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Winners and Losers from Week 7

Return of the Jet!

Hard Vs Lac
(Photo by: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The defending champion Chiefs are back! The Chiefs had a tough first half where it appeared to be a shootout but in the end, the Chiefs got it together and pulled out the 31-17 win over their divisional rival, Los Angeles Chargers with another appearance made again by Taylor Swift, The 12-time Grammy Award winner came to see her boyfriend, All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce at Arrowhead Stadium. Not only did Mahomes’ 400+ yard performance spark the team’s win but it was the return of Chiefs speedy receiver/return specialist Mecole Hardman that opened the gates to finish on the strong note from yesterday. The Chiefs went to work and played team ball to win. There were winners and losers that captured my attention. With that being said, here are the winners and losers from Week 7.

Winners

Patrick Mahomes, QB, #15:

MVPat played like the MVP that we know him to be. After recording his 5th career game with 400 yards and 4+ TDs (tied for third-most EVER), Patrick Mahomes’ historic performance against the Chargers gave him a commanding lead in the MVP race over Dolphins’ QB Tua Tagovailoa. Mahomes completed 32 of 42 passes for 424 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception while adding 29 yards on 4 carries in the Chiefs’ 31-17 win over the Chargers on Sunday. Mahomes was particularly lethal in the first half when he led the Chiefs to 24 points while recording scoring tosses to Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Rashee Rice, and Travis Kelce of 46, six and one yards, respectively. Mahomes’ and Kelce’s connection was the story of the game, as the prolific signal-caller hit All-Pro tight end on 12 catches for 179 yards. Mahomes’ yardage total was a season-high, and he now has five multi-touchdown efforts in his first seven games heading into a Week 8 road trip to Denver.

Travis Kelce, TE, #87:

The Kelcies and Swifts are out again. Taylor Swift hanging with the Mahomes family and watching her man go off was amazing to watch and this was because Kelce proved that even at Age 34, Age is nothing but a number. Kelce secured 12 of 13 targets for 179 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs’ 31-17 win over the Chargers on Sunday. Kelce led the Chiefs in receptions, receiving yards, and targets on the afternoon by a wide margin, with his 142 receiving-yardage total over the first two quarters also serving as his career high for a half. Kelce has also now eclipsed the 100-yard mark in consecutive games for the first time in 2023 heading into a Week 8 road divisional clash with the Broncos. 

Mecole Hardman, WR/RS, #12:

He’s back. New Number but the same speed and clutch ability that mattered the most. Hardman had his struggles early on a 3rd and 12 in the second quarter, he couldn’t haul in a deep pass, which resulted in an interception by Asante Samuel Jr., but in crunch time in the 4th quarter, Hardman turned all the way up. With 6:32 left in the game, Hardman returned a punt for 50 yards against the Chargers that gave the Chiefs a short field at the opposing 35-yard line and, six plays later, Mahomes hit Pacheco out of the backfield for the touchdown that put the game away. Hardman’s presence was a much-needed spark that the offense needed to stretch the field going forward.

Charles Omenihu, DE, #90:

Charles Omenihu made his debut, following a six-game suspension and didn’t disappoint. The Chiefs lined up Omenihu all over the field, playing him extensively as an edge rusher on both sides of the line and also on the interior. Lining up next to All-Pro Chris Jones, Omenihu was blocked by Will Clapp but separated from him to bat down Justin Herbert’s pass, leading to a game-changing interception by L’Jarius Sneed in the 3rd quarter.

The versatile Omenihu lined up at defensive end on a 2nd and 10 near the end of the second quarter and beat Trey Pipkins III for a sack, which Omenihu called the happiest moment of his career during postgame. Omenihu finished with a sack, a tackle for loss, two quarterback hits, and that batted pass that led to Sneed’s pick. 

Losers

Justin Herbert, Chargers QB, #10:

Sure, the Chargers’ defense allowing 424 yards and four touchdowns to Mahomes doesn’t help matters, but the Chargers had chances to force overtime. Their offense simply couldn’t execute in the second half with Herbert throwing two picks, one tipped 8 yards away from scoring, and needing to punt three times. Herbert couldn’t quite go toe to toe with Mahomes, throwing for 259 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. It’s not even close.

Joshua Williams, CB, #2:

Joshua Williams has been playing on an elite level at corner during Week 15 of last season going without allowing a TD from that time but that ended yesterday when the Chargers when Herbert connected with Gerald Everett on a 7-yard touchdown pass against Williams and even since Jaylen Watson had played more of the reps than Williams. Williams will be fine but the consistency has to return.

 

That play call by Steve Spagnuolo that led to Josh Palmer’s 60-yard play:

Chiefs’ defensive coordinator and the defense dominated yesterday. The Kansas City defense did its part, sacking Justin Herbert five times and forcing two interceptions. However, there was one play that could have made things different and that was early in the 2nd quarter when Justin Herbert connected with Josh Palmer on a 60-yard pass with safety Bryan Cook alone on an island with him. Cook is a safety, not a slot corner. He was aligned as a safety but in the form of a slot corner with no help from Justin Reid. That also isn’t Reid’s fault but more on Spags for calling the forming not expecting them to recognize the zone spots where the Chargers attacked. Cook made the touchdown-saving tackle but we can’t allow big plays like that to happen again, especially in the most crucial situations like yesterday.

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