No, they stopped themselves. Their own miscues (inaccurate throws, missed protections/blocks, drops, a few mental errors) played a MUCH larger role than anything the Falcons did.
That game is actually one of the ones I was thinking about as I wrote this article. People look at the final score and believe it was that they were "stopped," but it was the same story as always... they live and die off their own miscues. If they have them, the offense stalls. If they don't, they put up points in bunches.
It's more true of this iteration KC than any other team I've watched.
Fair enough! Honestly the only part of a game where the offense was truly shut down by the defense was the 1st half of the 2018 AFC Championship game against the Pats...but we all know Patty hung 31 on them in the 2nd half............still salty about Dee Ford
Even with that KC had the ball twice in that first half. NE came out the gate with like a 9 play drive that was like 8 and half minutes TD. Then Chiefs started slow as they do often. I think it was a 3 and out. Then NE had another long drive and closed out the Qtr. It was a Master class in ball control.
The offense couldn't adjust to their Defense because the offense was basically not on the field until the second half. And they dropped like 31 on them then.
It’s funny, my friends up here on the NE kept giving grief about how Allen is better than Mahomes. Such nonsense. 🙄 Been telling everyone that would listen that Allen cracks under pressure. 2019 Allen showed up last night.
In a way, I’m finally understanding how NE fans feel when they had Brady. I kept texting my Bills supporting friends that they needed to go for it on every 4th down no matter what during the game. They didn’t believe me. That’s the only route for you to have chance I said! It got to the point where they said I was too cocky and borderline annoying. I finally understand those annoying NE fans now when they had Brady~~~~~ And what brings a smile to my face is Mahomes is ours for the next 10 years at the least. Bills finally saw Brady gone from their division and now they have to deal with us. 😀😂
It's why you have to get while the getting is good. Windows are so much shorter than they feel. Is it off the charts for a player as good as Watson, for example, never to reach a Super Bowl or even a conference final when every year the path is going to be littered with guys like Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Trevor Lawrence?
The Bills are good, and they look likely to win the AFC East for a bit, which means we will likely be playing them year in and year out. But would it shock people to hear that they don't make another AFC Championship game in the next 5 years? It wouldn't shock me. It is hard to get there.
Absolutely agree with you. I told the same friends that it’s not a given that the Bills will be back next year. Told them Miami is right there, Darth Hoodie will get his players back in 2021 and would totally be there to mess with Allen’s head with his pressure on him. Needless to say they didn’t want to hear any of it. 🤷🏻♂️
I don't remember a more complete and complimentary game with offense and defense than this one. Special teams lost two possessions, but on the others there were 5 touchdowns, a field goal, a run-out-the clock and one punt (noted by you as a mistake). The Bucs will make it tougher with that front seven, but we will get ours and with our defense playing like it is, Tom may suffer his first Super Bowl blowout. Great article, thanks!
Bless me, Pastor Seth, for I have sinned, and sinned grievously.
I doubted the Chiefs all last week after listening to too many talking heads on TV pushing their storyline of how great the Bills were and how KC will be unable to handle them because KC had not been steamrolling anyone. How Josh Allen, the new flavor of the month, was going to surpass Mahomes and may win the MVP. I listened and became skeptical of the Chiefs as I walked through the valley of the shadow of past playoff losses. I lost faith as the Bills went ahead 9-0.
To be fair, I have been a Chiefs fan since they arrived in KC and I have had my heart broken repeatedly.
This article has restoreth my soul and my faith in the Chiefs. I will only listen to you, Petro, and Eager from now on. Surely Super Bowl victories shall follow me all the days of my life. And I shall dwell in the house of the Arrowhead forevermore.
I love the Reggie Bush in college comparison. Cheetah is the wrong nickname for Hill because though they are the fastest, it is only in short bursts and then they must rest. To have that burst and the endurance to go through 60 reps a game is other-worldly athleticism. Romo pointed that out last night when he went flying up the field 20 yards on a routine handoff.
I also think about this some when I hear about Kelce not being an elite blocker. Why on earth would we have been block one guy when putting him in a pattern occupies two guys? Every time he leaves the line of scrimmage, he has the attention of a linebacker and a safety.
My favorite paragraph I've read about the chiefs this year was breaking down everyone's critiques of why each group is only good because of the other. Its ringing even more true with lots of people saying Allen could've won if he had hill and kelce. Brava Seth
The Chiefs were one muffed punt away from playing their A+ game against the Bills. It's no discredit to Buffalo that they weren't able to stop it. To have a chance, teams have to bring their own A+ game, take gambles to chase every possible point, and hope the Chiefs have a B- or worse outing.
I remember teams (i.e. the patriots) have tried to bracket Kelce and Hill at the same time. Do you know of any breakdown of how the Chiefs have responded to this kind of gameplan in the past two years? If not, would you please fill my two weeks of waiting with some "this is how the Chiefs have beat every type of defense"? please and thank you.
Watkins is a big uncertainty and I hope that all of this waiting means he will suit up and be Sammy for 4 quarters. Pringle has played well in his place but I am very worried about him fumbling while fighting for yards.
One could argue they were stopped in the Falcons game this year.
No, they stopped themselves. Their own miscues (inaccurate throws, missed protections/blocks, drops, a few mental errors) played a MUCH larger role than anything the Falcons did.
What about the Patriots game this year? Chiefs had a couple drives in the second half but mostly a quiet day
I'd call it closer, but you still saw drives largely ended due to their own mistakes.
Penalties was a big one.
That game is actually one of the ones I was thinking about as I wrote this article. People look at the final score and believe it was that they were "stopped," but it was the same story as always... they live and die off their own miscues. If they have them, the offense stalls. If they don't, they put up points in bunches.
