Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
What a season it’s turned out to be. The turnaround we’ve all wanted to see happen has happened. The Kansas City Chiefs are 9-0 and are entering week 11 as the league’s remaining undefeated team. The division rival Denver Broncos are hot on Kansas City’s tails and weeks of speculation, skepticism, analysis, and flat-out smack-talk comes to a head in Primetime on Sunday night. Football is suddenly fun again.
This is not an illusion. This is reality. We’ve seen a remarkable turnaround. The terrible luck this team endured in 2012 seems to have been turned on its head by the football gods here in 2013. The pendulum has swung the other way. The talent collected over a period of dark, dark times is suddenly peaking at once. Leadership is in place. Culture has been established and wins have come.
It didn’t take long, either. When the Chiefs’ restructured after the debacle that was 2012, there was no talk of a “3-year plan,” or “5-year plan.” There was no tempering of expectations. There is just an Owner, a General Manager, a Coach, and a team, all focused on winning football games. All of these components came together seamlessly and for whatever reason, it worked instantly.
In the past few weeks we have seen the hype for Sundays game evolve and grow into a true frenzy. In fact, I can’t remember a regular season Chiefs game that has been this hyped. Ever. We as Chiefs fans need to make sure we’re enjoying this. The Chiefs just don’t normally get this kind of exposure – and frankly, it’s been nice. After a season in which Kansas City was merely the butt of jokes, it’s nice to know that just one year later they are consistently getting the last laugh. It’s a beautiful thing that it took one offseason to see the Chiefs playing in the biggest game played so far in the 2013 NFL season.
Simply put: This feels good.
This game is going to be a great measuring stick for this young team, regardless of the outcome. The Chiefs need to know who they are. They need to measure themselves against the Broncos. If the Chiefs are who they think they are, they will at the very least keep this game too close for Denver’ comfort. If the Chiefs lose, they head back to Arrowhead tied with Denver and knowing that they get the Broncos at home for a rematch. If they win, they prove the naysayers wrong and take a commanding lead in the AFC West.
The Broncos know who they are. They have been tested. They know their ceiling. The Chiefs have pulled out 9 straight games. They’ve forged an identity as a ball control, defensively dominating team – but they have yet to be tested by another top-level team.
As I see it there are four possible outcomes:
- The Broncos blow out the Chiefs.
- The Broncos win a close game.
- The Chiefs win a close game
- The Chiefs blow out the Broncos.
Of those scenarios, only one of them would be considered a “bad” thing: if the Broncos blow out the Chiefs. Why? Even if the Chiefs lose, but keep the game close, they should head into week 13 feeling confident.
I’ll say it again: this game is huge. What do you think Addicts? Is this the biggest game in 10 years? What’s going to happen Sunday Night? Sound off below!