Success in the form of a 1-0 start to their 2021 campaign has the Kansas City Chiefs in great shape heading into their Week 2 matchup in Baltimore. Big contributions from a cast of elite offensive talent made the difference in their win against Cleveland on Sunday. All indications are that the team is still just scratching the surface of what they’re truly capable of.
Between the offense and defense, there remains room for needed improvement to reach another Super Bowl in February. They didn’t play their best four quarters of football against the Browns, but the Chiefs seem to know that their performance left something on the table despite the outcome.
One player that did his level best in the week one win was Tyreek Hill. A monstrous performance from Hill was perhaps the biggest difference in the game against Cleveland, as he registered 11 catches for 197 yards and a touchdown to put Kansas City over the top. His only score came on a 75-yard bomb from Patrick Mahomes that totally shifted the momentum of the matchup in favor of Kansas City.
In comments to the media after the win, Hill extrapolated on the game-breaking play, telling reporters that Mahomes poked fun at his short stature that enabled him to gain separation for the catch.
“It is Patrick Mahomes being Patrick Mahomes,” Hill said of the throw. “What’s crazy is, I was in the locker room and he said, ‘I didn’t even see you; I just saw your little hands.’ I was like bro, come on man, but I was able to make a play for the team when he gave me the ball.”
Asked about what enables him to have huge performances like his showing against the Browns, Hill explained that he feels he still has a lot to prove, and has no intention of letting up in pursuit of greatness.
“I don’t know man,” He started. “I’ve just got a lot of pride in this game. I feel like each and every day, I come out here to prove myself and every time I get on Twitter people are doubting me because of how fast I am. I just want to retire my mom. That’s what drives me to just come out here, work hard and just be the best, my mom, my family, everything in general.”
That motivation is part of a broader hunger the Chiefs have to get back to the Super Bowl. Sunday’s win seems to have been something of a wake-up call for Kansas City, given the close finish and need for late-game dramatics to pull ahead of the Browns in the fourth quarter.
Hill told reporters that the whole team is pulling in the same direction following the close win, with a commitment to improvement before getting into the meat of their schedule.
“We always get better,” Hill said, “I know everybody in that locker room is going to take that same approach, whether it’s Pat [Mahomes], myself, whether it’s [Travis] Kelce, Chris Jones. Everyone’s going to take that approach and get better each and every week, so that’s what makes this team so great because everybody wants to be better, holding each other accountable and we’re going to the ‘ship.”
His words are not to be taken lightly, as the Chiefs are certainly aware of exactly how capable the talent on their roster is. With some determination and commitment to consistent improvement, Kansas City could become one of the very few teams to ever make three consecutive Super Bowls. Hill’s contributions along with Mahomes, Kelce, and the defense at large will be crucial in their efforts. The Week 1 win was a good start at that, even if their performance wasn’t ideal for the full 60 minutes.
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