It's more true of this iteration KC than any other team I've watched.
Fair enough! Honestly the only part of a game where the offense was truly shut down by the defense was the 1st half of the 2018 AFC Championship game against the Pats...but we all know Patty hung 31 on them in the 2nd half............still salty about Dee Ford
hahaha I think we all are!
And that's definitely a good one (the Pats game). THey completely stymied KC.
Even with that KC had the ball twice in that first half. NE came out the gate with like a 9 play drive that was like 8 and half minutes TD. Then Chiefs started slow as they do often. I think it was a 3 and out. Then NE had another long drive and closed out the Qtr. It was a Master class in ball control.
The offense couldn't adjust to their Defense because the offense was basically not on the field until the second half. And they dropped like 31 on them then.
I love it. Also this core will be around and productive at least a few more years. Drafting and developing is so important.
It’s funny, my friends up here on the NE kept giving grief about how Allen is better than Mahomes. Such nonsense. 🙄 Been telling everyone that would listen that Allen cracks under pressure. 2019 Allen showed up last night.
In a way, I’m finally understanding how NE fans feel when they had Brady. I kept texting my Bills supporting friends that they needed to go for it on every 4th down no matter what during the game. They didn’t believe me. That’s the only route for you to have chance I said! It got to the point where they said I was too cocky and borderline annoying. I finally understand those annoying NE fans now when they had Brady~~~~~ And what brings a smile to my face is Mahomes is ours for the next 10 years at the least. Bills finally saw Brady gone from their division and now they have to deal with us. 😀😂
It's why you have to get while the getting is good. Windows are so much shorter than they feel. Is it off the charts for a player as good as Watson, for example, never to reach a Super Bowl or even a conference final when every year the path is going to be littered with guys like Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Trevor Lawrence?
The Bills are good, and they look likely to win the AFC East for a bit, which means we will likely be playing them year in and year out. But would it shock people to hear that they don't make another AFC Championship game in the next 5 years? It wouldn't shock me. It is hard to get there.
Absolutely agree with you. I told the same friends that it’s not a given that the Bills will be back next year. Told them Miami is right there, Darth Hoodie will get his players back in 2021 and would totally be there to mess with Allen’s head with his pressure on him. Needless to say they didn’t want to hear any of it. 🤷🏻♂️
Haha welcome to being the bad guy!
I don't remember a more complete and complimentary game with offense and defense than this one. Special teams lost two possessions, but on the others there were 5 touchdowns, a field goal, a run-out-the clock and one punt (noted by you as a mistake). The Bucs will make it tougher with that front seven, but we will get ours and with our defense playing like it is, Tom may suffer his first Super Bowl blowout. Great article, thanks!
Glad you enjoyed! The Bucs present a different sort of challenge, to be sure. It'll be interesting to see what Spags has cooked up for Tommy.
Bless me, Pastor Seth, for I have sinned, and sinned grievously.
I doubted the Chiefs all last week after listening to too many talking heads on TV pushing their storyline of how great the Bills were and how KC will be unable to handle them because KC had not been steamrolling anyone. How Josh Allen, the new flavor of the month, was going to surpass Mahomes and may win the MVP. I listened and became skeptical of the Chiefs as I walked through the valley of the shadow of past playoff losses. I lost faith as the Bills went ahead 9-0.
To be fair, I have been a Chiefs fan since they arrived in KC and I have had my heart broken repeatedly.
This article has restoreth my soul and my faith in the Chiefs. I will only listen to you, Petro, and Eager from now on. Surely Super Bowl victories shall follow me all the days of my life. And I shall dwell in the house of the Arrowhead forevermore.
haha always here to help people be a little more holy.
I love the Reggie Bush in college comparison. Cheetah is the wrong nickname for Hill because though they are the fastest, it is only in short bursts and then they must rest. To have that burst and the endurance to go through 60 reps a game is other-worldly athleticism. Romo pointed that out last night when he went flying up the field 20 yards on a routine handoff.
I also think about this some when I hear about Kelce not being an elite blocker. Why on earth would we have been block one guy when putting him in a pattern occupies two guys? Every time he leaves the line of scrimmage, he has the attention of a linebacker and a safety.
Hill is in incredible shape to run the way he does all day!
And yes, it's often a waste to have Kelce at the line when he can get out into space. He blocks better there anyways.
What do you get when you mix Patrick Mahomes with Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman and Darrell Williams?
You get Andy's frozen custard Jackhammer special with creamy peanut butter, brownies, and hot fudge. 🍦You can't beat it!
My favorite paragraph I've read about the chiefs this year was breaking down everyone's critiques of why each group is only good because of the other. Its ringing even more true with lots of people saying Allen could've won if he had hill and kelce. Brava Seth
The Chiefs were one muffed punt away from playing their A+ game against the Bills. It's no discredit to Buffalo that they weren't able to stop it. To have a chance, teams have to bring their own A+ game, take gambles to chase every possible point, and hope the Chiefs have a B- or worse outing.
I have watched the second Kelce TD clip 200+ times just admiring that design. Mahomes literally knows before the snap this is a TD.
I remember teams (i.e. the patriots) have tried to bracket Kelce and Hill at the same time. Do you know of any breakdown of how the Chiefs have responded to this kind of gameplan in the past two years? If not, would you please fill my two weeks of waiting with some "this is how the Chiefs have beat every type of defense"? please and thank you.
Ha! No pressure. I will think about the best way to approach that! Might be an offseason project.
Watkins is a big uncertainty and I hope that all of this waiting means he will suit up and be Sammy for 4 quarters. Pringle has played well in his place but I am very worried about him fumbling while fighting for yards.