KANSAS CITY Dorian O'Daniel Jersey , Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs‘ defense had been hearing all season about how bad it was, and how it was the biggest threat to an offensive juggernaut falling short of the Super Bowl.Then it shut down the Oakland Raiders in Week 17.Now, the Raiders are hardly one of the NFL’s premier offenses, and they rolled into Arrowhead Stadium with little impetus to play hard. But by holding Derek Carr and the rest of the Oakland offense in check, it gave the Chiefs some positive momentum heading into the playoffs, not to mention proof that some subtle tweaks to their personnel packages had paid dividends.“We just have to keep it rolling,” said linebacker Justin Houston, the defense’s longtime emotional leader. “It’s a great time for us to play like this. We were firing on all cylinders from the front to the back end (against Oakland), and now we just have to build off it.”That’s because Andrew Luck and the rest of the Indianapolis Colts, who come to Kansas City for the divisional round Saturday, represent a massive upgrade in competition.Luck threw the second-most touchdown passes in the NFL this season, behind the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, and played behind one of the best offensive lines in the league.The Indy offense isn’t a one-trick pony, either. The Colts dominated the Texans on the ground in a 21-7 win in the wild-card round as Marlon Mack piled up 148 yards rushing and a touchdown.The Colts have roared into the postseason with seven wins in eight games.“Andrew’s going to get you every once in a while,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, “and you’ve got to make sure you get him more than he gets you, but he’s got a lot of good players around him. That offensive line, people can argue with you that it’s the best in the National Football League. You look at the receivers, they’ve got good receivers, they’ve got good tight ends, you go all the way around.“You’ve got to bring your best. That’s what the playoffs are all about,” Reid added. “This is the best in the National Football League http://www.chiefslockerroom.com/authentic-derrick-nnadi-jersey , which is the best in the world, and you have an opportunity to do that. That’s an exciting thing, but you better bring your best every play.”The question for the Chiefs is simple, though: Is their best good enough?Indianapolis was fifth in scoring while the Chiefs were 24th in scoring defense. They were last in the league in rush defensive efficiency, average yards after contact and first-down percentage, and they were second-to-last in yards-per-carry allowed despite many teams trying to play catch-up.As bad as those numbers were, though, the Chiefs were actually respectable against the pass. And they were downright dominant when it came to pressuring the quarterback, generating sacks on 7.4 percent of pass plays — better even than Khalil Mack and the Bears — and pressure on 31.1 percent of them.That sets the stage for an intriguing matchup between the Indy offensive line, which has allowed no more than one sack in a game since Week 4, and the Chiefs’ dominant pass rush.“The goal and strategy remains the same,” Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni said. “Run the football and set up other things by running it, and then be successful in situational football.”The Chiefs made some key personnel changes late in the season, effectively benching veteran safety Ron Parker and cornerback Orlando Scandrick. Daniel Sorensen, Charvarius Ward and Jordan Lucas have been playing more, and their results against woebegone Oakland were encouraging.The Chiefs also could get safety Eric Berry back after he missed Week 17 with a recurrence of his heel injury. Berry played only two games this season, but he changed the entire dynamic of the Kansas City defense for the snaps he was on the field.“We’ve just got to lock in,” Chiefs cornerback Kendall Fuller said. “For us, we’re inside this building. That’s the only thing we’re focusing on. I’m not a big social media guy. We just come together week-in and week-out, to win on Saturday. We just keep it in-house and focus on each other.”NOTES: Berry and WR Sammy Watkins (foot) participated in the portion of practice open to the media Tuesday. DT Derrick Nnaddi (concussion) also said that he’d been cleared to rejoin practice. … OLB Dorian O’Daniel did not practice because of a calf and ankle injury.100<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:View from the sidelines: NFL cheerleaders 2018Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports | Raj Mehta KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs came within a defensive stop in overtime of beating the New England Patriots in the AFC title game, the closest they’ve come to reaching the Super Bowl in nearly five decades.Not surprisingly Womens Kendall Fuller Jersey , expectations among fans are to take that next step.They are among the Chiefs, too.