Will Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs WIN OUT? Stephen A. has concerns 😳 | First Take

Will Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs WIN OUT? Stephen A. has concerns 😳 | First Take

Week 14 officially underway when the Cowboys, yes, they head to Detroit to face the Lions in what feels like a playoff game in December. Cowboys have won their last two games against the Chiefs and the Eagles. They’re now looking to win their third game in 11 days. With the win streak, the Cowboys are gaining on the Eagles quickly now in the division. In fact, Thursday’s game has the third highest playoff leverage of any game this week, according to our analytics. The Lions jumped to 55% to reach the playoffs with the win and the Cowboys would jump to 36% however with a loss. The Lions will have only a 22% chance with the Cowboys, even worse at an 8% chance. Here’s Jerry Jones perspective on tomorrow evening. Our best shot, I think, is to win the division. I really am pleased with how this team has come together over these last two or three weeks. I’m excited about what we’ve done, how we have evolved, and it would be a fairy tale. Not a not total fairy tale, but it would be wonderful to pull this thing out, get in those playoffs, and have this staff make a run at it. We’ve got the personnel that we can compete like that. So, while the Cowboys have been winning, the Eagles have been losing, yet still Philadelphia has a twoame lead on the division. So, do we think Dallas will catch Philly in the NFC East? Go ahead, Marcus. I have waited so long for this. I have I have come in this studio so many times feeling hopeless and helpless and I had to be subjected to what this guy says about the Dallas Cowboys. It’s and then sometimes he’ll say something good mad dog. But I know in my heart of hearts down it’s a setup. It’s a setup. He means it but it’s a setup. And he tells us all the time that he’s waiting on the fall. All right. I like this position we in. And yes, I do believe that they can win the division based on how they’re playing and what we see from Philly right now. From a football context, there’s no hotter team than the Dallas Cowboys right now. When you talk about Remember, we were here a few weeks ago talking about this three-game stretch. And if they could get two out of three, we would have a different ideology about what Dallas is. So, here’s the thing. There is a significant upgrade defensively with Quinnon Williams just for this team in particular this year. So that position that gets solidified. You bring Logan Wilson in, you get some guys off of injury. Dear Mario Overon has been phenomenal for this football team. And then you go to the offensive side and Stephen A and Mad Dog. I’m going to drop it off at this. I don’t think anybody can stop them except theirel because when you look at what George Pickins is doing and you look at CD Lamb, they’re running the ball successfully. Dak is playing with a lot of confidence. And what made me very excited in this game against Kansas City in particular, not just the hype, every time they needed a score, they went down the field and got one. This game in a win was close all the way throughout. Patrick Mahomes threw four interceptions, had a 129 QBR, played phenomenal, and Dak and this football team were able to do enough to get a win. We haven’t seen that from the Cowboys in a while, Mad Dog. I agree. And think about it. The week prior, they go down 21 nothing to the Philadelphia Eagles. Huge trouble. And erases that lead and come back to win that game. So, it’s not just fluff. I don’t think this team is not I don’t think it’s built on the glitz and glamour and the lights. Obviously behind the tragedy, they probably found more meaningful things to play football for and now they in a stretch where they’re proving to themselves that they can beat really good teams in this league. I like where Dallas is and I think they going to win. I’m going to let doggy go, but stop filibustering because you take it so damn long. We ain’t got no time to come back. Give us a chance. I haven’t had a chance to talk like this in a long time. Give me my time. Okay, I’ll let Stevie Handle getting back at you because I think you’re right. I mean, I got a lot of juice. I said two out of three. They’ve already done that. And they’re playing for a cause right now. They’re playing for something bigger than the games. And that is a very dangerous element if you’re the opponent. Nostalgia. So since when you care about emotions and nostalgia and all the time, well, you’re in a lousy mood to I’m in a very good I’m in a very good mood. You got CBS running around with the cameras. Goodness. He mad that we not on this like high heel right now. He can’t knock us too far down. We working our way from bottom up this year, which I the Cowboys, that’s true, too. He He likes to see the fall. This time you’re coming out of nowhere. Now, let’s do the math quickly. They have five losses. Philly’s got four losses. No tiebreaker involved because of the tie that the Cowboys had. So, it’s not going to be a you’re going to win the division or you’re going to lose the division. Phillyy’s going to probably win three games. They play the Washington twice, the Raiders at Buffalo at the Chargers. Okay. Dallas has, as you know, the schedule. They play