CLEVELAND Dustin Colquitt has a lot of time on his hands. You probably know this. He has been with the Chiefs longer than anyone else on the roster or coaching staff, and a historically efficient offense means his punting skills have never been less necessary. So, he has time.
And one thing hes noticed, its the darnedest thing. Subtle and sort of high school-ish, but as much as anything it might explain why the guy with more experience than anyone else believes this is the Chiefs best chance at a Super Bowl since in his 14 years.
This is the first time Ive watched whatever side of the ball isnt on the field, after they do all their checks and whatever they do on the sideline, theyre watching whats going on on the field, Colquitt said. Usually its a split thing, but now everybodys together.
The Chiefs beat the Browns 37-21 here on Sunday. It was, in most ways, an accurate one-game assessment of who the Chiefs are: Patrick Mahomes was spectacular, Kareem Hunt brutal to tackle, Travis Kelce impossible to cover, and the defense good enough.
The Browns are a mess right now, even by Browns standards. But aside from accumulating too many penalties, the Chiefs were good enough to beat most anyone on Sunday. They are in the softest spot of their schedule, with the Cardinals coming to Arrowhead next week before one of the leagues most anticipated games of the season: against the Rams in Mexico City on Monday, Nov. 19.
The Chiefs are in an envied spot. They are the Super Bowl favorites, according to some metrics, and they are about to improve a source close to the team said Justin Houston will likely play against the Cardinals, at least on a pitch count, with the idea of getting him to full strength for the Rams game. Additionally, the hope is that Eric Berry will return sometime this month.
This is one of the leagues top teams and its about to get even better. It is often said that Super Bowl teams get hot at the right time, but what about a team that has essentially been hot all season?
The Chiefs could be more about maintenance than anything else.
Last year, we learned the importance of practicing fast, right tackle Mitchell Schwartz said. If you go out there and youre practicing and youre not simulating game movements as close to game speed as possible, when you get out there then everything is faster and faster. So, understanding the importance of that.
Its a point Schwartz made several times a year ago when asked about that roller-coaster regular season of 2017 a 5-0 start, 1-6 slump, and 4-0 finish. Chiefs coach Andy Reid references practice speed often, too, and if nothing else it provides a level of confidence and comfort that the chaos of a game day wont overwhelm.
But this is, for the most part, a group thats trying together to do what none of them have accomplished individually.
Comparisons across sports can be a little clumsy, but its worth noting that the Royals rise was marked in large part by the 2013 trade for James Shields (made, coincidentally, the same day as the Chiefs most recent game in Cleveland).
Shields had pitched to and in the World Series and was brought in as a spirit guide as well as a workhorse starting pitcher. Later, in 2014, the Royals brought in Raul Ibanez as something of a swagger coach. There are a million other factors that went into the Royals two World Series appearances, but those are two. You know how that ended.
The Chiefs dont really have anyone like that. Reid, somewhat famously, lost the only Super Bowl he has reached in 20 years as an NFL head coach (though he did win as an assistant in Green Bay).
This is a young roster, and most of the veterans have spent their careers with the Chiefs. Their playoff experience is more about what not to do.
