Winners and Losers of the Weekend: Chiefs Reign Supreme
By Jonathan Reed
Every Monday, I like to give my winners and losers of the previous weekend on my radio show, TalkSports (which airs from 7am-10am on weekdays. Please listen).
I’m going to start writing about them here on the website, too.
WINNERS
3. Houston Cougars
Is it just me or are the Cougars now the clear cut premier program of the Big 12?
No, they don’t have a title yet. But they did break through and make the Final Four. And, after beating Kansas on the road on Saturday night, they are in first place in the conference and in the driver’s seat to secure a third straight 1 seed in March Madness.
Do you think Indiana fans get sick every time they see Kelvin Sampson’s success knowing they had to fire him over text messages? I think I would. Because Indiana has sucked ever since with few exceptions while Sampson is now one of the very best coaches in the country.
2. Saquon Barkley
The Philadelphia Eagles are pretty easy to hate otherwise, but Saquon has risen to the top of the “coolest players in the NFL” rankings. Condolences to Derrick Henry, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Jefferson on losing their title.
Unlike those three (playoff losers) Saquon will be playing in the Super Bowl. On his birthday. He will be one of the major beneficiaries of the two week media frenzy. It’s deserved. He’s helped save the running back position.
1) Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid
Just two winners, man. They win.
Is the NFL fixed? Do the refs love the Chiefs? Was that fourth quarter fourth down stop classic Kansas City Corruption?
Who cares!
The difference between the Chiefs and everyone else is that when the game is on the line, they make the plays while others choke.
Whether it’s Lamar Jackson throwing late and low to Mark Andrews or Josh Allen not recognizing a fourth down blitz and rolling directly into three defenders before Dalton Kincaid went full 2004 Drew Bennett and dropped the prayer, the other teams didn’t make the plays.
Mahomes and Reid put the game away with two first downs while basically running the same play, a pass to a running back. We can argue about the officiating all day. The officiating didn’t keep the Bills from converting their two two-point conversion attempts, nor did they help the Chiefs get their first successful conversion of the season.
Wait, those three points were the difference in the game?
Crazy.
LOSERS
3) Texas A&M
Blowing a 22 point second half lead is bad enough, but doing it against your biggest rival, one that you base your entire existence around, is enough to make you want to crawl into a hole and die.
Saw Varsity’s horns off? More like have your lead sawed off, am I right?
No school has underachieved more in the history of college athletics. Surely the baseball team will finally break through and win a title, right?
Right?
2) Chiefs haters
It’s a tough cycle.
Every year they fall for it.
“The Chiefs don’t have enough weapons.”
“Look at how good the Bills are! Josh Allen is MVP! This is his year!”
“The Ravens are the most talented team in the league! Lamar will get it done this time!”
“Justin Herbert!” “CJ Stroud!” “Joe Burrow got them that one time that Mahomes got a concussion!”
Then it quickly turns into crying about how the refs cheated. Hell, last year people were convinced it was a conspiracy to get Joe Biden re-elected and everyone vaccinated.
Now, all of their hopes and dreams will hinge on Jalen Hurts being able to outduel Mahomes. I’m sure this will be the thing that works out!
If it doesn’t and Mahomes gets the threepeat and ring number 4, they’ll cling to Tom Brady, a known cheater, and his longevity.
1) The Bills
I was born in 1990.
The Buffalo Bills have been losers my entire life. How did so many people convince themselves that their entire existence and destiny was going to change IN ARROWHEAD? How dense can you be?
Josh Allen is great. He’s no Patrick Mahomes. I love Hailee Steinfeld. She’s no Taylor Swift.
Sean McDermott? Roots for the troops on both sides. Including the losing side.
There’s some real value in being known for something. The Chicago Cubs seemed to really profit off of the whole “Lovable Losers” thing. You could argue that them winning a title actually made them less relevant.
Chins up, Buffalo. There is always next year. And the comfort that you can cry about “getting cheated by the refs” for the next couple of decades just like you have with the Music City Miracle.