What a difference one week -- and one win -- can make. Just days after being buried (sometimes outside the top 10!) across the internet's Power Rankings, the Chiefs gained some ground after their convincing 12-point win in Philadelphia. Here's what they're saying:
ESPN: #11
The Chiefs have put much emphasis and many hours on the practice field to improve their defense inside the 20-yard line -- which was worst in the league last season -- but things have only gotten worse. The Chiefs have allowed a touchdown in the red zone 79% of the time, which is fifth worst and two percentage points worse than last season. It's the biggest reason the Chiefs are 31st in points allowed.
NFL.com: #8
The Chiefs still have their issues. Their defense was unable to force so much as a single punt against the Eagles. And yet, they have Patrick Mahomes and the brilliant offensive mind of Andy Reid to cover up the blemishes. Kansas City had seven possessions on Sunday; one ended with a Mahomes interception and the rest with the Chiefs celebrating in the end zone.
NBC Sports: #3
The Chiefs earned a much-needed win over the Eagles on Sunday to bounce back from their two consecutive losses. Philadelphia had no answer for Tyreek Hill, who totaled 11 catches for 186 yards and three TDs.
Yahoo! Sports: #7
Not ready to say the Chiefs are back in high gear. The offense always has the ability to win games, but the defense had its issues with the Philadelphia Eagles. If Jalen Hurts tested the defense, what will Josh Allen do? Next: vs. Buffalo Bills.
CBS Sports: #9
That offense we saw in Philadelphia is what we expect to see. But the defense still has major issues and now here comes the Bills for a real test.
Sports Illustrated: #4
The Chiefs rebounded from a two-game losing streak with a feel-good win against Andy Reid's former team. But the defensive struggles persist. The Chiefs rank next-to-last in the league in points allowed, yielding an average of 31.25 per game. That's a hefty burden, even for an offense that has the ability to score with one flick of Patrick Mahomes' wrist.
USA Today: #10
We'll preface the next few: A couple of teams that won might drop a spot. That's simple because just about every team in our top-10 did win (we'll take credit for knowing they were good before it was cool). Starting that off is the Chiefs, who, as usual, looked on fire offensively. QB Patrick Mahomes scored five times, but this red zone defense might have gotten worse.
Bleacher Report: #6
The Chiefs entered Week 4 in last place in the AFC West with no shortage of speculation as to what was "wrong" with the two-time defending conference champions. Based on what we saw from the Chiefs on Sunday in Philadelphia, the short answer on offense is not a thing.
