My how things have changed for the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2015 NFL power rankings. Early in the season they were hovering around the top 10 as a team to watch. And then the defense looked horrible, Jamaal Charles got hurt and they dropped to 1-5. That had them ranked in the bottom 10 of the weekly NFL power rankings.
The Chiefs now have won five straight games and sit at 6-5 on the season. They have the longest winning streak in the AFC. It's not just one side of the ball that is dominating. If they don't win with their defense, their offense steps up. They are ranked in the top 10 of both offense and defense. They are absolutely crushing the turnover battle -- 14-0 in the past five games.
The Chiefs are ranked mostly in the top 10 in the various power rankings for Week 13 that we have followed. Take note of the NFL.com blurb -- this is at worst a 9-7 team and at best an 11-5 team. Even at 9-7, I like the Chiefs AFC Wild Card tiebreakers.
The Chiefs are 3-point favorites in Oakland next week. Vegas thinks they keep winning.
Kansas City might be the hottest team in the NFL right now outside of Carolina. They won their fifth straight game, overcoming a huge first half by Tyrod Taylor, Sammy Watkins, and the Bills, outlasting Buffalo at home. Jeremy Maclin proved the Chiefs right for investing in him with a nine-catch, 160-yard, 1-touchdown performance, and little-known Spencer Ware continued to fill in nicely for Charcandrick West (and Jamaal Charles, remember him?) in the run game.
Alex Smith hasn't thrown an interception in his past 283 pass attempts. According to Elias Sports Bureau, that's the third-longest streak in a single season in the past 30 years.
The next time they meet a team with a winning record will be in the playoffs ... or at some point next season.
The Chiefs dodged a bullet because Justin Houston's knee injury doesn't appear to be season ending, according to the Kansas City Star. Houston should be back by the playoffs, at least. And, they're likely going to the playoffs.
At worst, this team is going 9-7. But can you say that 11-5 isn't more foreseeable?
Andy Reid has done a terrific coaching job getting the Chiefs to rebound from their 1-5 start and overcome the loss of Jamaal Charles to a season-ending knee injury. WR Jeremy Maclin is having, relatively quietly, a productive season with 57 catches for 772 yards and three touchdowns.