Recent comments from GM Brett Veach explain how Chiefs are still the team to beat in AFC West
KANSAS CITY – One of the hottest topics of the NFL season has been the massive upgrades throughout the AFC West. Major names and players were added to different teams over the last couple of months and the end result is one of the tougher divisions we've seen on paper in quite some time. The […]
KANSAS CITY – One of the hottest topics of the NFL season has been the massive upgrades throughout the AFC West. Major names and players were added to different teams over the last couple of months and the end result is one of the tougher divisions we've seen on paper in quite some time.
The Chiefs have seen more major exits than additions, however. Gone are Tyrann Mathieu and Tyreek Hill. Granted, the Chiefs have added a couple of solid players to help offset the loss of Mathieu and Hill, but they aren't the consistent, game-changing playmakers those two have proven themselves to be over the years.
As a result, many are wondering if the Chiefs will be able to replicate the divisional success they've seen over the last six years. Can the Chiefs win the AFC West for the seventh straight season in 2022?
Yes, they can. Even with the losses of Hill and Mathieu. And that's because they have two guys on their team that no one else in the NFL has: Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid.
Those two -along with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and Steve Spagnuolo- are the foundation of the team and their continuity, along with the prowess involved at their respective positions, are why the Chiefs are still in great shape to remain top dog in the AFC West.
The Raiders have a new coaching staff. The Broncos have a new staff and a new quarterback to break in. The Chargers are in Year 2 of the Brandon Staley/Justin Herbert era, but they still have a lot to prove after a very up-and-down season in 2021.
The Chiefs realize how much of an advantage they have in Mahomes and Reid. General Brett Veach even mentioned as much Friday during his pre-draft press conference.
"I think, and I've said this before, when you have Pat Mahomes, I think we're wired to go after it every year," Veach told reporters. "Just because you trade away a great player doesn't mean we're in a rebuilding mode by any means. It just means we're going to find a new set of resources and try to become aggressive."
"I also think that sometimes there is that mindset or idea or forgetting, I guess, of how great of a coach Andy Reid is. He's won with all types of quarterbacks and all different offensive schemes," Veach added later. "We're going to go out there and collect good players and they may not be 4.2 guys, but they're good football players. We're going to put them in position to make plays and win a lot of games."
An elite quarterback such as Mahomes makes the players around him better. An elite head coach such as Reid will know how to put his guys in the best position for success and he'll also make the correct calls when needed. Having those qualities at the most important positions on the team are what every NFL franchise wants the most and the Chiefs' success over the years are exactly why.
And until the Reid/Mahomes duo dissolves, they'll remain one of the teams to beat not just in the AFC West, but in the NFL.
Featured image via Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
