Tag: Joe Thuney

Ravens vs. Chiefs: 7 early storylines to watch in the AFC Championship game

We’re looking at seven early storylines to watch when the Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game

The Kansas City Chiefs travel to Baltimore for the AFC Championship Game to take on the Ravens.  Kickoff at M&T Bank Stadium is slated for 3:00 p.m. ET.

Sunday will mark the Chiefs sixth-consecutive AFC title game appearance, it’s first of the stretch that will be played on the road.

Last Sunday, the Chiefs defeated the Bills in Buffalo 27-24 to advance to the AFC’s final game, while Baltimore is riding high after a 34-10 win over Houston and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.

The last time these two teams met was in 2021 in Week 2.

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had two fourth-quarter rushing Touchdowns to defeat the Chiefs 36-35.

Since becoming Kansas City’s head coach in 2013, Andy Reid has been 4-1 through the regular season against the Ravens, while quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been 3-1.

With preparation for the matchup set to begin, here are seven storylines to watch.

Twitter reacts to Chiefs’ three All-Pro selections, L’Jarius Sneed snub

Users on Twitter shared their thoughts about the #Chiefs’ three All-Pro selections and L’Jarius Sneed’s inexplicable snub on Friday.

The Kansas City Chiefs saw three of their stars selected to the Associated Press 2023 All-Pro team on Friday ahead of the team’s playoff matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

Joe Thuney, Chris Jones, and Trent McDuffie were named to the prestigious list of the league’s top players, accomplishments that are commensurate with the exceptional seasons they put together.

One of Kansas City’s top contributors, veteran cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, was inexplicably absent from the list of the league’s top players, though, and after being snubbed for the Pro Bowl and NFLPA All-Pro teams earlier in January, many fans were left shaking their heads when the awards were announced.

Social media platforms were buzzing after Friday’s AP All-Pro teams were announced, and users in Chiefs Kingdom didn’t hold back about their excitement for Thuney, Jones, and McDuffie, or their consternation about Sneed’s exclusion.

Check out some of the top reactions to the All-Pro selections and snubs from Twitter:

3 Chiefs players earn AP First-Team All-Pro selections for 2023

3 #Chiefs players were named First-Team All-Pro by The Associated Press, which is the NFL’s officially recognized All-Pro selection.

The Associated Press has made its annual All-Pro selections. This is the All-Pro award officially recognized by the National Football League and held with high acclaim for the history books.

Three members of the Kansas City Chiefs were named First-Team All-Pro selections. The San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey, Fred Warner, and the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill received unanimous first-team votes.

Below is a quick recap of the players selected and some information on their All-Pro history:

Chiefs Joe Thuney ended regular season as NFL’s best pass blocking guard

#Chiefs lineman Joe Thuney ended the 2023 regular season as the NFL’s best pass-blocking guard, according to Pro Football Focus.

The play of the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line has been crucial to Patrick Mahomes’ success in recent years, and the efforts of one lineman, in particular, have garnered some serious attention from the experts at Pro Football Focus.

Veteran guard Joe Thuney ended the 2023 regular season with the best pass-blocking grade of any player at his position in the NFL, according to the analytics company.

Thuney’s exceptional prowess up front has been a boon for the Chiefs, and without his presence, Kansas City’s front-five wouldn’t be nearly as dominant.

The savvy that Thuney has shown throughout the Chiefs’ 17 regular season games often goes unnoticed, but with the playoffs just days away, his remarkable talent in the trenches will be on full display to a national audience.

Expect Thuney to have a field day in the Wild Card round of the AFC playoffs as he fends off the Miami Dolphins’ depleted pass rush.

The weirdest Pro Bowl selections and snubs for the 2024 team

The 2024 Pro Bowl teams have been announced, and here are the oddest selections and snubs.

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The Pro Bowl is not a serious endeavor. We know that because at the actual Pro Bowl as it’s played now, there isn’t any actual football — it’s more like Field Day in elementary school. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but when it comes to the voting process — 1-3 from the fans, 1/3 from the coaches, and 1/3 from the players — it’s pretty frivolous. There are lifetime achievement awards which have little to do with the present, regionally-stacked oddities, and face-value selections which, again, have nothing to do with present performance.

Still, players get hefty contract incentives from Pro Bowl selections, so you know that players, agents, and teams take this seriously to a point. Now that the rosters for the 2024 Pro Bowl have been announced, here are the weirdest and worst selections.

