It appears the number of people, fans and media observers alike, aren’t exactly all in on the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025.

Coming off a season that saw them reach the Super Bowl for the third straight year, some are thinking Kansas City is closer to falling off the cliff than being able to climb the mountain again.

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With Patrick Mahomes and most of the offense returning, coupled with some nice defensive pieces for Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs are still playoff-bound.

But as far as going further? Fox Sports’ Bucky Brooks doubts it. In his latest power rankings, he has the Chiefs at No. 4, with the Washington Commanders (3), Buffalo Bills (2), and Philadelphia Eagles (1) ahead of them.

“As long as No. 15 steps onto the field, the Chiefs are a contender,” Brooks wrote. “With Rice’s status up in the air, a rebuilt offensive line in front of Mahomes and fewer blue-chip players in place, the Chiefs could quickly drop down this list once the season kicks off in September.”

Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid talks with quarterback Patrick Mahomes at Bank of America Stadium.Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Brooks did mention Mahomes’ group of receivers in Marquise Brown, Juju Smith-Schuster, Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals, Travis Kelce, and the returning Rashee Rice in his piece.

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But aside from the aging Kelce and Worthy, who blossomed in his rookie season, the others have a so-so feeling about them entering the 2025 season.

Yes, they have Mahomes, who, as long as he stays healthy, can make just about anything work, but three straight Super Bowl appearances will take their toll on the body and mind, right?

Well, that’s the thinking behind many seemingly starting to doubt the once bulletproof Chiefs.

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Sunday night, September 7th is going to be an electrifying atmosphere in Orchard Park. The Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens will collide in a rematch from last season’s playoffs where the Bills sent the Ravens home early after Mark Andrews literally dropped the Ravens’ season late in the 4th quarter on a failed 2-point conversion. Now the Ravens are looking for revenge, while the Bills are looking to finish their journey after suffering a heartbreaking AFC championship loss at the hands of the Chiefs.

Since Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson entered the league in 2018, the Bills are 2-0 against the Ravens in the playoffs but the Ravens are the ones that usually get the best of the Bills in the regular season, having only lost one game to Buffalo in the regular season since 2018. However, as Bills fans know about their rivalry against the Chiefs, the only thing that matters is what happens in the playoffs.

One Ravens star is already speaking out about the Sunday Night Showdown between Baltimore and Buffalo. All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith, who is a top-five linebacker in the game, is already handing the Bills some bulletin board material after his recent comments on NFL Network.

LB Roquan Smith is already talking about payback for the Bills for Week 1

Speaking with Rich Eisen, Smith said “It’ll be nice to get up there in Buffalo and get a little payback for those guys.”

Roquan Smith’s most anticipated game of 2025?

“The first game of the year. That’s how you start the season off and that’s gonna set the tone for the entire season.” pic.twitter.com/A3k9vVrrtT — NFL Network (@nflnetwork) May 15, 2025

It hasn’t even been 24 hours and Smith is already talking about getting revenge on the Bills, you know, the team that sent him and the Ravens home early last season. I get it, it was a stinging loss for the Ravens. However, compared to their Week 4 matchup last year, the Ravens defense was not what they usually were.

Josh Allen and the offense was able to dominate right from the start and do just enough at the end to secure the win. Baltimore’s defense got a little bit exposed in that playoff matchup. Now, they will get tested early on against Buffalo again, who only got better on offense with more weapons and didn’t lose any key contributors.

Smith, who is a very respectable player, has made this mistake by already talking about payback for Buffalo. Well, I guess we will find out on September 7th if he can keep his word or if Buffalo will give Baltimore’s second consecutive loss in Week 1 on primetime.

More Bills news and analysis:

The NFL offseason is a lot like Michael Corleone in The Godfather – just when you think you’re out, it pulls you back in. For Buffalo Bills fans basking in the glow of five straight AFC East titles, this summer feels less like a victory lap and more like a high-wire act where the star quarterback Josh Allen is juggling wedding cake, defensive depth charts, and the weight of Western New York’s dreams. But just this time, a media outlet threw shade at something we never saw coming.

