Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is something of a talking point today after his gesture to Denver Broncos star linebacker Von Miller, as Kelce took issue with a hit Miller had on quarterback Alex Smith. Kelce was also the Chiefs leading receiver in the 29-16 loss, as he hauled in all three targets thrown at him for 36 yards. It’s almost sad that he had the team’s most receiving yards at 36, but you do wonder what he would have accomplished if given more than three targets. Jamaal Charles was also underused on the ground, and the mood surrounding the Chiefs is quite dour following that Sunday Night Football loss to their most bitter rivals. This comes after a Thursday Night Football loss in Week 12 to the previously winless Oakland Raiders, and the Chiefs are sliding after previously being one of the hottest teams in the game.
Kelce’s comments about the loss typify the mood surrounding the Chiefs, as he bluntly stated, “There were no positives out there,” per the Kansas City Star’s Sam Mellinger.
Losing back-to-back division rivalry games in primetime slots is always demoralizing, but it’s important to keep things in perspective. First of all, Justin Houston was a huge positive, even if his dominance has become commonplace at this point. He needs to be praised as a bona fide DPOY candidate more often, even if the award should essentially be renamed in J.J. Watt’s honor at this point.
The Broncos are one of the three best teams in the NFL, so there’s no shame in losing to them by 13 points. The Chiefs need to get back on track in order to make the playoffs in a highly competitive AFC Wild Card race, but there’s no reason to sour on this team just yet.