The Kansas City Chiefs got back to their winning ways with a 29-19 win over the rival Denver Broncos. It was not the prettiest win, but in the National Football League, any win is a good win. The Chiefs ended their two-game losing streak and moved to 6-2 on the season, tied for the best record in the AFC. Here are the Chiefs week eight takeaways.
Week Eight Kansas City Chiefs Takeaways
Offense Sputters
The Chiefs offense faltered this week, but it was enough to bring home a victory. Some of it may have been because they were playing a great defense, but they had their fair share of offensive issues. The team struggled to score points, registering just a single touchdown and settling for five Harrison Butker field goals.
In the red zone, Andy Reid’s history of making questionable play calls returned. This was on display when Reid called a half back pass, except the half back was a wide receiver named Tyreek Hill and he threw an interception in the end zone. The Chiefs were already up 14-0 and only gave up three points on the ensuing drive, but this can be an issue down the road against better offenses.
There were some bright spots on this side of the ball, however. The offensive line performed better, keeping Alex Smith upright for most of the night. Smith was sacked just one time, which is a significant feat against a pass rush like the Broncos. The offensive line got back Mitch Morse this week and moved Zach Fulton to right guard in place of the injured Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. There is a chance Duvernay-Tardif returns next week – in which case it will be interesting to see what the coaching staff does with the offensive line when they have their entire unit healthy again.
Travis Kelce continued to dominate against the Broncos, ending the night with seven catches for 133 yards and a touchdown.
More Injuries
The Chiefs suffered another couple of significant injuries this week, losing wide receiver Albert Wilson and outside linebacker Dee Ford during the game. The Chiefs have gotten dangerously thin at wide receiver this year, having lost Wilson for a couple of games and Chris Conley for the year. While there is no doubt that Hill is the Chiefs best receiving option, it will be up to the depth behind him to step up and keep this offense moving.
Ford went out with a back injury – another setback for the former first round pick. The Chiefs have a decent backup in Frank Zombo, so they could be OK in this area if Ford misses significant time. Plus, Tamba Hali should be returning within the next couple of weeks, so the pass rush will hopefully get a boost from the veteran.
Control of the Division
The biggest takeaway from this game is the fact that the Chiefs are in complete control of the AFC West. As of week two this year, many around the league believed that the AFC West was the best division in the NFL. Now, after eight weeks, only one team in the division has a winning record.
With the win tonight, the Chiefs have established a three-game lead with eight to play. Not only do the Chiefs have control of the AFC West, they have the inside track on a first round bye in the playoffs if they handle their business from here on out.
Kansas City plays four of their remaining games on the road and the other four at Arrowhead – including three in a row in December. This team proved Monday it’s still very good and has legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. The Chiefs will now look ahead to their first visit to Jerry World when they visit the Dallas Cowboys this coming Sunday.
