by Ryan Mercier
For anyone who stopped paying close attention at any point earlier in the season, here are some important announcements.
PSA 1: The Miami Dolphins are 7-7
Brian Flores and company barely got by with a one-point victory in Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Then, the Dolphins lost seven games in a row. Miami was one of the most disappointing teams in the entire NFL. Flores, known before this skid as one of the great up-and-coming head coaches, was suddenly heading on a trajectory of being fired.
Instead, the Fins have now won six in a row. The defense has given up 13.2 points per game in that span and it’s starting to feel like 2020 again (uhh, football-wise for the Miami Dolphins. Not that OTHER thing). Winning the AFC East feels like a pipe dream but this team is squarely in the mix for a playoff spot now.
PSA 2: The real San Francisco 49ers are back
Remember Trey Lance? That guy the Niners drafted to take over as the future star quarterback? What if he didn’t get hurt in his start against the Cardinals back in Week 5? It’s a fascinating question but time to look at the here and now.
After starting out 2-4 and 3-5, San Francisco is starting to look like the juggernaut which almost won the Super Bowl following the 2019 season. The defense just seasons ago was great but it’s easy to forget the 49ers averaged 30 points per game on offense that year, too. In their last eight games in 2021, the Niners are almost averaging that 30-point mark again. The same quarterback has been here for both attacks, the sometimes-maligned enigma, Jimmy Garoppolo.
Whichever team draws the 49ers in the opening round of the playoffs is not going to be happy.
PSA 3: The Kansas City Chiefs are the No. 1 seed in the AFC
If any fan was told before the season began that the Chiefs would have the best record in the AFC after 15 weeks, it would be met with a blank stare. Obviously, this would be the case.
Of course, the journey Kansas City took to get here miraculously had them feeling like the underdog. All because Patrick Mahomes and the typically electrifying offense had not been the same for an alarming number of games this season.
The Chiefs have actually been a team led by their defense in this current 7-game winning streak. Thursday Night Football may have been the spark which no other team in the league wanted to see. Mahomes threw for 400 yards and Tyreek Hill’s statline of 12 catches, 148 yards, and one touchdown paled in comparison to Travis Kelce’s. The monster tight end caught 10 balls for 191 yards and two scores.
This is the most dangerous Public Service Announcement to the rest of the NFL. Andy Reid’s Chiefs have a defense to be reckoned with and the Mahomes fireworks may be joining them in the playoffs. Stay safe, everybody.
Struggling Actor Sports 