HIGH HOPES
By Samuel Kombrink
It is an exciting time to be a sports fan in Kansas City. At the current moment, the Chiefs are Super Bowl contenders, Sporting KC is in first place, and KU Basketball enters the 2018-19 season with a number one ranked squad for the third time in school history.
Starting with the Chiefs, I told you that Patrick Mahomes had a God given ability to throw a football. Mahomes is now the first player in NFL history to throw for over 3000 yards in his first 10 games. Mahomes continues to amaze fans, and break records week in and week out. This Andy Reid squad looks primed for another showdown with the New England Patriots.
This team keeps improving week by week on both sides of the ball.mOn Sunday in Cleveland, Mahomes went 23/32, threw for 375 yeards, three touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 129. Travis Kelce and Kareem Hunt had big days in their home town. Kelce had seven receptions, 99 yards, two touchdowns. Hunt ran for 91 yards on 17 rushes for two touchdowns and a receiving touchdown. Hunt had 141 total yards.
On defense, Cornerback Steven Nelson and Inside Linebacker Anthony Hitchens led the team with 8 tackles. Nelson also had an interception. I actually would not mind Nelson moving to safety, that way Cornerbacks Orlando Scandrick and Kendall Fuller are on the field at the same time as Safety Ron Parker and Nelson.
One of the factors that makes the team so dangerous: the Kansas City Chiefs offense which currently leads that league in points forwarded with 327. The fact that there are multiple options for Mahomes to deploy the football makes this team a true super bowl contender with New England, New Orleans and the Los Angeles Rams.
The Chiefs aren’t the only team in town with a high success rate. That’s right, don’t forget Sporting KC sits atop the Western Conference in the MLS standings with a record of (18-8-8) and they look to bring home another MLS Cup to Kansas City, as they did in 2012.
Fresh off defeating LA FC 2-1 to lock up the number one seed going into the playoffs, Sporting KC is ready to win it all. On Sunday, November 4, they started the postseason vs Real Salt Lake, where game 1 resulted in a 1-1 draw.
“I think you saw a very hungry team that’s not satisfied with what we’ve done so far and that really wants to go after the Cup,” Sporting KC defender Graham Zusi said. “Really, it’s all or nothing for us.”
Head Coach Peter Vermes said of playing the last five matches, it has had a playoff feel to it, and the energy gets everybody prepared for the postseason.
Sporting KC will play the lowest seed remaining in the West after the knockout round matches are completed this week. The conference semifinals are a two-game series scored on aggregate, with Sporting KC first traveling to its opponent Real Salt Lake and then Sporting hosting the second leg. Those games will take place on Sundays, the playoffs officially returning to Kansas City on Nov. 11.