Zerovoltz

I wanted them to call off the dogs before they got to 40!

They aren't completely meaningless......they suggest: In the case of Mahomes....he's motivated to avenge losses and plays better if he gets a 2nd chance. And in the case of 40+ wild card winners....suggests that either one or both of facing a really weak opponent..NE not so great....and/or getting hyped for a big game and having a huge game like this, it's hard to get back up again. Of course each game is it's own story...so we'll all of course watch and see what happens. It should be a great game. the Bills looked incredible tonight.

Since the NFL went to 12 playoff teams in 1990… teams that have scored 40+ in the Wild Card round (and won) are just 3-12 in the next round.

Mahomes is 3-0 in the playoffs, VS teams he lost to in the regular season.

We'll see you in Arrowhead next week!

I think the Chiefs and Bills both got very very favorable wild card matchups. I am wondering about the weather in Buffalo, but I do believe you'll beat down the PATS, setting up a division round matchup of BUG VS KC. I believe the winner goes to the Super Bowl. I think there is a small chance the Raiders win in Cincy. ....and then a better chance the Raiders win in Nashville. the Raiders D line is a bad matchup for BOTH those teams but, not for KC and not so bad for the Bills either. I predict Buffalo VS KC for the right to HOST the AFCCG. I just don't see the Titans getting it done.

I agree with the idea defenses have adjusted to the wide open passing games. Teams have invited the run by having light boxes, two high safties...and so offenses have adjusted because the D VS the pass has been more effective. I didn't get to watch a lot of Bills football this year, but it's been damn frustrating as a Chiefs fan, watching teams bottle up the big play and watch KC go on 17 play drives. KC's points per drive number is pretty much where it's been the last few years but they are getting fewer drives...and those drives have had to consume more plays. I think you'll see offenses adjust by introducing some elements of the power run game and you'll see teams begin to maye roster a fullback and use those guys as lead blockers again in situations that aren't goal line type plays. JMO.

Just some notes on playoff scenarios in the AFC The Browns will win the AFC Central if KC beats the Bengals sunday, the Browns beat the Steelers Monday night, and then the Browns, at home, beat the Bengals in week 18.. The Raiders actually are in control of their own destiny. no matter what happens in other games, if the Raiders win their last 2, they will be in the wild card. They have the Colts and Chargers to finish the year...so not likely, but they do have their own destiny in their hands. The Chargers are in real trouble...they need to win out VS the Broncos and Raiders...AND need Dolphins loss mixed in between their 2 games with the Titans and Patriots. Or they need the Patriots to lose out, or the Colts to lose out. For all intents and purposes, the Steelers, Broncos and Ravens are done. The insane scenarios that would have to occur for any those teams to get in...are extremely inconciveable....they aren't technically eliminated, but they are done.

