4 Lessons Learned From kc Chiefs’ 24-10 Victory Over Seahawks
The Kc Chiefs faced the Seattle Seahawks on Christmas evening. The narrative slightly changed on Saturday.
Early in the game, Andy Reid’s side was on a mission; they quickly took the lead and held onto it the entire time. That was more than enough for the home team to win 24-10 thanks to an outstanding defensive showing by Steve Spagnuolo’s unit (more on that later). The Chiefs go to 12-3 on the year with the victory, dropping the Seahawks below.500 for the first time since Week 5.
Table of Contents
1. Kansas City had a superb defence.
Recently, the Chiefs’ defence has come under heavy fire, and for good cause. Steve Spagnuolo’s team struggled with tackling, lacked tenacity, and frequently suffered gashes. The Seahawks didn’t record a first-down conversion until more than seven minutes had passed in the second quarter, showing that their competitive edge had returned in a big manner early on in Week 16.
In the first half, Kansas City limited Seattle to 98 total yards and 3.3 yards per play while putting on a tackling clinic all afternoon. The 2022 rookie class also contributed to a number of noteworthy plays, with players like Trent McDuffie, Leo Chenal, and Jaylen Watson making crucial stops. The Even though the Seahawks were shorthanded, this performance deserves praise.
2. Special congratulations to certain defensive players
George Karlaftis, a first-round choice, made an impact against the Seahawks in the first half by sacking Geno Smith and halting a drive with a batted ball. It was the Purdue product’s fourth sack in five games, and he is certainly starting to find his footing. Willie Gay Jr. was the Chiefs’ top linebacker at the second level of defence on Saturday and produced a number of jaw-dropping tackles. L’Jarius Sneed performed admirably in the secondary against DK Metcalf and has since continued to be one of the greatest tacklers in the game. Even though the whole Chiefs defence was present, several players managed to stand out.
3. Special teams provide and remove.
Harrison Butker made a 47-yard field goal that went straight down the middle and made all of his extra point attempts, which is a good thing. After a turbulent week in terms of snap, hold, and kick, perhaps things are starting to get better. A more damning observation is that Dave Toub’s special teams squad once again has a number of weaknesses in other areas. In addition to Tommy Townsend’s 22-yard punt in the first half and the covering team kicking a ball on a different punt, poor kickoff coverage on a return in the first quarter provided the Seahawks some advantageous field position. Playoff games are frequently decided by razor-thin margins, so Toub’s standing as a top special teams coach won’t survive forever.if his team continues to commit at least one significant blunder each week.
4. Patrick Mahomes ought to win the MVP award
Patrick Mahomes’s Week 16 stats weren’t very impressive (16-for-28, 224 passing yards, and two touchdowns), but he played flawless football and fulfilled the Chiefs’ needs. Reid wasn’t much of a help to him in terms of people or formation, and occasionally shoddy pass protection worked against him as well. Multiple drops added to the difficulty, which was unnecessary. That, along with a highlight-reel touchdown run to end the game, sealed the deal on the NFL MVP contest for 2022–2023. Josh Allen performed poorly, Jalen Hurts did not play at all, and Joe Burrow threw two interceptions. The race is finished unless Mahomes falters in any of the following two weeks.