Five ways the Chiefs can improve before the draft

With the season wrapping up, the Chiefs will be faced with an important few months, as they will have to bring in new players and figure out what to do with their most troubled spots.  Here are a couple of suggestions that could lead to a much more productive season next year that involve getting a new quarterback through either trade or free-agency.

1. Alex Smith (trade)

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Alex Smith is a proven commodity, as he boasts an outstanding record of 20-5-1 in his last twenty-six outings (.7885). Smith has shined the last two seasons, but with Colin Kaepernick taking over in San Francisco, the 49ers will be looking to move him.While Smith has looked good, the only danger is that the Chiefs would likely have to swap first round picks with San Francisco, meaning they would lose their number one overall pick. However, this deal could be worth the cost considering that Smith's 70% completion percentage this year is his highest since joining the NFL, and dangerously close to an NFL record. Furthermore, in the last regular season and a half he has thrown for thirty touchdowns, to only ten interceptions. His efficiency without an elite receiver speaks for itself, and he could be worth the first pick in the draft, and more.

2. Kirk Cousins (trade)

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Kirk Cousins has seen game action three times, playing in place of RGIII. The rookie from Michigan State has been impressive as he has a passer rating of 101.6 through those games.  Cousins is 1-0 as a starter, but was probably most impressive when he came in against the playoff-bound Baltimore Ravens and threw for a touchdown, converted on a two-point-conversion to tie the game, and led the team on an overtime drive that ended in a game winning fieldgoal. In his one start Cousins threw with efficiency, and his stats showed that as his completion percentage was above 70%. Cousins may be young, but he has certainly established himself as a mobile quarterback, so the Chiefs could go after him. The Redskins have him under contract, but what they don't have is a first round pick the next two seasons because of the trade to acquire Robert Griffin III. The Chiefs could offer the Redskins their second round pick, which would be the thirty-third pick in the draft (the first pick of the second round). The pick is high enough that it is practically a first-round pick, and certainly carries the quality and value of one. Regardless, Cousins would be a great fit for Kansas City.

3. Michael Vick (free-agency/trade)

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Interestingly enough, Michael Vick still has a contract, but it appears that the Philadelphia Eagles will release him at the end of the year. Vick has struggled this year, although injuries have been a large part of that.  It cannot be denied, however, that Vick is one of the greatest rushing quarterbacks of all time, as he has over 20,000 passing yards and 5,500 rushing yards in his career. His season was cut short, but Vick still had more touchdowns (twelve), than interceptions (nine), which is something that no Chiefs quarterback can say. Should the Eagles retain Vick the Chiefs might be able to take him away for a third or fourth round pick. Either way, it would be extremely exciting to have a running quarterback in Kansas City, especially one with the speed of Vick.

4. Mark Sanchez (trade)

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The feelings about how terrible Mark Sanchez is are well overblown. Sanchez has had a down year, but with no weapons on offense, no running game, a battered offensive line, a limited defense, and poor coaching he can't exactly be faulted. With only a 55% career completion percentage, Sanchez has been far from dazzling, but two seasons ago he did have thirty-two total touchdowns to only eighteen interceptions.  With a solid running game and a couple of good wide receivers, Sanchez could thrive in Kansas City, especially if the Chiefs could keep Dwayne Bowe. Sanchez still has a lot of money left on his contract, but the Chiefs can afford it, and for that reason, they could get away with giving the Jets a fourth round pick for him. And it goes without saying that Sanchez has the experience for the job, as he led the New York Jets to the AFC Championship Game, twice.

5. Tim Tebow (free-agency)

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Tebow is interesting, because the Chiefs have a great running game, one that is far better than Denver's a season ago. Tim Tebow would bring excitement to Kansas City, along with ticket sales, but he would also bring leadership and playoff experience, something that could really come in handy.  Tebow thrived in Denver's system because they could afford to rely on their defense, run game, and special teams, something the Chiefs will be able to do if they sign Tebow, and then draft for defense.  Should the Cheifs pick up Tebow as a free agent then the focus for the draft would be defense, defense, defense, and more defense, starting with taking Manti Te'o first.  The Chiefs already have great special teams, and a great rushing attack, so with a solidified defense Tebow could actually be a good fit for Kansas City.

The benefit of acquiring any of these quarterbacks through free-agency is that it allows the Chiefs to use every draft pick for defense. his combination could bring life to a team that played atrocious football in the 2012-2013 season. It will be interesting to follow if the Chiefs will make any pre-draft moves, or if they will settle for reaching for a quarterback with their first or second pick.