For those interested - Denver is a great case study on how teams can ruin a draft with moves and decisions far off from draft day itself. coming off the 2017 Season, Denver had just gone 5-11 with 11 Starts from Siemien, and a few from Oswieler and a couple from Lynch. Lynch as many will recall, had been drafted by the Broncos late in round 1 of the 2016 NFL Draft. It is a confirmed fact that both Jerry Jones of the Cowboys and Andy Ried of the Chiefs also wanted Lynch. Going into that draft Dallas had no.4 overall, that they used on Ezekial Elliot, and had picks 34 (rd 2) and 67 (rd 3) KC had pick 28 (rd 1) pick 59 (rd 2) and didn't have a 3rd round choice...which is VERY important, and I'll get to it in a moment. Denver had pick 31 (rd 1) 63 (rd2) and 94 (rd 3) As the draft progressed toward the later part of round 1, it was known by the Broncos, Chiefs and Cowboys that all 3 were looking to draft Lynch. When Seattle and Pick 26 came up, they were willing to deal out and started taking calls. Denver ultimately traded 31 and 94 to move up to 26 and take Paxton Lynch. Kansas City only would have needed to move up 2 spots from 28 to 26 but did not have a third round selection to beat Denvers offer. KC did have a 4th at 126, but clearly 31 and 94 are better than 28 and 126. The Cowboys also couldn't beat Denvers offer....and ended up taking Dak Prescott later on. The next domino to fall for Denver was the rift this caused between Gary Kubiak and John Elway. Kubiak who was the head coach, did not want Paxton Lynch...as it turns out, he wanted Prescott. It should be noted that Prescott missed a flight to Denver for a pre draft interview with Elway. Kubiak would go on and coach the Broncos in 2016, with Trevor Simien, not Lynch, as his QB. Lynch couldn't beat out Simien, a rookie 7th rounder. Kubiak "retired" after the 2016 season. Elway hired Vance Joseph to be the new HC in 2017. Lynch, could not beat out Simien still, and Brock Oswieler was also back at this point. The Broncos went 5-11 and it was clear at this piont that Lynch was a bust but......Joseph was only 1 year into his contract and Denver still had alot of the peices on defense that won them super bowl 50. During the offseason, Elway considered a coaching change and new direction, but decided to retain the staff and announce publicly that the staff would return but must win to earn another season. It was a public ultimatum. At this point they were NOT drafting a QB. It is unusual a team with a lame duck coach, to draft a QB...the coach doesn't have the luxury of time to develop that QB. Denver then signed Case Keenum, further cementing the idea they weren't in the QB market heading into the 2018 Draft.....and Lynch was still on the roster even though at this point it was known he was a bust. When draft day came, Denver, I believe may have had a deal in place to move out of 5 with Buffalo...but when the Browns surprised everyone at pick 4 and took CB Denzel Ward, Denver stayed at 5 and took Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State. He's been OK...and hurt quite a bit. Josh Allen was sitting there, at 5, and couldhave been had for NOTHING, if Denver was in the market. It was pretty well known Elway really thought highly of Allen but since he had a coach, who had to win now, and was still stung by the Lynch bust, Elway passed. ultimately, Denver would only go 6-10, with poor QB play, Joseph was fired after the year anyhow, Case Keenum proved to not be the answer and Denver went into the 2019 offseason NO BETTER OFF than they had been the year before....and had Josh Allen in their lap. They would hire Vic Fangio, and trade for a washed up Joe Flacco heading into 2019. ...and if you are a Bills fan...that pretty much sums it up....and you can stop reading here if you want...but...remember how I said that missing 3rd round pick in 2016 was very important? Keep reading if you want to learn more about that....not having that pick set up not just the Broncos and Lynch and those dominoes...but had a profound impact on the Chiefs future as well. Just a few days before that 2016 Draft, KC had to forfiet their 3rd round pick (no 91 overall) due to tampering with Jeremy Maclin who KC ended up signing as a FA. When it came time to make the move up from 28 to 26, KC didn't have the ammo to beat the Broncos. Denver got pick 26 for 31 and 94. KC would have been able to offer 28 and 91 for that pick if Roger Goodell hadn't taken it away for tampering. Having lost out in the Paxton Lynch derby, KC ended up trading out of pick 28, moving back with the 49ers and Kansas City traded its first-round selection (28th) and seventh-round selection (249th) to San Francisco in exchange for San Francisco's second-, fourth-, and sixth-round selections (37th, 105th, and 178th). With pick 37 KC would end up taking DT Chris Jones. with the 4th rounder, KC took OG Parker Ehinger, who they ended up trading to the Cowboys for practice squad CB, Charvarious Ward, who has started for KC the last 3 years. But more important was that having missed out on Lynch, KC was still in the QB market in 2017, and of course moved up from 27 to 10 in the trade with the Bills and drafted Mahomes. that 27th overall ended up being Tre White and the next season, the Bills drafted Josh Allen. How different it all might have been for alot of teams and players....

YES. We do. This was Veach's first draft..and we didn't have a first round pick that year (traded to the Bills the year before) Veach not only got this pick wrong, he traded up in round 2 to do it. Veach's first draft at the helm was not good. 2nd DE Breeland Speaks. bust 3rd DT Derrick Nhadi. Best pick of this draft. JAG D lineman who has been reliable and servicable...but not a playmaker. 3rd LB/S Dorian O'Daniel. STRICTLY a specieal teams player. Can't beat out freaking Ben Nieman. 4th S Armani Watts. STRICTLY special teams player. Can't beat out Daniel Sorenson. 6th. CB Tremon Smith. Played some in KC, played a little bit in GB. may be out of leauge. Some of the worst hips I've seen at DB. 6th. DT converted to OG, Kalil McKenzie. Son of former raiders GM Reggie McKenzie. Huge redwood treetrunk legs. Didn't pan out. Last I saw, was on Seahawks practice squad. This draft, along with some questionable FA signings....took alot of the shine off Veachs portion fo the Super Bowl credit. Some in KC had even been calling for Veach to be fired....riding coat tails of Dorsey roster to SB. When he's spoken, Veach seems humble enough to admit mistakes and genuinely gets input from his lieutenants to improve...and it seems to have paid off with the last few drafts being much better, especialy this most recent one that he seems to have knocked out of the park.

