Missing
Boy, these Chiefs continue to roll. They are the last unbeaten team in the NFL, and this week looks to be where the winning should continue. Things are set up perfectly for these Chiefs to be a perfect 9-0 to start the season as we prepare to play the Donkeys. Even with watching this greatness, doesn’t it feel like something is missing to you?
Have you ever had something go missing on you? I once had a wallet that went missing from me for Four days. Four! I recall calling my last friend at my house, inquiring, “Dude, did you happen to take my wallet because I’ve looked everywhere?”. Do you know what I mean when something is missing, and you cover your tracks five times? Why do we do that?
I repeatedly looked under my car seat, thinking I must’ve missed a spot. Lately, this has happened to me with my AirPods. In fact, to avoid this problem with my car, I always park in the same spot. I’m like that. A good friend of mine tells me to watch the car and then visualize it exploding; then, I will remember where it’s parked! Thankfully, my wallet turned up at ” this friend’s” house after he had held it hostage on his counter. Weird right? You get what I mean when you are missing something. What are you missing?
These undefeated Chiefs are missing a whole army of players we were counting on. There’s Hollywood Brown, Charles Omenihu, Rashee Rice, Pop Pacheco, and Jaylen Watson. All of these players would be important contributors, and all would be starters. To put it another way, roughly 25% of the Chiefs starters are injured, and they are STILL 8-0!
The great news is that even with this season’s incredible start, help is on the way, and this should frighten the rest of the NFL. Some of the missing are returning soon. I wanted to focus on one missing player who could be a game-wrecker for us: Charles Omenihu.
Charles Omenihu has yet to play an entire season for these Chiefs; we signed him as the edge-rushing specialist opposite Furious George Karlaftis in 2023. Omenihu was suspended for early 2023 and then was a key contributor to the defense’s ascension under Spags. Omenihu’s finest moment in the red and gold came in the AFC title game vs. the Ravens last year when he strip-sacked Lamar Jackson, causing a fumble. It was a huge momentum defining moment in that game. In 2023, Omenihu recorded seven sacks. Truly, we need to see more of this guy. He’s missing.
Charles Omenihu is a Nigerian heritage player whose family settled in the US in Texas. Sadly, Omenihu lost his childhood best friend, Newton Ananti, to a congenital heart defect at the age of 19. To honor the memory of his friend, he wears Newt’s name on his cleats. Omenihu’s Charity of Choice is the Children’s Heart Foundation. Although he has achieved professional success, Omenihu carries with him this missing childhood part of him. His family background is reminiscent of another great Nigerian Chief Christian Okoye.
As we look forward to the upcoming game against the Donkeys of Denver, I wonder when we will see the most complete game of the season for these Chiefs. This year, we’ve seen Defensive gems and we are starting to see Offensive breakthroughs. Could this week be the week when what’s been missing finally shows up? What’s been missing is a complete game by both the Offense and Defense. We will know it when we see it. Let’s go!