The Dwayne Bowe Connection

The Chiefs reached a new low as they followed a blowout loss to the Cleveland Browns by getting shutout by the miserable Oakland Raiders.  The 15-0 drubbing is another blemish on the resume of coach Romeo Crennel and General Manager Scott Pioli, who will both likely be gone at the end of the season.  However, something has come to light in the last two games.  Since Dwayne Bowe went down with an injury the Chiefs have been unable to move the ball.  Bowe was injured on the second drive of the game against the Browns, and since then (seven quarters) the Chiefs have put up no points.

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Without Bowe the Chiefs were easily stopped by a terrible Cleveland Browns team and by a sub-par Oakland Raiders team, both of which that had shown very little life all season. Both teams were able to focus in on the run as they realized a Brady Quinn led offense without a major receiver had little to no chance of making a major play through the air.  Bowe now appears to have two broken ribs, and he was just placed on "IR", meaning that he will be out the rest of the season.  This news may come as a blessing in disguise, as the Chiefs have seriously decreased any slim chances they had of winning again.

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Next week the Chiefs face the Colts at home, and they will a wide receiver to step up, either Jon Baldwin, Steve Breaston, or Terrance Copper. However, Jamaal Charles will likely carry the load along with Peyton Hillis, who has done little since being on the cover of the popular video game Madden NFL 2012. The Chiefs don't have much of a chance though, as Andrew Luck has led the Colts to a postseason berth, just one year removed from having the worst record in all of football.

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The Colts have been hot as of late. They've won seven of their last nine contests, and have an overall record of 9-5. Luck has shown himself to be a top choice for the Rookie of the Year award and has even looked to be a solid choice for the NFL's Most Valuable Player award. Luck is on pace to go over 4,000 passing yards on the season, a mark that is unheard of for a rookie.

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The Colts have been improved defensively this year in a big way.  In the secondary, Darius Butler has managed to snag three interceptions and was able to return one of them for a touchdown. Robert Mathis has also been huge for the defense this year, as he already has seven sacks on the season to go along with an interception and a forced fumble. The Colts will not need to be great defensively though, because the Chiefs are without their only vertical threat, meaning that the Colts can afford to blitz on nearly every down.

On paper the Chiefs don't have a chance, but when a team is facing a rookie quarterback anything can happen.  Andrew Luck is hardly a typical rookie though, as he graduated after four years at Stanford and is playing like a veteran of the NFL.  Ultimately though the Chiefs need to continue to lose in order to secure the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, and there is no evidence to suspect that they wont.

From tragedy to triumph

The Chiefs were in an interesting situation on Sunday, playing less than twenty-four hours after the tragic events that involved Javon Belcher (starting inside linebacker) killing his girlfriend and then driving to the stadium and taking his own life in front of Romeo Crennel (head coach) and Scott Pioli (general manager). The unfortunate sequence of events left many loose ends, such as what would happen to Belcher's three-month-old child and whether or not the game Sunday would go on as planned.

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Shortly after the horrible tragedy the Chiefs voted as a team to play, and as they showed themselves to have strength, so did the fans, who came out in large numbers and didn't boo for the first game this year. The Chiefs came out sharp, scoring early on a two-yard Peyton Hillis touchdown run set up by a long catch by Jonathan Baldwin.  However, after a few back and forth sequences the Chiefs found themselves down 14-10, and they needed a play fast as time was running down in the first half.

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he Chiefs had the ball on the one yard line with two seconds left in the half, so Romeo Crennel, who had been extremely conservative all year, decided to take a risk.  It paid off as Brady Quinn found Tony Moeaki in the back of the endzone for the go-ahead score.  The Chiefs would never relinquish the lead again, as they would end up winning the game 27-21.

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Justin Houston shined again in the victory, as the second-year linebacker racked up his tenth sack on the year.  Houston has been a bright spot for the Chiefs, and the sack must have felt good considering he played right next to a fallen teammate in Belcher.  Houston may have led the Chiefs, but the overall performance of the team was impressive, leading Chiefs' owner Clark Hunt to give the game ball to Romeo Crennel.

