High Powered Offenses

By : Mike Rifkin

One of the marquee games on Sunday will take place in Arizona when the Chiefs play the Cardinals. There are a lot of similarities between these teams. Both teams come off playoff seasons and expect a lot of fireworks because in 2021 these were two of the top ten scoring offenses in the NFL. Another similarity is both teams will be without an All Pro Wide Receiver as this will be the first game the Chiefs play without Tyreek Hill, who they traded to the Dolphins during the offseason and for the Cardinals it will be the first of a six game suspension for Deandre Hopkins. 

For the Chiefs last season they went to their fourth consecutive AFC Championship Game where they lost to the Bengals in overtime. Patrick Mahomes last year 66.3 completion percentage, 4,839 yards, 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. With the departure of Hill the Chiefs still have Tight End Travis Kelce, who had 1,125 yards and nine touchdowns. Kansas City did bring in three new receivers in Juju Smith-Schuster from the Steelers, Marquez Valdes – Scantling from the Packers and used a second round pick on Skyy Moore out of Western Michigan. A guy who is going to have to step up is Running Back Clyde Edwards – Helaire who in 10 games last season had 517 rushing yards, 129 receiving yards and six touchdowns. They just need him to be healthy, but for insurance they brought in Ronald Jones from the Bucs and drafted Isaih Pacheco from Rutgers in the seventh round. The Chiefs were 27th last year in total defense only the Seahawks, Lions, Vikings, Texans and Jets were worse. The Chiefs let Safety Tyrann Mathieu walk in free agency and brought in Justin Reid from the Texans to replace him. The Chiefs also went defense heavy in the draft taking Cornerback Trent McDuffie from Washington and Edge Rusher George Karalaftis from Purdue in the First Round. Karalaftis should help a Chiefs pass rush that only registered 31 sacks only the Lions, Eagles and Falcons had less.  This is the beginning of a tough stretch to open the season for the Chiefs, prior to their week eight bye they play division rivals Chargers and Raiders once each, Bucs, Colts, Bills and 49ers.

The Cardinals started last season 7-0 and to end the season they lost four of their last five games and got torched by the eventual Super Bowl Champion Rams on Wild Card Weekend. Prior to last season the Cardinals had not made the playoffs since 2015. That playoff appearance earned Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury and Quarterback Kyler Murray extensions. Murray started last year looking like the MVP frontrunner, he got hurt and never really was the same especially when Deandre Hopkins got hurt. Murray finished the season with 69.2 completion percentage, 3,787 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Plus he added 423 rushing yards and five touchdowns. James Conner had 752 rushing yards, career high 15 touchdowns plus 375 receiving yards and three touchdowns. It will be interesting to see how Conner looks with Chase Edmonds leaving for Miami. As mentioned earlier Hopkins suspended the first six games, Christain Kirk who led the Cardinals in receiving left for Jacksonville, the Cardinals did add Kyler Murray’s former college teammate Marquise Brown from the Ravens. Brown last year had 91 catches for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns. AJ Green is back with the Cardinals as is Zach Ertz, who the Cardinals traded for from the Eagles last season. The Cardinals defense had a +12 turnover differential which was fourth in the NFL took a massive hit when Edge Rusher Chandler Jones signed with the Raiders. Jones last season had 10.5 sacks (five in one game) and six forced fumbles. They are going to need last year’s first round pick Zaven Collins to step up. Future Hall Of Famer JJ Watt who was limited to seven games and one sack should draw double teams to help Collins out. 

One underlying story is Kliff Kingsbury was Patrick Mahomes coach at Texas Tech so he should know what makes Mahomes tick. But expect a lot of big offense in the desert with two teams who have aspirations of getting back into the playoffs meet to open up the NFL season.