The reality is that nobody in the world knows what will happen in the 2016 NFL season. There are just too many variables at play to possibly predict how any team will do. All we have to base our predictions are is what we have already seen. We have nothing but the 2015 season, offseason additions and losses, and lucky guesses to prepare us. Despite that, people have had no problem hyping up their favorite teams. The defending NFC East Champions have plenty of hype. The Oakland Raiders have become the sleeper sweethearts of the summer. Even the Jacksonville Jaguars are a team many believe will improve in 2016. Oddly enough, the Kansas City Chiefs, the team with the longest active winning streak in the league, have been absent from these predictions.
The Curious Case Of The Kansas City Chiefs
2015 was a strange season for Kansas City. The Chiefs were 1-3 when they lost star rusher, Jamaal Charles for the season in a loss to the Chicago Bears. After suffering a heartbreaking loss to the Minnesota Vikings a week later, things didn’t look good for the red and gold. The Chiefs were 1-5, on a five game losing streak, and both the Raiders and Denver Broncos were pulling away in the AFC West. Anyone with basic football knowledge knew the season was over for Alex Smith and the Chiefs.
Instead, the impossible happened. The Chiefs went on to win the last ten games of the season, storming into the playoffs. The Chiefs defense allowed less than one thousand total yards, had forty-seven sacks, and forced thirty-five turnovers. Even without Charles, the Kansas City rushing game still ran wild, combining for over two thousand yards. Only the Carolina Panthers had a better turnover ratio (+20) than the Chiefs in 2015 (+14).
The Chiefs ended a twenty-two long drought when they defeated the Houston Texans for their first playoff win since 1994. And the Chiefs didn’t just beat the Texans, they destroyed them. They took the ball away five times, rushed for over 140 yards, and beat Houston 30-0.
The Chiefs lost to New England the next week, but nothing should be taken away from the Chiefs. They were a better team than the Broncos last year, and if it hadn’t been for some bad luck, they might have won the Super Bowl. So why is it that Kansas City, a team that only improves with the return of Jamaal Charles, isn’t getting any hype from the media?
The Raiders should be better than they were last year, but so far they’ve got nothing but speculation behind them. They showed signs of improvement last year, and had a strong offseason, but they haven’t proven anything yet. Why are they getting more recognition than a team that hasn’t lost a regular season game since October?
The Kansas City Chiefs don’t play sexy football. They don’t lead the league in plays of 20+ yards, they don’t run up the score, and they don’t have many flashy offensive players. Travis Kelce is a talented young tight end, and Charles is still an exciting back, but the Kansas City offense is just too conservative. They play safe, smart football, and rely on their talented defense to make a difference.
Ultimately, you shouldn’t sleep on the Kansas City Chiefs. They didn’t make a huge splash this offseason, but late last year, they discovered a winning formula. A winning formula that will be there when the 2016 season starts, with or without the approval of the national sports media.
