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Kansas City Chiefs: What a difference a year makes

By Russell S. Baxter

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 23: Patrick Mahomes #15 and head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs comes out of the tunnel prior to the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 23: Patrick Mahomes #15 and head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs comes out of the tunnel prior to the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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It has been a much more positive start to the season than a year ago. And early on, the Kansas City Chiefs appear to be a better football team these days.

As the well-rested Kansas City Chiefs prepare to host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday night, the defending AFC West champions have to feel a bit better about where they are these days. Andy Reid’s club owns a 5-2 record as well as the top spot in the division. That’s a far cry from where this club was a year ago at this juncture of the season.

Seven weeks into 2021, Reid’s team was tied with the Denver Broncos with the worst record in the AFC West. The Chiefs lost four of their first seven games, the last during that stretch a humbling 27-3 setback at Nashville. The club trailed the first-place Las Vegas Raiders (5-2) by two games.

Patrick Mahomes was having his own issues, as was Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive unit. Kansas City had already allowed 203 points, as well as 23 offensive touchdowns. The team has given up 27 or more points in all but one of those contests. The Chiefs committed 17 turnovers in those first seven outings, 11 of those by Mahomes.

Of course, Reid’s club would recover. Including the postseason, Kansas City would win 11 of their final 13 games. Unfortunately for them, both setbacks came against the Bengals – the second in the AFC title tilt.

While the Chiefs have dropped two games this year, a 20-17 loss at Indianapolis and a 24-20 setback at home to the Buffalo Bills, they entered Week 9 all alone in first place in the AFC West. There are still some concerns about the defense as the club has allowed at least 20 points in each game this year.

However, Mahomes and the team have been far more efficient this season in terms of taking care of the football. There have been only eight turnovers in seven outings, five of those interceptions by the sixth-year quarterback. But Mahomes has fumbled just twice and didn’t lose either miscue.

Sunday night’s meeting with the AFC South leaders will be a real test for Andy Reid’s Chiefs. The Titans handed Kansas City one of their worst losses in recent seasons. And Mike Vrabel’s club is riding a five-game winning streak and has committed just nine turnovers in seven contests. The first team that blinks in terms of a turnover could find itself on the wrong end of the scoreboard Sunday night.

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