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Playing after such tough events really showed the toughness of a team that had been pushed around, out muscled, and out matched in just about every game they had played. It certainly put a fire under the team, and it led to a great win, however, each win comes with a cost now because the Chiefs are looking for the number one pick in the upcoming 2013 NFL Draft.
This win kept the Chiefs tied with Jacksonville for the first pick in the draft, but as I mentioned in my last blog, they need to watch out. The next two games are against three-win teams, Cleveland and Oakland respectively. If they Chiefs can get through those games with only one win they should have an excellent shot at a top pick, but the only way to secure the first overall pick would be to lose out.

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One issue still remains, what happens to Zoey, who is now an orphan after the tragic events that occurred on Saturday.  The Chiefs are going to be starting a fund for her and for her future education. When asked about additional help that people could take the initiative to provide, Chiefs' lineman Eric Winston said that he was "not sure yet", but that it would be "a priority to help her".

Wrapping up the season in first

This week the Chiefs became the first team statistically eliminated from playoff contention, though that was merely a formality as the Chiefs were the owners of the worst record in the NFL after falling to Denver last weekend in a tough game. The 1-10 Chiefs are now on the fast track for the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, but there are still ways for them to fall out of that position.  The next three games for Kansas City will be crucial as they will face off against three struggling teams, the 3-8 Panthers, the 3-8 Browns, and the 3-8 Raiders.

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The Panthers have certainly had a tough season, but things look to be improving after an impressive outburst of offense against the Philadelphia eagles last week on prime-time television.  Cam Newton (pictured above), the winner of last year's "Rookie of the Year" award, was a standout, scoring four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) and throwing for over three-hundred yards while rushing for over fifty. As long as Cam Newton doesn't return to the "sophomore slump" he suffered earlier in the season, the Panthers should expect to win.  However, there is always an unknown element that comes with young teams and young quarterbacks.

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If the Chiefs lose to the Panthers, they will all but secure the first pick in the draft, considering that they will only have one or two more winnable games the rest of the year, and both will be on the road.  The Chiefs wont need to worry about winning the last two games of the season though, because they will play the playoff bound Indianapolis Colts in Arrowhead Stadium, and finish on the road against Denver.  Both of those games should be a lock in the "L" column as the Chiefs will be facing elite quarterbacks in Andrew Luck (shown above) and Peyton Manning.

However, if the Chiefs beat the Panthers, the Browns game will become a much more meaningful game, considering that with a win, the Chiefs would have the same record as Cleveland with the tiebreaker. Then the next week the Chiefs would be playing another three win team, and the Chiefs could effectively end up with a 4-12 season, which would be a worst case scenario considering that the Chiefs could drop all the way down to ninth pick in the draft.

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It all starts with the game against Carolina though, because if the Chiefs drop that game then they can start to be sure that a top two pick will be in their future. In order for the Chiefs to win they will have to limit the play-makers for Carolina, Cam Newton and Steve Smith (shown above).  The Panthers are a team that match up well with the Chiefs though, as they are skilled at stopping the run, with a defensive front led by a couple of talented players.

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Linebacker Luke Kuechly (pictured above), who was one pick away from being drafted by Kansas City in 2012, has already racked up an astounding one-hundred five tackles on the year, and he has added one interception. On the defensive line, Charles Johnson has certainly been effective at rushing the quarterback, with eight and a half sacks to go along with six forced fumbles so far.  The Panthers are no slouch in the secondary either, as they are led by two skilled cornerbacks: Captain Munnerlyn and Josh Norman.  Munnerlyn has returned two interceptions for touchdowns this year, and Josh Norman has recorded sixty-eight tackles and one interception thus far.

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On paper the Chiefs don't stand a chance against the Panthers, but like the Chiefs, the Panthers have underperformed in 2012, but after a big win over Philadelphia one would have to imagine that the Panthers are back on track.  The Chiefs will be playing their second to last home game of the season as they take on Carolina this Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, and it should be an interesting contest.  Game time is at 12:00 noon for all those interested in attending, as there will be plenty of open seats.

Beyond a reasonable doubt

In a league full of parity the Chiefs have found a way to sink below the pack.  The Chiefs continue to get blown out as even teams like Jacksonville continue to put up gutsy performances like last week's 43-37 loss in overtime to Houston, a team widely regarded as the best in the AFC.  The only consistency from the Chiefs has been the fact that they have put up disappointing performances week in and week out.  The Chiefs have managed to win one measly game out of ten contests, which is made all the worse considering that the team they beat was a New Orleans Saints team with their third choice coach.  Furthermore the Chiefs have lost seven of their ten games by double digits, losing three of those games by three scores and an additional game by four.  The woes do not stop with the statistics though, as the Chiefs are far worse than box scores would suggest.

