The 2022 NFL regular season finished just as it began in the AFC West. The Chiefs remain on top, no matter how much everyone thought they’d be knocked off. Let’s talk about it.
Stop doubting the Chiefs
Sports media can be a funny business sometimes. Sure, the industry pays to break news, get scoops, report on that same news, and plenty of other things. Then there is the analysis side of the business, where people evaluate a situation. They might have a particular take. Maybe after this NFL season, we can all agree to calm down on the takes. Remember the dog days of summer when everyone was trying to convince themselves that the Chiefs were about to take a step back? Yeah, that was fun. Where did they end up? Back on top as usual. Patrick Mahomes had an MVP caliber year, in which he threw for more yards than ever before, with his highest completion percentage. So much for losing Tyreek Hill being a problem, right? Andy Reid’s team is opting for fancy plays called “Snowglobe,” providing further evidence that the regular season is just for fun. Now they’ll flip a switch, turning it on for a playoff run. Watch out for the Chiefs and do everyone a favor going forward. Stop doubting them.
Can we trust the Chargers?
Welcome to the playoffs, Chargers fans. Last year at this time, we were debating Brandon Staley’s questionable strategy at the end of the Week 18 matchup with the Raiders. The now famous, “tie that wasn’t” game. Staley is nothing if not consistent though, so we have to debate his Week 18 strategy this year. His team, locked into a playoff spot by kickoff, played the starters for three-plus quarters on Sunday, tempting fate for a group that is always seemingly injured. Shockingly enough, Mike Williams left the game with an injury that did not look good, although he should be fine for this upcoming weekend. I really want to trust the Chargers, but we cannot trust the coach. Can they win this week and beyond? Absolutely, but it will be hard to feel confident about them every step of the way.
The Raiders end of an era
A long miserable season has finally come to an end in the desert. There were many meetings between the owner and coach, a longtime quarterback was benched for cost-cutting reasons, injuries derailed a once-promising season, and plenty of games were lost. Somehow that doesn’t even come close to the things the organization went through last year. Progress, indeed. Derek Carr will most likely wear a different uniform for the first time in his career, making for what could be a new-look Raiders group next season.
A glimmer of hope for the Broncos?
For a team that was a disaster from the opening kickoff this season, did the Broncos find something to be hopeful for next year? They fired Nathaniel Hackett, but Russell Wilson started to look a little more like himself in the last couple weeks of the season. Perhaps there was no better indicator than his flick of the wrist to Jerry Jeudy on Sunday, which looked like vintage Wilson. There is still plenty to be concerned about going forward, starting with the next head coach hiring. Although if Wilson and the Denver offense can put it together over a full season, this defense can take care of the rest. For Broncos fans, let’s hope that offensive line reinforcements are on the way, plus a coach that can maximize talent better than Hackett. Still, it’s hard to not be disappointed with a team that had Super Bowl aspirations. They fell short and don’t even have their own first round pick to show for it. Better luck next year.