Minnesota, the Chargers at home at Washington at the Giants. Yep. So, if the Cowboys can go 4- one, we’ll give them a loss tomorrow night. They go 4-1, that’s 10 six and one. The Eagles are going to have to go, you know, they’re going to have to go 12 and five to beat that. Well, 11 and six to beat it, too. 11 and six. So, we need them to be We need them to lose a few games. So, they’re not out of it yet. They probably will be in a situation where the Eagles have to lose three games. and they may not lose three. So from that standpoint, maybe the Cowboys do need to run the table. Are they going to win the division or not? Exactly. Answer the question. They ask you a question. You know what the question is? I can’t believe you dancing like Fred a stair. No, I didn’t say Chris like you. Are they going to do it? Go with your gut, mad, dog. It’s It’s I love him so much and I want to see you fight us off. Yes, they’re going to win the division. There we go. That’s two yeses for the Cowboys. Go ahead, Stephen. Okay. Hell no. I ain’t going there. I ain’t doing it. I ain’t doing it. Let me say this to you. Let me let me let me say this to you. I will concede this. I reserve the right to change my mind. If the Cowboys win Thursday and the Eagles lose Monday night, I’ll be there with you. Monday Night Football Monday night countdown. I’ll be there in LA. If the Eagles lose Monday night and the Cowboys win Thursday, all bets are off. Well, that’s one. I’d say this but No, the first thing I said was I don’t think it’s going to happen. I said the Eagles I got the Eagles holding on to win the division because I think the Dallas got pretty much has to run the table in order to win a division. And I’m not sure that they’re going to do that. I look at the Philadelphia Eagles, they can afford a loss, unlike Dallas. They can afford one loss. Maybe not two, but they can afford one. I don’t like the way the Eagles are looking. I don’t like the way that they’ve been playing. I think their offense has been anemic. I think we need to look at Nick Serriani and point the finger of blame at him. Not advocating the man’s house get egged like it did. You know, you got irresponsible people out there. People losing their damn minds over every little thing. No respect or decency whatsoever half the damn time. But he has not done a good job as the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. Siri has not done a good job leading this team. AJ Brown is looking like a prophet. Yeah. because everything that he said has come to fruition. He talked about not taking stuff for granted. Last year was last year. This year is a different year. Teams are better. They’ve made adjustments. We’ve got to do the same. And the Eagles offensively haven’t done it. And then now look at what they’ve been doing defensively. And so defensively, they’ve been horrible. This is Vic Fangio’s defense that has given up nearly 500 yards of offense in the last two games. 500 yards of offense in the last two games. It’s one thing to give up a boatload of yards to the to the Cowboys, but then to give it up to your Bears on the ground. I mean to yours on the ground. No, no, no. I’m a fan. No, no, no, no. You can’t say relax cuz I’ve been supporting the Bears all year long. I I was speaking up for Caleb Williams. I’ve been speaking up for Ben Johnson. I know Kevin Warren. He’s a friend. I’ve known him for years. Listen, I’m looking at them and I’m saying, “Hey, I didn’t expect over 400 yards of offense from the Chicago Bears.” Nobody did. So, when you look at that from the Eagles, there’s a reason to be worried. But it comes down to this. They can afford to lose a game. Dallas can’t. And that’s why I’m going with the Eagles to hold on to the NFC. Marcus, he’s right. Cowboys will probably have to run the table because the Eagles are going to win 11 games. Which one you have more confidence in right now? Dallas running the table or what? Or the Eagles losing losing two. I have more confidence in the Cowboys running the table. That’s where I’m at. Here’s what I worry. That’s why I went there. They’ve had these three tough games if they win on Thursday night against really good opponents in 11 days. Like sometimes there can be a little bit of a hangover after that. you’ve worked yourself up for these three games. And then he talks about them falling off a cliff, not a curb. That would be falling off a cliff to lose to the Commanders or Giants the last three games. To your point, I think it’s important and I know like this is obviously not something that you want to be repetitive with, but it’s it’s absolutely a factor after this team losing Marsh Nean. It’s they just different. They’re playing the mental. I talked to Dak the Monday night game after all of that happened and I I walked up to Dak. I said, “Hey, man, lead these boys.” and he was like, “I will.” And he said, “Swag, it’s a different energy in the building.” And I think a lot of it, Shottenheimer deserves a lot of credit for navigating this team through that period, but also like I’ve been I’ve been a part of football teams. I’ve been a part of Trast Stalworth equipment manager um when I was at LSU, JB. We won the national championship that year and I guarantee you every single game there was a responsibility to JB. I think Dallas has that going right now. I’m