Grading the AFC West at the quarter mark of the 2024 NFL season

Kansas City Chiefs: A

Record: 5-0

The Chiefs are the only 5-0 team in the AFC and one of two undefeated teams still standing league-wide. It's hard to give them anything less than an A, but the reason that they're not an A+ is because they've squeaked by in four of their five games.

Still, a win is a win, and they have played a relatively difficult schedule so far, but neither their offense nor defense has caught fire yet.

That's the scary part. The Chiefs are not playing their best, and they are still the best.

Somehow, with a skeleton crew, the team is averaging 23.6 points per game, which is in the middle of the pack. Patrick Mahomes has looked human this year through five games and early on, Travis Kelce showed serious signs of slowing down.

Isiah Pacheco has not played in weeks, the team just lost Rashee Rice potentially for the season, but they have still found a way. Kareem Hunt is back in the fold at running back and playing tremendously, and Kelce has sipped from the fountain of youth before the last two games.

Juju Smith-Schuster has found another life and Xavier Worthy is rapidly ascending as a rookie.

The defense carried the load for much of the season in 2023, and they look to be even better this year despite losing star corner L'Jarius Sneed.

They've only caused five turnovers and sacked the opposing quarterback nine times, but they are as solid and fundamentally sound as they come. Chris Jones is Chris Jones, and Jaylen Watson has stepped up big-time at corner.

Not if, but when, Mahomes and Co. figure it out and get healthy, this will be a Super Bowl-favorite team again.

It always works out for the Chiefs.