The Kansas City Chiefs made light work of the woebegone New England Patriots in a game that was over before the fourth quarter started.
The Chiefs' offense could have been more impressive, but they still managed to score 27 points. Two infuriating turnovers will be credited to quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but they were clearly the receivers' fault, thanks to continued issues with them securing the ball. The defense continued dominating, save for one long drive in the first half and twice when the offense gave them less than ten yards to work with.
Despite the apparent ease at which the Chiefs' handled their business, the same issues that have plagued the offense all season continued to rear their ugly heads in a game against a bottom-three team in the NFL. Penalties turned touchdown drives into field goals, and in one case, nothing at all. Multiple turnovers on their side of the field led directly to points and momentum swings. Wide receivers show up only for conditioning practice and dropping passes from the best quarterback in the league.
When it comes down to it, a win is a win, especially on the road. Even if that win is against a 3-10 team fighting only for draft positioning, the Chiefs will still take it. Here are the players whose stocks are rising and falling.
Stock Up: Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Clyde Edwards-Helaire would like to continue playing in the NFL for the 2024 season, and he went out and put quite a performance on tape for prospective buyers. CEH ended the day with 101 total yards on 17 touches and one of the more acrobatic touchdowns you will ever see a running back make. That was CEH's first receiving touchdown of 2023 and first since Week 4 of the 2022 campaign, so it was nice to see him get out of Chiefs Kingdom's doghouse, if only for a brief moment.
There is no way on God's green Earth that CEH will be back in a Kansas City jersey next year, but that does not mean his NFL career has to come to an end. Look at his teammate Jerick McKinnon for some semblance of hope. There is a spot out there for pass-catching running backs who can hold their own in pass protection. If CEH can continue to produce, he might find himself with some options next year.