Entering Week 8 of the NFL season, raise your hand if you had the Kansas City Chiefs as the last team this year to be undefeated? Go ahead, not all at once now.
Didn’t think so.
But that is exactly what we are left with at roughly the halfway mark of the year, with just one unbeaten team. Kansas City defeated Houston on Sunday to push their record to 7-0, while the Denver Broncos dropped to the Indianapolis Colts to fall to 6-1. That means that the Broncos actually trail by one game in their own division, yet many still feel that they might be the best team in the league in spite of the loss on the road to the Colts.
While the record of the Chiefs is impressive, does it mean that they are the best team in the NFL right now? Would you take them over any other team?
The one loss for the Seahawks and the one loss for the Broncos both came at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts. While one can make the argument for flip-flopping Denver and Seattle with the top spot, at this point in time the slight edge goes to the Seahawks. Seattle looked very good against Arizona on Thursday night, and that defense is the difference maker. When push comes to shove, the Seahawks defense can make plays, while the Broncos rely too heavily on their offense to get things done.
The Broncos weakness on the defensive side of the ball showed through in the loss to Indianapolis. As good as the offense might be, if they have even a slow start to the night like they did against the Colts, they are playing catch up and getting away from their original game plan. The Broncos defense needs to get their act together. Hopefully the return of Von Miller will pay off here shortly
Yes, Indianapolis has two losses. But look at some of the wins that they have had this season. There isn’t a better group of wins by any other team. Victories over San Francisco, Seattle, and Denver alone mark for three of the top-five Super Bowl favorites. Indianapolis is as good as any team and can beat any team in the league right now. The loss of Reggie Wayne with a season-ending ACL injury will definitely be something to pay close attention to however.
The Chiefs continue to just win, and that counts for a lot. The Kansas City defense has made plays every week, and the offense is progressing as well. This is a very balanced and very well coached team by Andy Reid. The real test will be in a few weeks against Denver, but up to this point Kansas City is passing everything with flying colors.
The Saints were off this past week, which meant going into the bye week off of their first loss on the season. Nevertheless, New Orleans is just as good as Seattle at home, and have proven that they can win big games on the road. They could very easily be undefeated right now were it not for given up a last-second touchdown to New England.