The Chiefs have had their “gut-check” game
In 2019, the 4-0 Chiefs were defeated by the Colts in Week 5. The loss was surprising, mainly because the Colts contained Mahomes and practically moved the ball at will on offense. It was a kind of shutdown on both sides of the ball, one that hadn’t really been seen in the Mahomes era. Thanks to this tough, primetime loss, the Chiefs began to press their commitment to run defense, tackling quality, and pass protection.
These adjustments paid dividends for last year’s Chiefs. The defense cleaned this up enough down the stretch, and the rest is history. This week’s loss to the Raiders should serve the same purpose as that Colts game. Consider, also, that issues with tackling, run defense, and pass protection are still problems with this team. They must recommit to the adjustments that made them so streaky and dangerous last season.
In a sense, the loss is also a reminder of what it is like to be exposed and even humiliated. That feeling has to feel rather new for a team that essentially hasn’t lost in a year. The bitter, sordid taste of this loss will, more than anything, restore the mental hardware of the team.
The fact is, the Chiefs are built to contend for a championship even with a couple notable weaknesses. These weaknesses are seldom the reason for losses, but once in a while they all flare up at once. Today was one of those days. The Chiefs just need to take an inventory of what went wrong, and circle their next Raider game with a bright red marker.