Arrowheadlines: The Jets should be looking at themselves, not the refs

The latest

Chiefs 23 Jets 20: Jets Show Their Best, Worst, and Reasons for Hope | Gang Green Nation

The Jets ultimately fell short. There are a number of places you could look. Tyler Conklin failed to come up with a diving catch in the end zone in the first half. The Chiefs put together two drives in the fourth quarter, one of which led to a go ahead field goal. The other allowed them to run out the clock. On the latter of the two drives, Sauce Gardner was flagged on a controversial holding call which wiped out an interception. Still the Jets had no less than five other opportunities to get off the field on third down in that series.

The biggest reason the Jets lost was likely their first quarter performance. Even though they eventually rallied from 17 down, it was an enormous hole. To win the game, the Jets had to outscore the defending Super Bowl Champions by 18 over a 45 minute stretch.

Jets’ Sauce Gardner addresses costly holding penalty that erased INT, led to Robert Saleh unsportsmanlike call | CBS Sports

“The receiver ran into me, it was a collision,” Gardner said postgame, via Pro Football Talk. “The same thing that was happening all game. They ain’t throw no flags. Pat threw the ball outside of the receiver, MC was there. He made the play and then the ref threw the flag. To me, personally, that’s like when you play basketball one-on-one and you go up to lay the ball up and you wait to see if you miss and then call the foul. I can’t believe that, that was just crazy. I don’t even think they threw the ball my way, at me, the first three quarters. And then they started throwing checkdowns, and the shot they take to get going, they get bailed out by that. Fourth quarter, crunch time, I don’t even know what to say.”

Dean Bladino disagrees with Sauce Gardner

Byron Murphy plans a little trash talk for Travis Kelce over Taylor Swift | NBC Sports

“I’m not hating against it,” Murphy said regarding the NFL’s full embrace of all things Swift. “That’s the world we’re living in. Is she going to come to this game? We’re locked in, but that would be something. I’ve been watching her since I was a kid. That would be cool for sure. . . . Not for him, because we’re going to try to get our hands on him in front of her.”

The First Read: Biggest challenge facing each division leader at quarter mark of 2023 NFL season | NFL.com

Kansas City Chiefs

AFC West · 3-1

Will their receivers become reliable? The Chiefs have plenty of wideouts, as they kept seven on the roster coming into the season. The question is whether they can find a few players within that group who can be consistent targets for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. There was some optimism about that happening after the Chiefs blew out Chicago in Week 3. Then Kansas City faced the New York Jets on Sunday night, and reality set back in. The Chiefs wide receivers combined for seven receptions and 65 yards in that 23-20 win. You can say Gang Green’s defense played a huge role in those numbers, and that unit did perform admirably. However, this doesn’t appear to be an issue that is going to resolve itself quickly in Kansas City. It took Mahomes a few games last season to find a rhythm with some new faces in his passing attack. The difference this season is that many of his targets are vastly inexperienced. They’ll have to grow up in a hurry when facing better defenses the rest of the year.

NFL top-10 rankings: 49ers stay on top; Chiefs, Eagles creep up; Dolphins tumble | FOX Sports

2. Kansas City Chiefs

Record: 3-1; Last Week: 3

The Chiefs defense has catalyzed the team’s early-season success, with Chris Jones leading the way. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has the young unit ballin’, with his aggressive schemes creating chaos all over the field. As Patrick Mahomes finds his chemistry and connection with his young WR corps, the Chiefs are in line to make a run at back-to-back titles.

NFL Team Needs: Prioritizing Every Roster’s Biggest Weaknesses After Week 4| Bleacher Report

Add Now: DT Matt Ioannidis

Chris Jone is a transformative player in the middle, but the Chiefs defense would be better if he had a little more support. The Chiefs have budding players on the edge in George Karlaftis and Michael Danna, who have shown their potential at times this season. However, the interior defenders outside of Jones could be upgraded.

Matt Ioannidis is one of the best interior defenders left on the market. The 29-year-old has started 53 games across seven seasons and has registered a pressure percentage of 11.0 or higher in four of those years, per Sports Info Solutions.

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Bears’ rebuild commences with Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr. | PFF

31. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: WR ADONAI MITCHELL, TEXAS

The Chiefs need that go-to receiver who isn’t Travis Kelce, who is also getting up there in age. Mitchell feels like one of the most underrated players in this draft class right now. The 6-foot-4 receiver has very good movement skills and has been successful as a deep threat and as a short-to-intermediate receiver. He feels like the total package.

Around the NFL

2023 NFL season, Week 4: What We Learned from Seahawks’ win over Giants on Monday night | NFL.com

Seahawks record a costly win. Seattle ran away with another victory Monday night, but it required the Seahawks to pay a price in the form of personnel. Seattle lost two offensive linemen to injury in the game, watched Jamal Adams exit due to a concussion suffered just nine snaps into his 2023 season, and was forced to play Drew Lock for a brief period after Geno Smith suffered a knee injury. Smith eventually returned, providing a silver lining to a tough night from a health standpoint, but as we all know, regular seasons are marathons. The Seahawks will need to get healthy in order to finish it in good standing.

NFL winners, losers of Week 4: Bengals in bad spot with QB Joe Burrow | USA Today

Free Kyle Pitts

Since Arthur Smith, took over the Falcons in 2021, he has failed to elevate Atlanta’s offense. To be fair, the Falcons have lacked any consistency at quarterback. It has become clear Desmond Ridder is not a viable long-term solution. But Smith and offensive coordinator Dave Ragone’s scheme has – at best – failed to suit the skill sets of Atlanta’s players. At worst, however, this staff has completely mismanaged weapons like tight end Kyle Pitts, whose athleticism is constantly ignored.

Former Pro Bowl TE Russ Francis dies in plane crash | ESPN

Former Pro Bowl tight Russ Francis was killed in a plane crash in Lake Placid, New York, on Sunday, according to family members. Francis was 70.

Francis and Richard McSpadden, a former commander of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, rolled hard to the left after takeoff from Lake Placid Airport before crashing, according to an NTSB spokesperson. It was not immediately clear whether Francis or McSpadden was flying the plane.

Francis was taken by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 1975 draft. He made three Pro Bowls for the team.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs-Jets 9 things overheard during Kansas City’s Week 4 win

“Can’t believe I’m saying this — but I hope Pat can go out there tonight and put up numbers like Justin Fields.”

“Zach Wilson’s interception aura is so powerful! I fear if he learns to harness it, he could direct it towards Mahomes.”

“Travis Kelce? No... Taylor Swift’s here tonight because the Jets are honoring Joe Klecko.”

“Nice touchdown, Noah. If you ever show off in front of Taylor again, I’ll kill you.”

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