Twitter reacts to Chiefs’ five Pro Bowl selections

Twitter shared its thoughts about the #Chiefs’ five Pro Bowl selections when the rosters for each conference were revealed on Wednesday night

The Kansas City Chiefs saw five of their players get selected for the 2024 Pro Bowl on Wednesday night, marking an exceptional achievement for the team ahead of its playoff run later this month.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, center Creed, guard Joe Thuney, and defensive lineman Chris Jones will represent the Chiefs at the exclusive annual event, which will be held in Orlando, Florida in early February.

In a campaign that has been seen as a disappointment by some fans after Kansas City’s marvelous Super Bowl LVII victory, the Chiefs’ five Pro Bowl selections are good for the third-most in the AFC, and proof that the team’s stars still have the same firepower that brought a championship to Western Missouri in 2023.

Users on social media channels posted to the Pro Bowl selections after the voting was finalized, and made their thoughts on the matter clear.

Check out some of the top reactions to Wednesday night’s Pro Bowl roster reveal from Twitter:

5 Chiefs earn spot in 2024 Pro Bowl Games

A total of five #Chiefs players have been selected for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games.

A total of five Kansas City Chiefs players have been selected for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games. The five selections were part of the seven chosen last year to represent the team showing franchise consistency and success.

The familiar names will join a stacked group representing the AFC with tough choices at every position. As usual, the Chiefs hope to send none of these five stars to the Pro Bowl as they hope to return to the Super Bowl for a chance at back-to-back titles. Here are the Chiefs players who have earned the honor of Pro Bowler for the 2023-24 season:

Chiefs OL Joe Thuney is NFL’s third-best pass blocker since Week 12

Veteran lineman Joe Thuney has been one of the NFL’s best pass blockers since Week 12.

Protecting Patrick Mahomes is the primary function of the Kansas City Chiefs offensive line, and one member of the team’s starters up-front has excelled at keeping the reigning MVP clean in the pocket in recent weeks.

Veteran lineman Joe Thuney has been one of the NFL’s best blockers in pass protection since Week 12, earning an 88.2 grade when pass blocking, which ranks as the third-best mark among all offensive linemen over that stretch.

Thuney’s presence in the middle of Kansas City’s line has been a boon for the Chiefs as the team has clawed its way to a nine-win campaign in 2023 through 14 games. His ability to keep the league’s best pass rushers at bay is an underrated asset for Mahomes and Andy Reid, and while he isn’t often mentioned as one of Kansas City’s star players, Thuney is an indispensable part of the Chiefs’ offensive attack.

Expect the veteran guard to have his hands full against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16 when Kansas City plays its bitter divisional rival on Christmas day.

Week 11 picks: Who the experts are taking in Eagles vs. Chiefs

Philadelphia and Kansas City are just days away from a Monday night showdown and we’re looking at who the NFL experts are picking in Eagles vs. Chiefs

After a bye week that should allow both teams a renewed freshness, the Eagles and Chiefs are set for a semi-Super Bowl rematch at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.

The two teams last met on Feb. 12 in Super Bowl LVII.

Kansas City defeated Philadelphia 38-35 in that matchup to earn their third Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. The Chiefs enter Monday’s matchup on top of the AFC with a 7-2 record after defeating the Miami Dolphins 21-14 in Germany on Nov. 5.

Kansas City is looking to lock up an eighth-straight AFC West title.

Philadelphia is 8-1 and on top of the NFC East after a 33-28 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9.

With kickoff fast approaching, we’re looking at who the NFL experts are picking.

Chiefs Joe Thuney is best pass blocking guard in NFL, according to PFF

#Chiefs OL Joe Thuney is the best pass-blocking guard in the NFL, accoring to Pro Football Focus.

The Kansas City Chiefs offensive line has been one of the best units on the team through nine games. Their play has been particularly exceptional on the interior, as evidenced by veteran guard Joe Thuney’s outstanding 81.3 pass-blocking grade, which stands alone as the best among players at his position in the NFL.

Thuney is one of the Chiefs’ highest-paid players and has been worth every penny of Kansas City’s hefty investment in him, even while the team’s offense continues to find its stride through the second part of its 2023 schedule.

Paired with Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey in the middle of the Chiefs’ line, Thuney has a target on his back every week as opposing pass rushers attempt to harass reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes in the pocket.

Fans should expect Thuney to keep up his exceptional run in pass protection when Kansas City plays the Philadelphia Eagles at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 11.