It's probably a safe bet to assume that the Chiefs are going to spend most the year on top of people's power rankings. It's hard for them to really impress people -- especially during the regular season -- at this point, though Sunday's comeback win over a really talented Cleveland team was about as good a win as the team's had in some time. So how'd it affect their standings in the Power Rankings? Here's what the internet is saying:
ESPN: #1
Trey Smith had a pass block win rate of 100%. His run block win rate of 68.8% was in the middle of the pack for starting guards, but still impressive enough for a sixth-round pick making his first NFL start. At the very least, Smith validated the Chiefs' decision to put him in the starting lineup.
CBS Sports: #2
Patrick Mahomes rallied the Chiefs against the Browns, but the defense has to be better. They got pushed around at times.
Yahoo! Sports: #1
In the second half of last season, the Chiefs kept doing just enough to win. They didn't blow anyone out. It's not a good habit for an elite team to get into. Yet on Sunday, the Chiefs fell behind and had to rally to win. The Browns are good and the Chiefs will get healthier, but it'll be nice to see them dominate some opponents (it probably won't happen at Baltimore in Week 2).
NFL.com: #2
Patrick Mahomes is a football genius. How else can you explain that impossible downfield heave that resulted in Tyreek Hill's 75-yard touchdown in Sunday's comeback win over the Browns? Mahomes is a relentless force, and his greatness covered up for the sins of a defense that couldn't get the Cleveland attack off the field all day (the Browns punted once all game).
Bleacher Report: #2
For most of Sunday's showdown with the Browns in Kansas City, the Chiefs found themselves playing catch-up. They had their hands full with Cleveland's offense and trailed by nine early in the fourth quarter. But Kansas City isn't big on losing. So quarterback Patrick Mahomes found Tyreek Hill on a 75-yard touchdown bomb, the Chiefs notched a pair of fourth-quarter turnovers, and they ultimately escaped with a four-point win.
USA Today: #2
The re-engineered offensive line generally held up well – particularly given three players with zero NFL experience were debuting – as did Kansas City's proclivity to fall into double-digit holes before dramatically climbing out of them.
Sports Illustrated: #3
Patrick Mahomes’s late touchdown to Tyreek Hill is the perfect encapsulation of why the Chiefs are still a favorite to win the AFC. You can play the team perfectly, scheme a game flawlessly and control the clock and the team can still abandon the outer limits of what we thought was athletically possible and blindside you with a gutting backyard football play in the fourth quarter. Until you find a Tyreek Hill to guard Tyreek Hill, you’d better hope a few balls bounce your way.
Washington Post: #2
The Chiefs sent a Week 1 message that they remain the team to beat in the AFC. It wasn’t easy. They faced deficits of 15-3, 22-10 and 29-20 against the Browns. But QB Patrick Mahomes, WR Tyreek Hill and TE Travis Kelce made the plays that needed to be made, just as they almost always seem to do.
