Last Year:
In the second year of Dick Vermeil in Kansas City, the Chiefs continued to improve. From 6 ? 10 in year one, to 8 ? 8 last year, the Chiefs are on the rise. Priest Holmes and the KC offense once again tore a hole through defenses as they scored early and often versus every team. Unfortunately for Kansas, every offense they faced also scored points on them as they were ranked on the other end of the spectrum on defense. This team could be a playoff team if they weren?t in such a tough division. Since they are, they will need some help to get into the second season.
What we Learned from Last Year:
For some reason KC was touted as a sleeper team last year, and they are touted once again to be a quiet team in the weeds. This team was terribly inconsistent last year and that was truly their downfall. They had wins coming against Miami, New York Jets, and Oakland, and their losses coming from Seattle, Jacksonville San Diego. Some weeks they look spectacular, other weeks KC just flat out stinks. Everyone will quickly lay the blame on the defense, but they are not the problem. Kansas City never relies on their defense, so each week they expect nothing from them. Where KC heavily relies is on their offense. So if the offense doesn?t score enough points, then they don?t have a shot at winning. You look at this offense, and the St. Louis Rams offense that Vermeil built, and the only difference is consistency. They have similar running backs, similar qb?s, similar offensive schemes but the only difference is that when that Super Bowl Rams team stepped onto the field, they knew that they would score enough to win. With Kansas it?s a question mark. Possibly they are more inconsistent than St. Louis because Trent Green, Johnnie Morton, and Eddie Kennison are a step down from Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. Anyway you look at it this team has to score points every week. It?s not a certain amount of points because they may need more or less depending on how their defense plays but the bottom line is they need to score more.
On defense they are pitiful. Keep in mind the Ram?s defense was pretty bad but KC?s is worse. Their secondary is embarrassing, and what kills them even more is that they get virtually no pressure on opposing QB?s with their front four. It is simple for anyone to score on this team. Kansas needs to make it a bit of a challenge. Looking through the stats of this defense that ranked dead last here?s a few things I picked out:
Kansas City only allows teams to have a 42.4 3rd down completion percentage which isn?t too bad for such a horrible defense. Also KC?s defense doesn?t take too many penalties which can sometimes affect momentum and defensive play. What is eye-popping is that they rank 9th in third down attempted. That means that the offenses they played didn?t even have to sweat out long/short third down situations because KC was getting beat down on first and second down. Kansas City allows 5.8 yards a play which is virtually a first down for every two plays. That is just shameful. It?s not much better this year.
What has Changed?:
I hope people don?t think this defense has changed that much, because it hasn?t. They signed Shawn Barber, and Vonnie Holliday and everyone thinks this team is legit. Vonnie Holliday is an upgrade from Duane Clemons, I?ll give you that, but Shawn Barber is nothing special. Shawn has played are two very good defenses in Philadelphia and New York. He?s not going to have Pro Bowlers all around him anymore, and he?s going to be clicking his shoes wishing that he wasn?t in Kansas anymore. Dexter McCleon was a good pickup, but he is kind of a nickel/second starter DB. He?s basically Ray Crockett?s replacement. The defense may move up a few rankings, but it has not improved a whole heck of a lot.
And then we come to another team trying to draft using the New Orleans Saints/Buffalo Bills model. Sure there were questions about Priest Holmes health, but the Chiefs decided it would be good to add another offensive weapon than get any players to help the defense. Not even that, for a team that has Johnnie Morton and Eddie Kennison as their starting WR?s the Chiefs decided that those guys would be adequate. The front office basically decided that they were going to lookout for this team?s future rather than help them out now. Maybe their not planning on re-signing Priest Holmes but either way this team could have got a defensive starter instead of Larry Johnson. It?s a move that shows that this year is not KC?s year. Just like a baseball team who is borderline playoffs trading away players at the trade deadline, this move shows that KC will make a run another year. Maybe this move will pay off in the future, like Deuce McCallister did for New Orleans, but for now it is a bad move.
On offense KC is virtually the same. Expect the same production, the same high scoring and the same inconsistency. The team returning all of their players is a good sign that they may get more consistent scoring, especially when they need it. The biggest problem for Kansas City is their division. Sure they have a great offense, but Denver and Oakland ranked higher offensively than KC did. Both of those teams are still head and shoulders above KC, and San Diego still gives them a dog fight twice a year. It?s hard to see this team making the playoffs since it hasn?t changed that much from last year.