Hmmm....you are right about this....so many posssibilities still....what a season.

I kind of rooting for the Phins to get in...I don't like the Patriots any more than you guys do around here. a Phins win VS NE in week 18 to get the phins in and the pats out would be awesome.

The Titans beat the Colts twice already so they own that tiebreaker....even winning out, All the Titans need to do is win VS the Texans and they will win the division. I think the Titans will lose VS the niners....I beleive the road is clear for the BIlls to take the 2...just win out and I think it's yours.

KC as of now, has no room for error in pursuit of the 1 seed. It's entirely possible they will have it wrapped up before week 18 in which case they'd rest guys and maybe take the L VS Denver, but otherwise KC will be motivated to win.

If KC was going to lose, the best chance to do so was VS the Chargers. KC has a fairly favorable schedule now to finish things out. I would never have thought KC would be in this position when we lost to the Bills in week 5....and after losing to the Titans I was simply hoping for a wild card and getting hot and making a run.

If things play out as generally expected, the Bills should win the AFCE and be the 2 seed.

You're welcome!

Just taking a look at where my preseason predictions are headed...not too bad....not great though...missed on the Cowboys making playoffs, Cardinals...etc.

<Just an observation> Teams have been playing KC with a TON of 2 high saftey. I know Buffalo hasn't seen as much of that because KC sees it over 80% of the time and the next closest team is like 69% or something. My point though is that KC and Buffalo don't run that much and teams have really designed their gameplans, at least in the case of the Chiefs...to hold the passing game in check. Is it possible that defenses in the NFL overall, have now adjusted to passing games like what KC and Buffalo have been using the past couple seasons? I think in both teams cases, the key is lack of running game from the RB position. I can't speak to the Bills case because I haven't seen as much of them, but there isn't any respect for the Run from teams playing KC..and I can't help but wonder if the Bills are suffering from that as well...I've seen many point to this as a big problem for Buffalo and I think there is something to it.

Championship teams find ways to win when they aren't playing their A game. Mahomes didn't play very well....and he isn't having a great year...but he's still top 10 or better in relevant passing categories and KC has now allowed under 14 points in 4 straight. Since week 6, they've given up the fewest points in the leauge.

LOL....it took 20 plays and two 4th down conversions.

You didn't...but it's an indication that Denver wasn't moving the ball well.....THey nearly doubled their yardage total for the game after KC has taken a 16-3 lead with 13:26 left in the game.

....I'm not sure how you can say that...I posted the ACTUAL YARDAGE. They went 3/10 on third down in the first 3 quarters. and only 1/4 on third down in the 4th quarter.... ....they were only in the red zone once in the first 3 quarters. In the 4th Q, when the game was already settled, they scored a TD in the red zone.

I agree. KC's offense has struggled. Lots of drops that have turned into INTs. Some INTS where Mahomes makes POOR choices. Other times, Mahomes just looks off. We do have 5 new O lineman and they have gotten better each week, but Mahomes hasn't looked comfortable all year in the pocket. I can't say for sure, but I do not think he trusts Orlando Brown still. Brown has gotten better, but he still pretty much tries to ride pass rushers around and to the rear of the pocket....Problem is, once they get back there, Brown isn't athletic enough to maintain contact with some of the faster dudes so I don't think Mahomes is entirely confident that the rear of the pocket is safe when Brown steers them back there. As I've said, he's gotten better, but Mahomes isn't comfortable. Mahomes also has a new baby, and his brother, wife and mom surely must annoy the crap out of him and are distractions. Whatever the case may be....he's off, the offense is off kilter. The D is really stepping up right now...hopefully they can get the offense back to something close to what it has been in recent times...

This is classic box score analysis without context. Denver racked up a lot of garbage time yardage. Denver had 157 total yards with just a few seconds left in the half, they completed a 34 yard pass that meant nothing as KC was in prevent and Denver didn't attempt a hail mary, they just threw to a wide open target way short.... Lets add that in though...so 191 yards at halftime. They would only add an additional 38 yards for the entire 3rd Q. With 13:26 reamining in the game, KC led 16-3. From that point on KC went to prevent type D....and Denver racked up 176 yards with from the 13:26 mark onward. 176, plus the worthless and meaningless 34 yard pass play to end the half...That's 200 yards of garbage time stats...when the outcome was still in the balance Denver wasn't doing well.