Adapted from “Crain & Co.,” January 29, 2024.
Jake: We’ve all heard of Murphy’s Law, but we may need to create a new law and call it “Andy’s Law” or “Patty’s Law” that refers to whenever the Chiefs have to clutch up — because they are going to clutch up. We saw this again this past weekend as the Chiefs were able to advance to their fourth Super Bowl in five years.
Yes, their fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years, which is absolutely incredible. Patrick Mahomes is two and one, he has won two MVPs, and he’s trying to go three and one. Everybody’s going to be talking about this renaissance we’ve seen offensively for Kansas City — and that’s fantastic. Andy Reid is one of the greatest minds of all time, offensively. We know how good Patrick is at quarterback and what he’s done with this roster around him, which is just a little bit better on offense than the one they had last year.
But I want to turn your attention to the reason why the Chiefs are making this run. It’s defense. It’s team balance. In the second half of the last eight games, Steve Spagnuolo and the Chiefs defense have given up no more than eight points — 3, 7, 0, 6, 0, 3, 7, 6 — including two complete shutouts. And they’re getting it at the best moments: when they have to have it defensively. It seems like whether it’s Chris Jones or someone else, when the Chiefs need to stop, they know how to turn the faucet off. They dominated the Ravens — absolutely dominated them. Even though they ended up winning by seven, it felt like they were up double digits the whole game.
So when it comes down to clutch, we saw what the Patriots did with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady in those incredible defenses. When they needed the offense to step up, it did. When they needed the defense or special teams to step up, they did. I never thought we’d see this again, but we are slowly starting to see the same dominance that New England had with Tom Brady, except with Patrick and Andy in Kansas City. And it’s incredible to watch. But remember, defense wins championships.
Now, those are just incredible numbers. We always talk about the game plans going in and who has the best script for the first 10 to 15 plays. But football, just like life, is a game of adjustments. I would rather have a guy who can go in at halftime and adjust more than a guy who has a better game plan going into the game because you don’t know what you’re going to get until you sit down and they serve you the plate. But it seems like whatever Kansas City has gotten, their defense in the second half has been incredible, whether it’s the red zone, whether it’s having to defend a full field, whether it’s third and short, third and medium, or third and long, they seem to always make the play.
I know everybody’s going to be talking about Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce — insert Taylor Swift joke here — but the reason the Chiefs are going back to the Super Bowl in 2024 is not just an offensive Globetrotters Fest; they are a defensive grind-it-out hard-nosed football team.
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David: Even as the game of football evolves and becomes more offensive-heavy and everybody wants to see a lot of points get scored, with a game this physical, the championships are still won and lost based on defense.
Look at what we’ve seen at the college level the past three years: those back-to-back Georgia defenses that they had and Michigan’s defense this past year. We’ve seen it at that level. I agree with you completely about what Steve Spagnuolo has been able to do this season. We’ve talked a lot about this being the least elite wide receiver corps that Patrick Mahomes has had the past two seasons. Yes, we can talk about how great Travis Kelce is, but it’s the least elite wide receiver corps he’s had since Tyreek Hill left. Yet it’s the best defense he’s played with, and that has proven to be just enough.
Championship mentality also plays a role in this. It’s not that these championship teams like the Chiefs, who are our generation’s dynasty, are not trying hard in the regular season, and it’s not that the other teams they’re beating (the Bills, Dolphins, and Ravens, for example) are completely falling apart in the postseason. It’s just that the margins are so small in this area of sports. When you’re talking about championship, whether it be golf, tennis, football, or baseball, the margins are so tight. There is a championship mentality.
It’s the guys who know in the critical moments not to get the key penalties, they don’t turn the football over late, and so on. That’s really what sets them apart. This trifecta of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Andy Reid — is our generation’s Bill Walsh, Joe Montana, and Jerry Rice. Travis Kelce just passed Jerry Rice in total catches in the postseason. We’re witnessing something that’s truly incredible. Add on the Steve Spagnuolo defense, and they’ve looked unbeatable in the playoffs after looking very vulnerable down the stretch of the season.
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Jake Crain is co-host of “Crain & Company” the Daily Wire’s sports show hosted by former athletes and coaches Jake Crain, Blain Crain, and David Cone. Follow him: @JakeCrain_
David Cone is a co-host and producer of the Daily Wire’s sports show Crain & Company, as well as a contributor to Morning Wire. David is also a former quarterback for the University of Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter/X and Instagram at @davidadamcone
