Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes picked up where he left off in 2018. Mahomes threw for 378 yards and three touchdowns as the Chiefs went on the road to beat the Jaguars 40-26 on Sunday.
For good portion of the game, Mahomes was hampered by a left ankle injury, which he injured in the second quarter, and while the injury slowed Mahomes, he was still able to be effective.
“The adrenaline helped out, of course,” Mahomes said after the game. “I was going out there and just playing football. I mean, obviously, I wasn’t as mobile as I usually am. But the team helped me out step-by-step as I tried to get the ball out of my hands, and guys were making plays.”
While Mahomes was able to play on despite the injury, Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill could be out for an extended time after he suffered a collarbone injury in the second quarter. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the injury will not require surgery but will cause him to “miss a few weeks.” However, without Hill, who recently signed a reported three-year, $54 million extension, the Chiefs were still able to have success on offense.
“I mean, obviously whenever someone with Tyreek’s ability goes out, you wonder what’s going to happen,” Mahomes said. “But, the best thing about this team – and you’ve seen it the last few years now – is whenever someone gets their opportunity, they step up and play. And we really pick each other up. So, I was glad the guys stepped up, made plays; and that was running backs, receivers, tight ends, and whatever it was. I mean, that’s just how we roll. Whoever is given the opportunity to make the play, they make it.”
The Chiefs will get their first taste of life without Hill next week as they travel to Oakland to face the Raiders. It should be fascinating to see how the Chiefs prolific offense will look without Hill.
For Nick Foles and the Jacksonville Jaguars, 2019 did not start the way they expected. Foles, who signed a four-year $88 million contract in the offseason, is out indefinitely after breaking his left clavicle on Sunday, and unfortunately for the Jaguars, they would lose to the Chiefs 40-26.
Foles is expected to have surgery on Monday. The injury happened after Foles’ 35-yard touchdown pass to DJ Chark in the first quarter. After the throw, Foles was walloped by Chiefs DT Chris Jones. The 30-year-old Foles injured the same clavicle in 2014 while he was with the Eagles.
After the game, Foles discussed the injury and what’s next for him.
(On the injury) “Yeah it’s not the way you want to start your time here. It’s unfortunate but at the same time I’m going to stay positive and trust the good Lord in this time. Sometimes things don’t happen like we expect them to but we just have to have faith that it’s for a reason. I’m still grateful I get to be a part of this team. I’ll have surgery tomorrow to get this thing rolling and trust the good Lord for healing and be ready to roll when I am.”
(On how this injury compares to injury suffered in 2014) “This one’s worse than 2014. At the same time, I’m optimistic that it will heal quicker. I look forward to getting back out there with the guys and Gardner [Minshew II] did a great job stepping up. That’s not easy being a rookie against a talented team like the Chiefs. He did a really nice job of moving the chains, throwing a couple of touchdowns and being really efficient so I was really proud of him for stepping up. I’m going to be here to help him in any way possible.”
(On what he was told about the healing time span) “We don’t have a time span. We’re going to take it one day at a time. Ultimately just get the surgery done and also praying for [Head Team Physician Kevin] Kaplan to be ready to roll. I’m going to do everything I can to get back as quickly as I can to where I’m ready to roll.”
(On at what point he realized something was wrong) “I knew right when I hit the ground something was wrong. I felt it. The whole play, they did a nice job covering that route and all I remember is seeing DJ [Chark Jr.]. We’ve never thrown that route, that’s the first time I’ve thrown that route to him. It’s usually the underneath route but they did a nice job with their coverage. They mix it up and my gut told me just to release it. That’s why I play with feel and instincts. All I saw was two red jerseys in my face and I remember hitting the ground on the left side and feeling a crack. Then getting up and going to the sidelines to get checked. I just saw the play right before I walked in here and it’s unfortunate but at the same time, I’m trusting the good Lord.”
