KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
2022 Record - 14-3
Head Coach - Andy Reid
Offensive Rank - 1st (414 YPG); Scoring - 1st (29.2 PPG)
Defensive Rank - 11th (328 YPG); Scoring - 16th (21.7 PPG)
Patrick Mahomes, the 2022 NFL Most Valuable Player, is back for his seventh season and sixth as the Chiefs starting quarterback. He passed for 5,250 yards last season with 41 touchdowns and twelve interceptions and also had 381 rushing yards (5.8 YPC average) and scored two rushing touchdowns. The top running back this season will be Isiah Pacheco (830 rushing yards, 4.9 YPC average, five TD), who was a seventh round draft pick last year. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (517, 4.3 YPC, four TD) and Jerrick McKinnon round out the backfield and McKinnon had 56 receptions last season for 512 yards and nine touchdowns. The wide receivers include Marquez Valdes-Scantling (42, 687, two TD), Noah Gray (28, 299, one TD), Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, rookie Rashee Rice (SMU) and All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce, who had 110 receptions for 1,338 yards and twelve touchdowns.
The defense features Chris Jones (15 1/2 QB sacks) at defensive tackle along with ends Charles Omenihu and George Karlaftis (six sacks) and linebackers Willie Gay, Jr. and Nick Bolton, who led the team with 180 tackles. Top rookie draft pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah (DE - Kansas State) will be ready to play up front as well. The secondary has L'Jarius Sneed (three interceptions and 108 tackles) and Trent McDuffie at the corners along with safeties Justin Reid and Bryan Cook.
OUTLOOK FOR 2023 - After winning their second Super Bowl title in four seasons, the Chiefs know they are the team to beat in the 2023 season. Head Coach Andy Reid has been at it for a decade now in Kansas City and if all goes according to plan, the Chiefs could be the first repeat Super Bowl champion in 19 years.
With Mahomes leading the offense, Kansas City will be right there among the league leaders in offense and they averaged a league best 29.2 points per game last season. There are so many weapons, but the biggest one is tight end Travis Kelce, who continues to confound opposing defenses every year the way he gets so wide open in the passing game. On defense, they are sneaky good with Jones causing havoc up front and against enemy quarterbacks. Kansas City was second in the NFL with 55 sacks a year ago and among the top ten against the run.
The sky is the limit for Kansas City as long as Mahomes stays healthy and has his weapons to go to as well. The AFC West has been theirs for the past seven seasons and should be again in the 2023 season. Back-to-back titles are also a likely possibility. Anything short of a Super Bowl appearance, barring injuries to key players, will be considered a disappointment.
TEAM SCHEDULE
Week One - vs. Detroit
Week Two - at Jacksonville
Week Three - vs. Chicago
Week Four - at N.Y. Jets
Week Five - at Minnesota
Week Six - vs. Denver
Week Seven - vs. L.A. Chargers
Week Eight - at Denver
Week Nine - vs. Miami (Frankfurt, Germany)
Week Ten - BYE
Week Eleven - vs. Philadelphia
Week Twelve - at Las Vegas
Week Thirteen - at Green Bay
Week Fourteen - vs. Buffalo
Week Fifteen - at New England
Week Sixteen - vs. Las Vegas
Week Seventeen - vs. Cincinnati
Week Eighteen - at L.A. Chargers
No comments:
Post a Comment