Two-a-Days: Kansas City Chiefs

TheSportsWatchers want to get you in shape for the upcoming 2010 NFL football season. So in the spirit of NFL training camp, we are doing two-a-days to get you in gear for each and every NFL team.

The Kansas City Chiefs were what they were last year: a mess. The 2010 Kansas City Chiefs, however, can put all of that behind them. This year, they enter the 2010 season under a new regime with plenty of familiar faces. Can 2010 be the year everyone remembers as the turnaround season for the Kansas City franchise?

2009 NFL Football Recap
The Kansas City Chiefs finished the 2009 season with just 4 wins and 12 losses. Some people believe they were better than their record would suggest, but I don’t see it. The Chiefs lost their first four games of the season by a combined 48 points, including a loss to the lowly Oakland Raiders. And during their second 5-game losing streak of the season, the Chiefs lost their games by an average of 16 points per contest. The only bright spot for the team was in their rushing game. With Larry Johnson’s exodus, the Chiefs saw Jamaal Charles put his speed to work as he amassed 1,120 yards, averaging 5.9 yards per carry and scoring 7 rushing touchdowns. Unfortunately, both Chris Chambers and Dwayne Bowe failed to exceed in the passing game, and Matt Cassel was anything but dependable in his first year as the Chiefs quarterback.

2010 Offseason Transactions
The biggest moves the Chiefs made during the offseason had nothing to do with player personnel. Instead, the Chiefs made a splash by seemingly making their head coach, Todd Haley, unnecessary. With former New England Patriots executive Scott Pioli running things in Kansas City, the Chiefs brought in two former Patriot coaches; Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis. Crennel’s addition makes sense, because he will take over a defense that needs taking over. However, Weis’s offensive prowess would seem to overlap with what Haley supposedly brings to the table. One has to wonder exactly who will run the offense now, and whether or not that will become an issue later on in the season.

On the player personnel side, the Chiefs made a great selection when they picked up Strong Safety Eric Berry in the first round of the draft. They also brought in DT Shaun Smith and DB Andre Jones to give Crennel some veteran defensive players. Offensively, the Chiefs added wide receiver Jerheme Urban, guard Ran Lilja and QB Brodie Croyle. WR Eddie Kennison gives the Chiefs another veteran at the wide receiver position. And last but not least, the Chiefs added running back Thomas Jones, who was the leading rusher for the #1 rushing team in football last year.

2010 Prediction for the Kansas City Chiefs
The outlook for the Chiefs isn’t great, but there is hope given the division they play in. The San Diego Chargers are going through so much now that there is no guarantee that they will win the AFC West. The Denver Broncos are more up and down than an out of control roller coaster. And the Oakland Raiders…well, they are the Oakland Raiders. As for the rest of the Chiefs 2010 NFL schedule, there is the potential for them to reel off some wins. The Chiefs play the Cleveland Brown and San Francisco 49ers in Weeks 2 and 3, and then they go up against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Buffalo Bills and Oakland in Weeks 7 through 9. Kansas City then ends the year with games against the Rams, Titans and Raiders. I’m not saying the Chiefs are going to win all of those games, but even winning just half of them gives them as many wins as they had last year. With their rushing game seemingly solidified by the presence of Charles and Jones, the Chiefs need to just a little bit of help from their passing game. And while the defense still has holes, they do have five former first round picks, and Crennel does know how to coach talent. Given all of that, and the Chiefs NFL schedule, we see Kansas City turning things around in 2010 and going 9-7.

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