The Kansas City Chiefs are closing in on yet another AFC West division title. One more win will hand Kansas City its ninth successive division crown, a major milestone as the Chiefs pursue further NFL history in the form of a third successive Super Bowl.
But problems are bubbling below the surface, The Chiefs’ pass defense is below average, although their run defense is elite; quarterback Patrick Mahomes has battled inconsistency all season amidst questions about his receiving corps and offensive line. Making matters more difficult for the Chiefs on Sunday night is the fact that Taylor Swift, the partner of tight end Travis Kelce and a Kansas City “good luck charm”, will be playing the final show of her Eras Tour while the Chiefs battle the Los Angeles Chargers.
Kansas City is making a switch at an essential position
It is often said that a quarterback’s best friend is his left tackle, an offensive lineman situated on the edge of the line who blocks the quarterback’s “blind side” and prevents him from getting sacked or otherwise hit. The Chiefs are getting ready to make a big change at this position as the most important stretch of the season looms.
Kansas City will start veteran left tackle D.J. Humphries on Sunday night, when the Chiefs host the rival Chargers with the AFC West title on the line. Andy Reid has watched as Mahomes has taken a career-worst 32 sacks in 12 games, with second-year left tackle Wanya Morris struggling amid a bone bruise and rookie Kingsley Suamataia too raw to contribute as the Chiefs pursue their Super Bowl three-peat.
The newly-signed Humphries spent the first eight years of his career with the Arizona Cardinals and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2021. The 30-year-old suffered a knee injury in 2023 that, combined with the ascent of first-round pick Paris Johnson Jr., spelled the end of his time in the desert. Now, Humphries will seek to prove himself against the Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium — and if he does, Swift will certainly be around to see the Chiefs’ Super Bowl pursuit through to New Orleans, which is hosting Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9.
