How will Chiefs fare without Tyreek Hill? Four national media members say KC may thrive
Earlier in the summer, longtime NFL broadcaster Rich Eisen made a case for why the Las Vegas Raiders would win the AFC West. Eisen was certain of it.
But he’s beginning to hedge on that call, and it has nothing to do with how the Raiders have looked in the preseason.
It’s just that Eisen, like a number of national writers, have had second thoughts on how the Chiefs offense and quarterback Patrick Mahomes will perform this season, despite the trade of All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins.
Eisen, the longtime NFL Network host, talked about the Chiefs last week.
“Everybody’s thinking the Kansas City Chiefs are less than, and clearly you could accuse me of being one of them by saying the Raiders are going to win the division,” Eisen said on his show. “But now I’m beginning to talk myself into something about this Chiefs team. ...
“I think the Chiefs offense is gonna be better. I said it. I’m talking myself into it. Better than the previous years, yes. Because you don’t know right now. That’s what I’m saying. Just to bring this kind of full circle. As I said at the top, you knew (in the past), Mahomes would be looking for Hill and looking for (tight end Travis) Kelce and you could even bracket some coverage. You could do some things to kind of get Mahomes out of that rhythm.
“Now, you have no idea where he’s going. Do you? Do you know who’s coming out of the backfield maybe getting some screens, to get some sort of a wheel route, to get some sort of a easy outlet from Mahomes? .. Why don’t you give it to Jerick McKinnon, let him do his work. This kid from Rutgers, Isiah Pacheco, Skyy Moore, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mecole Hardman, Travis Kelce, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, all with Patrick Mahomes at the controls.”
Eisen is not alone in thinking the Chiefs might be better than expected, even with Hill in Miami.
Here is what three other national writers and broadcasters have said recently about the Chiefs.
Sports Illustrted’s Albert Breer wrote a lengthy story about the Chiefs with the headline, “Patrick Mahomes is preparing for another leap.”
This is an excerpt: “In certain respects, Mahomes is the same guy he was when he reported to Missouri Western State last summer — one of the NFL’s very best players, arriving to carry out what’s almost seemed like his birthright over his four years as a starting quarterback and compete for a championship. In other respects, he, and so much around him, is different now than it was then.
“This year, we’ll all get Mahomes 2.0, and how that looks, as I see it anyway, is one of the more underrated story lines of this NFL summer.
“And that’s why what Mahomes loves about coming here is actually so important. Because the reasons for Mahomes being so excited to get here, and get rolling with a significantly different-looking offense around him, really are vital, in his mind, to where he’s going next. ...
“For four years, the rest of the NFL has had a pretty good idea of what Mahomes would do and everyone was powerless to stop it. If things go according to plan here, now, they’ll have to prepare for something else entirely. That’s a pretty scary thought, even without Tyreek Hill on the roster.”
The NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger shared all-22 film from the Chiefs’ preseason win over Washington, and came away impressed.
“What are the Chiefs gonna do with no Tyreek Hill?” Baldinger mockingly asked. “The games’ first play, (Washington’s) William Jackson, 10 yards off Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Mahomes doesn’t even want to make a play fake. He’s ready to go destroy the corner here who’s 10 yards off? Timing with MVS already, 11 yards easy. ...
“No Tyreek? There’s Justin Watson (for) 40 yards. ... You give Mahomes time (and) he’s just flat out deadly. Like, is anybody gonna win up front (on the line of scrimmage)? Anybody?”
NBC Sports’ Peter King, who visited all 32 NFL teams at their training camp sites, shared his thoughts last week on the Chiefs after seeing them in St. Joseph, Missouri.
“I think this team is energized by the outside impression of, They’re screwed without Tyreek. This camp visit left me feeling very much like when I left Green Bay and just figured Aaron Rodgers will figure it out without Davante Adams,” KIng wrote. “I’m slightly less certain about Kansas City, but my gut feeling is Andy Reid and Mahomes will figure it out without Hill. ...
“Reid seems rejuvenated. He also seems to like the chance to reinvent his receiver room. In Reid’s 10th season here, he gets to be a teacher again. He’s got to get four new guys in the offense — all of whom could play 40 snaps on a given Sunday in the most competitive division in the NFL in years — ready to hit the ground running in 27 days when KC opens at Arizona. From what I saw in 90 minutes of tempo offense last week, this offense has the juice Reid wants. Hardman, the speedster in the Hill mode, gets to be handed some of Tyreek’s old plays to see if he can be a big star. The four newbies — Valdez-Scantling, Smith-Schuster, Moore and the out-of-nowhere Watson — are all cramming to be targets for Mahomes. Kelce will play everywhere and be the NFL’s best security blanket east of Cooper Kupp.”
