Are the Kansas City Chiefs Doomed?

Author: Max Greenberg

Let’s state the obvious, the Kansas City Chiefs are undoubtedly among the biggest disappointments in the 2021 NFL season so far. Everyone looks at this team and just says “oh, it’s the Chiefs, they have Patrick Mahomes, that offense, they are a contender automatically.” It is not that easy after all, is it?

The Chiefs have come out of the gate in 2021 and have looked sloppy, out of sync, and overall just abysmal. They have stumbled to a 3-4 record and are tied with the Denver Broncos for dead last in the AFC South -- a division they have dominated over the past few seasons.

The offense has looked nowhere near like its old self, as their home run nature has caught up with them hard. Ever since opposing defenses have started playing against the deep ball, they have had to run significantly more plays that are passes close to the line of scrimmage, which has severely limited them.

Their offensive line play has been poor, their run game is virtually nonexistent, and Mahomes is being extremely careless with the football and turning it over. I do not know what it is, but he is trying so hard to play hero ball this year, and has committed several turnovers due to trying to make something happen when the play is clearly dead.

It also does not help that their defense has been able to provide little to no resistance against opposing offenses.

If you are still a believer in the Chiefs at this point in the year, you are basing that entirely off of name value. If they cannot improve their current play, they will struggle to even make the playoffs, let alone make another Super Bowl run.

Things do not look good at all for them right now, but at the same time, it is the Chiefs, and you can never count them out. Keep in mind that this is not the first time that they have looked disappointing with high expectations on their shoulders.

Remember how they had four losses in the 2019 season the year after Mahomes won MVP and were looking flawed on both sides of the ball? They won the rest of their games that year and won the Super Bowl.

Last season, they were slowing down hard at the end of the regular season and people were thinking that they might not even win a game in the playoffs. They still made the Super Bowl.

No, none of those instances have been as bad as what they are currently going through, but they go to show that they have turned themselves around in the past, and they can do it now.

There is a reason that they have had so much success with this group. Their key members are some of the best at their respective roles and know how to win. What is going on with the Chiefs right now is that they may just need to dig deep and make some adjustments.

Now, not all of their problems are fixable, but some of their main ones are. Mahomes could be more careful with the football and stop costing his team possession and momentum. The offense could learn to implicate more plays of ten to twenty yards and make themselves a little less predictable.

Both of those are hypotheticals, but with one of the best head coaches in the game and one of the best quarterbacks, there are few teams more capable of making those adjustments than the Chiefs. That is not to say that you should expect them to make a turnaround later in the season, but you absolutely can never count them out.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE

The Best Cornerback in the League

Author: Jack Casabonne

After losing Byron Jones to free agency in 2020, the Cowboys have been looking for a true lockdown cornerback. They spent their 2020 second round draft pick on Trevon Diggs, a cornerback from Alabama. While Diggs did make some impressive plays as a rookie, highlighted by his three interceptions, he was also the victim of many splash plays against the Dallas defense. Pro Football Focus gave Diggs a grade of 62.7 for the 2020 season. They also recorded the former Crimson Tide player with giving up 45 receptions on 76 targets. Still, even with rookie growing pains, Diggs was by far the best cornerback on the Cowboys’ roster last season.

This season, however, Diggs is more than just the best cornerback on the Cowboys. He’s one of the best cornerbacks across the entire NFL. Through just three games this season he’s matched his interception total from 2020, including an incredible pick six against divisional rival Philadelphia. Earning an 87.1 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus means Diggs is tied for the number one spot in the entire league. It’s also not the result of an easy schedule, as he’s faced Tom Brady, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts at the helm. Additionally, he’s been tasked with covering the likes of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Devonta Smith.

Through the month of September, there has been no defensive player making an impact at the same level of Diggs. The NFL has noticed his play, as well, rewarding him with the NFC Defensive Player of the Month. In addition to his three interceptions, he’s also defended six passes and boasts a passer rating of 40.8 when quarterbacks target him. Finally, he’s the only player in the league to record an interception in every game, truly demonstrating what it means to be a ball hawk cornerback.