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The Chiefs have lost nine games by an average of fifteen points per game, but if you take away "garbage time scores" the number is actually an astonishing twenty point four points a game.  The fact of the matter is that the Chiefs have talent, but the coaching is limiting the team to one of the worst seasons of all time.  Even the 2008-2009 Lions team that went 0-16 was better to this point.  They at least kept games interesting, losing five of their first ten games by single digits.

This year Kansas City's team, coaching, and season can be described by four words: mismanaged, pedestrian, disgraceful and unwatchable.

Mismanaged: The Chiefs management has been a huge weakness this season, and really every season, from the decision to drop Brandon Carr and pick up Stanford Routt, to the decision to keep in the direction of Matt Cassel versus taking a risk and going for Robert Griffin III.  The coaching has been no better as Crennel has effectively neutralized star backs Jamaal Charles and Peyton Hillis, and the defensive stunts have been not only ineffective, but counterproductive.

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Pedestrian: The Chiefs claim to not be quitting, but it is hard to believe when the quarterback is under pressure on every play, the defense fails to tackle, and the wide receivers are unable to catch a pass to save their life.  The coverage teams look slow, and the players have clearly given up.

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Disgraceful: Probably the worst part of the 2012-2013 Chiefs campaign is the fact that they have no discipline.  The players are now starting every game with fights, a mark of a bad team.  In addition, whenever the Chiefs get a rare score they celebrate like they have actually done something; they haven't.  The fact of the matter is that the Chiefs have no right to joke, celebrate, or even smile on the field.  They are clearly one of the worst three teams in the history of the NFL, and it isn't going to change this year.

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Unwatchable:  The word describes the Chiefs in two ways.  First of all Arrowhead Stadium is no longer selling out like it used to, as numerous fans are now simply choosing to stay home, and more are leaving at the half if not sooner.  The other reason they are unwatchable is because they simply can't play together.  From the battered line to the oblivious coordinators, the Chiefs are playing like a fish out of water. Its hard to even consider the game the Chiefs play football.

The amazing thing is that in this league full of parity and close contest the Chiefs are the outlier.  No other team has been worse than the Chiefs for quite some time, and that is simply a fact.  From the fan protest, to the awful of coaching, to the terrible effort, to the lack of talent the Chiefs are simply out of their element.

The path for the Chiefs to get back in playoff contention will start this offseason when the Chiefs must go after a new coach, quarterback, and manager, although no one knows how they will truly go about their business this offseason because the owner of the Chiefs, Clark Hunt, has been reluctant to say anything and has simply disappeared from public view.

Leadless no more

The Chiefs stunned the country when they took the Pittsburgh Steelers to overtime on Monday Night Football, but they were unable to grab that elusive second win.  However, the Chiefs did something they hadn't done in regulation all season; they took a lead.  After the Chiefs came out firing, they went up 10-0 on a Pittsburgh team that was widely regarded as a top five AFC team. It was all downhill from there, as the Chiefs would allow thirteen unanswered points before finally scoring on a last second fieldgoal to send the game into overtime.

 The Chiefs' defense dancing after a touchdown that would be called back

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The game was tough for the Chiefs' faithful, especially because Kansas City had two separate touchdowns called back, but what the Chiefs did during those touchdowns was inexcusable. On each play the Chiefs' players taunted the other team; Dwayne Bowe flashed the ball to the defender on a touchdown catch, and a team celebration lead to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that would be killer, considering the touchdown wouldn't count, unlike the penalty, which would.  The Chiefs can never be faulted for being short of heart though, as they were clearly excited to have a lead and the entire team was glad to be playing well, especially Cassel who was extremely fired up after using his elusiveness to turn sure sacks into first down gains.

 

Matt Cassel was running for his life due to the poor blocking Monday night

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Matt Cassel was a bright spot in regulation.  The quarterback who had struggled all year provided the spark, putting his head down and running against a furious defense and showing off accuracy of which the Chiefs' fans had not seen this year.  Late in the game Cassel lead the team on a key drive to get the game tying fieldgoal, which included him breaking a tackle and throwing for a huge gain on fourth down and fifteen.  Unfortunately though, Cassel wouldn't be the recipient of a happy ending, as he would throw a game sealing pick in overtime.

