KC Chiefs Trail Just One AFC Team in Latest ESPN Power Rankings
After dropping their first game of the 2023 regular season, the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves winners of two in a row and are sitting atop the AFC West early in the year.
Because the rest of the division has stumbled out of the gate even worse, Andy Reid's bunch has a full-game lead over the next closest teams (Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers, both 1-2) and a two-win advantage over the winless Denver Broncos. Following dominant defensive performances against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears, the reigning Super Bowl champions are rounding back into form a bit.
League power rankings are taking notice, and ESPN still holds the Chiefs in high regard. In the outlet's Week 4 NFL power rankings, Kansas City rises from fifth to fourth. Trailing only the undefeated Miami Dolphins in the AFC, the power rankings argue that the Chiefs' biggest issue on offense is dropped passes. Here's more:
The Chiefs have dropped 5.3% of their passes, which is tied for the sixth-worst rate in the league. Many of their drops came in the season opener against the Lions and were a major reason for the Chiefs' only defeat. Most harmful was the easily catchable pass that Kadarius Toney deflected to Lions safety Brian Branch, who returned it for a touchdown. Had Toney caught that pass, the Chiefs would most likely be undefeated today. -- Adam Teicher
With such a close final outcome in the home opener against Detroit, even one fewer drop in the game might have changed things in a significant way. The Chiefs' offense struggled with execution again in the Jaguars game, although Week 3 saw an outright explosion with three passing touchdowns from Patrick Mahomes and a pair of scores from his running backs. The Bears' defense was no match for what Reid unleashed on them last Sunday.
ESPN's top three teams in this edition of its power rankings are the only undefeated teams in the NFL: the San Francisco 49ers, the Dolphins and the Philadelphia Eagles. If one of those clubs falters this weekend and the Chiefs can send another statement with a big win over the New York Jets on Sunday, next week could see Reid, Mahomes and company climb into the podium of winners.
