First Look at the AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs

Story posted January 20, 2020 in CommRadio, Sports by Logan Bourandas

For the first time since 1970, the Kansas City Chiefs are back in the Super Bowl after winning the AFC Championship game over the feel-good Tennessee Titans 35-24. The Chiefs head to Miami after two playoff games in which they were down by double digits early only to come back behind a fantastic playoff run from Patrick Mahomes.

Even after missing two games with a fractured kneecap, Mahomes put up a solid season after winning the MVP a year ago. He threw almost half of the number of touchdowns as last year, dropping from 50 to 26. However, he threw only five interceptions and had the second highest QBR in the league.

The Chiefs offense transitioned from a one man backfield with Kareem Hunt to a committee system headed by Damien Williams. Williams led the team in rushing touchdowns and with 498 rushing yards. Veteran acquisition LeSean McCoy trails that total by just 33 yards.

A big storyline of the Chiefs offseason was the massive changes made on the defensive side of the ball. Kansas City got rid of key names such as Dee Ford and Eric Berry and replaced them with Tyrann Mathieu and Frank Chark. Mathieu led the team with four interceptions while Clark finished second on the team with four sacks.

Head coach Andy Reid throughout his entire career had the reputation of a great regular season coach who could never get over the hump and make it to the Super Bowl. Ever since joining the Chiefs in 2013, Reid had a 2-5 playoff record before this season, making the AFC Championship game only once in 2018.

Reid returns to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2004 when he did it with the Eagles. Now Reid gets his second chance to finally get rid of his playoff loser label in a couple weeks.

The Chiefs are going to be a tough out in the Super Bowl with an offense that can score points quickly and in bunches. With talented speedsters at wide receiver the Chiefs have the potential to burn any secondary they play. If there is one thing we’ve learned this postseason it’s that you can never count out the arm of Mahomes.

 

Logan Bourandas is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email lxb5412@psu.edu.