Kansas City Chiefs Control Their Destiny

What a huge victory the Kansas City Chiefs pulled off this past Sunday at Arrowhead.

The Seattle Seahawks, nearly a year removed from their first Super Bowl victory as a franchise, came into Arrowhead on a cold afternoon. There is a huge amount of pressure for the winning Super Bowl team, in that most teams are gunning to take down the world champs. That is exactly what the Chiefs were able to do.

The Chiefs, Seahawks game resembled the AFC West games of old, a hard-fought ground-and-pound game. The Chiefs were able to set star running back Jamaal Charles off to the tune of 159 yards and two scores. Quarterback Alex Smith did not have a statistically great day, only passing for 108 yards on 16 attempts and no touchdowns. However, despite the lack of through-the-air offense, the highlights throughout the game were the huge plays by the stout Chiefs defense.

Nov 16, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Sean Smith (21) and free safety Husain Abdullah (39) celebrate after a goal line stand during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 24-20. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The defense stepped up in a huge way against an offensively powerful team. The Chiefs did a great job of trying to hold the dual running threat of quarterback Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch; however, they were still able to out-rush the Chiefs by 14 yards on the day. The Chiefs were able to hold the line where it counted, as they once again refused to let any running play cross the goal line.

This Chiefs defense is playing with a passion, a passion that has not been seen in KC in some time. Not only were they able to make crucial stands within 20 yards of the end zone, but also held strong at the end of the game on yet another fourth-down try by Seattle head coach Pete Carroll. The Chiefs defensive unit has really come together: they swarm to the ball like a pack of wild dogs. This group mentality has never been more evident than in this past Sunday’s win against Seattle.

The other big news of the day was the shocking defeat of the Denver Broncos at the hands of the St. Louis Rams. This news is arguably even bigger than the Chiefs’ victory over Seattle. The Chiefs are now tied with the Denver Broncos atop the AFC West and are very much in control of their own destiny. The Chiefs can shock the NFL if they can continue to win the games that matter most. With the Broncos loss, the Chiefs find themselves sitting great in terms of the Wild Card, but also have a small chance to dethrone Denver as the champions of the AFC West. While the possibility of actually winning the division is slim, knowing there is a chance is huge, especially for a team many wrote off after starting 0-2 on the season.

Nov 16, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) is congratulated by wide receiver Frankie Hammond (85) after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Seattle Seahawks at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The reality of the situation is that while the Denver loss was huge, the Chiefs are still playing for the Wild Card. They still have a couple of tough games ahead of them in playing both Denver and the one-loss Arizona Cardinals. But they also face the Oakland Raiders twice who seem to be back-sliding every week.

For the Chiefs to win the West, it will take a combination of continuing to win in big games, as well as some help from the teams facing Denver. However the rest of the season plays out, the Chiefs show no sign of slowing down as they continue to surprise the NFL, and maintain control of their shot at the playoffs.

What do you think, Addicts? Are the Chiefs in control of their own destiny? What are your predictions for the rest of the season?

Sound off below…and thanks for reading!

Go Chiefs!