NFL Week 3 brings normalcy to Chiefs (except for that global superstar)
By Ellen Mathis
![Chicago Bears v Kansas City Chiefs Chicago Bears v Kansas City Chiefs](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_7330,h_4123,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/130/01hbbb1sdz8hqsfhx7r4.jpg)
Week 1 lied to us and Week 2 might have told the truth. This week, however, I'm beating the drum for the idea that we have slipped back to the norm.
When the NFL decided that this was the time to eliminate the fourth preseason game and add a regular season game, I don't think I expected the impact to be as big as it was. Teams looked highly unprepared for Week 1. Then, we got a Week 2 that was filled with some truth. The Chiefs bounced back against what we projected to be a playoff team. The Bills slaughtered an opponent. Things felt somewhat right.
Week 3 really feels like maybe we fully bounced back to the norm. The Chiefs handled their business exactly as I expected they would. The Bears are terrible. Just awful. The Chiefs absolutely should have destroyed them and they did. That was the expectation and that was the result.
Similarly, the Miami Dolphins appear to be doing exactly what they did last year. This crazy stat popped up on Good Morning Football...
Tua est très bon en ce début de saison, mais comparé à 2022 ?@MiamiDolphins
— Daniel (@dani_mo17) September 25, 2023
Credit to @gmfb pic.twitter.com/fwQadG54mZ
I don't know what the French reads here, but I can certainly read those stats. Somehow Tua is doing EXACTLY the same thing he did last season. That just seems weird. It also makes me wonder what would have happened if Tua hadn't been injured. Would we have seen a 2000-yard season from Tyreek? Would we have had a different MVP or Super Bowl champ?
I'm still really questioning the Bengals. They won, which they had to do, but is this Joe Burrow injury something that will hurt their season long-term? I really thought it would be on Monday afternoon. Then, Burrow played. Was he spectacular? No, but he handled his business, they got the win, and most importantly for the Bengals, Burrow suffered no injury setback. Have we awoken the Tigers?
The Bills seem to be back to the norm as well: smashing teams in the regular season until something goes awry in about late October/early November and they begin to drop off.
Normalcy reigns.
The Chargers obviously did everything in their power to lose and just couldn't quite get there. I think we are just seeing a repeat of last year. The Chargers will do enough to get to the playoffs (and save Staley's job), but will make no noise and inevitably be crowned the champions of the AFC West in, like, March 2024. I never understood this phenomenon.
But regardless, we appear to have reached that point of the season where you can safely bet on outcomes because we are back to normal. The Chiefs are atop the AFC West and the league looks to have found its footing. The scriptwriters really need to find something cool this week. I'm bored with normal.
Except for one thing of course. I bet you didn't know this, but Travis Kelce brought a friend to Sunday's game. We have laughed, we've seen the merch, and we have all seen Taylor Swift dropping f-bombs next to Momma Kelce. After the game, it appears that Kelce rented out a restaurant. I'd like to remind my husband that he is also welcome to rent out restaurants to woo me.
Travis Kelce speaks about Taylor Swift and their first public appearance. 💕
— Pop Hive (@thepophive) September 27, 2023
“Shout-out to Taylor for pulling up. She looked amazing. everyone was talking about her in a great light was definitely a game I will remember...then we just slid off in the getaway car at the end.“ pic.twitter.com/JMYd0lYYMX
I'd like to add a little fun fact to this whole situation. The reports are that the restaurant in question was Prime Social. I was there on Friday night! I think, and correct me if I am wrong, that makes me best friends with them now. I kid, and it is all fun. At the end of it, regardless of what happens, it was a good thing she was at the game because the announcers had nothing else to talk about. And, it looks like we can all wave goodbye to her as she was spotted leaving.
Taylor Swift spotted leaving Kansas City solo 2 days after attending Travis Kelce’s Chiefs game https://t.co/z1ArjTCz3X pic.twitter.com/HjbJvs1uf9
— Page Six (@PageSix) September 27, 2023
I suspect next week will not bring much excitement for Chiefs Kingdom. The Jets are (God only knows why) sticking with Zach Wilson as their quarterback. Look, last week I asked for a no-stress game and got it. I think I might get one again this week. This is certainly a snooze fest and why must the football gods continue to prevent the Rodgers-Mahomes dual we so desperately want? I suppose we must wait yet again. Until next week Chiefs Kingdom.
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