Week 2 Thoughts

I told myself I wasn't going to do a weekly column this season because I didn't want to force it, but here we are, 2 weeks in, 2 posts. 

Let's start with the Chiefs. 

Starting the season with two wins over Ravens and Bengals. Now that we're in the single-bye era, it's so much easier to get to the Super Bowl if you're the #1 seed. Gotta love racking up wins against good teams, knowing there's teams like the Panthers and Broncos coming up on the schedule. 

For the last couple years, we've had to hear about how the Bengals are the team that beats the chiefs. Let's check in on that Bengals-Chiefs rivalry since Mahomes got here:

3 wins in a row for KC at Burrowhead.

Let's check-in on the Burrow vs Mahomes head to head comparison: 

It's true Burrow is 2-1 vs Mahomes in the regular season. But I think I'll take everything in the bottom section of that chart over a regular season win.

Real quick, remind me again what Likely on the Ravens said after the Chiefs beat them...

It's really kind of him for to wish good luck for his opponents,
but I think the Chiefs are lucky enough already. 

- - -

Let's take a look at the playoff picture. 

AFC

In: Chiefs, Bills, Texans

Likely In: Chargers

Up In The Air: 9 teams

Likely Out: Broncos, Titans, Patriots

Crossed Off: None

NFC

In: None

Likely In: Eagles, Lions

Up In The Air: 11 teams

Likely Out: Commanders

Crossed Off: Giants, Panthers

Saints and Bucs look real good through 2 weeks, good enough to say Likely In, but typically the NFC South should only send one team, so I'm not going to put them both Likely In yet. A lot of football yet to be played.

Week 1 Overreactions

Panthers and Giants will be the two worst teams in the league. Their game in Munich on November 10 will determine who gets the #1 pick. 

The cream of the AFC is the Chiefs and not the Bengals. Ravens, Bills, Texans all will be in play. Who will attend the Arrowhead Invitational this year? Let's say Bills. 

Cowboys will be win 11 games but none in the playoffs. 

49ers will be good. Eagles will be good. Lions will be good. Bucs will make the playoffs. 

49ers/Lions/Eagles will all have a shot at the NFC Championship. Let's say Lions hosting the Eagles. 

hot take

If you fumble at the goal line, you'll lose. 

Bengals and Jaguars both fumbled at the goal line and lost by 6 and 3 respectively.

In the AFC Championship, the Ravens fumbled at the goal line and and lost by 7. 

My advice: don't fumble at the goal line.

another year, another banner

So Many Thoughts on Chiefs-Ravens Opening Night 2024

It really shouldn't have been that close. Up 20-10, Mahomes misses Perine on a 3rd and 5 from the BAL 40 that would have been a huge play. Ended up punting instead of breaking the game open.

Chiefs have to put the game away with 3 minutes to go and only one timeout for the Ravens. Really inexcusable to risk letting the Ravens come down and get 8 points to win (That's how the Chargers beat Mahomes for the game they printed up t-shirts about, going for 2 instead of heading to overtime.)

Harbaugh was going to go for two. Smart guy. But he really has himself to blame, the Ravens could have really used those two timeouts. 

Rice was eating all day on slants over the middle. 

3 touches for Worthy. 2 touchdowns. Both touchdowns were 20+ yards. Chiefs only had 4 from that distance all of last year. 

If I was a Ravens fan, I would be SICK about Lamar missing a wide open Flowers in the end zone after missing an open Likely on the play before. 

If Likely gets his toe in and the Ravens make the 2-pt, it's a hell of a win for the Ravens and a crushing loss for the Chiefs. But that didn't happen. Instead here's our reality:

Chiefs are 1-0 and got there without Hollywood Brown, their new WR1. Now own the tiebreaker over Ravens for potential bye, home field. 

Chiefs schedule opens vs Ravens and Bengals but closes against Steelers and Broncos. Love getting wins in the tough part of the schedule. 

Ravens do not have an answer for KC. 

Last year, Chiefs lost on opening day without Chris Jones and had to settle for going 11-6 and getting the 3rd seed. Already feeling like 12 wins seems realistic. 

Hell of a game.

disc golf 9.2.24

I went disc golfing 6 times in August/September 2021. Since then I've gone twice with Niraj, once in KC, once in San Diego. I took the boys once in May 2023. And I went once with Mark in St. Louis. 

I took my oldest today and we played a great round at Blue Valley Disc Golf (aka Prairie Pass) at Pleasant Ridge Middle School. 

Didn't keep score but we both got several pars and had a bunch of nice shots. Great way to get 5000 steps in.