Diggs is one of the biggest pieces in this new and improved Dallas defense. Through the first three weeks, Dan Quinn’s defense leads the league with eight takeaways. To put this in perspective, the Dallas defense last season didn’t create their eighth turnover until Week 11, which was on November 22. Outside of statistics, it’s also a noticeably different defense due to their attitude. This season it’s evident the defense is playing with swagger and poise, displayed consistently by Diggs. He has gone from a rookie to a team leader in the matter of just one season.

Turning 24 years old in September, the ceiling for Diggs is through the roof. Just ask another Cowboy drafted in the 2020 class with him, CeeDee Lamb, “I always knew Trevon was a dog. … We attack each other just about every day. He wins some and I win some. … Tre looks phenomenal out there.” Cowboys fans have many reasons to be optimistic about this season and the future of this team. Diggs is one of the biggest reasons for this positivity, as he continues to look like a generational talent every week.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE

Cowboys VS. Chargers Preview

Author: Jack Casabonne

Editor: Brian Symons

In Week 1, the Los Angeles Chargers did the Dallas Cowboys a favor and defeated their divisional rival. With a 20-16 win over the Washington Football Team, LA has started their season off on the right foot. Unfortunately for Dallas, they’re still searching for their first win after dropping a 31-29 nailbiter against the former Super Bowl champions. However, things won’t be easy in Week 2 for Dallas as they are expected to be without starters DeMarcus Lawrence, Randy Gregory, La’el Collins, and Michael Gallup. Dallas will need to emphasize these three matchups against the Chargers in order to get into the win column for this season.

Terence Steele vs. Joey Bosa

As an undrafted rookie, Steele saw significant playing time last season as Dallas dealt with injuries to both Tyron Smith and La’el Collins. Unfortunately, Collins is going to miss time again this season, albeit to a suspension rather than an injury. While the Cowboys signed veteran swing tackle Ty Nsekhe this offseason, he will also be unavailable for Week 2, as he spent Thursday night in a hospital while being treated for a heat-related illness after practice. This means Steele will get the starting nod at right tackle, as Dallas is reluctant to slide Zack Martin over to tackle. Steele had many growing pains as a rookie, starting 14 games in 2020. This may be his hardest task yet, as Bosa is one of the elite pass rushers in the game. Bosa has been a stud since being selected 3rd overall in the 2016 Draft, just one pick before Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys need to keep Dak upright, and this responsibility will fall firmly on the shoulders of Steele.

Dorance Armstrong vs. Rashawn Slater

The Cowboys were one of only two teams in the league to not record a sack in Week 1. As has been the case for consecutive seasons, Dallas truly lacks any interior pass rush, allowing offensive lines to shift protection towards defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. However, now Dallas has to rush the quarterback without either of their starting defensive ends. Lawrence is projected to miss 6-8 weeks due to a broken foot, while Randy Gregory tested positive for Covid-19 this week and is unlikely to be cleared by gametime. This means Tarrell Basham and Dorance Armstrong are the likely starters against a Chargers’ offensive line that contained Washington’s feared defensive line in Week 1. Additionally, rookie Rashawn Slater completely shut down Chase Young, a premier pass rusher. Armstrong is in the final year of his rookie contract and is looking to take the next step forward following an impressive training camp and preseason. It’ll be crucial for Armstrong to pressure Justin Herbert, as he will be able to pick apart the secondary if he has ample time in the pocket.

Cedrick Wilson vs. Asante Samuel Jr.

With Michael Gallup being put on IR due to a calf injury, Cedrick Wilson is the next man up for Dallas. Wilson will probably line up in the slot for the majority of his snaps, where the former Boise State standout will be able to focus on his impressive route running. Wilson was able to put up 24 yards on 3 catches, including a first down, against Tampa’s secondary. However, this task could prove to be more of a challenge against Los Angeles due to the matchup. Rookie cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. looked extremely impressive against Washington. Playing in 47 snaps, the son of former NFL defensive back Asante Samuel absolutely locked down Washington’s receiving core. He was targeted 4 times, while only giving up 2 receptions for 15 yards. This resulted in a 59.4 passer rating when targeted, which is an elite metric. Dallas is going to need the passing game to thrive in order to put points on the board, and this matchup could prove to be the difference maker for the final score.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE