3 Chiefs players with the most to gain from the DIvisional Round
By Jacob Milham
Chiefs Kingdom, the season marches on thanks to the Kansas City Chiefs taking care of business against the Miami Dolphins. The 26-7 win took all three units performing their best, but the defense stepped up most. They will have to continue that momentum into the divisional round, where the Chiefs have a date with the Buffalo Bills in Highmark Stadium.
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ESPN's Pat McAfee declared the Chiefs were back on his Monday show. It is hard to dampen his outlook, one that McAfee shares with millions. The Chiefs shut down Miami's vaunted rushing attack, limiting star rookie running back De'Von Achane to nine yards on six carries. The defense took care of business in the passing attack too, taking the physicality to the Dolphins. Sure, the offense is not perfect still, but what AFC team could beat the Chiefs we saw on Saturday?
I cannot think of one.
With this weekend quickly approaching, Kansas City has to keep the momentum rolling. A trip to the AFC Championship Game is on the line and the Chiefs need all hands on deck to get there. Here are three Chiefs who have the most to gain with a strong showing against Buffalo.
1. WR Mecole Hardman
Not many Kansas City players had a worse day on Saturday than wide receiver Mecole Hardman. The speedster did not have a banner day in the Chiefs' Wild Card win, where he only caught one of five passes for three yards. Hardman missed plenty of opportunities on the field. He missed an easy touchdown in the third quarter, instead opting to let the ball drop to the ground. Although Hardman's second error in the third quarter was partly understandable since he was being held, he could have done better if he had tried to fight through impact or sell it better to draw a flag.
The fifth-year wide receiver hasn't been able to re-establish himself as a player for the Chiefs this season, even though they needed help at his position. He had a solid regular season finale, which gave fans hope he could be a factor in the postseason. Thankfully, he has another chance to make an impact in the divisional matchup.