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.