Chiefs Pro-Bowler confirms what everyone suspected about Kansas City this season
The 2022 season was supposed to be the year that the Kansas City Chiefs were finally overtaken in the AFC West. After Kansas City traded wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, and the rest of the AFC West improved (the Denver Broncos traded for Rusell Wilson, the Las Vegas Raiders traded for Davante […]
The 2022 season was supposed to be the year that the Kansas City Chiefs were finally overtaken in the AFC West.
After Kansas City traded wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, and the rest of the AFC West improved (the Denver Broncos traded for Rusell Wilson, the Las Vegas Raiders traded for Davante Adams, and the Los Angeles Chargers traded for Khalil Mack), the expectation from many was that the Chiefs' reign was finally over.
That didn't turn out to be the case.
Kansas City ended up winning the AFC West for the seventh straight season after going 14-3.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes had the best season of his career, passing for 5,250 yards (the fourth most all-time in a single season). Mahomes also had 5,614 total offensive yards — the most in NFL history.
I'd say the Chiefs were just fine this season without Hill.
Part of the reason for Kansas City's success this season is because they heard the outside noise and they used it as motivation — something we thought they might do this year.
Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones talked about the outside noise on Saturday after the Chiefs' win against the Raiders.
"Listen, going into the year, we had a lot of criticism [that said] we might be the worst team in this division," said Jones after beating Las Vegas. "Every player in that locker room and every coach in that locker room heard about it, seen it on social media or ESPN. And with all the transitions that this division made — whether they're bringing in Chandler Jones, Russell Wilson, or the Chargers adding Khalil Mack, they counted us out."
"With Coach (Andy) Reid and Pat, and the supporting cast, we were able to overcome every adversity, every stick and stone that was thrown our way, and go undefeated in the division."
Mahomes and the Chiefs are elite without added motivation.
The last thing the rest of the division should want to see during any offseason is the national media doubting Kansas City. That's only going to serve to make the Chiefs a better team.
Regardless of what happens in the playoffs, the Chiefs' performance this season almost guarantees that no one will be doubting them in the future.
Featured image via Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
