It isn’t restricted to Cincinnati Bengals followers.
Some sportswriters are even spreading the narrative that the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs took a dive towards the Denver Broncos final Sunday to maintain the Bengals out of the playoffs — as a result of the Chiefs have been afraid to face them within the postseason.
One such author is Pulitzer Prize-winning ESPN investigative reporter Don Van Natta Jr.
The Chiefs taking a dive at the moment is a lowlight of this NFL season.
Whether or not their incentive was solely relaxation or additionally blocking the dreaded Bengals from the playoffs, it’s only a supremely unhealthy look— and certain self-sabotaging— for a workforce hoping to three-peat.
— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) January 5, 2025
Given his job title, you’ll suppose Van Natta would have… you already know… investigated the state of affairs earlier than firing off this opinion. It’s not unusual for NFL groups which can be locked right into a playoff spot to relaxation their starters within the season’s last week. Until the workforce believes its high gamers will get rusty from per week off, there may be nothing to achieve from enjoying them. Retaining starters off the sector prevents them from getting injured in an primarily meaningless recreation — and in addition offers younger gamers an opportunity to indicate their stuff in an actual NFL matchup.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ first NFL begin got here in simply such a recreation. For the ultimate regular-season recreation of his 2017 rookie season (which additionally occurred to be towards the Broncos) head coach Andy Reid determined to relaxation his beginning quarterback Alex Smith, giving Mahomes an opportunity to play.
That is additionally why fantasy soccer leagues finish in Week 17 moderately than Week 18: as a result of so many groups relaxation their gamers within the last week that it could damage the fantasy recreation’s competitiveness.
The Buffalo Payments and Philadelphia Eagles additionally rested a few of their finest gamers within the common season’s last week. Eagles operating again Saquon Barkley solely wanted 101 yards to beat Eric Dickerson’s all-time single-season dashing report — however head coach Nick Siriani nonetheless selected to maintain him on the sidelines.
Right here’s one other drawback with this narrative: “taking a dive” often comes within the last act — like Marlon Brando’s character did within the 1954 movie “On The Waterfront,” when the Mafia paid him to go down within the third spherical of his battle. You additionally do it in a means that appears such as you’re competing to win. No cheap particular person thinks {that a} workforce resting 21 important contributors is attempting to win the sport. As an alternative, Sunday’s recreation was a strategic retreat that allowed the Chiefs to relaxation and consolidate their forces as they ready an all-out assault on their remaining enemies throughout the coming weeks.
Apart from, who would characterize a 9-8 workforce because the “dreaded Bengals”? Not the Chiefs.
“I ain’t fearful of f*cking no person,” Kansas Metropolis tight finish Travis Kelce advised his brother Jason throughout this week’s episode of their “New Heights” podcast.
“I needed them within the f*cking playoffs,” he continued. “I needed to slay each dragon one after the other — like [in] “Mortal Kombat.” I don’t even need this to be like we play the bottom seed. Simply give me the very best groups — AFC, NFC… give me all of them. Mortal Kombat-style, I’ll undergo each f*cking considered one of them, simply giving it my finest effort. I ain’t fearful of a single soul, man.”
If the Bengals need a piece of the Chiefs, Kelce is prepared to satisfy them at any time — in anywhere.
“I’ll play ‘em on the Wal Mart car parking zone,” he declared. “I don’t give a sh*t. We will have our personal recreation within the offseason, the place we are able to actually duke it out once more. Pay attention: I really like competing towards the best.”
This mentality was on show within the 2023 postseason, when the 11-6 Chiefs went on the highway as underdogs to defeat the Payments and Baltimore Ravens in succession to succeed in (and win) their second straight Tremendous Bowl towards the San Francisco 49ers.
Satirically, I in contrast 2023’s postseason run to “Mortal Kombat.”
Kelce is aware of what occurred throughout Sunday’s recreation. He was proper there on the sidelines along with his teammates, who have been “competing their asses off.”
“It wasn’t a enjoyable recreation to be part of,” he recalled. “I’m simply sitting there on the sideline, like ‘Hey boys! Don’t let this sh*t damage our f*cking mojo!’
“We’ve obtained everyone rolling. It’s go-time. We’ve obtained to flip that change — and know we’re the most important, baddest workforce on the market.”
Buckle up, Kansas Metropolis. I’ve a sense we’re about to observe among the finest groups in historical past go nuclear within the playoffs.
