The Top Ten of 2018

Just when I thought I was completing another normal, uneventful year...I lost my job in October. Turns out, your life can get turned upside down in a moment. Going through a challenge reminds you of all you have to be thankful for and not take any blessings for granted. Here's to a new year and a more prosperous 2019.

Honorable Mentions

Names

I tried new BBQ places.

I ranked Chiefs seasons.

I stayed up past 3am to watch USA win curling gold.

2016 Proportional Electoral College Results

Scoring in Soccer

Defining My Beer Palate




10. Choose Your Own Trump
I wrote another book and I think it's my best yet.

9. My First Computer
A look back at my introduction to computing 22 years ago.

8. The Bullshit They Feed Us
A response to thoughts and prayers.

7. Dante
I edited my first highlight reel video.

6. Solutions for Eliminating Kickoffs
I always enjoy exploring solutions to sports problems.

5. Niraj Influenza 2018
A long weekend packed with games and food.

4. The Future of Sports
A #longread trying to predict the most popular sports in 50 or 100 years.

3. NFL Preview
I kinda nailed these predictions.

2. Mahomes Magic in Mile High
This year will be remembered for Mahomes breakout season and this was the best post of the bunch.

and the number one realization of 2018.

The Mahomes Effect

Patrick Mahomes in his first season as a starting quarterback, became the 2nd QB in NFL History to throw 50 touchdowns and 5000 passing yards. Peyton Manning did it once in 2013. Brady, Brees, Marino, Rodgers have never done it. Mahomes is 1 for 1 on the 50/5000 club.

When you have a QB like this, you're not the only one going to make records.

Tyreek Hill set the Chiefs franchise record for yards in a season.

Travis Kelce set the NFL record for TE yards in a season (Kittle would break Kelce's record an hour later.)

And the Chiefs set a franchise record for points scored. It was also #1 in the NFL season. And #3 in history only behind the 2013 Broncos and 2007 Patriots.

At this point, Mahomes is the heavy favorite to win NFL MVP.

All of this is incredible, career-defining stuff. And then you remember it's his first season and you don't know what to say.

- - -

OH YEAH, and for the first time since I went to high school, the Chiefs are the #1 seed in the AFC. They will have one more game in Arrowhead. If they win that, they host the AFC Championship. They've never hosted the AFC Championship. (The last time the Chiefs went to that game was in Buffalo in 1993-94.)

The Chiefs finished 12-4. The Chargers are 12-4 and the Patriots are 11-5 with the tiebreaker over KC. Which means that for the Chiefs to take the #1 seed, ALL of these things needed to happen:

The Miami Miracle lateral win over the Pats
The Patriots losing to the Lions, Jaguars, Steelers and Titans (all 5 losses to non-playoff teams)
The Ravens beating the Chargers in week 16

The Broncos last second win over the Chargers in week 11

And 12 Wins by the Chiefs, including the 4th and 9 comeback over the Ravens, the opening win over the Chargers, the Mile High MNF left-handed pass win, and crushing the Raiders today.

That's crazy. The Chiefs needed ALL of that to happen. And all of it did.

So now the Chiefs won't play any road games. They will only have to play one of Texans/Patriots.

The Chargers and Bears also finished 12-4 and are playing wild-card weekend.

They have two weeks to study, get Eric Berry, Kendall Fuller (and maybe Sammy Watkins) healthy. We know anything can happen and the Chiefs carry a history of playoff failures. But then again, hopefully they learned something from the late-game collapse vs the Chargers.

And it's kind of nice to have to be wondering if the MVP can win the Super Bowl instead of wondering if good Alex Smith can show up in January.

Chiefs-Chargers: Point/Counterpoint

Point: The Chiefs really screwed up their season by choking away the Chargers game. 

Classic Chiefs. A few years ago, they collapsed in the playoffs vs the Colts. Last year they collapsed in playoffs vs the Titans. This time they collapsed with the #1 seed within their grasp. They now have the same record as the Chargers and if they shit the bed against the Raiders, the Chargers will own the tiebreaker. They could have clinched the #1 seed in week 15 and now can't even do that in week 16. If they Chargers win the division, the Chiefs drop to the #5 seed and will have to play every playoff game on the road and don't get a bye. They were one play away from resting up. This kills their playoff hopes.