Matt Cassel and Jamaal Charles at the Pro-Bowl in 2011

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Cassel cannot be the option for the future, although it is somewhat unfair, as when he was healthy he put up two consecutive 3,000 yard seasons, the latter coming along side twenty-seven touchdowns to only seven interceptions and a spot in the Pro-Bowl in Hawaii.  Since then Cassel has been hit with numerous injuries, but this season he has been back to full health.

 

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Cassel has struggled this year, with twelve interceptions, but that number is much more forgivable considering that eight of the interceptions have been on tipped passes and three more have been on plays when a receiver ran the wrong route.  However, Kansas City is not immune to fan revolt, as the city is done with him despite the failures of the season being far from falling completely on his shoulders.  Furthermore, the fans have wanted him benched, which makes no sense considering that the Chiefs do not have a quarterback on the roster who is even in the same league as him, but that is on general manager Pioli, but that is a different article.

Eagles' Head Coach Andy Reid (Left) and QB Michael Vick (Right)

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The Chiefs will need to look to the future, as finding a new GM, quarterback, and head coach will be on the agenda for the team as the season comes to a close.  The answer for a coach may have been made simple though as Philadelphia will probably part ways with Andy Reid.  Reid will join candidates such as Jon Gruden, Brian Billick, Bill Cowher, and Marty Schottenheimer, although Cowher and Schottenheimer are extremely unlikely to take the job. The Situation in Philadelphia has also lead to another possibility for Kansas City.  Michael Vick may be gone at the end of the season and the Chiefs would be foolish not to go after him, especially because there are no obvious elite quarterbacks in the upcoming draft where the Chiefs will likely have a top five, if not the number one pick.

Former Chiefs' First Round Selection Todd Blackledge

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The Chiefs have not gone after a quarterback that high since the Todd Blackledge debacle in the 1980's.  Since Blackledge the Chiefs have not drafted a QB high enough to get any real starting time, and they have not drafted a quarterback that has won a game since then.  The signing of Vick would be an important move as Kansas City could either trade out of the first pick or take Manti Te'o from Notre Dame, which would add an impressive element to their already elite core of linebackers.

Heisman Hopeful Manti Te'o (Notre Dame LB)

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With Te'o the Chiefs would undoubtedly have the best group of linebackers in the NFL, and in fact they may already, with two linebackers on pace for double digit sacks and Derrick Johnson having another Pro-Bowl caliber season.  Linebacker seems to be the one position that the Chiefs are undeniably great at, but it is still a position with room for improvement. Te'o already has six interceptions this season, and that is what he would bring to Kansas City: great pass defending.  With Te'o the Chiefs could allow Tamba Hali and Justin Houston to be purely pass rushers and drop Derrick Johnson and Te'o back into the secondary.  This would create numerous problems for opposing offenses, especially considering that the Chiefs would be able to consistently get pressure on the other team's quarterback without sacrificing coverage.

Arkansas QB Tyler Wilson

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Should the Chiefs go for Te'o with the number one pick, they could then go and take a player like Tyler Wilson out of Arkansas in the second round, hypothetically giving them depth behind Michael Vick, or simply giving them a starter for the future. The Chiefs have options, but ultimately nothing will change until general manage Scott Pioli is fired, which could be very soon considering the terrible direction the team is going.  The Chiefs have to face the fact that they are 1-8 and that they aren't going to improve this season.  It is time for them to clean house and start fresh, but it wont be a complete rebuilding process, considering that with the right coach/quarterback combo they will have enough talent to win quite a few games, especially in the AFC West with only one team that can be considered great.

Lastly, I implore everyone to check out www.SaveOurChiefs.com, a great fan movement that has already picked up national attention and I would like to remind everyone that if they are going to the Chiefs/Bengals game this week, they should wear black to send a message to the management.

Embarking on a different Routt

This week the Chiefs continued to confuse not only their fans, but the national media when they chose to release veteran cornerback Stanford Routt and sign failed defensive tackle Shaun Smith. Routt was having a solid half season with two interceptions and a forced fumble through seven games, and he was also showcasing his athletic talents with more than twenty tackles, a feat that is impressive for a team's second corner.

Returning Defensive Tackle Shaun Smith

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The decision is much more baffling considering that the Chiefs chose to replace him with Shaun Smith, a defensive tackle that they released a couple of seasons ago.  Since then, Shaun Smith has been released twice, meaning that this will be Smith's sixth different team in the last five seasons alone.  Smith has struggled to show any consistency in the NFL, never having a season with more than fifty solo tackles in his career, and his skills have been decreasing as he has only managed two total sacks since 2007. The only impact that he even made in his short tenure with the Chiefs came on a set where they put him in the offensive backfield, allowing him to power in for a one-yard touchdown.  
  
