The Kansas City Chiefs likely still have the Super Bowl beatdown at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles last year in the back of their mind as they gear up to face Nick Sirianni's team in Week 2 at Arrowhead Stadium.
Granted, a lot of time has passed since that fateful day that saw the Chiefs get curb-stomped by Jalen Hurts and Co., but that doesn't mean the mental scars aren't there. Plus, Kansas City is coming off a Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, so there is a little bit of urgency to get the season rolling.
And that will be anything but easy for the Chiefs when the Eagles roll into town because these two outfits know each other well, so it might take something special for the Chiefs to down Philadelphia.
But make no mistake, Patrick Mahomes knows precisely what it'll take for his team to emerge victorious.
“This is a really good football team,” Mahomes said. “There’s no way around it. They’re good at every aspect on defense, obviously on offense as well. It’s going to take our best football, so you learn from the mistakes you make, you try to come back and play better football, and it’s going to take our best football to get a win.”
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Is Chiefs' Week 2 matchup vs. Eagles a must-win?
After one week? There is a case to be made that this might be for Mahomes and Andy Reid.
With the possibility of a 0-2 start, Kansas City is going to have to take care of business against the Eagles; otherwise, the season, after just two weeks, might feel like it is starting to slip away.
Now, we aren't going to make any definitive statements should the Chiefs lose, because there is still so much football left to be played, but Kansas City's Super Bowl chances might take a severe hit in the eyes of many.
But win, and this troubled train will get back on the tracks, ready to attack the rest of the season.
It does seem odd that a team that just two games of football ago was seen as potentially the best-ever with a chance at a historic three-peat, is now seen as a team struggling to stay afloat.
But all of that goes away with a win.
Is the Chiefs' "best football" enough? We're about to find out.
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