At the beginning of every NFL season, most sportswriters who work in mainstream sports media typically have the previous Super Bowl Champion as the team that holds the top spot in their Week One NFL Power Rankings. By default, that would mean the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should be the undisputed top-dog of the league.
However, some around the football landscape can’t shake just how good the Kansas City Chiefs, who lost to Tampa Bay in Super Bowl 55, have improved over the off-season. While others still have Kansas City a back seat.
ESPN: #1
Person on the hot seat: WR Mecole Hardman
“The Chiefs showed a lot of faith in the third-year player, declining to bring in a veteran receiver or draft one in an early round to replace Sammy Watkins. Hardman is first in line to replace Watkins and needs to justify that faith. If he doesn’t respond with a consistent season, one without all the highs and lows of the past two seasons, look for the Chiefs to acquire a receiver next year to join Tyreek Hill as a regular.”
— Adam Teicher
Sports Illustrated: #1
“The Chiefs start in the top spot despite losing last year’s Super Bowl. But they have been to the big game two years in a row and are the betting favorites to win it again. They will probably be the preseason No. 1 many more times in the Patrick Mahomes era.”
Yahoo Sports: #1
“The Chiefs’ rebuilt offensive line looked very good by the end of the preseason. If the line is one of the NFL’s 10 best, how do you stop this offense?”
— Frank Schwab
NFL.com: #2
“Andy Reid is old school, and so it was that Patrick Mahomes was one of the few established starting quarterbacks in the league to see extended preseason action. Mahomes came out of the game’s healthy (phew), and the re-made offensive line passed its initial test. Mahomes wasn’t sacked once in three games, and the new group — made up of left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., left guard Joe Thuney, rookie center Creed Humphrey, rookie right guard Trey Smith, and first-year right tackle Lucas Niang — delivered its best performance in the final tune-up against the Vikings. Said Mahomes: “I think they’ve had an amazing preseason.”
— Dan Hanzus
The Sporting News: #2
“With a healthy Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs always will have a floor that is close to the ceiling of the league. They have made some offensive changes with the line and a few skill players to give Mahomes a different kind of support. The defense still has enough complementary playmakers to make Kansas City a heavy favorite for three consecutive AFC crowns.”
— Vinnie Iyer
USA Today: #2
“Their revamped offensive line projects to have three players (rookie C Creed Humphrey, RG Trey Smith, and RT Lucas Niang) who have combined for zero NFL starts. Could be a rough beginning for a team that will see Myles Garrett, Calais Campbell, and Joey Bosa in September.”
— Nate Davis
The Washington Post: #2
“The Chiefs overhauled the offensive line that, while in a depleted state, failed to safeguard Patrick Mahomes during the Super Bowl defeat to the Buccaneers. The Chiefs have reached three straight AFC title games and the past two Super Bowls, and there is no reason to believe they can’t keep their run of success going.”
— Mark Maske
Bleacher Report: #2
Week 1: vs. Cleveland
“The Kansas City Chiefs enter the 2021 season with a clear goal: advance to the Super Bowl for the third year in a row and win a second championship over that span.
There’s a reason why the Chiefs are the clear favorites in the AFC. Several of them, in fact. The Chiefs offense is loaded with talent and led by a generational talent at quarterback in Patrick Mahomes. The Kansas City defense isn’t as potent as the offense, but it has some impact players in defensive tackle Chris Jones and safety Tyrann Mathieu.
The biggest unanswered question for the Chiefs is how a rebuilt offensive line that struggled in a big way in Super Bowl LV will fare. If the preseason is any indication, that line will be markedly improved in 2021. And that makes Kansas City a very dangerous team.
That line will have to be ready right out of the gate. On Sunday, the Chiefs open the season against Jadeveon Clowney, Myles Garrett, and the Cleveland Browns.”
NBCSports.com: #2
“The Chiefs have won the AFC back-to-back years and it’s difficult to envision a team ending that streak in 2021 unless quarterback Patrick Mahomes battles injury. This offense is the most explosive in the league, led by the best quarterback, an elite wide receiver in Tyreek Hill, and a great tight end in Travis Kelce. The only real concern for the Chiefs is their defense. This unit did not look good against Tom Brady’s Buccaneers offense in Super Bowl LV. Luckily for Chiefs, their offense will put up enough points against most opponents to make up for the team’s defensive issues.”
CBSSports.com: #3
“The rebuilt offensive line should make the offense get back to scoring points in a big way with Patrick Mahomes lighting it up. There are some concerns about the defense that has to improve.”
— Pete Prisco
