The Kansas City Chiefs stacked their third consecutive win in Week 10 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
They jumped out to a 20-0 lead and despite losing the turnover battle by a significant margin, they never really looked back. For the most part, those compiling power rankings had the Chiefs moving up this week. There was quite a bit of shuffling at the top, however, leading to some wild rankings heading into Week 11.
Here is a look at where pundits are ranking the Chiefs and what they’re saying about them with Week 10 of the 2022 NFL season now behind us:
USA TODAY
Ranking: 4
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Nate Davis
Author’s take:
The rich may be getting filthy rich as newly acquired WR Kadarius Toney’s role in the offense expands. A first-round pick of the Giants last year, he notched his first NFL TD on Sunday while racking up 90 yards from scrimmage.
The Ringer
Ranking: 2
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Austin Gayle
Author’s take:
Everything is coming up Kansas City right now. Patrick Mahomes is the best player in football, and it doesn’t feel close. He is priced at +135 to win league MVP, and no other player has better odds than +340. And now with the Bills losing to the Vikings on Sunday, the Chiefs are the new favorite (+125) to earn the first-round bye as the AFC’s top-seeded team in January.
The Athletic
Ranking: 1
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Bo Wulf
Author’s take:
It’s wild just how good Kansas City is on offense as Tyreek Hill continues to light up the league on a different team. The Chiefs lead the NFL in TruMedia’s EPA (expected points added) per drive with an astounding 1.23 mark. That’s the best single-season total in TruMedia’s database since the 2011 New Orleans Saints (1.32), who went 13-3 but then lost in the divisional round of the playoffs. The difference in EPA per drive this year between the Chiefs and the No. 2 team (the Dolphins) is the same as the difference between the No. 2 team and the No. 15 team.
Sunday’s emergence of Kadarius Toney makes the offense even scarier. The 2021 first-round pick who was acquired at the deadline in exchange for a 2023 third- and sixth-round pick caught four passes for 57 yards and a touchdown while adding two carries for 33 yards. Taking nothing away from the supporting cast that has helped Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid keep their engine roaring, Toney has more juice than anyone else Mahomes throws to. The notion of this offense getting even better is a scary one for the rest of the league.
NFL.com
Ranking: 2
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Dan Hanzus
Author’s take:
It wasn’t the prettiest performance, but the Chiefs had plenty of margin for error against the Jaguars at Arrowhead. Patrick Mahomes threw four touchdown passes, and the running game came to life with 155 yards, including a game-high 82 from Isiah Pacheco. Clyde Edwards-Helaire continued his disappearing act from the offense, playing just four snaps without a touch, while new acquisition Kadarius Toney scored his first NFL touchdown in a promising performance. Kansas City can put a vise grip on another AFC West title with a win over the second-place Chargers on Sunday Night Football in Los Angeles.
Bleacher Report
Ranking: 2
Last week’s ranking: 2
Author: Gary Davenport, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski
Author’s take:
The Kansas City Chiefs are humming along.
Since losing a close call to the Buffalo Bills back in Week 6, the Chiefs have peeled off three straight wins. The most recent was a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars that wasn’t as close as the final score might suggest.
Patrick Mahomes was outstanding against the Jags, topping 300 passing yards with four touchdowns. When top wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster went out with a concussion, newcomer Kadarius Toney stepped up in his place, hauling in four passes for 57 yards and a score.
ESPN
Ranking: 2
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Adam Teicher
Author’s take:
Edwards-Helaire played just four snaps and didn’t get the ball in Sunday’s win over the Jaguars, while Isiah Pacheco ran for 82 yards and Jerick McKinnon caught six passes. It’s too early to say Edwards-Helaire won’t again have an impact on the Chiefs, but it seems a foregone conclusion that the Chiefs will decline the fifth-year option on his contract next year.
Sports Illustrated
Ranking: 4
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: The MMQB Staff
Author’s take:
Patrick Mahomes leads the league in yards, touchdowns and explosive plays of 20 yards or more. This is starting to feel like one of those seasons where they roll to the Super Bowl and everyone is going to ask themselves, “How the hell didn’t we see this coming all along?”
CBS Sports
Ranking: 1
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Pete Prisco
Author’s take:
They have taken over the top spot in the AFC, which they might not give away. They have adjusted well to not having Tyreek Hill on offense and the defense is getting better by the week.
Pro Football Talk
Ranking: 2
Last week’s ranking: 3
Author: Mike Florio
Author’s take:
The road to Arizona may end up going through Arrowhead, after all.
