Week 1 of the NFL season is officially in the books.
The updated power rankings have begun to roll in across the NFL media realm. In most scenarios, the Kansas City Chiefs remain the top-ranked team in the NFL, which includes Touchdown Wire’s recent power rankings. Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar believes the Chiefs rule the roost, closely followed by the Baltimore Ravens. Here’s a look at what he had to say about Kansas City after Week 1:
“Not satisfied with winning a Super Bowl primarily through the air with Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid now has first-round running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (who ran 25 times for 138 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut), and left guard Kelechi Osemele to break open big gaps. The Texans had no answers on opening night in a 34-20 win for the defending champs and their frighteningly complete offense. We suspect the rest of the league will be similarly perplexed. You got next, Chargers.”
The Chiefs’ pass offense had the No. 1 EPA in the NFL this week. They look just as dominant as ever and a league-leading rusher in Clyde Edwards-Helaire now balances the offense out. Farrar hits the nail right on the head with the Texans having no answers for the Kansas City offense. They could hardly slow it down when Andy Reid began calling vanilla plays in the second half.
Equally impressive, but unheralded in Week 1 was the Chiefs’ pass defense. That group had a middle of the pack EPA, despite missing their two starting outside corners for the most of the game. The one area that looked troublesome is the run defense, but it should improve when Mike Pennel returns in Week 3 and when the team feels comfortable starting rookie LB Willie Gay Jr.
The team isn’t without its issues and the players and coaches will be the first to tell you that. However, beating the Chiefs is looking more like an issue of who can keep up with them, rather than who can slow them down.
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