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Three weeks of the 2024 NFL season are nearly complete, and we’ve still got a few teams hanging onto spotless records. At least one of the teams isn’t a major surprise, with the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs starting 3-0 for the sixth time of coach Andy Reid’s tenure. Others, however, are literally defying the odds.
A long season remains, but the odds also say that a 3-0 start bodes well for a playoff appearance, with roughly 75% of 3-0 clubs going on to make the postseason since 1970. What lies ahead for this year’s spotless squads? Below, we’ve identified top strengths and weaknesses, and forecast when — or if — their perfect record will fall:
Kansas City Chiefs
Wins: vs. Ravens, @ Bengals, @ Falcons
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Top strength: Clutch execution. Steve Spagnuolo’s defense has remained physical, but Patrick Mahomes has been coming through in crunch time despite a banged-up supporting cast now missing lead ball-carrier Isiah Pacheco. Rashee Rice’s continued emergence as a No. 1 wideout has made them an after-the-catch mismatch.
Top weakness: Durability. Mahomes has had two starting left tackles this year, and most of the bench up front is banged up. The backfield is down to rookie Carson Steele with Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire unavailable, and Rice almost has to make plays out wide with Marquise Brown sidelined for potentially the whole season.
Prediction: The Chiefs beat the Los Angeles Chargers (Week 5) and New Orleans Saints (Week 6), then edge the San Francisco 49ers (Week 8) following the bye, improving to 7-0 before an upset loss to Todd Bowles’ defense and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9.
Wins: @ Giants, vs. 49ers, vs. Texans
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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/sorting-nfls-3-0-teams-top-strengths-weaknesses-predicting-how-long-chiefs-others-stay-undefeated/
Author : Cody Benjamin
Publish date : 2024-09-23 14:22:38
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