The Bills’ offseason was ranked 7th by CBS Sports analyst Josh Edwards. In that list, the analyst also added a few names as “notable additions.” And in Bills, we all know the names of the new members – Joey Bosa, Michael Hoecht, and Maxwell Hairston.

With these additions, it was lauded for a ‘scattershot approach’ to fix a defense that crumbled when it mattered most. However, a couple of additions came with a ‘?’. Veteran edge Joey Bosa (if healthy); suspended DT Larry Ogunjobi & Michael Hoecht (out 6 games), and rookie CB Maxwell Hairston (4.28 speed but likely dealing with knee issues).

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No doubt, the hype feels… optimistic. Like trusting a ‘Tecmo Bowl’ playbook against modern Cover 6. GM Brandon Beane’s moves – extending Khalil Shakir, adding Elijah Moore ($5M flyer) – are savvy, but they ignore the elephant in the room: Josh Allen’s offseason was a high-stakes obstacle course.

While Allen juggled life and legacy, Buffalo’s minicamp offered glimpses of resilience:

Tight End Takeover: Dalton Kincaid mossing defenders, Dawson Knox scoring, followed by a choreographed end-zone dance. Chemistry? Brewing.

mossing defenders, scoring, followed by a choreographed end-zone dance. Chemistry? Brewing. James Cook’s Return: After skipping OTAs amid contract talks, Cook was all gas. Beane praised his ‘team-first leadership.’

After skipping OTAs amid contract talks, was all gas. praised his ‘team-first leadership.’ Rookie Spark: 3rd-round DE Landon Jackson, battling alopecia since childhood, mentored a young fan with the same condition – embodying the “Bills DNA” Sean McDermott cherishes.

Yet, challenges linger: Bosa rehabbing a calf, Hairston nursing a hammy, and the haunting truth that Buffalo’s defense ranked 17th in pressure rate at 33.1% last year. Allen can’t outscore everyone forever… can he? The rank definitely ignored the challenges of the team this offseason.

Meanwhile, CBS Sports also dropped their Top 100 Players list like a poorly thrown screen pass, and Bills Mafia felt the sting: Josh Allen, the reigning MVP, sitting at No. 4. Behind Patrick Mahomes (understandable), Myles Garrett (debatable), and Saquon Barkley (wait, what?). The justification? Mahomes “would still be the first player picked in any open draft.” But this isn’t the end of the story!

QB’s gauntlet: Tractor drives to touchdown dances by Josh Allen

Josh Allen? Just the guy who carried Buffalo to the AFC title game again, evolving into a surgical passer who also happens to have 65 career rushing TDs – more than many franchise RBs. As CBS’ Pete Prisco put it: “Allen won his first MVP last season for a reason. He carried the Bills… Next step: Win a Super Bowl.”

Translation: Until he hoists Lombardi, he’s the bridesmaid. Never mind that he’s the only player EVER with 5 straight 40+ total TD seasons. The snub fuels the fire. Allen didn’t just spend his summer refining his spiral. He navigated:

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A Wedding: Marrying Hailee Steinfeld wasn’t just paparazzi fodder. It was a life shift Allen calls “the most important part” of his offseason – a balancing act of joy and laser focus. The Playstyle Paradox: Coaches publicly begged him to take fewer hits. But asking Allen not to hurdle linebackers is like telling Picasso to paint by numbers. His 4,142 career rushing yards are built on chaos. The Weapon Worry: While KC added Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Buffalo’s WR room feels like a ‘Madden franchise mode’ gamble. Moore’s potential? Real. But as Tre’Davious White noted: “Elijah Moore is going to be a big-time player for us. His route running is amazing…” Translation: We hope. Because behind him? Questions.

via Imago DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 15: Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen 17 talks to the fans during the Detroit Lions versus the Buffalo Bills game on Sunday December 15, 2024 at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA DEC 15 Bills at Lions EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon258202412150668

Rankings are bulletin-board material. Offseason grades are guesswork. But the reality in Orchard Park is this: Their throne rests on the shoulders of a tractor-driving quarterback who rewrites record books (260 total TDs [passing + rushing] in 7 seasons!) yet faces more scrutiny than a QB draw on 4th-and-1. The CBS snub? A slight. The defensive rebuild? A gamble. Allen’s burden? Heavier than a New York snowplow.

