Chiefs 2024

[pdub]

"Call that catch differently and KC probably runs out the first half clock before their TD score."

Yes. If it's a drop, which is the only other scenario there, then instead of 1st and goal from the 3 it's first and 10 from the 24 ( because Kelce was held -- or 1st and 10 from the 14 depending on the type of hold ).

I think the Chiefs could have scored from that spot as well.

[Sparko]

Basically all the whining about a potentially bad spot? Okay. That never happens 30 times a game. When did the whistle blow? Where was the actual line of gain? Where is the ball? On 4th down, have to easily make it, or usualy lose the ball.

[DrPepper]

I have not had the chance the read the entire game thread, but I am looking forward to doing that this evening when I have more time.
Should you be interested in a few of my takeaways from the game, here they are:
I thought the game was going to be a blowout after each team's first drive. I must be a bad Bill's fan, because there we were with two and half minutes left in the fourth quarter, with the ball, and times out, and the chance to win it.
The early loss of Benford hurt us.
I knew having Taylor Rapp out of the game would hurt us. Somebody here said before the game that Rapp is not very good. That is true. So, you can assume that his replacement (rookie Bishop, who did not play a defensive snack in the prior game) is even worse.
Having good players healthy is what great teams do. I would like to say that the Bills earning the bye would have helped, but that is not true in this case since the injuries were in the last two games (where the 1st seeded team also plays). So, great teams have great players or the scheme to deal with it (The bills didn't have enough of that last night).
I was repeatedly amazed to hear the Bills fans in the stands over the TV broadcast. I did not think that possible in Arrowhead.
It was very frustrating thinking that my offensive coordinator did not think that the Chief's defensive coordinator would not come up with something to counter a tush push. And test that, what.. like 3-4 times?
I feel badly for Bills fans who do not follow another sport or team like me. Being a Kansas basketball fan has taught me to enjoy the journey. Only one decent team ends the season with a win!!
Credit to the Chiefs organization for the win last night.
Someday, the Buffalo Bills will win a Super Bowl, and it will be incredibly meaningful for Buffalo (who has never won a Super Bowl or World Series or MLs cups or Stanley Cup).

out of curiosity, does your Bills fandom date back to the Jim Kelly/Thurman Thomas years?

is the disappointment comparable?

No, I moved to Buffalo ~20 years ago. When Jim Kelly was taking the Bills to Super Bowls, I was working in Lawrence, KS, focused on college hoops, and watching Marty-ball.

I enjoyed having two teams (Chiefs and Bills) for many years, but I finally had to pick a team when both teams got good. So, I suppose around 2018 or 2019, I chose the Bills and have never looked back. I still watch every Chiefs game (as long as it is not on the same time as the Bills) because Mahomes and Reid are fun to watch. That is respect and not Chief's fandom.

[DrPepper]

Pay no mind to the discussion about this call or that call. What else are the talking heads going to do for the next two weeks OR, if they are some rando on the internet, what are they going to talk about all off season to get more clicks than that the Chiefs get favoritism?
It is just like Bill Self says, officiating is part of the game.

[Shirley]

I see no need for mental gymnastics. Bad calls happen every single game.

This is just how dynasty teams are treated by the opposing fanbases. Everything is rigged or cheating.

^^^

[KUTradition]

I see no need for mental gymnastics. Bad calls happen every single game.

This is just how dynasty teams are treated by the opposing fanbases. Everything is rigged or cheating.

^^^

except the patriots…they really did cheat

[twocoach]

I see no need for mental gymnastics. Bad calls happen every single game.

This is just how dynasty teams are treated by the opposing fanbases. Everything is rigged or cheating.

100% yes. Especially in today's environment with people screaming that everything they don't like the result of being rigged.

Oh, and the viewership numbers for the AFC Championship game are in.

https://www.reuters.com/sports/report-c ... %20Journal.

57.4 million viewers, the most ever to watch an AFC Conference Championship game, breaking the previous record of 55.5 set, you guessed it, in last season's Chiefs-Ravens game. Seems like all of those boycotting the NFL because it's rigged forgot to stop watching like they claimed they would. Honestly, I wish they would so I wouldn't have to read their ignorant comments online after a game.

And for those who think it's just the NFL they are tuning in to watch, the NFC Championship game drew 44.2 million, the lowest to watch the NFC Championship game since 2019.

[lwh69ku]

I thought the rule was where it lands rather than where it goes out.
Like, I can't just be out of the pocket and then rocket it directly to the side.
But if I throw the ball deep but, in its trajectory, it crosses the out of boundary line before the line of scrimmage, but ultimately lands past the line -- that's not grounding right ?

I think you are correct:

https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/nf ... grounding/

"Item 1. Passer or Ball Outside Tackle Position. Intentional grounding will not be called when a passer, who is outside, or has been outside, the tackle position, throws a forward pass that lands at or beyond the line of scrimmage, even if no offensive player(s) have a realistic chance to catch the ball (including when the ball lands out of bounds over the sideline or endline). If the ball crosses the line of scrimmage (extended) beyond the sideline, there is no intentional grounding. If a loose ball leaves the area bordered by the tackles, this area no longer exists; if the ball is recovered, all intentional grounding rules apply as if the passer is outside this area."

