Chiefs remain strong in position despite injuries in 2024

The Arrowhead trustworthy held their collective breath through the fourth quarter of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs extra time victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Evening Soccer. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes couldn’t stroll off the sector beneath his personal energy after flipping a landing go to operating again Samaje Perine and touchdown awkwardly on his injured left ankle.

Mahomes, as he appears to all the time do, conjured up a few of his classic Mahomes magic, returning to the sport to ship the game-winning drive in extra time and elevate the Chiefs to 8-0 on the 2024 season.

Mahomes’ damage scare was simply the following in a protracted line of a season affected by accidents for the Chiefs. It nearly felt palpable that Chiefs’ followers have been simply awaiting the following main damage blow when Mahomes seemed to be in vital ache after the non-contact damage. It has been the season’s storyline, particularly on the offensive facet of the ball, but the Chiefs proceed to beat the accidents and win soccer video games.

The large receiver room has been retooled with the commerce for large receiver Deandre Hopkins— after the losses of Hollywood Brown, Rashee Rice, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore. Damage has additionally introduced the return of operating again Kareem Hunt to the staff following the lack of operating again Isiah Pacheco to a damaged fibula. Followers may by no means have predicted this attributable to how issues ended with Hunt’s first tenure with the Chiefs.

Additional losses on offense embody two tight ends, Jody Fortson and rookie Jared Wiley, whose seasons have concluded attributable to torn ACLs. Lastly, the defensive facet of the ball has not escaped the primary half of the season unscathed, with cornerback Jaylen Watson struggling a damaged fibula and tibia. Defensive finish Charles Omenihu has additionally not returned to play from his torn ACL within the 2023 season.

These main accidents should not issues the Chiefs have needed to cope with in seasons previous. The staff has been extraordinarily lucky by way of accidents through the formation of their dynasty. The staff has undoubtedly handled accidents week to week and losses of gamers for intervals. Each single staff within the NFL offers with this. Nevertheless, the staff has not suffered the staggering quantity of great accidents to key contributors because the Chiefs at present handle.

Conducting the three-peat was by no means going to be simple. Accidents are part of life within the NFL and, traditionally, have been a consider groups not finishing their three-peat. Eight different NFL groups have gained back-to-back Tremendous Bowl championships, and none have accomplished the illustrious three-peat. In lots of circumstances, this is because of damage, whereas in different circumstances, the three-peat was not accomplished attributable to a scarcity of participant or coach continuity.

As an illustration, the newest staff to repeat as Tremendous Bowl champions earlier than the Chiefs was the 2003-2004 New England Patriots. Within the 2005 season, the Patriots misplaced each coordinators to move teaching alternatives. The staff additionally suffered from accidents to main gamers, together with security Rodney Harrison, offensive linemen Matt Mild and Dan Koppen, in addition to linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who suffered a stroke.

The Chiefs have sustained outstanding continuity, particularly among the many teaching workers. Their core group of gamers stays intact from the previous two Tremendous Bowls. They’ve confirmed they’ll beat every staff on the high of the standings. Their greatest problem to repeat as champions once more is overcoming accidents.

Fortuitously, the staff will obtain reinforcements from most of the injured gamers. Pacheco, Brown, Smith-Schuster and Omenihu all can have a chance to return by the postseason. In line with stories, Watson additionally has an opportunity to return, which might bolster the defensive secondary, though his likelihood is extra slim as a result of damage.

It’s a outstanding teaching job by head coach Andy Reid and workers to keep up an unbeaten document, given the state of the roster and the schedule they’ve confronted to this point. With the victory over the Buccaneers, the Chiefs set a franchise document (14) for essentially the most consecutive wins in staff historical past. Including to the historic significance, just one different back-to-back champion (1990 San Francisco 49ers) vying for a three-peat can match the Chiefs’ 8-0 document at this level within the season.

Regardless of the accidents, the Chiefs have adjusted their roster and can have gamers getting back from damage for the playoff push. Beneath the management of Reid and Mahomes, followers can really feel assured within the staff regardless of its struggles on offense. They’re in pretty much as good a place as any staff in NFL historical past to finish the three-peat and prolong the dynasty.