not diminishing that in any way. That’s not something to joke about or be frivolous or take. I I get that part. But I also think that we have to be real about what they were facing against. In other words, the Eagles have been a mess most of this season. That helped. All right. You know, do you look at Kansas City? They’ve had some turmoil. They’ve been up and down throughout the years. We’re looking at Andy Reed like, “What’s going on?” We’re looking at Spagnolan like, “What’s going on?” We’re not We’re not seeing the same Chiefs. What’s up? So, that helps. Y I’m saying that as the season progresses, now the schedule’s the schedule, and they should be able They got a chance to run the table against these opponents, and I’m certainly not taking away their mentality is a bit different, what have you. But I’m also saying, well, it ain’t like you playing the Texans, and it ain’t like you playing the Rams, and it ain’t like you playing the Seahawks. It’s it’s a different beast that’s waiting for you. Yeah. We wouldn’t have said this about Philly and Kansas City. If they would have lost those games, it would have been everybody expectation. Right. Right. This look the being down 21 nothing to Philly and winning that game. Dallas doesn’t win those games. We we watched them over the last couple years. Patrick Mahomes had answers for when they made plays. If you couldn’t defend against the run, then you went and got Quinnon Williams and that helped. the quarterback and that’s what that’s what I was just about to say coming back. This team is better from a personnel standpoint, but they also have that extra mentality from what they went through, of course. Um, let’s move on. We brought up Kansas City. Let’s go there now because it feels like another must-win situation this weekend. The Chiefs will face a really, really tough opponent in the AFC against the Houston Texans. Similar situation here. The Chiefs have lost three out of four. They trail both the Chargers and Broncos in their division. And while that’s been happening, the Texans have won four straight games. Both teams in the hunt for the playoffs with the Texans having a 76% chance to make it with the win. The Chiefs climbing to 56% with the win as you take a look at the Chiefs remaining schedule here. So, there we go. So, can will you pick Kansas City run the table and make the playoffs? D absolutely can. Uh the Chiefs are going to, I think, win five in a row and they’re going to be 11 and six. And remember, they beaten the Colts. And if they do go 11 and six, they’re gonna have beaten Houston. So from that standpoint, they’re going to have tiebreers over those two teams. They’re not going to win the division. Denver’s gone. But if they also go 11 and six, they’re going to beat the Chargers because the Chargers go to Kansas City. And that’s going to get an even tiebreaker because they would have split with with the Chargers. I have a lot of confidence in the Chiefs. They are far from done. I think they’re winning five in a row. Their road games are the Raiders and Tennessee. Their home games are this one forthcoming. Denver on Christmas night, Vegas and and no and San Diego and the Chargers. They go to Vegas. Go to Vegas. So, they’re going to win the two road games. And if they win the three home games, that’s 11 and six. And 11-6 is going to get the Chiefs into the postseason. Houston can afford a loss this week because they get another crack at Indianapolis. Indianapolis has a brutal schedule. We’ll get to that a little later on. So, the team that can’t lose this week are the Chiefs because if they lose this week, they’re not making it. But if Houston loses, they can still get in. Their schedule’s easy, too. But the big question there, Shay, is I think KC runs the table and gets to 11 games. Wins 11 games, man. No, that’s about that. That’s a lot based on how this team is playing. That’s right. I’m telling you, man. Though, I I know it. But but this Houston game, a tough game could be it. And and I look at listen I understand and and historically you know you like historical references but in recent history it’s hard for you to come off the Chiefs like it if there is something when you when you utter that this team is not going to make the playoffs you sound like a fool even in the position that they’re sitting in right now. But Mad Dog, I don’t think it’s just about them hitting another gear. I don’t know if they have it. I don’t know if they have that gear that we saw them have. And look, they won all of these one-score games last year. They lost these one-score games this year, which is why they in this position. It’s not like the Chiefs aren’t competitive. It’s not like they don’t have a chance to win a lot of these games. They haven’t finished football games this year. Trying to finish against them is Have you seen that defense? Oh, I got a very good defense. And look, it’s ferocious. It is. It is. It It is unbelievable the way that they’re playing defense. Problem I have with the Chiefs is they’re not the same on defense. Well, yes, they’re third in line. That’s my That’s my issue. And that’s why I don’t think they run the table. That’s my problem. That’s not mine. If anybody can pull it off, it’s Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. But I don’t I’m not here to say I can’t say they going