Late Sunday night, elated at yet another Super Bowl win, I asked Frank Clark, defensive end of the Kansas City Chiefs, if his organization was now considered a dynasty, with two Super Bowl wins in four years and three appearances .
He didn’t bite.
He wouldn’t say. Neither did quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who won his second Super Bowl MVP and second ring in five years.
“I’m not going to say dynasty just yet, we’re not done yet,” Mahomes said.
You Won’t Say It, So I Will Say It: The Chiefs are a dynasty.
After moving back from 10 at the halftime and scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Philadelphia Eagles in an exciting 38-35 win, there is no other way to describe this team. Two titles in four years and three Super Bowl appearances in the same period make them a dynasty.
Not a 1950s Cleveland Browns-style dynasty, but a modern-game dynasty where free reign and a salary cap can eat a team alive.
This is not one of those teams.
That’s thanks to manager Andy Reid and Mahomes, the best manager-quarterback combo in the game. After Mahomes injured his right ankle again Sunday night, it looked like the Chiefs were in trouble. But instead, it was Mahomes who lit up the Eagles’ vaunted defense — the best pass defense in the league — in the second half. He completed 13 of his 14 passes in the second half with two touchdowns.
But it was the way he did it that impressed. With his mobility somewhat limited, it was Reid’s great intrigue that produced the two second-half touchdowns. They both got in return motion games where the boys were wide open. They were easy throws for Mahomes, made easy by Reid’s brilliant offensive mind.
But it is Mahomes who is making this team a dynasty. The Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill preseason and the offense continued to develop. Mahomes became more patient, became a better passer. That was evident on Sunday evening.
In five seasons, Mahomes now has five division titles, two regular-season MVPs, two Super Bowl MVPs, and the two rings. On paper, the Eagles were the better team, but Mahomes was the big equalizer.
That’s always the case with franchise quarterbacks. Because of this, the Chiefs end the season as the highest-ranked team in my power rankings and will be #1 going into next season. Lasting success comes from having “that” guy as quarterback.
The problem is that the AFC is crammed with these guys. There’s Josh Allen in Buffalo and Joe Burrow in Cincinnati. There’s Justin Herbert with the Chargers and Trevor Lawrence out in Jacksonville. These four teams will all be relevant in 2023 because of their quarterback.
But the best takes place in Kansas City.
Tom Brady, he’s coming for you in many ways – including taking over as possibly the best thing that’s ever done.
Biggest movers
rk | teams | change | req |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 14-3-0 | |
What to think they can’t keep this going? Defense needs some improvement and they could use a different receiver, but this is a team built to last. | |||
2 | 2 | 14-3-0 | |
Jalen Hurts revealed he’s their franchise quarterback on the biggest stage. The concern now is that they will lose offensive coordinator Shane Steichen. | |||
3 | 2 | 12-4-0 | |
With Joe Burrow and that passing game, they’ll be back in the Super Bowl Mix next year. The offensive line remains a problem. | |||
4 | 3 | 13-3-0 | |
They need to get better in a few areas including pass rush, pass protection and they need a different receiver. You can’t ask Josh Allen to do everything. | |||
5 | 2 | 13-4-0 | |
They go into the offseason with quarterback worries. what’s new Will Brock Purdy come back from his elbow surgery next season? Or will it be Trey Lance? | |||
6 | — | 12-5-0 | |
After the playoff loss to the 49ers, the pressure on Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy will increase in 2023. | |||
7 | 4 | 9-8-0 | |
This is an up and coming team starring Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson. They need to improve their pass rush but they will be a strong playoff team next season. | |||
8th | — | 10-7-0 | |
They have a new offensive coordinator who will make Justin Herbert happy and make this offense better. You need to throw down the field more. | |||
9 | 1 | 9-7-1 | |
The big offseason moves will bring back Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. They will sign one – probably Jones – and tag the other. | |||
10 | 1 | 10-7-0 | |
They will almost certainly put the franchise tag on Lamar Jackson to keep him around. That might not make him a happy player, but it’s a must. | |||
11 | 4 | 13-4-0 | |
They had to change the defense coordinator, which they did. New coordinator Brian Flores will bring a much more aggressive approach. | |||
12 | — | 9-8-0 | |
They’re signed to Tua Tagovailoa as quarterback, but the biggest concern now is his health. Getting Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator is a great move. | |||
13 | — | 9-8-0 | |
They will most likely bring Geno Smith back as quarterback, which is what they should do. There are a lot of young talents in the squad. | |||
14 | 1 | 9-8-0 | |
This young team will be fighting for the division title in 2023. They improved a lot last season. | |||
15 | 1 | 8-9-0 | |
The Aaron Rodgers saga hangs over this team’s offseason. Will he be with the Packers or is he traded? | |||
16 | 1 | 9-8-0 | |
They narrowly missed the playoffs last season with rookie Kenny Pickett at quarterback. Now they must build offense around him as they push to become a playoff team. | |||
17 | 3 | 8-9-0 | |
The Tom Brady era, short as it may be, is over. Now they have to find his replacement. | |||
18 | — | 8-9-0 | |
Bill Belichick made a wise decision to bring in Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator. Mac Jones must be happy after what happened last season. | |||
19 | — | 8-8-1 | |
It sounds like Sam Howell will be their quarterback in 2023, although a veteran will also be there. | |||
20 | — | 7-10-0 | |
This is another team that has quarterback issues. They don’t seem to sell out like they used to at Ryan Tannehill. | |||
21 | — | 7-10-0 | |
The big off-season talk is whether they can land Aaron Rodgers. If so, this is a team that can push the Bills for the AFC East title. | |||
22 | — | 7-10-0 | |
They’re looking for a quarterback, but it won’t be Derek Carr. You have a team that can win a division title with the right quarterback. | |||
23 | — | 7-10-0 | |
Deshaun Watson will have a full season with the Browns in 2023, making them a better team. But he didn’t look good when he played last season. | |||
24 | — | 7-10-0 | |
Frank Reich is in as head coach, but he has to find a quarterback or it doesn’t matter who coaches this team. | |||
25 | — | 6-11-0 | |
Who plays quarterback for the Raiders? It won’t be Derek Carr, but it might be Aaron Rodgers. | |||
26 | — | 7-10-0 | |
Are they being sold to Desmond Ridder as their quarterback? Should they be? | |||
27 | — | 4-13-0 | |
The manager search ends this week, but the biggest problem is Kyler Murray. He has an ACL injury and there are questions as to whether he’s the franchise guy. | |||
28 | — | 4-12-1 | |
Shane Steichen will be their new head coach, but if he can’t find a quarterback, it doesn’t matter how good a coach he is. That’s the biggest problem. | |||
29 | — | 5-12-0 | |
Sean McVay is back as coach but keeping Matt Stafford healthy is key for next season. You still have a lot of top talent. | |||
30 | — | 5-12-0 | |
New coach Sean Payton is one of the best offensive heads in the game. Now the challenge will be to fix Russell Wilson. | |||
31 | — | 3-13-1 | |
They hired DeMeco Ryans as their coach, which will be a good thing for this franchise. This team is trending in the right direction based on Ryan’s and draft assets. | |||
32 | — | 3-14-0 | |
Although they have first choice in design, they will build around Justin Fields. You have to get him help and you have enough space to do that. | |||