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We can tell you the model says the Kansas City Chiefs go over their projected win total of 10.5. The Chiefs and Patriots have the highest 2019 NFL win totals of any team, which is fitting after the two sides played an epic overtime game for the AFC Championship.
Kansas City has made the playoffs in five of the last six seasons under Andy Reid and bested 10.5 wins four times during that span, including two 12-win seasons the last three years. We know what we’re getting from the Chiefs’ offense, with reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes leading a group of matchup nightmares like tight end Travis Kelce, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and running back Damien Williams. However, it’s an improved Kansas City defense that should help get the team over the hump.
NFL Power Rankings: Patriots, Saints Top B/R’s Initial Preseason Rankings | Bleacher Report
7. Kansas City Chiefs
That defense was eventually their undoing, but it underwent a major overhaul in the offseason. There’s a new coordinator in Steve Spagnuolo, who brings along a new 4-3 scheme, and a shakeup on the edge. Dee Ford and Justin Houston are both gone, replaced by Frank Clark.
Gagnon has his doubts about that new-look defense and is concerned that the offense may regress in 2019: ”The rest of the league at least knows what to expect from Patrick Mahomes this year. After a full offseason of preparation, look for defenses to do a better job limiting Mahomes. The Kansas City offense will still get theirs, but I’m not sure a bad defense got any better in a weird offseason.”
Chiefs’ Tyrann Mathieu explains why ‘T-5’ is one of his nicknames | Kansas City Star
“Well, a lot of people have trouble pronouncing my first name,” Mathieu said, “so I kind just said, ‘Look, call me T.’ My jersey number is 32, that equals 5. ... Let’s try to make this simple for everybody.”
“As long I’m having the opportunity to play in the league, I’m happy,” he says. Besides, he’s trying to secure a roster spot.
The positive approach, he says, has played an irreplaceable role along the way.
“I’m just having a positive mindset, coming out here with a smile on my face,” Pringle said. “Just to be out here and have an opportunity every day to come and prove myself and get better each day.”
How Brett Veach traded away the Chiefs pass rush concerns | FanSided
The risks were understandable. Ford was a first-round investment still on his rookie contract and such flashes of potential had been there all along. Houston was still a Pro Bowl talent when he turned it on and the financial load was so heavy that cutting him before this offseason was too much to take. Simply put, the Chiefs had married Houston in previous years and were bound to that commitment—to both men, really.
This offseason, however, Veach had a way out from under his commitment to both players. Yes, he had the franchise tag to use on Ford, another way to keep the carrot dangling in front of an obviously talented player. But when the trade block yielded a future second round pick, that very asset became an important building block to add to a deal that brought back the anchor the team needed in Clark.
Chiefs -3.5 at Jaguars
As is always the case at this point in the NFL calendar, there are a ton of unknowns entering the season. That’s why for one of my five way-too-early best bets, I’m going with a sure thing: Patrick Mahomes, the best quarterback in football. I expect the Jaguars’ defense to challenge him the way they did last year, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Foles is able to connect on some big plays against a Chiefs defense in transition. But I’m still banking on Mahomes, over the course of four quarters, to find enough gaps in the Jaguars’ defense and to lead the Chiefs to their normal offensive output. Mahomes didn’t even play particularly well against the Jaguars a year ago (62.7 passer rating), and the Chiefs still dropped 30 points.
To accommodate the anticipated “immense traffic volumes” to and from the stadium, crews on game days will open up the interchange at I-70 and Manchester Trafficway to help ease traffic congestion.
“As work progresses on our $47 million project to improve the interchange, ramp closures and associated detours associated with the construction will affect how fans get to Arrowhead this season,” said Matt Killion, area engineer with the Kansas City district of the Missouri Department of Transportation.
“This will ease traffic into the stadium, but all ramps will be closed once again to accommodate construction on all other days,” Killion said.
Plenty of others could make a case to be included in the top five. Julian Edelman’s 1,412 career receiving yards in the postseason are second most in NFL history, trailing only Jerry Rice and one spot ahead of Cowboys legend Michael Irvin. Edelman is also the owner of three Super Bowl rings, more any modern day receiver, so even if he doesn’t have the regular-season resume of some others, the Patriots receiver worth considering. Jarvis Landry, Beckham’s new teammate in Cleveland, led the NFL in receptions in 2017 and has been a Pro Bowler each of the past four seasons. Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill is probably the most explosive talent in the NFL when he’s on the field. Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, Dallas’ Amari Cooper, Indianapolis’ T.Y. Hilton ... the list goes on and on.
