A 30-yard sack didn’t matter. Three interceptions by the Dolphins defense didn’t matter. A fumble inside the 20-yard line didn’t matter. Nothing seems to matter against the Chiefs this year. The Chiefs are inevitable and they just feel unbeatable.
Their 33-27 win over the Miami Dolphins showed everyone why they’re the favorites to repeat as Super Bowl champions this year. They had a lot of things go wrong for them and they still cruised to a comfortable win on the road against one of the better teams in the AFC.
It wasn’t just that the Chiefs survived multiple turnovers and were still able to score 30 points, it was also the timing and the location of the turnovers. The Dolphins nabbed their first interception while the Chiefs were in scoring range. Dolphins defensive back Byron Jones intercepted the ball on the Dolphins 23-yard line and returned it 15 yards the other way.
Byron Jones intercepts the tipped pass! #FinsUp @Byron31Jump
📺: #KCvsMIA on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/tvMsTDEOAi pic.twitter.com/FTyu9lzBxa— NFL (@NFL) December 13, 2020
According to Ben Baldwin of The Athletic, that play cost the Chiefs 6.3 expected points. One play cost the Chiefs almost the equivalent of a touchdown in terms of value.
The Chiefs had another play in this game that cost them 6.3 expected points. Eric Rowe was able to grab an interception on the Dolphins 31-yard and returned it 22 yards to put the Dolphins in prime field position to start a new drive.
NUEVAMENTE LA DEFENSA INTERCEPTA🔥
Eric Rowe se queda con el ovoide luego del pésimo pase de Pat Mahomes #NFLxFOX
Chiefs 0-7 Dolphins pic.twitter.com/WSPohts3GN
— FOX Impacto NFL (@FOXImpactoNFL) December 13, 2020
That’s 12.6 expected points lost in two plays in the first quarter. For mortal teams, that would be crippling sequence of plays to go through.
The Chiefs aren’t like other teams in the NFL. Normal rules of game flow and probability don’t apply to them. The Chiefs had two more turnovers that accounted for an extra -7.9 expected points in their win against the Dolphins.
That’s 20.5 lost points across those four plays! And the Chiefs still scored 33 freaking points. This team can generate explosive plays like no other. Despite the three interceptions that Mahomes threw today, two of which weren’t his fault, he still averaged a whopping 11.6 yards per attempt!
As a team, the Chiefs averaged 7.3 yards per play on offense and Mecole Hardman returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown. No matter what opposing teams do, the Chiefs just drop an avalanche of big plays and overwhelm teams. Their win against the Dolphins was the perfect example of how they don’t need to play anywhere remotely close to a perfect game to come away with a win.
Not only did the Chiefs win, but they were blowing the Dolphins out at one point. They were up 30-10 after their fourth turnover the day. Miami made it close in the end, but the Chiefs were cruising to a victory despite repeatedly shooting themselves in the foot,
Let’s just give the Lombardi Trophy to the Chiefs right now. No one is stopping them in the postseason if this is how their off days look.
The Monday NFL Take Dump: The Kansas City Chiefs are the lone elite team this year