Whether or not the injury ridden Chiefs felt that they needed Smith was one thing, but why they chose to release Routt when they have numerous injuries at the position of cornerback and a complete surplus of money to spend makes no sense.  The easiest argument to get rid of Routt would be his contract, but the Chiefs are among the league leaders in cap space, so getting rid of such an integral part of the defense fails to compute as a logical defense for letting go of Routt.

 

Former Chiefs' Cornerback Stanford Routt

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Yet another reason to keep Stanford Routt would be his impressive play.  Routt has intercepted eight passes in the last two-and-a-half seasons, and also forced two fumbles while racking up 125 total tackles. Since joining the Chiefs, Routt has shown promise as a solid number two cornerback.  The Chiefs went with the decision to go after him because of his ability to read offenses, leading to his first career interception for a touchdown two seasons ago.  In learning the system Routt has had to adjust, but his play cannot be criticized, because he has clearly been the most productive defensive back for the Chiefs in 2012.

In talking about who the Chiefs could have released a couple of names come to mind.  If the Chiefs wanted to release a player they probably should have looked in the direction of  Kyle McCarthy, Bryan Kehl, Martin Rucker, and Jake O'Connell, as all are players who provide nearly nothing to the Chiefs.

 

Kyle McCarthy during his time at Notre Dame

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Kyle McCarthy (from Notre Dame) is in his third year playing in the NFL, but has only managed to get on the field for twelve total games.  In that short time he has only managed six solo tackles, which is an exceptionally low number for any player.

Bryan Kehl during his tenure on the Redskins, one of his many former squads

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Out of BYU, Bryan Kehl has been a below average linebacker with very limited potential.  In five seasons he has managed a measly eighty-five total tackles.  Despite never forcing a fumble in his career, Kehl has survived in the league, although he has been a part of five different situations in his five years.

Chiefs' Fifth String Tight End Martin Rucker

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Martin Rucker is probably the least valuable player in Kansas City, as he has been statistically irrelevant since joining the league.  In his five years he has a total of two catches for less than twenty yards, and he has been a non-factor on special teams with no career solo tackles and only one assist.

Chiefs' Tight End and Special Teams Player Jake O'Connell

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The last member that the Chiefs could have cut is Jake O'Connell, although he is probably the most fit to stay on the team.  Despite being used mostly to block, O'Connell has managed multiple receptions in each of his four years of playing football, although he only has slightly over 100 career yards.  O'Connell has also had a very minute impact on special teams, with three career tackles on that side of the ball.

Overall, whether or not the Chiefs wanted to pay Routt is irrelevant, because Brandon Flowers, Javier Arenas, and Jalil Brown have all faced trouble with injuries on the year.  The Chiefs choosing to give up on a productive member of their defense is yet another sign that the management is well out of its element in the department of knowledge.  Ultimately the terrible moves by the Chiefs along with the disappointing season will ultimately lead to the firing of many people at the top of the organization, all starter with general manager Scott Pioli.

A tough road lies ahead

The Chiefs are going nowhere fast this season, but last Sunday was a step in the right direction.  Let me clarify, because the Chiefs lost yesterday to the Oakland Raiders, and the game wasn't as close as the scoreboard suggested.  With the loss the Chiefs took a step towards Geno Smith, Matt Barkley, or whoever the top player will be coming out of college. The Chiefs managed to lose to an Oakland Raider team with only two wins coming in, but the real victory came when the one-win Cleveland Browns embarrassed the Chargers, upsetting them seven to six.

The Chiefs now have a game on the Browns, or rather the Chiefs are now a game behind Cleveland, so as long as the Chiefs can lose to the Browns later this season they should be able to get the number one overall pick in the draft, except for one team that could pose a potential challenge.  The Jacksonville Jaguars have now emerged, or rather, faded to a team that could take the first overall pick from Kansas City, and they would be looking to draft a quarterback as well, so now more than ever, the Chiefs need to take care of business, and by that I mean lose out.

 

Jacksonville Starting Quarterback Blaine Gabbert

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As strange as it may sound, the normal mediocrity of the Chiefs may be good enough to steal another win, so the Chiefs really need to hope that Jacksonville, who plays in one of the two weakest divisions in the NFL, can gain another win somewhere down the road.  Until then, all the fans in Kansas City can do is root for their beloved Chiefs to lose.