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As the Bills prep for joint practices with Chicago, one truth echoes louder than a ‘Shout!’ chant at Highmark: Buffalo’s title window is armored in Josh Allen’s magic. Whether the offseason moves were truly “7th best” or the QB is “only” the 4th-best player matters less than this – in Western New York, they believe he’s the guy who can finally make it all add up. Even if he has to drag them there, one reckless, glorious scramble at a time. The offer to carry a city? It’s one he accepted long ago.

The Buffalo Bills, for most, had a solid draft class with Sean McDermott’s defense getting the attention with the franchise’s first five picks being defensive players.

Offensively, Jackson Hawes, Chase Lundt, and Kaden Prather were selected to add some depth to a unit that was one of the best in football last season.

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No stud receiver came in, as some thought/wanted, and in the case of Hawes, his selection is one that is seen towards the future of the tight end position.

Still, for CBS Sports, his selection in the fifth round was labeled the “worst” for the Bills.

“Hawes was the Bills’ final pick of the fifth round, but doesn’t fill a massive need with Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox on the depth chart,” CBS Sports writes. “The Georgia Tech product didn’t put up eye-popping receiving numbers and should primarily be looked at as a blocking tight end at the moment.”

American team tight end Jackson Hawes of Georgia Tech spars with American team defensive lineman Shemar Stewart of Texas A&M.Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Hawes’ biggest trait is his blocking, and when drafting him, the Bills likely knew that, given his stats last season for Georgia Tech, he wasn’t going to be a big pass catcher anyway, at least initially.

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With Dawson Knox’s future beyond 2025 murky with the Bills having an out in his contract after this season, the move for Hawes could see him take over as Dalton Kincaid’s backup.

Likely to play a big role in the run game, Hawes’ love for putting defenders in the dirt is well-known, and he takes pride in doing it too.

But the “worst pick ” is purely subjective, and in Hawes’ case, he now has the bulletin board material to ensure his rookie season is spent giving those doubters a nice slice of humble pie.

Related: Bills Boldly Address Sexual Assault Charge on ‘Impeccable’ 1st-Round Draft Pick

Related: James Cook a Winner But Josh Allen a Loser in Bills NFL Draft

How once again, the media is getting it wrong about Hurts

This list is incredibly disrespectful in multiple ways. The fact that guys Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott, Geno Smith, Jordan Love, and C.J. Stroud are ahead of Hurts is insane.

None of those guys have had any postseason success. None of the five guys ahead of Hurts even has a winning record. Heck, Love performed poorly in the loss to the Eagles in the NFC Wild Card game last year, throwing zero touchdowns and three interceptions.

Did these quarterbacks have better stats than Hurts in 2024? Mostly yes, outside of Prescott. However, there is much more to the position than what the numbers indicate.

The stats that do count are turnovers, completion percentage, and passer rating. Those are the ones that show consistency and quarterbacks not putting their teams in bad positions.

Hurts beat his quarterback counterparts in these stats, except for Smith having a higher completion percentage and Herbert having fewer interceptions than Hurts. Besides that, Hurts dominated in the other categories.

The reality is that Hurts will never be the quarterback who throws for 5,000 yards and 40 touchdowns, but the Eagles don’t need him to be. It wouldn’t be asked of any quarterback who runs this offense since they have the best run-blocking offensive line and the best running back in Saquon Barkley.

It’s painfully apparent that the Hurts disrespect training will continue throughout the regular season. Still, Eagles fans know the truth, and this will serve as motivation to repeat as Super Bowl champions (something the other five quarterbacks mentioned are unaware of).