Dismay in Kansas City

Written by Dylan Hunter Carter

The Kansas City Chiefs, on paper, should be a playoff team. Their offense is stacked on all fronts. Alex Smith is a precise and accurate quarterback who has done well for the Chiefs over the past 3 years. Jeremy Maclin is a multitalented receiver for Smith to target repeatedly at any distance, Travis Kelce is a powerful force to be reckoned with who can be troublesome for any defense, and Jamaal Charles is arguably the best running back in the league. On the defensive end, Justin Houston is one of the most efficient linebackers in the league and the likes of Sean Smith and Eric Berry tend to lock down their match ups with ease. Unfortunately, the pieces never quite seem to come together for the Chiefs. Their last playoff win came in 1993 and have only made their way into playoffs 7 times since then, all without a victory. Although the future may have seemed bright prior to the season, a 1-4 start and a massive ACL injury to Jamaal Charles leaves the Chiefs back to the bottom of the AFC West.

Jamaal Charles started off the 2015-2016 season with 5 touchdowns in his first 4 games on 304 rushing yards and 151 passing yards. He was on pace to have a career defining year, until a non-contact knee injury took him down in Game 5 against the Bears on Sunday. The injury was later diagnosed as an ACL Tear that will keep him sidelined for the rest of the NFL Season. With the focal point of the Chiefs’ offense gone and a terrible record through the first 5 games, the Chiefs seem destined for failure this year. Although backup running backs Charcandrick West and Knile Davis are quality players, the chemistry between Smith and Charles is not replaceable. Smith will most likely be looking at an increased workload and an increased passing game for the struggling Chiefs.

Head Coach Andy Reid and Offensive Coordinator Doug Pederson will need to extend out of their comfort zones with Charles gone for the season, as the lack of Charles’ presence will immediately impact their short pass and run games for the worse. Alex Smith will need to look more in the direction of one-time Pro Bowler Jeremy Maclin. Although Maclin has been a consistent help to the team, he hasn't been targeted enough to this point. Up to this point, most of the team’s plays have been drawn up for Charles, and rookie running back Charcandrick West does not have the same skill set necessary to follow through with Kansas City’s offensive scheme. Tight End Travis Kelce should also be seeing an increase in targets over the next few weeks. Kelce has been targeted 34 times so far this season and he has converted 2 Touchdowns and a 2-Point Conversion. With the run game slowed, Smith’s range and accuracy will be tested and the combo of Maclin and Kelce should be ready for a plethora of targets in the coming weeks.

Even without Jamaal Charles, Kansas City’s offense is still solid on all fronts. In order to win games, the defense needs to increase their productivity. In their first 5 games, the Chiefs have allowed a ridiculous 17 Touchdowns. The dreadful Red Zone defense of the Chiefs has turned an optimistic season into a terrible uphill battle. Unless a miraculous comeback takes place, it's safe to say that the Chiefs can be counted out of playoff contention this season. Chiefs fans may need to brace themselves for a difficult few weeks, as they face Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Denver in their next 4 games. Although this season has been unfortunate, the Chiefs should be expected to come back with a vengeance next year.

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