Arrowheadlines: The Chiefs should be looking over their shoulders

The latest

AFC West Grades: Raiders nipping at Kansas City’s heels | Silver and Black Pride (Oakland Raiders SB Nation site)

Quietly, Kansas City has lost four of their last six games, a precipitous fall from the perch they seemingly sat on after a 4-0 start. Remember when Kansas City was supposed to be the top challenger to New England in the AFC? They’re hardly holding off the Raiders right now.

Key Stat: 53 percent

Kansas City has the league’s No. 1 pass offense by DVOA at 53.0 percent. With the Raiders pass defense underwhelming throughout the year, plus injuries to Karl Joseph and Lamarcus Joyner, it’ll take a miracle to slow them down. Luckily, the Raider offense isn’t too far behind at No. 4 in the league in pass offense (38.7 percent) and might be able to steal a shootout in Arrowhead in Week 13 if things break right.

Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt Hoping to Keep Patrick Mahomes “His Entire Career” | Chiefs Digest

“We’re certainly excited about the opportunity to extend Patrick’s stay with the Chiefs, and hope that lasts his entire career,” Hunt said.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said earlier this season the club has planned for signing Mahomes to long-term deal since the moment of his selection in the first round of the 2017 draft. Sources tell Chiefs Digest expectations are a new deal will likely set an NFL record eclipsing $200 million. Hunt wasn’t ready to acknowledge the particulars of a new deal yet, but suggest an agreement would be made before the Mahomes’ enters the fifth-year option of his rookie contract in 2021.

“It’s probably a little bit premature to be talking about a new contract,” Hunt said “Everyone knows the first opportunity we’ll have to re-sign him will come at the end of this season. That’s a decision that we’ll have to make with his representatives, whether this is the right time, or perhaps a year from now.”

NFL says Chiefs had the two fastest ball carriers in last week’s games | Kansas City Star

Hardman’s top speed was the fastest by a Chiefs ball carrier this season, per the NFL’s NextGen Stats, and ranked sixth in the NFL. Hardman also has the eighth-fastest speed (21.74 mph in Week 3), while Hill’s run is tied for the 16th-fastest this season with teammate Sammy Watkins (Week 1) and the Bengals’ William Jackson (Week 2).

2019 NFL MVP Race: Lamar Jackson unable to dent Russell Wilson’s lead, Patrick Mahomes makes his return | CBS Sports

Mahomes certainly didn’t look like a man who recently dislocated his kneecap but the Chiefs lost to the Titans (and even though it wasn’t Mahomes’ fault, it’s hard to be league MVP if your team is losing). Houston’s Deshaun Waston continues to fly under the radar in a crowded field, and Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey will have to take on an even bigger role now that Cam Newton’s season appears to be over.

Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 11: Running backs | NFL.com

Damien Williams vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Williams seems to have re-claimed the top spot on the Chiefs depth chart, as LeSean McCoy was a healthy scratch a week ago. Regardless, I like Williams to remain the main runner in what is an advantageous matchup versus the Chargers. They’ve allowed 27.2 fantasy points per game to enemy running backs this season.

Around the NFL

Stafford Leading the NFL in TD Passes Per Game | Lions Maven

As of right now, Stafford is first among all NFL quarterbacks in touchdown passes thrown per game.

He has averaged 2.38 touchdown passes over the eight games he has played in this season.

That mark edges out Seahawks QB Russell Wilson (2.30) and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (2.25).

Wilson currently is the league leader in touchdown passes with 23 -- four more than the Lions signal-caller. However, Wilson has also played in two more games.

This Sham Tryout (If It Happens) Won’t Hurt The NFL Or Colin Kaepernick | Forbes

It’s the stretch drive of the NFL season. The majority of coaches, general managers and other primary decision makers of the league’s 32 teams will spend Saturdays preparing to win the following day.

As a result, somewhere between a few to zero NFL honchos will attend this tryout (you know, if it happens) involving Kaepernick who was blackballed from the league after the 2016 season. It didn’t matter he used his arm and his legs during his six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers to become the prototype for Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray and others.

Neither did it matter Kaepernick took the 49ers to two trips to the National Football Conference title game, including a Super Bowl berth.

Kaepernick still entered the NFL’s unofficial slammer, and his crime? He had the audacity to inspire others to protest social injustice and police brutality by kneeling or sitting with him during the national anthem before games.

Raiders’ Derek Carr is Playing Like Mr. Clutch | NBC Bay Area

“I just love this team,” Carr said after the win over the Chargers. “I love this organization so much. I get emotional talking about it because I’ve been through so many highs and lows in this place. These fans have stuck behind me the whole way and it’s a lot of fun to win front of them. … To go down there in a two-minute drive and win the game on a run play, I just love that for our offensive line.”

Injuries: Falcons TE Austin Hooper suffered MCL sprain | NFL.com

Atlanta Falcons tight end Austin Hooper is expected to be out about a month with an MCL sprain, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports. Coach Dan Quinn said it would be a “long shot” for running back Devonta Freeman (foot) to play on Sunday.

In case you missed it at Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs’ losses are coming down to the little things

The fumbling issue is glaring. The Chiefs have fumbled 17 times this season — which is the fourth-most in the league. Nine of those fumbles resulted in a turnover — which is the third-most in the NFL. The worst part about these turnovers is their timing. Six of the lost fumbles occurred in the second half of the game — and the three that happened in the first half turned out to be crucial: Running back LeSean McCoy’s fumble in the Indianapolis Colts game, quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ strip-sack right before halftime against the Houston Texans, and running back Damien Williams’ fumble that was returned for a score by the Tennessee Titans.

SB Nation’s Fan Pulse (after Week 9)

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