Kansas City Chiefs

I don’t get it. I really don’t…

The Chiefs have the 11-5 Patriot, Matt Cassel at Quarterback, they have standout receiver Dwayne Bowe, they’ve picked-up Steve Breaston from the Cardinals and they’ve got level-headed experience in Anthony Becht at Tight End, and yet they can’t get the ball into the endzone. What the hell is going on? It can’t be personnel. Could it be chemistry?

Logically, you’ve got to look to Coach Todd Haley for answers, but even that doesn’t make any sense. The Chiefs can’t put points on the board but Haley was a master at orchestrating landslide victories for the high-octane Cardinals throughout his time in Arizona. So what’s changed? Is it simply the pressure of being head coach as opposed to an up-and-coordinator?

No. I doubt it, at least.

What I think is going on right now is what is often termed the Sophomore Slump.

Having won the division last year for the first time since 2003, the Chiefs looked to the future with optimism. They were a young, talented team with great players all over the field and a youthful coach, who seems to engage well with his men.

All of a sudden, the promising unit lose a couple of games (badly) and everyone starts to panic. This is what happens. This is a team in the early stages of becoming a contender. It’s just like anything when you take it up: if you’ve a natural propensity for a skill, you’ll be good right away, but as soon as you start trying to refine a natural technique and turn it into a professional one with a view to being better than just good – actually excellent – it all goes pear shaped and you look a bit silly.

Until you do get it right and then you could be looking the least silly you ever have in your life. And that’s the plan. Haley needs to stick with it even if the season’s a complete write off. I don’t think it will be. I think they’ll struggle out of the gate but find their feet late doors – too late for the division, but early enough to ensure they won’t be paying big bucks for the number one pick next year.

Verdict: a woeful start and then a mixed-bag towards the end. 5-11 should do them, I think.


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