Fantasy Football 2019: Running Back Position Primer | SI.com
Since so many of the most efficient backs are those who consistently play all three downs, there is a strong argument to be made for teams finding and using a workhorse back—or at least using multiple backs who can play every down.
Andy Reid has seemed to long believe in using his backs on all three downs, in order to keep the defense from knowing what the play call is. If a back is on the field for all three downs, the defense gets no tip about what the play is going to be. On the other hand, when players like Duke Johnson and Theo Riddick are on the field, defenses are keyed to the pass, making those plays less efficient.
I’ve seen it on Twitter for sure,” Mahomes said. “People are posting pictures of them going to get it and getting several boxes at a time. I’m glad we have that fan base that will support me and everything I do to support my foundation and everything it does.”
Unsurprisingly, boxes of the cereal are on eBay with prices ranging from to $3.10 to $160. It was selling for $3.99 at Hy-Vee.
Around the league
Predicting the NFL teams likeliest to decline: Barnwell picks five for 2019 | ESPN
The opposition also projects to be tougher for the Chargers, who faced the league’s seventh-easiest schedule last season per FPI. Los Angeles had only five games against playoff teams last season, going 2-3 while being outscored by 23 points. This year, it is projected to face the league’s seventh-toughest schedule. Only the Colts and Texans are projected to see their schedules make a larger leap in terms of difficulty this upcoming season. For the second year in a row, L.A. will lose a home game to a foreign market, as it is scheduled to play the Chiefs in Mexico City in November.
I’m glad that the storyline of the Same Old Chargers is over. When Anthony Lynn went for and converted that two-pointer to beat the Chiefs, we got to move on as a nation. It’s also fair to note that these Chargers aren’t suddenly owed a bunch of victories in close games because they lost in every conceivable fashion from 2015-17. This is one of the most talented teams in football, but with average luck in a division with the Chiefs, it will be tough for L.A. to hit 12 wins again in 2019.
Broncos’ Sanders, Sutton on same page after scuffle | NFL.com
“It stands good. Obviously, we’re family,” Sanders said when asked where their relationship stands. “We went to the same school, grew up in the same area. It’s a miscommunication and that’s just what it is. At the end of the day, we’re back on the same page trying to be the best receivers in the world. Sometimes through failure is growth. And I feel like me and him have grown through this in terms of bringing that dog out even more and just ready to win and ready to tear it up.”
Four-headed monster perfect nickname for Rams receiving corps | Ramblin Fan
With Kupp’s return, Woods dubbed the Rams’ receivers a “four-headed monster,” given Kupp’s elusiveness inside, the development of Reynolds, and the return of sixth-year pro Brandin Cooks.
“We have a lot of receivers making key plays,” said Woods, who broke for a 52-yard touchdown reception in combined practice against the Chargers. “Cause Josh has been making plays, but just to get Cooper back in it … four different styles of receivers and four different ways to attack your defense.”
So If Tom Brady Is The GOAT, Why Aren’t NFL Folks Acting Like It? | Forbes
According to that NFL Network’s ranking, Brady isn’t better than (in order) defensive tackle Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams, wide receiver Antonio Brown of the Oakland Raiders, linebacker Khalil Mack of the Chicago Bears, quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and running back Todd Gurley of the Rams.
Those other five players have a collective zero Super Bowl rings to Brady’s six.
Not only that, but nobody ever has participated on more NFL world championship teams than this 42-year-old wonder who is the all-time leader among quarterbacks in postseason touchdowns, passing yards, completions and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player awards (four).
In case you missed it at Arrowhead Pride
Andy Reid likes what he sees from his backup wide receivers
And while he isn’t the most physically dominating player on the Chiefs unofficial roster, former Toledo receiver Cody Thompson has also caught Reid’s attention. The Chiefs signed the undrafted free agent during the offseason in the hope of getting a big return on a player that showed a lot of potential in his early college career.
“He’s a good route runner,” Reid said of Thompson. “He’s not blessed with blazing speed or big size, but he knows how to run routes. Probably a better inside guy in the slot position, but he’s played everywhere. Smart.
“I’m curious to see how he does in the preseason games. He’s got talent.”
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These win predictors always seem to air on the side of caution, so 10.5 seems a little too low. Outside of the Bears, Patriots and one of the Chargers games, the Chiefs will likely be favoured in their other 13 match-ups.
I’ll be hammering the over.