(On if he felt that Chris Jones’ tackle was excessive) “I don’t know, everything happened so fast. Chris Jones was my teammate in K.C. and I know he’d never want to do that. It was probably just one of those things, it was just unfortunate it happened. I landed on it wrong and it happens in this sport. We’ll keep moving forward. Chris [Jones] is a tremendous player and I gave him a hug after the game because I was excited to see him. He’s a bright, young player.”
(On if he injured the same collarbone in 2014) “Same side. Different place on the collar bone. The one in 2014 didn’t need surgery. It was a hairline fracture so it was a different situation. This was a complete crack.”
The Kansas City Chiefs offense was off the charts last season. Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who threw for 5097 yards and 50 touchdowns, and became the second player in league history to throw for 5000 yards and 50 touchdowns, the Chiefs scored 565 points, which is third-most in NFL history.
With those numbers, this offense has to go down as one of better offenses in NFL history, and this week, Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone talked about the Chiefs’ offense.
“When you follow the game, especially the history of the game which I love, and you guys know that I think ‘The Greatest Show on Turf”(1999-2001 Rams) always comes up when people think of offense,” Marrone said on Thursday as his Jaguars prepare to battle the Chiefs on Sunday. “I think normally anyone that follows the game thinks of that Rams team and what they have. And I like to think that I was part of something when we were in New Orleans and really rolling, and they’re still rolling with Drew [Brees]. I think you look at what [Rams Head Coach] Sean [McVay] has done at the Rams, and you look at people around the league, there’s a lot of them, really good offenses that have been around.
“And I think what probably separates Kansas City and puts them up there, obviously a great coaching staff and they have such great players and guys that have developed so quickly. You look at someone that’s thrown 50-plus touchdowns, there’s only three quarterbacks that have really done that, and the other two are Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. So, I think that it starts with the quarterback position and their quarterback’s obviously the league MVP and is an outstanding player. He’s done a great job, and they have some great people around him, so it’s going to be a great challenge for us, and we have to put a lot of work in. It’s a lot of guys. You stop one and then you have another. They’ve got a lot of talent on that side of the football.”
While Marrone is a big fan of “The Greatest Show Turf,” he does believe this Chiefs’ offense is in the conversation as one of the greatest offenses of all-time.
“I’d put them up there against anybody,” Marrone said about the Chiefs’ offense. “Yeah, I’d put them up there versus all those teams. I just don’t know which one is the team that you would think. Like I said, for me, I always think of the Rams offense, but in my mind, I love the history of the game, so there’s a lot of other great offenses that are even going on right now in the league and some in the past. But to answer your question, yes, they’re up there in that conversation and can easily be put up there with the best ones. That’s a credit to them and how they’ve performed.”
With the new rules that favor offenses, teams are going to put up a lot of points. This Chiefs’ offense put up a lot of points in 2018, and barring any injuries, will probably do the same in 2019.
In a shocking move, the Buffalo Bills released RB LeSean McCoy on Saturday. The six-time Pro Bowler had spent the past four seasons with the Bills.
Now, according to reports, the 31-year-old McCoy will sign a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. With the move, McCoy reunites with his former coach in Philadelphia, Andy Reid.
On Sunday, Bills GM Brandon Beane, who made the decision to release McCoy, gave his thoughts on Shady to the Chiefs.
“I mean he’s probably a Hall of Fame player, right there at it and I think that’s a great fit for him,” Beane said. “Not knowing everything but knowing coach Reid and I know Brett Veach, the GM, and he had a past relationship. Wish him the best. He’s going into a team that, I know they have a lot of high expectations and I’m sure he’ll be a great addition to what they’re doing. We truly wish him the best unless we play him.”
McCoy to the Chiefs seems like a perfect fit for both parties. However, with running backs Damien Williams and Darwin Thompson in the mix, it should be interesting to see how McCoy will be utilized, and while McCoy did not put up big numbers(514 yards, which was a career-low) last season for the Bills, he will be running behind a better offensive line in Kansas City. Additionally, he will be surrounded by some big-time players in Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce.
Furthermore, McCoy will get an opportunity to win a ring, which was not going to happen in Buffalo this season. End of the day, getting released by the Bills was probably the best thing that happened to him.
