Thursday Thoughts: What does a 2-0 start for KC Chiefs really mean?

After the Kansas City Chiefs snuck away with a victory in Week 2 on Thursday Night Football against the Chargers, another slate of pure NFL madness unfolded. It got me thinking; what does a 2-0 start for the Chiefs really mean? We’re only a year removed from pandemonium in the wake of a slow start to the 2021 regular season, so how much hype does a good start deserve?

My thoughts continued to brew as Willie Gay’s suspension was announced this week and folks began calling for Week 3 against the Colts to be a trap game. The Chiefs are going on the road well-rested but without one of their greatest athletes. While they are heavily favored, a very legitimate challenge awaits them in Indianapolis.

Let’s just say, for the sake of conversation, that the Colts wake up this week and knock off the Chiefs. Kansas City’s record would fall to 2-1, the Colts would “be back,” and the national narrative around the Chiefs would flip entirely. This is where the original question returns; if all of that happens… so what? 

The Chiefs’ hot start to the 2022 season has been great to see, but what does their 2-0 record really mean?

The Chiefs are facing the most grueling schedule in the NFL this season—nobody expected them to go 17-0. Starting the year with consecutive victories was sweet, but the first loss has to come eventually. Hell, it could realistically come at some point over the next four weeks against the Colts, Buccaneers, Raiders, or Bills. My point in bringing this up is that I truly don’t think the first five to seven weeks of the season matter at all. They are a simple concoction of developing a team identity, managing failures, and collecting tape against opponents. The Chiefs started 3-4 last year and ended up hosting their fourth straight AFC championship game.

For further context, the polar opposite of the Chiefs—in every conceivable and disrespectful way—is the Broncos. Denver has started 1-1, and if it weren’t for the total lack of continuity within the organization, it would also mean absolutely nothing. Nonetheless, when the Chiefs travel to Mile High in December, I fully expect the Broncos, their new coaching staff, and their 245-million dollar quarterback to be on the same page.

The AFC West was labeled as the most competitive division in sports this offseason, and I still fully anticipate that to be true. Whether the Chiefs advance to 3-0 or take a step back with a loss and leave Week 3 with a 2-1 record, the season will run its course, and the definition of its result will surely not be based on the start to the season.