 

Geno Smith, who has struggled in recent weeks

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The real problem facing Kansas City though is much deeper than one season.  The coach is incompetent, and he is also the defensive coordinator.  The offensive coordinator is simply not qualified for his job and the teams general manager is out of his mind.  The owner is unwilling to make a change, and with the demise of star prospect Geno Smith in recent weeks, there seems to be no lock for the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

Jamaal Charles (25) and Dwayne Bowe (82)

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The fans are starting to realize how helpless the situation is, and that is why they have formed the "Save Our Chiefs" movement, but that may not be enough.  The team is going to waste its playmakers such as Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe before they are in a position to go on a run for a title. The saddest part is that now players are beginning to want to leave, such as Bowe, who wants to leave Kansas City by the end of this season.

Former Superbowl Champion and Pittsburgh Head Coach Bill Cowher

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With no quarterback, no coaching, no management, and no answers, the Chiefs look like a franchise headed for years of despair.  However, there is a path to hope.  First they must replace Crennel with a more capable person such as Bill Cowher or Andy Reid (should Philadelphia let him go).  Then they must find a new general manager, and third, they must draft a quarterback such as Geno Smith or Matt Barkley and hope he develops into a franchise quarterback.  Should all of these things fall in to place the Chiefs might recover, but otherwise they will continue to drift into obscurity.

Putting Pioli on the line

The Chiefs are moving forward with new starting quarterback Brady Quinn, who lost his first game of the season to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by twenty-eight points and failed to throw a touchdown two short weeks ago.  The turnovers did not stop with a new quarterback, as Quinn threw for two interceptions.  The Chiefs failed to score a touchdown on offense, as the only touchdown came from of a blocked punt; in fact the Chiefs' offense only managed a total of three points. The Chiefs are coming off a bye-week and will be facing their biggest rival, the Oakland Raiders, but it is doubtful that Kansas City will be able to win without consistency from the quarterback position.

Chiefs' General Manager Scott Pioli

(Image from www.BleacherReport.com)

During the bye-week, Scott Pioli (pictured above), the general manager of the Chiefs, went on a "damage-control circuit", going to all the various local television shows to discuss the Chiefs struggles this season, but one fact remains; Pioli has nobody to blame but himself.  Pioli was the man who orchestrated the trade for Matt Cassel, signed backup quarterback Brady Quinn, and drafted third string quarterback Ricky Stanzi (out of the University of Iowa). Ultimately, the fact that none of these quarterbacks can lead the franchise falls on the shoulders of Pioli, who allowed quarterback Kyle Orton to leave Kansas City following an impressive outing when he stepped in for an injured Matt Cassel.  Orton led the team to wins over the unbeaten Packers and playoff bound Broncos, but was let go by Pioli.  Since the Chiefs had no shortage of money, the fact that Pioli didn't shell out for the best Chiefs quarterback since Trent Green became yet another strike in a long list of offenses that could have individually justified the termination of Pioli.

Quarterback Ricky Stanzi

(Image from www.BleacherReport.com)

There is one solution to the "Pioli problem," and that is to let Quinn have one more start at quarterback before switching to Ricky Stanzi.  If Quinn and Stanzi are unable to win after each have been given two starts, then it will be clear that one man is responsible: The man who brought them to Kansas City in the first place. The Chiefs should take a good long look at the quarterbacks Pioli has chosen to lead the team and make the decision to fire him.

 

Chiefs' Owner Clark Hunt

(Image from www.BleacherReport.com)

The decision of Pioli's fate truly resides in the hands of owner Clark Hunt, but the choice is as clear as the message the fans have been broadcasting all year: Fire Pioli.  In fact, a movement known as "Save Our Chiefs" has started to gain serious momentum.  This movement was a sponsor of the banner that was flown over Arrowhead Stadium that read "Bench Cassel, Fire Pioli", and is now focused on blacking out Arrowhead to send a strong message to the Chiefs owner.  Clark Hunt cannot continue to allow Pioli to run the Chiefs, especially considering that a major decision will be made in the upcoming draft about the quarterback of the future for the Chiefs.

Fans look to protest management with symbolic blackout

Normally the word "blackout" is a term feared my management and local residents alike.  However, the fan base of the Kansas City Chiefs are bringing a new meaning to the term.  Usually a blackout refers to a situation where a stadium is not sold out seventy-two hours before a game.  In this scenario, the game is unable to be televised by any television station within seventy-five miles from the home team's stadium.  The game is "blacked out" on the local stations, hence the term, blackout, but in this case the word blackout has a completely different meaning.