Regarding McCoy as a Hall of Famer, he has over 10k yards rushing yards and 69 touchdowns on the ground at this point, and if he plays at a decent level, he will probably end his career with around 13-14k rushing yards and around 80-plus touchdowns, which would probably be enough to get him into the Hall.
For the Kansas City Chiefs, the 2018 season did not end the way they expected. They had home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, they had the highest scoring offense in football, and they had the best player in 2018 in QB Patrick Mahomes, but their defense could not hold up, and Tom Brady and the Patriots would defeat the Chiefs 37-31 in OT in the AFC title game.
While losing this game hurts for Kansas City, the Chiefs can be excited about the future. Mahomes has proven that he has the goods, WR Tyreek Hill is explosive, and Travis Kelce is an elite tight end. All this talent has Hall of Famer Willie Roaf, who played for the Chiefs from 2002-05, very excited about the future.
“They got Mahomes, who is a different quarterback than anybody,” Roaf recently said on the Go4it podcast. “The offense has a bunch of guys and the best tight end in the league…
“I will tell you this; the Chiefs will be back, a lot coming up in the future. If they add pieces to their defense and get more running backs… Mostly draft defense. The Chiefs will be knocking on the door, and with that young quarterback, Mahomes, they will be building some type of dynasty. So, this is this kid’s first year starting, and he is just now figuring things out, so when you put more weapons around him, and Sammy Watkins was out most of the year. And then, they lost (Kareem)Hunt going into the playoffs, and he(Mahomes) was still able to go up and down the field.
“So, you give me some more weapons, and you keep that young group intact… They got a chance to win a couple of rings with that young boy in Kansas City.”
Last week, the Chiefs fired defensive coordinator Bob Sutton and hired former Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo to lead their defense. Spagnuolo was in charge of the Giants’ defense that beat Tom Brady and the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
Chiefs fans should be excited about the future, but in the NFL, they’re no guarantees, so we’ll see if the Chiefs can improve their defense, and continue to build a great offense in 2019.
Listen below as Roaf talks the future of the Chiefs at the 07:10 mark:
We will be talking sports and having fun doing it. We will be joined by Hall of Famer Willie Roaf who will discuss the aftermath of Championship Weekend in the NFL, and his early thoughts on Super Bowl 53.
Show starts on tonight at 7pmest
In the NFL, one play does not lose a game, but for Chiefs LB Dee Ford, there is one play he would love to have back. With the Chiefs leading New England 28-24 late in the fourth quarter, Kansas City’s Charvarius Ward picked off an errant Tom Brady pass that would have sent the Chiefs to Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta. Unfortunately, LB Dee Ford was offsides.
The Patriots would eventually score on that drive and would eventually win in OT 37-31 to advance to Super Bowl 53.
Here is how Ford reacted after the play:
Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs had another disappointing playoff loss on Sunday when they lost to the Patriots 37-31 in overtime at Arrowhead. With the loss, Reid falls to 1-5 in conference championship games.
It was a tough loss for the Chiefs as they had a game-clinching interception wiped away in regulation when LB Dee Ford was called for offsides.
For Former Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil, this loss really stings.
“Kansas City, I’m just sick. I woke up three times during the night thinking about that ballgame,” Vermeil told TMZ Sports. “I was so disappointed because I’m so respectful and admire Andy Reid for the job he’s done; how consistently he’s coached great football teams and produced great assistant coaches that became good head coaches. And to lose that one at home like that, it’s just sick. Now, he has to wait a whole year to get back and try again.”
Naturally, after this loss, people are going to talk about whether Reid is the right guy to bring a championship to Kansas City, but according to Vermeil, Reid is one of the better coaches in the league.
“He’s better than ninety-nine percent of them. (coaches in the NFL) Believe me,” Vermeil said. “He’s as fine of a coach that has ever coached a game.”
Ultimately, Vermeil believes Reid and the Chiefs will eventually win a Super Bowl.
