Can the Kansas City Chiefs turn it around this year?
Sometimes what goes on in the National Football League just doesn’t make sense. You really do have to expect the unexpected every year. A team that is a joke one year can turn into a powerhouse the next. There have been too many examples to count so let’s just expect that at least one team will pleasantly surprise us in 2010. The question is, is that team the Kansas City Chiefs?
You can forget about their 10-38 record over the last three seasons because three years is an eternity in the NFL and one more year can change everything. The Chiefs already started their rebuilding process last year. They hired a new GM Scott Pioli. He brought in a new head coach, Todd Haley and they invested in Matt Cassel to be their franchise quarterback.
Cassel got the opportunity to be a starter in the league in the 2008 season when Tom Brady suffered a season-ending injury to, the Chiefs. Cassel had a very good season and showed he could be a starter. The challenge is just a lot more difficult in K.C because he doesn’t have Randy Moss, Wes Welker and the fine coaching staff at New England.
He does have a young, developing team and it may not be long before the team take off. They have revamped their entire defence and have a talented young running back in Jamaal Charles.
The coaching staff has an impressive resume as Haley is joined by Charlie Weis as the offensive coordinator and Romeo Crennel in charge of the defense.
The Chiefs organization has shown that it intends to build through the draft while plugging in holes with veterans.
The offense will need Matt Cassel to regain his ’08 form but that will be a major challenge. Cassel does not deal well with the pass rush as he focuses more on the rush than on his receivers.
In all fairness Cassel did not have great pass protection as the Chiefs allowed 45 sacks, sixth-most in the league. The o-line will need to show improvement if the offense is to be effective.
The running game will be the Chiefs strength on offense. Veteran Thomas Jones has been brought in to compliment the explosive Charles which will give a solid two-back attack. Jones can be an inside threat and can help the Chiefs score in the red zone.
The defense must improve in 2010 and he Chiefs will be looking for their first round pick Eric Berry to make an immediate impact at safety. Berry has been compared to Ed Reed and Brian Dawkins which is no insult and the three-year Tennessee captain may be the leader on this defense for years to come.
Crennel will have his hands full with a young defense but he is a great defensive mind and has the ability to mold these young players into terrific football players.
The pass rush will have to improve and will be a huge compliment to the improving secondary of the Chiefs. The 3-4 defense did not work last season but maybe another year under the system will improve the defending in the box. Newcomers Shaun Smith and Corey Mays will be expected to plug up the holes down the middle while the youth movement may hit the line backing corps. Mike Vrabel and Demorrio Williams will likely be replaced by Javon Belcher and Andy Studebaker as the Chiefs attempt to revamp their defense.
The Chiefs special teams were decent but were irrelevant last season as the Chiefs struggled from all sides of the field.
This season it is possible for the Chiefs to be that sleeper team we see every year. They are young and are improving. Plus they have an amazing coaching staff with Haley, Weis and Crennel leading the way, these Chiefs will try to lead the tribe to a successful 2010 season. The staff will need to work their magic but don’t count the team out just yet.
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