Sunday’s Super Bowl loss was a hard pill to swallow for all Chiefs fans, but there are still some bright spots to take away from this loss and where this team is going forward.
The game on Sunday was probably the most unexpected result that anyone could’ve imagined. It marked the first time in Patrick Mahomes’ career as a starter that the Chiefs were kept out of the endzone and the first time the Chiefs were held to single-digit points. Calling this game a disappointment would be an understatement, for sure.
Mahomes was pressured 31 times which is the most in Super Bowl history. He was running for his life the entire game and was still able to make great passes, but those passes were dropped several times. On the defensive side, it felt like the Buccaneers were gaining more yards with penalties than actually plays on the field.
It was a horrible way for such a successful season to end, but it is just one game and the Chiefs should still be considered the team to beat next season. There are still several reasons for fans to be optimistic about this team even after witnessing their worst loss in three years.
The first positive thing to take away is that the Chiefs still have the best quarterback in the NFL. This game does not change that despite what morons like Marcellus Wiley said.
Anyone who thinks that Patrick Mahomes is regressing and is allowed to regurgitate that on national television should be fired and tested for brain damage. Wiley complains that because Patrick Mahomes didn’t score a touchdown when he was under that much pressure. He hit three receivers in the endzone after miraculously escaping the grasps of the defense, and all three passes were dropped.
The fact is that Mahomes is still the best right now in the league. According to ESPN, Mahomes finished the 2020 season second in QBR with 82.9, fourth in touchdown passes with 38, and second in passing yards with 4,740. Plus, he only played in 15 games. Everyone ahead of him in those stats played all 16 games. Mahomes is still great, he is here in KC for many years to come, and he is not regressing.
Another positive thing for the future of the Chiefs is that the offensive line can only get better. The Chiefs played Super Bowl LV without their two starting tackles, Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz and it showed. Schwartz had been out since week six, but the Chiefs lost Fisher in the AFC Championship game. Plus, veteran guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and promising rookie tackle Lucas Niang both opted out before the season started. I’m not saying that all of those guys come back next year but the Chiefs should get some of them back.
“With the guys that are injured that are potentially coming back, or opted out or potentially coming back, we’ll kind of get all that covered here in the next couple of days. I don’t think the outlook is bleak by any means. We should be good there. Then, Brett (Veach) will obviously keep an eye on that as he does everything and just see how that works.”
Head Coach Andy Reid
GM Brett Veach will be able to take care of any gaps that come from any of those guys that don’t come back. He has proven time and time again that he has a nose to find the right talent for the right price.
The final reason to be positive about this team is the development of rising stars to go with the already current ones. The Chiefs will have Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, and Tyrann Mathieu all under contract for a while, but guys like Clyde Edwards-Helaire and L’Jarius Sneed will be entering their second year and will hopefully provide more of an impact with this team. Edwards-Helaire gained over 1,000 total yards and put up five total touchdowns in just 13 games played. He won the Mack Lee Hill Award this year for the Chiefs.
According to Pro Football Focus, L’Jarius Sneed was the best rookie defensive back in 2020. Sneed only played in nine games after fracturing his collarbone in week three, but in those games, he recorded three interceptions and two sacks. He also added two sacks in the playoffs. Receivers only caught 15% of their passes when targeted to Sneed’s side. Those catches only gained 88 yards total.
Obviously, it sucks to be writing about a Super Bowl loss. Plus, we’ve seen teams lose the Super Bowl and completely fall off the map (like the Falcons and Panthers). However, I think the discipline of this team under Andy Reid paired with the best quarterback, one of the smartest general managers, and some of the best up-and-coming stars in the league, the Chiefs will be right back in the big game for several years to come.
