National media is making the same major mistake with Chiefs for a second straight year
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes took issue with the way his team was portrayed ahead of the 2022 season. After last offseason's wild moves that included the Las Vegas Raiders trading for Davante Adams and the Denver Broncos landing Russell Wilson, there were plenty of analysts who suggested that Kansas City's reign in the […]
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes took issue with the way his team was portrayed ahead of the 2022 season.
After last offseason's wild moves that included the Las Vegas Raiders trading for Davante Adams and the Denver Broncos landing Russell Wilson, there were plenty of analysts who suggested that Kansas City's reign in the AFC West was about to end after six straight division titles.
Instead, the Chiefs won their seventh straight division title and won Super Bowl LVII.
"Before we started this season, the AFC West said we were rebuilding," said Mahomes at Kansas City's Super Bowl celebration. "I'll be honest with you, I don't know what rebuilding means. In our rebuilding year, we're world champs."
Analysts and talking heads aren't quite suggesting this offseason that Kansas City is going to fail to win the AFC West in 2023. But there is some doubt from the national media about one specific position group for the Chiefs.
Despite the fact that Kansas City is the overwhelming favorite to win the Super Bowl this season, Pro Football Focus believes they have only the fourth-best roster in the NFL.
And one of the main reasons they feel that way is because of the Chiefs' wide receiver group. PFF thinks Kansas City is a bit thin at wide receiver entering the 2023 season.
From PFF: The Chiefs were already thin at wide receiver heading into the offseason, and now they’ve lost JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency. For now, their top receiver is Marquez Valdes-Scantling. However, they do have several potential breakout candidates, such as Skyy Moore and Justyn Ross.
The national media learned from last season to not loudly proclaim that the Chiefs' domination in the AFC is on the verge of ending. But this take isn't all that different from the takes a year ago. The big criticism of Kansas City before the 2022 season was the Chiefs' wide receiver core (after trading Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins).
Kansas City's wide receivers ended up playing just fine last season. Mahomes, after all, passed for 5,250 yards — a career high — despite not having Hill on the roster.
The national media keeps trying to poke holes in the Chiefs' roster and the Chiefs keep proving them wrong. I have a strong feeling that's going to be the case again this fall. Maybe the national media will learn their lesson this time, though I doubt that will be the case. They're too busy looking for the next breakout team instead of just appreciating the greatness that's sitting in Kansas City.
