Kansas City Chiefs both lucky and good, says Marc Ross

Are Kansas City Chiefs lucky, good, or a bit of both?

Back to back Super Bowl wins and a 9-0 start to a season they hope ends with an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl, just how good are the Kansas City Chiefs?

Or when you consider the way they have played this year —seven of their nine wins have been by one score— are they really good or really lucky?

“Both,’’ long-time personnel man for the Eagles, Bills and Giants and now an analyst for NFL Network Marc Ross said. “You have to give them credit. They know how to win. That’s a skill to know how to win. Luck, or not, and some of it has been, I mean how many times you going to block a kick to win a game? Everything is falling for them but it is because they’re good.

“Bad teams find a way to lose. Good teams win find a way to win.’’

Kansas City Chiefs find ways to win

Kansas City has found just about every way from the opening Thursday night when Baltimore’s Isaiah Likely’s toe was just out of bounds on what would have been the tying touchdown in the final seconds.

Then there was a pass interference call that went their way in a win over Cincinnati and one that wasn’t called in their win over Atlanta. More recently there was an overtime win over Tampa Bay when Bucs head coach Todd Bowles chose to tie the game, instead of go for two at the end of the regulation and last week’s win over Denver when they blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt on the final play.

In between there were two seven-point wins over divisional rivals Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Can this run continue where the ball continues to bounce the Chiefs way every week?

Or could they turn into last year’s Eagles, who after  a fortunate 10-1 start, lost six of their final seven games when the breaks stopped? 

“The difference is they have won three Super Bowls,’’ Ross said. “They know how to win. It’s not a fluke. You know the foundation is there. They’re going to keep winning. They can’t keep winning like this, but they’ll keep winning.’’

Buffalo Bills Are Due

You hear that every month, right? Buffalo, which hosts the Chiefs, Sunday, is off to an 8-2 start. That’s the Bills best start since 1993 when they lost their fourth straight Super Bowl. The four years the Bills went to the Super Bowl they were 9-1, 9-1, 8-2, and 8-2. 

Streaking

Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson has had a QB rating of 100+ in eight straight games as the Ravens head to Pittsburgh, Sunday. Jackson’s streak is the third longest in the Super Bowl era. Aaron Rodgers with a 12-game streak in 2011 and Peyton Manning with a nine-game streak in 2004 are the only ones longer. 

It’s Been a Long Time

Detroit’s 8-1 start to the season is the Lions’ best start since 1954. That year they finished 9-2-1 and lost the NFL title game to Cleveland. 

If the Lions beat Jacksonville Sunday it would give them eight straight wins. They have not won eight straight in a season since 1934 when they won 10 straight and then lost three straight to finish 10-3.

North vs. South

While the Lions host the Jaguars Sunday, the Vikings travel to Tennessee to take on the Titans. Thus far this season the NFC North is 11-2 vs. the AFC South (both NFC North losses were courtesy of the Bears). The only game left between the two divisions is next week when the Lions travel to Indianapolis. 

What was the Score?

So the Raiders lost to the Bengals, 41-24 two weeks ago. During their bye week the Raiders fired their offensive coordinator, their quarterback coach and their offensive line coach. Again, they lost 41-24.

What are the Odds?

Four teams — New England, Carolina, New Orleans and the Jets are all 3-7. Three more — Tennessee, Cleveland and the Raiders are 2-7. Only two teams have started a season 3-7 and made the playoffs. Washington did it in 2020, finishing 7-9 and winning the NFC East. And Jacksonville did it in 2022, finishing 9-8 and winning the AFC South.