Great writer for the Kansas City Star Joe Posnanski:
The great part of pro football is that things change quickly. One week ago, the Chiefs fell to pieces. The offense spun its wheels, the defense hit bottom, Dante Hall got hurt, the coaches were thoroughly and obviously outcoached, there was a screaming match in the locker room, the playoff bye seemed lost, head coach Dick Vermeil sounded discouraged, it was as bad a day as the Chiefs have had in a long, long time. You could almost hear the funeral music playing.
Super Bowl? You've got to be kidding.
You wondered whether the NFL would just revoke the Chiefs' playoff privileges.
That was last Saturday. Now, it's just one week later. The Chiefs have not played a game since then. They have not added a linebacker who can tackle or defensive lineman who can take up two blocks. They have not, as far as I know, scrapped the “Rush into the wrong hole and then miss the tackle” scheme that has proved so effective the last few weeks.
But things look a whole lot different. The Chiefs do have the bye, thanks to Denver manhandling Indianapolis on Sunday. The Chiefs will get a second-round playoff game at Arrowhead, where they have not lost a game since two Octobers ago. The playoff matchups are almost set, and they line up pretty well for the Chiefs.
Suddenly, the table looks set for a Super Bowl run again.
Sure, it may be the eggnog. It may be the general giddiness of the holidays. It may be the complete and utter blocking out of last week's game against, uh, whoever it is the Chiefs played last week.
But I can't help it. Look at how it lays out now.
1. The Chiefs get to sit out the first round of the playoffs, which figures to be an absolute bloodbath this year with Denver and Tennessee as wild cards.
2. As things stand right now, the Chiefs will play a second-round playoff game at home against a team that isn't Denver, which (as much as it grieves me to admit this) really is the only team in the AFC right now playing out of its mind.
3. The Chiefs could go through the entire playoffs without facing a team that has a great running game. The Chiefs' big problem, as everyone knows, is that the defense cannot stop the run at all. Their biggest fear is some team will simply run them over. Well, three of their potential opponents in the AFC — New England, Indianapolis and Tennessee — are among the worst running teams in the NFL.
The two others — Baltimore and Denver — can run like crazy.
But the Chiefs have also beaten both of them.
You see what I'm saying? The table is set. The chance is there. The Chiefs still have the best offense in the NFL. They have the most dangerous return man in the NFL. They have a coach who knows how to win in the playoffs. They have, perhaps, the biggest home-field advantage in the NFL. One week ago, while the smoke from that stink bomb cleared, the season seemed over. Football is such an emotional game.
Right now, though, the Chiefs look about as well set up as any team around.
And that's how quickly things change in pro football.
Of course, that does not mean this team will take advantage of the setup. The Chiefs are the only team in the NFL to give up 45 or more points in two games this whole season, and they did it in three weeks. And what made it even worse was the way they gave up those points. They were pushed around. They were run over. They had their pride smashed. Nothing in football, and I mean nothing, hurts as much as having a team simply plow through you until you cry “Uncle.”
Buddy Ryan, defensive coordinator deluxe, used to say that stopping the pass is about pressure but stopping the run is about attitude.
The Chiefs need to find their attitude or they won't go anywhere. It's time now to put away wild schemes. There are no tricks come playoff time. No, it's time for the Chiefs to line up their corners in man-to-man, put eight and nine men in the box and hit some people. It's time to match toughness for four quarters. It's just time.
The Chiefs, it should be noted, do play better defense at home. Arrowhead seems to give them courage. They have allowed an almost unbelievable 181 yards rushing on the road. At home, it's a more reasonable 117 yards per game — and a lot of those yards were junk yards, draw plays with the game out of reach and so on.
So, they can play passable defense at times. No, the defense will never resemble the 1985 Chicago Bears. But they don't have to. If they can keep teams to 24 points or fewer in the playoffs (the Chiefs have not allowed more than 24 points at home this year), they have a great shot. If they can force turnovers or even a few holding penalties, they have a great shot.
Then, if they can get Dante Hall unleashed again, they have a great shot. If they can get the offense going for four quarters, they have a great shot. If Dick Vermeil can work some of his magic and inspire his players (and coaches) to play the way they did earlier this year, they have a great shot.
The point is: The opportunity is there. Sure, everybody around America writes off the Chiefs, and that's understandable. After last week's catastrophe game against whomever, you could hear crickets chirping on the Chiefs bandwagon.
But things change fast. A couple of breaks have gone the Chiefs way. And I'm telling you, there's a very real chance Lamar Hunt will hold up the trophy with his name on it this year. At least that's how it looks today.
