The Kansas City Chiefs were back on the field in Week 9 after recharging during the bye in the week prior.
It wasn’t the blowout that many expected it to be, but the Chiefs found a way to win against the Tennessee Titans in Week 10. Most pundits recognize that those ugly wins are the mark of a good football team as opposed to the blowouts. With the Buffalo Bills dropping a game to the New York Jets in Week 9, there was some positive movement in some power rankings for Kansas City after several weeks at the same spot.
Here is a look at where pundits are ranking the Chiefs and what they’re saying about them with Week 9 of the 2022 NFL season behind us:
USA TODAY
Ranking: 3
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Nate Davis
Author’s take:
A historic Sunday night for QB Patrick Mahomes, who became the first player in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to pass for at least 400 yards and rush for 60 in the same game. He also tied Hall of Famer Peyton Manning with the second five-game winning streak of his career in which his team trailed at halftime in every outing.
The Ringer
Ranking: 3
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Austin Gayle
Author’s take:
Patrick Mahomes single-handedly makes the Chiefs a juggernaut. He replaced Josh Allen as the favorite to win MVP (+185) after Sunday’s win over the Titans, and enters Week 10 leading a Chiefs offense that’s leading the NFL in expected points added per drive—and the gap between Kansas City and the no. 2 Bills is the same as the Bills’ lead over the no. 18 Bears. Mahomes is the standard; every other quarterback is looking up at him right now.
The Athletic
Ranking: 3
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Bo Wulf
Note: The author wrote about hypothetical trades he would have made at the deadline.
Author’s take:
A lot of options for another busy trading team. Patriots rookie fourth-round cornerback Jack Jones might already be better than Trent McDuffie, whom the Chiefs moved up to draft while also surrendering the picks that turned into Cole Strange and Matt Corral. Jordan Mailata would represent an upgrade at tackle over Andrew Wylie. Tyreek Hill is having the most productive stretch of his career, but that seems like the one major offseason wide receiver trade in which there’s no seller’s remorse. Instead, the opportunity to pair the two best tight ends in the league together is too enticing for Andy Reid to ignore.
NFL.com
Ranking: 3
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Dan Hanzus
Author’s take:
How maddening must it be to try to stop Patrick Mahomes? The superstar quarterback struggled to find consistency in the passing game on Sunday night against the Titans, so he used his legs on the fourth-quarter drive that forced overtime in the eventual 20-17 win. Scrambling has always been an underrated element of Mahomes’ game, and it killed Tennessee in what was an otherwise sterling effort by Mike Vrabel’s defense. One offensive subplot to track in Kansas City: Clyde Edwards-Helaire was on the field for just 17 percent of the snaps in the Chiefs’ first game out of the bye. This might be Jerick McKinnon’s backfield to lead going forward.
Bleacher Report
Ranking: 2
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Gary Davenport, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski
Author’s take:
Heading into Sunday night’s meeting with the Titans, Andy Reid was 20-3 coming out of the bye week. He was, however, just 2-9 against the Titans.
Something had to give.
It didn’t come easy. But thanks to 446 passing yards and 63 rushing yards from Patrick Mahomes that included another game-winning drive in overtime, the Chiefs came back to defeat a game Titans squad to move to 6-2 on the season.
ESPN
Ranking: 2
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Adam Teicher
Author’s take:
The Chiefs might have been in some trouble if they didn’t have Kelce, who is on pace for 121 catches, 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns. The receptions and scores would be career highs, and the yards would be within 16 of tying a career high. With a group of receivers that is otherwise mostly new, Patrick Mahomes needed a pass-catcher he could count on, and Kelce has delivered week after week in a big way.
Sports Illustrated
Ranking: 3
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: The MMQB Staff
Author’s take:
The Chiefs lost the most anticipated game of the regular season, falling to the Bills in Week 6, but Patrick Mahomes is still magic and they are still the team to beat in the division we all expected to be the NFL’s best.
CBS Sports
Ranking: 2
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Pete Prisco
Author’s take:
They didn’t look great in beating the Titans, who were playing without Ryan Tannehill. But they found a way, which is a sign of a good team.
Pro Football Talk
Ranking: 3
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Mike Florio
Author’s take:
They’re lucky they didn’t fall after a lackluster performance against a team starting an overmatched rookie quarterback.
