Credit for the KC Chiefs’ Sunday win? Everything but the offense. Is this sustainable?
The Chiefs clinched a game in a way that coach Andy Reid appropriately described as vintage, with a play-call that put the game in the quarterback’s hands and relied on his connection with his wide receiver.
Just like the old days, you know?
But these are otherwise the new days in Kansas City. After a 13-7 victory Sunday against the Aaron Rodgers-less Packers, the conversation is not and should not be about an unstoppable offense and its star, Patrick Mahomes, but rather every other aspect of the game.
Defense.
Special teams.
The pass rush.
A couple of plays from cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.
The punter.
Like we said, everything else — everything except the tracks on which this train rode for the past three seasons.
“Obviously we’re not playing offensively the way we want to and the way we expect to, but we’re finding ways to get wins,” Mahomes said. “Defense is playing great football. Special teams is doing a great job. Until we find that mojo that we’ve had for so long, we’re still battling through and guys are stepping up to win football games.”
The Chiefs totaled their fewest yards and passing yards since Mahomes took over in 2018, and yet they still won a game, still improved to 5-4, still gave themselves a possibility of actually moving into first place in seven days.
But they are, as Mahomes said, a team without its mojo yet. Or at least without the mojo on its dynamic offense.
After the offense would carry the weight, they used to find different ways to clinch games late. Now, there are different themes altogether to entire wins.
Two straight wins have been followed by uncertainty, not celebration. After the game, in fact, Reid could sense the onslaught of questions he’s faced over the past month. The questions about the offense. A dim outlook after a win. So in his opening statement, before the media even had a chance to ask a question, he framed his answer.
“I’d rather work on getting better and still have the opportunity to win a game,” Reid said. “That’s how we finished this one.”
They Chiefs have made up ground in a playoff race. Do they feel any closer to the team that reached two straight Super Bowls?
As of now, that answer lies in the everything else. Because for two weeks, the Chiefs are winning despite their offense, not because of it.
But they are winning. The pass rush has returned — and whether Aaron Rodgers played or not Sunday, the Packers possess one of the better offensive lines in football. Frank Clark looks healthy again. Melvin Ingram appears to be a worthwhile addition. Sneed is back in the form that prompted so many to wonder how so many teams missed on him in last year’s draft. That’s not nothing.
Those things just used to be luxuries.
They’re now necessities.
“Things aren’t going to go your way all the time,” defensive end Frank Clark said. “You gotta be ready for that. But when it is time, you just gotta be able to buckle up and go for the ride.”
The Chiefs did not score in the second half. They actually didn’t even come within 30 yards of the end zone after halftime.
The defense stood firm. The special teams, too. The Chiefs probably don’t win this game without their special teams performance.
Is it sustainable? Can they rely on the defense and special teams? Or can they at least bide enough time to let the offense regain its form?
It’s how they started Sunday. It’s how they finished, too. This team — yes, even against these two-shell defenses — scored plenty in the opening month. They’ve hit a rut.
But...
“Luckily enough our defense is keeping us in the game and playing really good football,” Mahomes said.
That’s good enough. For now, anyway.
This story was originally published November 7, 2021 at 9:01 PM.