Intro: A new idea I had in order to help me go through the NFL team’s rosters and examine all the personnel and coaching changes, etc., one-by-one. I’m going to look at two teams head-to-head in seven key categories (my bias on what is ‘key’). The team that gets my vote in each category gets a ‘win’…the first team to 4 wins moves on to the next round. Just a quick, hopefully fun, way to take the temperature of each team heading into the 2023 preseason.
The seven categories…it’s actually six because one category is so important that it’s worth double:
1-2) The quarterbacks comparison…the winner of this gets 2 wins, or if too close to call it could be a 1-1 split.
3) O-Line -- Judging which team has the better O-Line…the most critical aspect of a team after the QB.
4) Cornerbacks -- After O-Line, I think the most critical position is shutdown corners (or not having any).
5) Head Coach/Organization -- A battle of which coaches will get in the way less, to some degree but also an edge given to teams that will attract free agents or be a desired destination in trades…and what teams are filling the stadium for home games, etc. Everything rolled into one judgment call.
6) Offensive Weapons -- Which team has the better, scarier RB-WR-TE group.
7) Kicker -- If it comes down to #7, of course the kicker should make the determination...as the kicker often determines the winner of a 59+ minute war prior with a last second make/miss.
As we lead into each category and tap a winner -- I’m also listing the major add/loss for each team in the offseason so far, just to eyeball it as a list.
Is this a brilliant way to judge teams over another? Who knows! But it struck me as something fun to do while studying each team this preseason, after the majority of offseason moves have been made.
KC major adds: OT J. Taylor, DE Omenihu, DE Anudike-Uzomah, WR R. Rice, OT W. Morris, PT Donv. Smith, LB Tranquill, SAF M. Edwards
KC major losses: OT O. Brown, WR JuJu, OT Wylie, SAF Thornhill, DT K. Sanders
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LAC major adds: LB Kendricks, WR Q. Johnston, LB Tuipulotu, LB Henley
LAC major losses: LB Tranquill
QB (2x): This should be a much tougher decision but Justin Herbert, for all his immense talents, is being held back from the next step to elite-ness by his terrible coaching staff. Maybe the boy wonder/new O-C will get out his way or unlock something -- but Mahomes is who you want to try and win you the game right now.
KC starts out (2-0).
O-Line: The Chargers have some promise here, but the Chiefs just have the better O-Line all the way around. Advantage KC.
The Chiefs take a commanding (3-0) lead.
CBs: The Chiefs have interesting young CBs who might come into their own, but LAC with Asante Samuel and Michel Davis and IF J.C. Jackson can come back in any form of his prior self…LAC has more secondary firepower. Slight edge to LAC.
KC still holds the lead (3-1).
HC/Organization: The Chiefs are a preferred destination by players looking to win a Super Bowl, so organizationally KC’s riding an advantage getting players as the years progresses or if an emergency need pops up. LAC is a coveted place to play for players wanting to live in California. Real players go to KC…’users’ tend to head to the Chargers.
Ditto the head coaches -- lazy/user players like playing for Brandon Staley because he’s a doormat. Whereas players wanting to win or rehab their career go to KC to be under Andy Reid. No contest -- win to KC.
The Chiefs lock down the contest (4-1).
Weapons: Push at RB…I don’t think Ekeler is all that ultra-special…he’s really good but is a screen pass specialist who gets great touches/touch counts…he’s not winning games by his own dominance. Pacheco-McKinnon combined for 1,700+ total yards and 15 TDs and 70 catches last season -- and they didn’t really become a duo for weeks into the season. WR talent is a lean to LAC. But then Kelce blows away everything. Slight lean to KC overall.
Chiefs now lead (5-1).
Kicker: Cameron Dicker has a nice story in 2022, but he’s a limited distance kicker. Harrison Butker has more experience and range/power. Advantage KC.
KC wraps it up in a blowout (6-1) and moves on to face Jacksonville in the AFC Final Four.
Upcoming Matchups (next round):
MIA v. CIN in the AFC Final Four
JAX v. KC in the AFC Final Four
DAL v. PHI for the NFC East
MIN v. DET for the NFC North
TB v. NO for the NFC South
ARI v. SEA for the NFC West