“There’s no question in mind they will get there, and there’s no question in mind. if he(Reid) sticks with it long enough, he’s gonna win it,” Vermeil said.
The Chiefs have their quarterback for many years to come in Patrick Mahomes. Obviously, they have to fix their defense. It let them down on Sunday and has let them down this whole season. That could mean they go in a different direction with defensive coordinator Bob Sutton(Fired on Tuesday). It’s tough to get this far and lose, but the future is still very bright in Kansas City.
The National Football League today announced the matchups for its five 2019 international regular-season games – four in the UK and one in Mexico.
The quality of the 2019 international offering is apparent in three division games and five playoff participants, including the NFC Champion Los Angeles Rams. Two of the four London Games will feature teams playing in the UK for the first time, while Mexico City will host a meeting of long-time AFC West division rivals.
The 2019 international games:
| Country |
Visiting Team |
Home Team |
| Mexico |
Kansas City Chiefs |
Los Angeles Chargers |
| UK |
Carolina Panthers |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| UK |
Chicago Bears |
Oakland Raiders |
| UK |
Cincinnati Bengals |
Los Angeles Rams |
| UK |
Houston Texans |
Jacksonville Jaguars |
Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium will host a matchup between the AFC West rival Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers. Both teams, who finished the 2018 regular season with identical 12-4 records, will be playing in Mexico City for the first time.
The AFC South champion Houston Texans – who face the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars – and the Carolina Panthers – who face their NFC South foes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – will both make their London debuts. It will bring the total number of NFL teams to have played in the UK to 31 in 28 regular-season games by the end of the 2019 season. The Jaguars will be playing a home game in London for the seventh consecutive season.
The Rams, who will face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII, will host a London game for the fourth time when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals, while the Oakland Raiders will return to London for the second straight year, facing the NFC North division champion Chicago Bears.
The NFL will play two games at Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium, with two at Wembley Stadium.
Dates, kickoff times and venues for all international games will be announced in conjunction with the release of the full NFL schedule this spring.
The AFC title game is a matchup of old versus new. The old legend in Tom Brady against maybe a new legend in Patrick Mahomes. In the regular season, Brady and the Patriots outlasted Mahomes and the Chiefs 43-40 at Foxboro back in October. This time around Mahomes and the Chiefs will have home-field advantage as Kansas City battles the Patriots on Sunday(6:40 PMET) at Arrowhead with a chance to go to Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta.
Brady and Bill Belichick are arguably the greatest duos in NFL history, and history has shown us that it is hard to bet against this combination, but according to former Chiefs OT and Hall of Famer Willie Roaf, Kansas City will get it done on Sunday, and he is pretty confident about it.
‘This kid (Patrick) Mahomes is special, Roaf told the Go4it podcast hosted by Paul Gant. “For his first-year starting, he is doing some amazing things, so I’m looking forward to it, but it’s going to be a tall task for Tom Brady and those guys to beat the Kansas City Chiefs at home. I would be surprised. It’s tough to play in Arrowhead.”
The Chiefs are 8-1 at home, including their blowout victory over the Colts last weekend in the divisional round; conversely, the Patriots have struggled away from Foxboro, and are 3-5 on the road.
You would think if the Patriots had any advantage it would be coaching as the Patriots have possibly the greatest coach of all-time in Bill Belichick, but according to Roaf, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who is 1-4 in championship games, will have a lot to prove, which Roaf believes will help the Chiefs on Sunday.
“I think Andy Reid has something to prove,” Roaf said. “I think he knows he has a special player in Mahomes, more special than (Donovan) McNabb was. And the ability this kid has and the maturity he is showing right now, I don’t think I’m too concerned. I just think they need to score points, play Chiefs’ football, control the clock, and I think the Chiefs make it to the Super Bowl.”
Roaf is so confident in the Chiefs that he thinks it might be a rout.
“I think the game against the Patriots could be a blowout,” Roaf said.
Listen below as Roaf talks championship weekend in the NFL. Also, make sure to support Roaf’s “Frame Your Game” at frameyourgame.com.
