For a short time after the Chiefs’ Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions, the sky was falling for some.
That is, until multiple top AFC teams lost their first games as well. Following Week 1, these teams were 0-1, among others: the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Chargers.
All of those teams were expected to be 1-0 by most (or at least by sportsbooks setting betting lines) after Week 1. But with those top teams earning losses, maybe the pressure is off the Chiefs a little bit.
Or is it?
“Not really,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said during Wednesday’s press conference. “You never know what’s going to happen in this league. People lose every week. It’s parity, that’s what this NFL is about, and everybody can beat everybody. You have to come in with the mentality that you’re going to play your best football.
“I thought we lapsed in that this last week, and we were playing a good football team and they beat us. I don’t worry about those other teams around the league because you never know who’s going to be at the top at the end of the year whenever you are trying to find your seeding. You just try to go out there and be the best you can be and stack as many wins as possible.”
The NFL is unexpected, and Week 1 might be the most difficult week of the season to predict. Teams haven’t found their identities yet, many injuries have yet to occur, and several players haven’t had time to grow and break out.
So while the Chiefs, Bengals, and Bills — the consensus top three AFC teams prior to the season’s start — are all winless for now, don’t worry. Those three could easily be back on top by Week 18 (or even by Week 8).