to beat the Texans this weekend. What is it about the Texans? They can send for I’ve seen them send three at quarterbacks and get to them. Three. Not even four. And I’m looking at the Chiefs right now. Trey Smith, offensive line. Trey Smith out. Josh Simmons out. Dwan Taylor out. You got cats that are out. When we’ve seen Patrick Mahomes, humbled if not crushed. Super Bowl versus Tampa. Offensive line. Super Bowl versus Philly. Yep. And this year, what? Same problem. Offensive line. That seems to be the one thing that Andy Reeds is ill equipped to overcome. It just is just just that. It’s just that way. And then you’re not running the football. You’re not even trying to run the football half the time now. Okay. Against Houston, this defense, you got Patrick Mahomes back there. And we going to send we going to send folks for you. And Travis Kelce, we listen, he hasn’t announced it or anything, but we all expect this to be it for him. We expect this to be his last year because Travis Kelce isn’t what he used to be. Still damn good. You still future Hall of Famer, three-time champion, nothing but love for him. But father Tom is undefeated. We’re not saying he’s not good. We’re saying well he’s not what he used to be. The impact they need. If there was ever a time when you needed to be what you used to be, it’s against this Houston defense. These brothers are something special. I haven’t seen a defense in the modern era like this. The way these brothers hunt and to be in a situation where your offensive line, not one, not two, but three different dudes out against them. I I listen I Houston’s gonna tell me more so than Kansas City. I’m looking at Houston because I have total faith in their defense. The question is going to be what CJ Strider and that offense going to be able to give you cuz I believe they got a chance to still take the South and I believe that Houston is the team to watch in the AFC to come out of the AFC. That’s how I feel about that defense. Going to be a problem. That defense great defense if Houston get that defense is a problem. Very excellent defense. Now they don’t win in Kansas City. Last year they lost. True. They don’t win in Kansas. Historically they’ve gotten killed the game they had the 24 nothing lead and the Chiefs scored 50 points in a row. Remember that famous game with Bill O’Brien when they went for it on fourth down. Everybody yelled and screamed. Well, that’s it. There you go. So they don’t win historically there. I I tell you guys, you write Mahomes off at your own peril. Go ahead. You write him off. You sit there right now. You sit there and you go write him and read off. But the problem with doggy is that you’re not asking us about a game. You’re asking us about essentially a month to five weeks, the last five games of the regular season with a debilitated offensive line and a team that doesn’t look the way all these years. I’ve been saying the same damn thing you just said since early November. Don’t write the Chiefs off. Don’t Don’t let it go yet. Yeah. Here they come. Listen, I’m I’mma tell you, man. There was a significant there was something significant about that Dallas game for Kansas City because the Chiefs win those games. That’s true. Pat Mahomes throw four touchdowns, no interceptions. You play that well on offense and you still leave that building without winning the game. Don’t get the ball back the last three minutes. Three, three minutes left and your defense. This is Steve Spagnola. We talking about the guy that has come up with defensive play after defensive play after defensive play throughout the Super Bowl era that they’ve been running. It just it’s something missing. And I think the Chiefs are not playing from a position of strength like they always have. There’s a desperation that I think is costing them defensively especially by giving up so many plays trying to shoot the whole thing at the team instead of playing conservative. I listen, I don’t know if there’ll be there’ll be another time in my TV career that I say Patrick Mahomes won’t get into the playoffs or won’t be a substantial part of the playoffs. This is the one year I feel like I’ve come around now to feel like this team just doesn’t have enough to get it done. I mean, you said it yourself. Whenever the Cowboys needed to score in their game against the Chiefs, they were able to. That Chiefs defense and Spags couldn’t pull something out of their hat. They’ve had issues running the football. They have turnovers. Bags isn’t the one that can’t pull something out of his hat. That’s a bad sign for opposing defenses against that Dallas. Houston’s offense is not Dallas’s offense. I know Dallas has receivers. This is not nearly as good an offense. Houston got one good one though. He Oh, he’s good. And CJ Stra should get better and better. He was out for some time with that injury. So, we’ll see what happens.

On First Take, Stephen A. Smith, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo and Marcus “Swagu” Spears join to discuss the latest storylines in the NFL, including:

0:00 Cowboys vs. Lions
2:30 Cowboys winning the NFC East?
5:51 Stephen A. weighs in
7:00 Marcus Spears responds
11:27 Texans vs. Chiefs
14:23 Stephen A. responds
16:50 Chiefs running the table?
17:10 Chiefs vs. Cowboys

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