 7 or 8    @ Las Vegas Raiders    TBD CT on TBD    

Edited May 13, 2022 by onejayhawk

[BigTrav]

Yeah, it's brutal. But then, we are THAT team for them probably even more so. We gotta step up

[onejayhawk]

Here is an interesting article comparing this offseason and draft like the one before the Super Bowl. That season also saw major personnel losses and a reshaped defense. 
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/culture_and_intensity_comparing_chiefs_2022_draft_to_2019_offseason/s1_16631_37470027

[onejayhawk]

I want to make a comment on team chemistry. In 2018 the team had Mahomes as a secret weapon and built a lot of momentum. They almost made it, so the 2019 teams was hungry and they did make it but then things slipped. The 2020 made it to the SB but they were missing vital pieces and got blown out. 2021 was a limited rebuild year centering on a completely new OL. They were good but the cohesion wasn't quite there. That is one thing the FO has addressed this offseason. 

Looking at the FA departures, most were backups and niche players but Tyrann Mathieu and Tyreek Hill were core players. Losing the backups is manageable. They help with the flow of continuity but that was already shot to hell. Besides, many had become comfortable in their niche. The FA were unremarkable but the draft had some themes. First and foremost is physicality. Player after player is known for hitting hard and often--Karlaftis, Cook, Chenal, Kinnard, Pacheco. It's an expression of their passion.

This is a very passionate draft. Watching Kinnard talk about it is a bit eerie. He is very matter of fact about how hard his life ahs been and how much he and his mother had to overcome. Unstated is that he does not consider his accomplishments as noteworthy as hers. Leo Chenal talks about bring violence, so much so that NFL teams overlook that he is a near perfect physical specimen. Wisconsin put him in the middle and told him to hit ball carriers. We will probably put him on the edge and tell him to do that plus hit QBs. Isaiah Pacheco lost family to violence and channeled his feelings through football. 

The defensive backs show it differently. Cook is cut from the same cloth and shows the same willing ness to hit, but he's also a thinker with real leadership potential. First pick McDuffie is a gifted CB but short. It's no coincidence that the player he admires is the Honey Badger, recently departed Tyrann mathieu. At the other end of the draft is Nazeeh Johnson from Marshall who has excellent combine numbers except for his size. Where McDuffie is short, Johnson is small but fast, agile, driven, and very experienced. He has possibilities as a new ST Captain. 

In addition to restocking the shelves and overhauling the secondary, the FO has tried to upgrade the team attitude or at least cushion the shock of losing two team leaders. It's no coincidence that many of the draft picks have significant problems in their past and play with a chip on their shoulder. Adversity builds character and that's what the team chemistry is built upon, character. 

[onejayhawk]

This is a nice article on how the thought process behind the draft worked. In theory, it's simple--get young, athletic players at premium positions. Four of the first five picks are age 21 from a draft loaded with 22 year olds, such as our other pick, Bryan Cook. The older players, Cook and last pick Johnson, both have significant leadership points in their resume.
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/brett_veach_nailed_a_logical_plan_in_the_2022_nfl_draft/s1_16631_37476004

[onejayhawk]

Here's the first true iteration of the 90-man roster. 
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/lists/kansas-city-chiefs-assemble-full-90-man-offseason-roster-2022/

[onejayhawk]

THe Chiefs set a new record by opening with eight straight winning records and that doesn't include Cincinnati.

Week 1: at Cardinals (11-6)
Week 2: Chargers (9-8)
Week 3: at Colts (9-8)
Week 4 at Buccaneers (13-4)
Week 5: Raiders (10-7)
Week 6: Bills (11-6)
Week 7: at 49ers (10-7)
Week 8: Bye.
Week 9: Titans (12-5)

Here is the full schedule on the flagship:
https://www.chiefs.com/schedule/

Some quick takes.
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/lists/kansas-city-chiefs-2022-nfl-schedule-release-takeaways-afc-west-prime-time-bye-week/

Edited May 13, 2022 by onejayhawk

[HolmesPriest]

I guess it's another year without a State Farm Bowl 😑

[BigTrav]

Yeah I got us at 11-6. May be enough to take the division again, maybe not. In the playoffs though, no matter what.

[onejayhawk]

Here is a sampling of projected records. The consensus of the writers is 12-5.
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/roundtable_predicting_the_chiefs_record_in_2022/s1_16631_37498148

This one is interesting. It's three difficult stretches, except not. Two of the stretches are weeks 1-4 and 5-7, which means the first seven games are relentless. We will need to be up to speed faster than we managed last season.
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/lists/kansas-city-chiefs-2022-nfl-schedule-toughest-stretches/

[onejayhawk]

Now that the schedule is known, here are the early Vegas lines. Inspite of our meatgrinder first half, we are #2.
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/nfl_power_rankings_based_on_super_bowl_odds_following_leagues_schedule_release/s1_17008_37504337

[onejayhawk]

Finally some good news about the schedule, the Chiefs do not face any teams coming off a bye week. Below is a chart of rest days. Buffalo made some headlines with the highest net rest days, but not when they play us. The Chiefs have a very useful seven rest days because we face Tennesse coming off our bye. It's worth noting that Denver leads the league extra rest days that do not involve the bye. The Chiefs have a total four games with more rest than the opponent, second to Dallas' five. We have three net minus games because of all the prime time scheduled. 

 

[onejayhawk]

PFF did a regrade of the Chief's 2021 draft and gave it a perfect score. 
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/chiefs_receive_perfect_mark_in_pffs_2021_nfl_draft_regrade/s1_16631_37521400

The Chiefs didn't have a first-round pick last year, as they sent their own (and a few other picks) to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Kansas City, tasked with finding value and win-now talent all in the same weekend, ended up taking six players overall. Pro Football Focus initially gave the team a B-plus grade for its efforts but upon further review, that mark has been raised to a sparkling A-plus.

Mesh that with the almost universal admiration for this draft, the impact of the 2020 draft, and all the FA moves. In three years the Chiefs have overhauled the OL, the LB, the WR, the secondary, DE, and ST. Since QB was settled, that only leaves TE, RB, DT. With all the retooling, I hope we can get the rough edges off before that brutal first month of the season hits.

J

[BigTrav]

On 5/17/2022 at 2:44 PM, onejayhawk said:

Finally some good news about the schedule, the Chiefs do not face any teams coming off a bye week. Below is a chart of rest days. Buffalo made some headlines with the highest net rest days, but not when they play us. The Chiefs have a very useful seven rest days because we face Tennesse coming off our bye. It's worth noting that Denver leads the league extra rest days that do not involve the bye. The Chiefs have a total four games with more rest than the opponent, second to Dallas' five. We have three net minus games because of all the prime time scheduled. 

 

I mean, good for us, but IMO they should match net-rest up like they do with 1st place schedules. How is it Buffalo have the easiest time of the rest, and the likes of Bucs and Cowboys and Bengals are up there too? It is funny GB are getting screwed though. But again, Houston and NYJ and Atlanta getting screwed. Come on.

[onejayhawk]

This isn't worth much comment, but it needs to be mentioned. Shady McCcoy does not like Eric Bieniemy much.
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2022/05/26/kansas-city-chiefs-lesean-mccoy-grievance-eric-bieniemy-head-coach-job-take/