“Last year was a good moment for us,” linebacker Reggie Ragland said, “but we strive to get to win the AFC championship this year and go to the Super Bowl, so we have to keep working — keep getting better, keep being physical, keep being tough mentally. So far, we’re doing a good job of it.”There are plenty of reasons to believe the Chiefs can finally wipe away all those years of mind-numbing disappointment, and return to the Super Bowl for the first time since Len Dawson was under center.Start with the guy who plays Dawson’s position.Patrick Mahomes is coming off a record-setting debut as the starter, throwing for more than 5,000 yards with 50 touchdown passes and a mere 12 interceptions. But beyond the numbers, the young quarterback out of Texas Tech provedhe could be a leader from the get-go, taking center stage in a locker room full of more experienced players and leading vocally and by example.It helps when you’re voted All-Pro and the league’s MVP.“We got a lot of experience last year. We played in a lot of big games. We won some, we lost some,” Mahomes said. “What you learn from those games, you see what you have to do to be a great football team. For us this year, it’s all about just taking that next step. It’s all about going out every single day and doing whatever it takes to find a way to win the game on Sunday.”Mahomes has just about everyone in his supporting cast back this season, losing only wide receiver Chris Conley and getting second-round pick Mecole Hardman as a replacement.In other words, Mahomes could very well surpass the eye-popping numbers he put up last season.The question now is whether the other side of the ball can raise its level of performance.After the Chiefs’ defense melted down in overtime against the Patriots, it took little time for coach Andy Reid to fire defensive coordinator Bob Sutton. Longtime stalwarts such as Justin Houston and Eric Berry were let go, and Steve Spagnuolo was brought in to overhaul the entire system.The Chiefs now run a 4-3 set. They’ve added high-profile players such as Frank Clark and Tyrann Mathieu. And at least in their early preseason games, the returns have been promising.“This is what I always preach to them: We are going to chase perfection but rely on relentlessness Anthony Hitchens Jersey ,” Spagnuolo said. “That’s been a motto and a theme for us. I’m hoping we’re adopting that as players.”As the Chiefs prepare for their opener Sept. 8 in Jacksonville, here are some other story lines:SPEED DEMONSHardman ran one of the fastest 40-yard dash times at the NFL scouting combine. When he is on the field with fellow wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins, it gives the Chiefs a trio of threats capable of running sub-4.4 second times in the 40.“You name it, we got 4.2, 4.3, maybe 4.1. I don’t know what Tyreek runs now, who knows?” said tight end Travis Kelce, another favorite Mahomes target. “We got guys who can absolutely fly all over the field, and speed kills in this game. If you got it, you’re in the advantage.”SPEAKING OF HILLThe Chiefs’ star wide receiver was suspended all offseason while the NFL investigated a domestic violence case. Hill ultimately was cleared by both the district attorney and the league, reported for the first day of training camp and has been making plays throughout the preseason.BRAND NAMESThe Chiefs acquired Clark from Seattle and gave him a five-year, $104 million deal. They nabbed Mathieu in free agency, along with pass rusher Alex Okafor and cornerback Bashaud Breeland. Then they got another big name midway through training camp when cornerback Morris Claiborne inked a one-year deal.STILL SPECIALSpecial teams coach Dave Toub has received some interest in head coaching jobs the past couple of offseasons, but he’s still running the show in Kansas City. Veteran punter Dustin Colquitt is back along with strong-legged kicker Harrison Butker, and the Chiefs’ flotilla of speedy wide receivers and defensive backs gives them plenty of options in the return game.ROCKY ROADThe Chiefs play three of their first four games on the road, then face a four-game stretch against playoff contenders Green Bay, Minnesota, Tennessee and the Los Angeles Chargers. The division race could be decided in December, when the Chiefs visit New England and Chicago and play Denver at home before a regular-season finale against the Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium.