NFL power rankings: Peter King ranks Kansas City Chiefs as NFL’s best
By Jalon Dodson
ProFootballTalk’s Peter King ranked the Kansas City Chiefs as the best team in the National Football League in his summer offseason power rankings.
NFL columnist Peter King recently ranked the Kansas City Chiefs as the best team in the league, while also giving respect to the new powerhouse of the NFL that is the American Football Conference.
In King’s latest round of NFL power rankings, four of the top five teams are members of the AFC (1. Kansas City Chiefs, 2. New England Patriots, 3. Indianapolis Colts, 4. Los Angeles Rams, 5. Los Angeles Chargers). In recent years, it has been the National Football Conference that has been hailed as the stronger of the two. With the drastic shift focusing more toward offensive firepower, the AFC might stake its claim as the strongest conference.
As for his belief in the Chiefs, King had this to say:
"But this is an In-Mahomes-We-Trust pick, mostly. I wonder if you could ever say that a rookie picked as low as 56—that was the draft slot of the Chiefs’ top pick, Georgia receiver-returner Mecole Hardman—would enter a season as the rookie with the most pressure to produce at a high level from opening day."
King is what some would call a “Mahomie,” that is, a fan of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. After Mahomes’ stellar 2018 MVP season, analysts and fans alike jumped on the Mahomes bandwagon. The Chiefs’ backfield was depleted after the loss of Kareem Hunt, and then Spencer Ware to free agency. The situation with Tyreek Hill, and the lack of assurance that he will be with the team for the 2019 season has left some unanswered questions in the team’s midst. However, the Chiefs have worked on a total revamp of its abysmal defense—molding it into potentially a top-20 defensive group.
With so many what-ifs, it is understandable for people to wonder if the Chiefs truly do deserve to be ranked as the number one team in the league; in short: yes. With one of the top offenses in the league and the potential of a top-20 defense, the Chiefs have all the right pieces to mark the beginning of an impeccable dynasty.
"With Hill facing a possible suspension to start the season, or more significant banishment, Hardman’s a huge factor for the Chiefs. I went back and watched his highlights from the 2018 national title game against Alabama, and he made a couple of prime-time plays. He took a shotgun snap at quarterback from the ‘Bama 1-yard line, play-faked to Sony Michel, and beat three defenders around the left corner for a touchdown. Then he flashed his 4.33 speed down the right sideline, beating the Alabama corner for an 80-yard TD from Jake Fromm. But is Hardman as tough and competitive as Hill? Will he strike fear into defenses?"
King’s words on Hardman make a valid point, but one thing to point out is that he fits the ideal wide receiver for Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. With comparisons being drawn between Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson and Hardman, the latter should be able to find success in Reid’s system. Jackson got his start under Reid, and has since been consistent, with seven seasons of 900 or more receiving yards. Hardman has the chance to provide that same versatility and more, and if Hill is truly done with the Chiefs, the team should be alright without him.