Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t start out 2023 as well as they would have liked. But although the Chiefs lost their first game to the Detroit Lions, it was only by a single point, 21-20, and it came without defensive end Chris Jones and tight-end Travis Kelce. Check out an NFL Betting Man 2023 profile and offense and defense analysis of the defending Super Bowl Champions.
Kansas City Chiefs
- First Season: 1960
- Home Field: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
2023 KC Chiefs Profile
Head Coach
Andy Reid
Offense Starters
- QB – Patrick Mahomes
- RB – Isaiah Pacheco
- WR – Kadarius Toney
- WR – Marques Valdez-Scantling
- WR – Skyy Moore
- TE – Travis Kelce
- LT – Donovan Smith
- LG – Joe Thuney
- C – Creed Humphrey
- RG – Trey Smith
- RT – Jawaan Taylor
KC Offense Analysis
Patrick Mahomes is great, but Mahomes requires a healthy Travis Kelce to get it done. Patrick didn’t get that in the loss to the Detroit Lions.
Kelce is listed as questionable in NFL Week 2. If Travis plays, the Chiefs will have a better shot of beating the Jacksonville Jaguars. But if he doesn’t, KC could start the season 0-2.
The problem with the offense is that there is no option 2 in the passing attack. Kadarius Toney had a key missed catch, Mahomes sent the ball directly into his hands, that the Lions ran back for a pick 6.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Toney, and Skyy Moore aren’t WR1’s. So Mahomes will deal with dropped balls all season long.
The offensive line played okay. However, the rushing attack couldn’t do much versus one of the worst defenses from last season. Also, Eric Bienemy isn’t calling the plays this season. So the KC offense has the look of a unit that will take a major backward step.
Defense Starters
- LDE – George Karlaftis
- LDT – Derrick Nnadi
- RDT – Tershawn Wharton
- RDE – Chris Jones
- WLB – Willie Gay
- MLB – Jack Cochrane
- SLB – Leo Chanel
- LCB – Trent McDuffie
- SS – Kustin Reid
- FS – Bryan Cook
- RCB – Jaylen Watson
KC Defense Analysis
In week 1, the Kansas City defense faced one of the best offenses in the NFL. It stood up and played great, yielding just 14 points. One thing that is worrisome heading into NFL Week 2 and beyond is how many rushing yards the Chiefs allowed.
Detroit appeared to be rushing the ball by design. The last thing the Lions wanted was to get into a shootout with Magic Mahomes and the Chiefs. So Detroit called 34 rushing plays that yielded 118 yards.
The yards per carry wasn’t great, 3.47, but that also could have been designed by Detroit. Small rushing plays, a few yards here, a few yards there, eat up clock. The Lions controlled possession 32 minutes and 38 seconds to KC’s 27 minutes and 22 seconds. The extra five minutes could have made the difference.
Mahomes and KC’s offense can do a lot in 5 minutes. Kansas City resigned Chris Jones because they fave plenty of talented quarterbacks and require a defensive end to get to players like Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, Russell Wilson, Josh Allen, etc.
There is a chance the defense gels and becomes one of the better units in the AFC. Pay attention to the NFL Week 2 game versus Jacksonville for more clues.
2023 Kansas City Schedule
- Week 1 vs Detroit Lions – L 21-20
- Week 2 at Jacksonville Jaguars
- Week 3 vs Chicago Bears
- Week 4 at New York Jets
- Week 5 at Minnesota Vikings
- Week 6 vs Denver Broncos
- Week 7 vs Los Angeles Chargers
- Week 8 at Denver Broncos
- Week 9 vs Miami Dolphins
- Week 10 Bye
- Week 11 vs Philadelphia Eagles
- Week 12 at Las Vegas Raiders
- Week 13 at Green Bay Packers
- Week 14 vs Buffalo Bills
- Week 15 at New England Patriots
- Week 16 vs Las Vegas Raiders
- Week 17 vs Cincinnati Bengals
- Week 18 at Los Angeles Chargers
2023 Kansas City Chiefs Prediction
It’s too early to call the Kansas City Chiefs’ season a disaster. KC can get past losing to the Detroit Lions. The issue, though, is that the AFC West is suddenly the best overall division in pro football.
The Vegas Raiders showed what happens when you sign a quarterback that understands your system. Vegas upset Sean Payton, Russell Wilson, and the Denver Broncos in NFL Week 1.
The Los Angeles Chargers are a legit Super Bowl contender. Cincinnati almost always beats Kansas City and that game is late in the season. So the Bengals will be much better by then they have been.
Philadelphia is on the schedule. So is Miami. We must assume the Chiefs lose at least one of those games. Beating both Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts in the same season is difficult. The New England Patriots are also on the schedule.
Jacksonville is in NFL Week 2. Kansas City should beat one of those teams, but it’s difficult seeing them beat both the Jaguars and the Patriots on the road. There’s a chance KC loses both.
Unless Andy Reid figures out the receiver situation outside of Travis Kelce, there’s a chance the Chiefs go 10-7 or 9-8 this season.