Secondary storylines from the Kansas City Chiefs’ early success

Three weeks into the NFL regular season, the Kansas City Chiefs are one of just two teams who remain undefeated (the other is Super Bowl LI qualifier the Atlanta Falcons). Their 3-0 start has the attention of the national media. They were a near-unanimous choice as the No. 1 team in last week’s power rankings across the blogosphere. An inspired Alex Smith and rookie phenom Kareem Hunt are the top talking points around the league campfire.

There are, however, a number of secondary story lines worth discussing. In today’s column, we’ll do just that. Let’s not waste time.

Next Man Dan

When All-Pro safety Eric Berry went down in Kansas City’s Week 1 matchup with the New England Patriots, national sports writers believed it to be an ominous sign for the Chiefs 2017 campaign. Two weeks later, it’s clear that while Berry’s contributions aren’t easily replaced, the team can survive without him. That’s partly due to the playmaking ability of fourth-year safety Daniel Sorensen.

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In addition to serviceable play in run support and coverage, he’s added another dimension to the team’s pass rush. Two weeks ago, against the Philadelphia Eagles, his heavy pressure of Carson Wentz, on a screen play, led to a tipped ball that eventually landed in the waiting arms of defensive end Chris Jones. Later in the quarter, Sorensen blitzed from the right side and leapt over running back Darren Sproles, nearly sacking him and forcing Wentz into a wayward throw on a crucial third down play.

Bailey was sorely missed

Heading into Week 4, Bailey’s been one of the most quietly effective players on the defensive side of the football for Kansas City. His return to the front seven has helped shore up the Chiefs’ run defense and he already has a pair of sacks on the year. Despite his veteran status, the former Miami Hurricanes standout doesn’t have the name value of Chris Jones, but he’s proven he has a place on this defense.

Make no mistake; the Chiefs haven’t made significant strides in becoming a stout run defense. They’re currently tied for 20th in the NFL at rushing yards surrendered per game. Though, that is an improvement over their 26th ranking for the 2016 season. Some of that is due largely to the addition of defensive tackle Bennie Logan and having a healthy Derrick Johnson and Justin Houston back in the lineup, but part of it is also attributable to Bailey’s return.

Receivers can’t displace “Bert” (yet)

During the offseason, Chiefs Kingdom was relatively certain that veteran wideout Albert Wilson wouldn’t survive the NFL cuts at One Arrowhead Drive. I was convinced they were wrong. As luck would have it, he’s still employed by the Kansas City Chiefs. Wilson’s stuck because the rest of this young wide receiver group isn’t capable yet of forcing him off of the roster. The former Georgia State Panther was never in any danger of playing opposite of Tyreek Hill as a starter, but he has managed to navigate a crowded group of budding talent at the other four spots along the receiver depth chart.

That’s one part Wilson’s versatility both offensively and on special teams. It’s another part his maturity compared to the Chiefs other offensive options at the position. Wilson has pedestrian production, but he’s an experienced wide receiver who has the trust of Alex Smith. That’s as valuable as pure talent at this stage. It might surprise you to know he’s the third-most targeted player in Kansas City’s offense after three weeks (behind Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce). Until otherwise proven, expect Wilson to stick around.

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It’ll be interesting to see how these stories develop as the season progresses. I suspect one or more items on this list will play heavily into how successful the Chiefs are at leading the pack in the AFC. They’re currently the top seed in the conference and will need consistency to stay there. Their chance at going deeper in the postseason depends upon play up front and on the back end (defensively) and also the contributions of their non-essential offensive weapons.

What below-the-fold stories are intriguing to you about this 2017 Chiefs team? Are there issues beneath the surface we should keep an eye on as the season wears on? Use the comment section below to chime in. As always, we appreciate your readership and support.

Until next time, Addicts!