Counterpoint: The Chiefs season is going to be just fine. 

Comebacks happen. The previous week the Chiefs came back vs the Ravens. The Patriots gave up a last second miracle lateral play to the Dolphins. The Bears choked away the week 1 game vs the Packers and still won their division. These things happen. The Chiefs are still in a good position. Normally at this time of year, the Chiefs have to win out and hope for other teams to lose to try to get in or get a bye. This time if they win both they secure home field. If the Chargers lose to the Ravens, the Seahawks game doesn't matter. If they lose to the Broncos, the Raiders game doesn't matter.

Normally, when the Chiefs have a huge collapse, it's in the playoffs and they have to think about it all offseason. Now they have a chance to go out and redeem themselves. They had tough losses to the Patriots and Rams but were able to come back the following week and win. If the Chiefs were bound to have a choke, better to get out of the way in the regular season, not the playoffs.

Besides, it's probably better to play through week 16 and week 17 competitively, and earn a bye, than to rest starters in the regular season anyways. Eric Berry has two more weeks of regular season to shake the rust off before we really need the defense to be at a top level.

Point: This shows the Chiefs can't win the big games. 

They lost to the Patriots, Rams and Chargers. Against good teams in close games, the Chiefs don't have what it takes.

Counterpoint: Not so fast. 

They beat the Chargers and Steelers and Broncos, all on the road. They broke the Jaguars. They broke the Bengals. Hell, they even seem to have broken Goff and the Rams. They've won close games, comebacks and blowouts. Every team has bad losses.

Point: This one stings though, right?

To be so close and to choke it away to a division rival?

Counterpoint: Sure. 

It stings. It may prove fatal. But first of all, they're not even a rival. Second, The Chiefs are 9-1 vs the Chargers in their last 10 games. The Chargers are printing up shirts just for beating the Chiefs in the regular season. We're okay. Plus, no regular season game will ever hurt more than week 2 of 2015. That's when the Chiefs were beating the Broncos by 7, gave up a last minute touchdown and then Charles fumbled away the game in regulation, when I was living in Denver and the Broncos would go on to win the Super Bowl, in part because that win earned them the #1 seed. If the Chargers steal the #1 seed and go on to win the Super Bowl, that will sting but I'm not living in LA, so it still won't be as bad as 2015.

just fucking forget I wrote anything yesterday

Uncharted Territory

I've opened a lot of blog posts to write about the Chiefs. I've never been here.

For starters, the Chiefs are the favorite to go to the Super Bowl in the AFC.
With 3 games to go, they are in a fantastic position to get the #1 seed.
And just for good measure, Mahomes is the favorite to win MVP.

Here's something I've never even had to think about before...was is the best regular season in Chiefs franchise history?

1966. They went 11-2-1 in 14 games for a winning percentage of .821 and went to Super Bowl I.

The best they've done in a 16 game schedule is 13-3 (.813). But 14-2 (.875) is in play. That's right. Mahomes first year as the starter in KC and all of this in play.

- - -

The Chiefs only chance of getting the #1 seed this century was 2003. Both the Chiefs and Pats were 11-2 with 3 games to play.

This year, well it could get really complicated if they lose tonight and really simple if they win, but they're not losing, so let's just skip this part for now and say they're in good shape.

- - -

How did we get here? A whole season just like the Ravens game. That was the most thrilling win of the season, with the other thrilling games coming in their 2 losses.

It featured among other things, a wicked side-arm in a tight window, a freaking no-look pass and a 4th and 9 heave that of course found it's way into Tyreek Hill's arms. All our lives we watch sports and think that we have a chance even if we're down a touchdown and facing 4th and long. And all our lives we realize that's a bad position to be in. And then one day your team drafts Patrick Mahomes and suddenly there's no such thing as a position where you don't have faith in him.




Which brings us to tonight...

let's see anything going on tonight....

Chiefs are wearing red on red

it's a primetime game at Arrowhead

it's a divisional game with the AFC West on the line

Chiefs are riding a 9-game win streak over the Chargers

the Chiefs are inducting Tony Gonzalez into the Ring of Honor and I'm betting he'll be beating the drum during pre-game introductions

and it's the season debut of Eric Berry