The great part of pro football is that things change quickly. One week ago, the Chiefs fell to pieces. The offense spun its wheels, the defense hit bottom, Dante Hall got hurt, the coaches were thoroughly and obviously outcoached, there was a screaming match in the locker room, the playoff bye seemed lost, head coach Dick Vermeil sounded discouraged, it was as bad a day as the Chiefs have had in a long, long time. You could almost hear the funeral music playing.
Super Bowl? You've got to be kidding.
You wondered whether the NFL would just revoke the Chiefs' playoff privileges.
That was last Saturday. Now, it's just one week later. The Chiefs have not played a game since then. They have not added a linebacker who can tackle or defensive lineman who can take up two blocks. They have not, as far as I know, scrapped the “Rush into the wrong hole and then miss the tackle” scheme that has proved so effective the last few weeks.
But things look a whole lot different. The Chiefs do have the bye, thanks to Denver manhandling Indianapolis on Sunday. The Chiefs will get a second-round playoff game at Arrowhead, where they have not lost a game since two Octobers ago. The playoff matchups are almost set, and they line up pretty well for the Chiefs.
Suddenly, the table looks set for a Super Bowl run again.
Sure, it may be the eggnog. It may be the general giddiness of the holidays. It may be the complete and utter blocking out of last week's game against, uh, whoever it is the Chiefs played last week.
But I can't help it. Look at how it lays out now.
1. The Chiefs get to sit out the first round of the playoffs, which figures to be an absolute bloodbath this year with Denver and Tennessee as wild cards.
2. As things stand right now, the Chiefs will play a second-round playoff game at home against a team that isn't Denver, which (as much as it grieves me to admit this) really is the only team in the AFC right now playing out of its mind.
3. The Chiefs could go through the entire playoffs without facing a team that has a great running game. The Chiefs' big problem, as everyone knows, is that the defense cannot stop the run at all. Their biggest fear is some team will simply run them over. Well, three of their potential opponents in the AFC — New England, Indianapolis and Tennessee — are among the worst running teams in the NFL.
The two others — Baltimore and Denver — can run like crazy.
But the Chiefs have also beaten both of them.
You see what I'm saying? The table is set. The chance is there. The Chiefs still have the best offense in the NFL. They have the most dangerous return man in the NFL. They have a coach who knows how to win in the playoffs. They have, perhaps, the biggest home-field advantage in the NFL. One week ago, while the smoke from that stink bomb cleared, the season seemed over. Football is such an emotional game.
Right now, though, the Chiefs look about as well set up as any team around.
And that's how quickly things change in pro football.
Of course, that does not mean this team will take advantage of the setup. The Chiefs are the only team in the NFL to give up 45 or more points in two games this whole season, and they did it in three weeks. And what made it even worse was the way they gave up those points. They were pushed around. They were run over. They had their pride smashed. Nothing in football, and I mean nothing, hurts as much as having a team simply plow through you until you cry “Uncle.”
Buddy Ryan, defensive coordinator deluxe, used to say that stopping the pass is about pressure but stopping the run is about attitude.
The Chiefs need to find their attitude or they won't go anywhere. It's time now to put away wild schemes. There are no tricks come playoff time. No, it's time for the Chiefs to line up their corners in man-to-man, put eight and nine men in the box and hit some people. It's time to match toughness for four quarters. It's just time.
The Chiefs, it should be noted, do play better defense at home. Arrowhead seems to give them courage. They have allowed an almost unbelievable 181 yards rushing on the road. At home, it's a more reasonable 117 yards per game — and a lot of those yards were junk yards, draw plays with the game out of reach and so on.
So, they can play passable defense at times. No, the defense will never resemble the 1985 Chicago Bears. But they don't have to. If they can keep teams to 24 points or fewer in the playoffs (the Chiefs have not allowed more than 24 points at home this year), they have a great shot. If they can force turnovers or even a few holding penalties, they have a great shot.
Then, if they can get Dante Hall unleashed again, they have a great shot. If they can get the offense going for four quarters, they have a great shot. If Dick Vermeil can work some of his magic and inspire his players (and coaches) to play the way they did earlier this year, they have a great shot.
The point is: The opportunity is there. Sure, everybody around America writes off the Chiefs, and that's understandable. After last week's catastrophe game against whomever, you could hear crickets chirping on the Chiefs bandwagon.
But things change fast. A couple of breaks have gone the Chiefs way. And I'm telling you, there's a very real chance Lamar Hunt will hold up the trophy with his name on it this year. At least that's how it looks today.
