SPORTS WRITER JOSE FAUS
It was a warning. Sunday’s game, especially the first half, between the heavily favored Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins had scents of, “oh no,” and “oh yeah,” with “hmms” spread around. Maybe it was the start time of the game. Noon just seems a sacrilegious time to start a game. Not for any religious considerations more like sleep requirements.
Kansas City took their opening possession and cut through the reeling Dolphins’ defense like a knife through butter. It looked easy. Too easy, but just right. A rejuvenated Travis Kelce highlighted the first swipe with a 40-yard plus reception slicing into the middle of the field. This was an efficient and ruthlessly quick scoring drive reminiscent of so many of quarterback Patrick Mahomes play repertoire.
On the Dolphins’ possession the Kansas City defense reminded us why it is too early to make reservations to wherever the Superbowl will be this year. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be making plans and saving money for a post season extravaganza. Not predicting just saying in the immortal words of Tom Leher “be prepared, be prepared.”
The defense hiccupped on the possession. It was a brutal slap to the face, the sort that wipes silly shouts of “We are number one,” off your lips. The same old suspects showed up a mediocre pass rush somehow got invited to the dance and hung around till the very end when it unceremoniously got the boot from an exhausted Cris Jones but that’s for the end of this report.
Madame Penalties showed up again in her diva regalia extending the drive at key points, and the secondary complimented the faltering defensive line by giving up some easy yards to an offense missing some key players. Just like that it was a tied game 7-7 and I’m thinking this looks familiar, but it’s ok. It’s just the beginning.
The offense takes to the field and starts a strong drive with a nice mix of plays. How sharp does a running game make an offense? The knife is cutting but this time the business end is less fillet and more surgical cuts. The defense has been softened by the blows from the first drive. A smattering of swipes and the Chiefs take the lead 14-7. One could be forgiven if at this point you are expecting a filleting of the Dolphins.
The Chiefs held the Dolphins on the ensuing possession and began a promising drive that took them just shy of Miami’s ten-yard line. Right there it looked like the sure thing was in order. Give the ball to K-Nine and just kick back and start adding up the eventual points. But damn if the edge didn’t go off the knife. It couldn’t even cut melted butter. It was hot on the field and K-Nine melted to a halt. The Chiefs gave up the ball on downs.
The defense goes into the familiar, bend but don’t break mode. The Dolphins, who have already begun to amass a time of possession advantage they’ll hold till the end of the game, are moving the ball. You start to get a little nervous, but this is a new season. Then the defense does that thing it does that makes you religious. It gets a turnover. A nice punch on the ball from behind by L’Jarius Sneed leads to a fumble recovery. With under three minutes to go in the half, the Chiefs look to make some hay. Oh yeah.
It’s been a little shaky, but the defense has only given up seven pints. It’s even had some clutch moments though this is not the greatest offense in the world either. The rout that’s been hinted at is looming despite everything. The math is simple, a turnover equals points. Sometimes the points don’t come where you want them.
The play happens in slow motion. The pass sails from Mahomes hand straight to a backpedaling and falling Rashee Rice. The ball skips off his hands and hangs long enough in the air to be intercepted by a diving Miami linebacker. In that instant faith goes out the window and divinity is your enemy. The only saving grace is the team across from the Chiefs. The Dolphins somehow manage to get no points. The half ends 14-7.
At that point there was an uneasiness, the familiar kind that hung in the air during many of the one score games the Chiefs lost last year. The offense, though efficient, strangely enough felt a little off. It’s hard to explain but maybe it was projection on my part. The remaining trauma from last year’s season. All the signs were there for a collapse. A motivated team punching above their weight, a team with a chip on its shoulder, trying to impress the doubters.
It wasn’t pretty but in the second half Kansas City took control and secured the win. Illustrative of the effort was the final defensive play when an exhausted Cris Jones, in a desperate leap that barely lifted him off the ground managed to extend his frame enough to bat Malik Willis’ pass into the air where a hungry and equally exhausted George Karlaftis snagged the ball for the first interception of his career. Final score 24-10.
A win is a win. Take them when you can because there are some games on the schedule that are going to take it to the edge. Next up the undefeated and first place Las Vegas Raiders. Just those words tell you how surreal the season is going to be for Kansas City in one of the weirdest seasons to date. Maybe it’s a good time to kick the wheels on the bandwagon just a little.