I'm wrong then!

That seems like a dumb aspect of the rule, but that's the rule I guess.

It’s dumb to me that sometimes the out of bounds line matters relative to the ball and sometimes it doesn’t. Punt, yes. QB throwing it away, no. Runner going out of bounds, yes. Receiver reaching for a catch, no.

[AlOerter]

Same with downing a punt at the goal line. Even though the ball has broken the plane, if your feet leave the ground before you cross you can save it back in. If your feet are off the ground at the 20 and you throw the ball to the 5 it will be spotted at the 20.

[twocoach]

Man, I thought Steve Spagnuolo's 4 Super Bowl rings as a coach were impressive. But they aren't even the most on his own team. Chiefs linebackers coach Brendan Daly is going for his SEVENTH Super Bowl ring in the last 12 seasons. Daly was a defensive assistant for the Patriots in 2014 and defensive line coach from 2015-18, winning 3 Super Bowls with New England. He then came to Kansas City as the run game coordinator/defensive line coach and moved to Linebackers coach in 2022.

[hartjack8]

Man, I thought Steve Spagnuolo's 4 Super Bowl rings as a coach were impressive. But they aren't even the most on his own team. Chiefs linebackers coach Brendan Daly is going for his SEVENTH Super Bowl ring in the last 12 seasons. Daly was a defensive assistant for the Patriots in 2014 and defensive line coach from 2015-18, winning 3 Super Bowls with New England. He then came to Kansas City as the run game coordinator/defensive line coach and moved to Linebackers coach in 2022.

You on to something there. We didn't start winning Super Bowls to we got Spag's. Reid was here a long time before Spag's.

[DeletedUser]

This run is a perfect storm of things coming together. Such a solidly built team/staff from top to bottom.

[twocoach]

This run is a perfect storm of things coming together. Such a solidly built team/staff from top to bottom.

HC: Top 2 Head Coach all time w/ Belichick
DC: probably Top 5 coordinator All Time
QB: Top 2 all time w/ Brady
TE: Top 2 all time w/ Gronk

Add Chris Jones to the mix as one of the elite defensive anchors. A 2022 Draft class of Trent McDuffie, Karlaftis, Skyy Moore, Brian Cook, Leo Chenal, Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson, Isiah Pacheco and Nazeeh Johnson who are all still on their rookie contracts and almost all of them are major contributors to this machine. Special Teams is elite in the NFL right now. K Butker and P Araiza are one of the best at their positions. And has anyone blocked more big kicks than Leo Chenal in the NFL in the last 3 seasons?

The KC staff has done a great job of using the regular season to prepare for the postseason. Identifying what works against opponents, targeting favorable matchups, getting players focused on playing clean. Honestly, the fumble last week by Mahomes was a major stunner to me due mostly to the fact that KC just hasn't been making self-inflicted mistakes like that at all.

If you think about it, it was those self-inflicted mistakes that used to hold KC back just like it is self-inflicted mistakes are holding teams like Baltimore and Buffalo back. Dee Ford lining up offsides cost KC a trip to what would have been this group's first Super Bowl. How many other times in our KC fandom lives has it been the Chiefs making the dumb penalties, missing a big kick, a turnover at the worst possible time, failing to get the big defensive stop, calling a play too many times in a row hoping that the results will be different? Now KC isn't doing nearly as much of that stuff and is finally over the hump.

[pdub]

Can we not include Skyy Moore and major contributor.
Hell even contributor.

[Sparko]

The Dee Ford thing was only called after there was an interception. You see it multiple times a game uncalled because it doesn't matter.

[twocoach]

Can we not include Skyy Moore and major contributor.
Hell even contributor.

He is why I had to use the word "almost" when I said "almost all of them are major contributors". I did hear he has been activated for the game. No way they take returns away from Remigio but at least he is there just in case.

[DeletedUser]

[Shirley]

Chiefs HC Andy Reid Talks Super Bowl, Mahomes, Kelce & More with Rich Eisen

[pdub]

A side storyline in this one for me:

Xavier Worthy’s overall impact on the game vs Cooper Dejean.

I wanted Dejean in this draft.
We will see how he does on Kelce and how Worthy does v the Eagles.

[twocoach]

A side storyline in this one for me:

Xavier Worthy’s overall impact on the game vs Cooper Dejean.

I wanted Dejean in this draft.
We will see how he does on Kelce and how Worthy does v the Eagles.

I also want to see if KC targets Nakobe Dean's backup, Oren Burks. Burks played for SF in last year's Super Bowl and was the guy who came in for SF LB Dre Greenlaw after he tore his Achilles just running into the game off the sideline. KC targeted Burks and Kelce had an excellent game against SF after that injury.