Eric Berry has a torn up Achilles' tendon, and he will miss the rest of the season for the Kansas City Chiefs. Berry has already returned from cancer to be the NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and he must come back again in 2018 after this terrible injury. We should all feel for Eric given the amazing obstacles he has overcome in his life, and this injury simply makes the next year that much harder for him after he participated in an amazing win over the Patriots.

Why so many injuries?

Guys in the NFL are big and strong. They hit each other extremely hard, and they are merciless in the hits they deliver.

Anyone could get hurt at any time, and guys who are near the ball like Eric Berry are more likely to get hurt because they are so close to the action. He is an emotional leader of this team, and he must cheer them on from the sidelines while they attempt to replace him on the defense. The loss could be deflating for the Chiefs, or they can rise up to perform in honor of their injured teammate.

Do the Chiefs still have a chance?

We cannot discount the power of emotional play. The Patriots won a Super Bowl in part because they were riding on the patriotic sentiments of the nation after 9/11. The Yankees had a similar showing that season, and certain teams win championships because they are motivated by something bad that has happened to them.

Kurt Warner won a Super Bowl in part because he was the underdog that everyone was rooting for, and there are a number of people who will latch onto the Chiefs because they feel for them.

Room for the Raiders

There is room for the Raiders in the AFC West knowing that Eric Berry has gone down. The Chiefs made a very strong case that they would compete for the division, and they have to find a new way to win the division now that their best player has been injured.

There may need to be a fundamental shift in how the Chiefs are run, and the appearance of Kareem Hunt could make the Chiefs an offensive favorite in the AFC.

Kareem is the difference

The Chiefs could easily ride Kareem Hunt into the playoffs because they do not have the defense that they thought they had. Kareem Hunt will give the Chiefs the spark they need to recover from this loss by scoring more than originally anticipated.

The Chiefs are stinging because they lost someone who means so much to their team and community, and they must elevate Kareem to the level of superstar if they want to ride this wave of positive vibes after beating the Patriots in week one.
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