Midseason Breakdown
Halfway through the season the Chiefs are sitting on top of the NFL.. but they’re not done yet.
The Chiefs head into their midseason bye week leading the AFC West and one of the top dogs of the entire AFC. Despite the hot start, Brett Veach and Co continue to seek improvements for the team. As the NFL trade deadline approaches, the moves have begun.
Early Thursday afternoon the Chiefs traded with the New York Giants to get wide receiver Kadarius Toney. They sent their third round compensatory pick, they received from Ryan Poles getting the GM job in Chicago and their sixth round pick for 2023 NFL draft.
Coming out of college, Toney was targeted for his speed, change of direction and overall athleticism. His skill set has transitioned well into the NFL however he has been plagued by injury in his short career.
He has missed 12 weeks due to injuries. He has had multiple hamstring injuries, quad strains, a knee tear that required offseason surgery, ankle among other issues.
The Chiefs have shown some issues on the defensive line. The Chiefs could use some help to get more pressure on the opposing quarterback.
There are some teams that will be rebuilding and have depth on the defensive line. The Washington Commanders is one team that comes to mind. They have spent a lot of draft capital to have a top tier defensive line. Guys like Daron Payne, Casey Toohill, Montez Sweat, Shaka Toney are all young guys still on rookie contracts. If the team is partying way with any of those guys the Chiefs have an opportunity to make a move.
At the midway point of the season the Chiefs offense has not missed a beat. Without Tyreek Hill have shown to still be able to move the ball effectively. Patrick Mahomes is first in the NFL in passing attempts that travel more than 20 yards.
One of the most impressive stats that the Chiefs offense has is Mahomes touchdown 7.6% on passing attempts. Allen is half a percent behind him and Lamar Jackson is 1.2% behind. This Chiefs offense has put together a great run of games.
The Chiefs offense has continually put Travis Kelce directly into the spotlight on how good he truly can be. Next Gen Stats has Kelce not only leading tight ends in the NFL in touchdowns but actually leads all receivers.
After the bye week the Chiefs have a much easier schedule for the rest of the year. The first week back they face the Tennessee Titans. Between roster improvements and an easier schedule, the Chiefs will likely fly through the back half of the season. This will hopefully build momentum through to the playoffs.
