The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs enter the 2025 season with championship expectations shadowed by lingering questions from their Tremendous Bowl defeat.
After struggling a decisive 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in February, the Chiefs face scrutiny about whether or not they can bounce again from what many thought of an surprising beating reasonably than an in depth defeat.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith not too long ago weighed in on Kansas Metropolis’s title prospects throughout First Take, delivering a measured however pointed evaluation of their probabilities.
“You may’t rule out something with Patrick Mahomes as a result of he’s that phenomenal, he’s that nice. And Andy Reid is a good coach, and Travis Kelce, though there was some slippage final 12 months, quite a lot of us are assured that he’ll resurrect himself to some extent. Give them a few 40% likelihood. Stops there. Right here’s the rationale why, I’m gonna be extra direct. Once you get you’re a** kicked, like they bought their a** kicked, it’s a special animal,” Smith stated.
.@stephenasmith offers the Chiefs a 40% likelihood to make it again to the Tremendous Bowl this season 👀 pic.twitter.com/GFN4IwIuXn
— First Take (@FirstTake) August 7, 2025
Smith emphasised that Kansas Metropolis’s Tremendous Bowl loss represented greater than a typical playoff defeat.
He pointed to the third quarter picture of Mahomes and Kelce sitting quietly on the bench, unable to generate offense past midfield by many of the recreation.
Their first 9 possessions lasted 5 performs or fewer, leaving each the quarterback and head coach with out solutions.
The analyst drew a distinction between this loss and their earlier Tremendous Bowl defeat to Tampa Bay, which he attributed primarily to offensive line accidents.
This time, Smith argued, the issues unfold throughout a number of items with the Chiefs showing overmatched all through.
Kansas Metropolis had posted a franchise-record 15 wins in the course of the 2024 common season earlier than their playoff run led to disappointment.
The defeat featured each offensive struggles and defensive breakdowns which have formed discussions getting into this season.
Nonetheless, the Chiefs have confronted adversity earlier than. Final season started with comparable doubts about Mahomes and the workforce’s championship potential, but they nonetheless reached the Tremendous Bowl.
With Mahomes, Kelce, and Andy Reid main the way in which, Kansas Metropolis has confirmed able to remodeling setbacks into motivation for historic runs.
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