2023 NFL Power Rankings: Kansas City Chiefs

Young riser: CB Trent McDuffie

McDuffie, 23, is in his second NFL season and entered Week 7 as the NFL's top-rated cornerback by Pro Football Focus. He has become a versatile player, lining up either in slot coverage or outside depending on the situation. McDuffie has no interceptions but has forced three fumbles and broken up four passes. McDuffie has also been an effective blitzer with four quarterback hits. -- Adam Teicher

The Chiefs were a bit uneven yet again Sunday, with the offense cooling off after halftime. But other than the Nick Bolton's wrist injury, is there anything from this game to complain about? Kansas City solidly beat a talented opponent. Yeah, the Chargers' record (2-4) stinks, but this was still a divisional victory won by multiple TDs. Charles Omenihu came back from suspension with a sack and a tipped pass that was intercepted at the Chiefs' 6-yard line. Old friend Mecole Hardman had a hand in the triumph, with a 50-yard punt return and a big third-down conversion late. And best friends Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce remain inseparable, despite the fact that their streak of 29 straight completions was broken Sunday. This team just knows how to win.

They are clicking now on offense, which is the scary thing for the rest of the NFL. They looked like the offense we expect from Patrick Mahomes against the Chargers, really for the first time this season.

Look who's back on top after winning a league-high six in a row. A victory next Sunday would run K.C.'s unbeaten streak against Denver to 17 games (13-0 with QB Patrick Mahomes), which would be tied for the second-longest run of dominance by one team over another in league history. Sidebar: Harrison Butker is an unsung weapon here, converting all 15 of his FG tries in 2023 and all 19 PATs. No one else has attempted more kicks this season without a miss.

One question: Is the defense for real?

Kansas City won the Super Bowl last season with a defense that ranked 14th in success rate (58.3 percent). This year's group ranks fifth (61.6). The offense seems fully engaged now. Travis Kelce caught 12 passes for 179 yards Sunday, and Patrick Mahomes had his fifth career game with 400-plus yards and four or more touchdowns. Plus, Mahomes and Kelce connected for their 50th career touchdown, the fourth-most by a quarterback-tight end duo in NFL history. If this defense is for real, the Chiefs will stay in this spot for a while.

As I said, the Chiefs will figure it out. Maybe it took seven weeks, but the offense finally broke out the way you'd expect. We know Travis Kelce will always be at the center of things, but you've got to be encouraged by how Patrick Mahomes got Rashee Rice and Marquez Valdes-Scantling involved en route to 31 points. It's also worth pointing out that the defense pitched a second-half shutout.

Travis Kelce continues to beat the aging curve at tight end. Only one other tight end has ever posted a 1,000-yard season at age 34 (Pete Retzlaff of the 1965 Eagles had 1,190 yards). Kelce has 525 yards in six games. He looks like he's over his early season injuries and has 303 yards the last two games. It's probably not due to Taylor Swift, but whatever Kelce is doing is working.

The offense is clicking, even without a consistently viable alternative to Travis Kelce.

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