(Image from www.marriott.com)

The Chiefs have been known for having an incredibly loyal following, with the second highest average attendance over the last decade. The Chiefs have been averaging around 78,000 fans a game over that time period, and that isn't about to change.  However, what is going to change is that the fans are going to protest management.  Coming off a bye-week, the Chiefs are 1-5, and will be facing their biggest division rival: The Oakland Raiders. The fans are not happy about the direction of the franchise, nor the men in charge of making the decisions about the direction of the franchise, so they are finally taking a stand.
The fans know how crucial it is to keep Arrowhead Stadium (pictured above) a symbolic "12th man", so they have changed the meaning of what a blackout is.  Instead of refusing to show up, the fans will be symbolically protesting management by dressing in all black.  The goal of the fans will be to show Chiefs' management what could occur should the Chiefs continue to empower Scott Pioli and Romeo Crennel (pictured below) with the future of  Kansas City's football team.

 

(Image from www.CBSSports.com)

The fans have already designated a key game as the official "blackout game" for the Chiefs, which is November 18th against the Cincinnati Bengals. Should the fans actually go through with their threat, they would be a part of one of the most influential fan protests in the history of football.  Simply the fact that the fans are trying to organize such a protest should send a message to Clark Hunt, the owner of the Chiefs, but ultimately nothing will change until the fans actually show up to Arrowhead Stadium with all black attire. It should be an interesting story to keep track of.

The path to first

Due to the injury of quarterback Matt Cassel, Brady Quinn got the start for Kansas City against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  However, the hopes for a season turnaround were quickly shot down, after Quinn went three and out on his first possession and threw an interception on his second. Fans wanted change in Kansas City, but they made the error in thinking that anyone on the team could bring that change.  Both Quinn and third string quarterback Ricky Stanzi (from Iowa) played poorly in the preseason, but the fans wanted change so badly they looked past the fact that neither backup would be adequately fit to fill the role of a starting NFL quarterback.

 

(Image from www.sports.yahoo.com)

Quinn has never produced since being drafted 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns.  He has a career completion percentage in the mid fifties and averages around five yards per attempt; he also has more interceptions than touchdowns in his time as a starter.  The turnovers don't stop there, as Quinn has also fumbled three times in his limited action.  He has shown to be a very inaccurate quarterback, especially under pressure, where Quinn has made numerous poor decisions.

Ultimately it comes down to the fact that the Chiefs do not have a quarterback for the future, and they will need to pick one in the draft.  The leading candidate is still Geno Smith, because even after a disappointing performance, he still has twenty-six total touchdowns to no interceptions, with about a seventy-five percent completion percentage.  He also has thrown for around twenty-five hundred yards, putting him on pace for one of the greatest performances by a college quarterback ever.

The Chiefs got a lot of help today when the Cleveland Browns ended their run as the only team in the NFL with no wins.  However, there are a few games remaining that will be crucial for the Chiefs and their fans.  

(Image from www.blog.betdsi.com)

The first is October 28, at home against the Raiders.  This is a game that the Chiefs cannot afford to win, as it will likely kill their chances of finishing the season with the worst record in the NFL.

 

 (Image from www.endzonereport.net)

The next game is against the Carolina Panthers on the second of December. This game will be about the play of Cam Newton, because if he has another inconsistent performance, the Chiefs could be in a position to win this game.

(Image from www.deadspin.com)

The week after is the biggest match up of the season.  The Chiefs will go to Cleveland to play the team that is tied with them for worst in the NFL, and the winner of that game will likely lose the first pick in the draft.

 

(Image from www.bleacherreport.com)

The last key game will be against the Indianapolis Colts on the 23rd.  Indianapolis is not a team looking to draft a quarterback after taking Andrew Luck first overall last year, but they are a young team, and for that reason, a beatable team.

If the Chiefs can lose these key games then they will be in line to get the coveted first pick in the NFL draft, and they may finally draft a franchise quarterback for the first time since the Todd Blackledge debacle.  After the Chiefs took Blackledge in 1983, hall of fame quarterbacks Jim Kelly and Dan Marino were selected.  The Chiefs have been reluctant to draft a quarterback that high after the way Blackledge turned out, but with their team a quarterback and coach a way from contending for the playoffs, there is no way conceivable that the Chiefs wont leave the 2012 draft with a new quarterback.