O/U 9:
To put it simply, the Chiefs need at least three division wins if they want to make the playoffs. Getting two from San Diego and a split with someone else is fine except for the fact that they might lose out in a tie-break. Even three wins will not be easy for Kansas, but they are capable of it. That leaves 7 more against: Steelers, @Texans, @Ravens, @Packers, Bills, Browns, @Bengals, Lions, @Vikings, and Bears. The Chiefs finish with a cakewalk and if they stay focused 10 wins is not out of the question but they don?t have a lot of room for error.
Fantasy Sleeper:
For a team that passes so much, I think it?s obvious that Green, Holmes and Gonzalez will be nabbed pretty quickly. Kansas is still looking for a receiver to step up into the #1 spot. Marc Boerighter, a former CFL standout has been very sure handed and has impressed at every given opportunity. He doesn?t have break away speed which is what is hindering him from being a primetime player in this offense but he will definitely get more looks in the red zone this year.
In the second year of Dick Vermeil in Kansas City, the Chiefs continued to improve. From 6 ? 10 in year one, to 8 ? 8 last year, the Chiefs are on the rise. Priest Holmes and the KC offense once again tore a hole through defenses as they scored early and often versus every team. Unfortunately for Kansas, every offense they faced also scored points on them as they were ranked on the other end of the spectrum on defense. This team could be a playoff team if they weren?t in such a tough division. Since they are, they will need some help to get into the second season.
What we Learned from Last Year:
For some reason KC was touted as a sleeper team last year, and they are touted once again to be a quiet team in the weeds. This team was terribly inconsistent last year and that was truly their downfall. They had wins coming against Miami, New York Jets, and Oakland, and their losses coming from Seattle, Jacksonville San Diego. Some weeks they look spectacular, other weeks KC just flat out stinks. Everyone will quickly lay the blame on the defense, but they are not the problem. Kansas City never relies on their defense, so each week they expect nothing from them. Where KC heavily relies is on their offense. So if the offense doesn?t score enough points, then they don?t have a shot at winning. You look at this offense, and the St. Louis Rams offense that Vermeil built, and the only difference is consistency. They have similar running backs, similar qb?s, similar offensive schemes but the only difference is that when that Super Bowl Rams team stepped onto the field, they knew that they would score enough to win. With Kansas it?s a question mark. Possibly they are more inconsistent than St. Louis because Trent Green, Johnnie Morton, and Eddie Kennison are a step down from Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. Anyway you look at it this team has to score points every week. It?s not a certain amount of points because they may need more or less depending on how their defense plays but the bottom line is they need to score more.
On defense they are pitiful. Keep in mind the Ram?s defense was pretty bad but KC?s is worse. Their secondary is embarrassing, and what kills them even more is that they get virtually no pressure on opposing QB?s with their front four. It is simple for anyone to score on this team. Kansas needs to make it a bit of a challenge. Looking through the stats of this defense that ranked dead last here?s a few things I picked out:
Kansas City only allows teams to have a 42.4 3rd down completion percentage which isn?t too bad for such a horrible defense. Also KC?s defense doesn?t take too many penalties which can sometimes affect momentum and defensive play. What is eye-popping is that they rank 9th in third down attempted. That means that the offenses they played didn?t even have to sweat out long/short third down situations because KC was getting beat down on first and second down. Kansas City allows 5.8 yards a play which is virtually a first down for every two plays. That is just shameful. It?s not much better this year.
What has Changed?:
I hope people don?t think this defense has changed that much, because it hasn?t. They signed Shawn Barber, and Vonnie Holliday and everyone thinks this team is legit. Vonnie Holliday is an upgrade from Duane Clemons, I?ll give you that, but Shawn Barber is nothing special. Shawn has played are two very good defenses in Philadelphia and New York. He?s not going to have Pro Bowlers all around him anymore, and he?s going to be clicking his shoes wishing that he wasn?t in Kansas anymore. Dexter McCleon was a good pickup, but he is kind of a nickel/second starter DB. He?s basically Ray Crockett?s replacement. The defense may move up a few rankings, but it has not improved a whole heck of a lot.
And then we come to another team trying to draft using the New Orleans Saints/Buffalo Bills model. Sure there were questions about Priest Holmes health, but the Chiefs decided it would be good to add another offensive weapon than get any players to help the defense. Not even that, for a team that has Johnnie Morton and Eddie Kennison as their starting WR?s the Chiefs decided that those guys would be adequate. The front office basically decided that they were going to lookout for this team?s future rather than help them out now. Maybe their not planning on re-signing Priest Holmes but either way this team could have got a defensive starter instead of Larry Johnson. It?s a move that shows that this year is not KC?s year. Just like a baseball team who is borderline playoffs trading away players at the trade deadline, this move shows that KC will make a run another year. Maybe this move will pay off in the future, like Deuce McCallister did for New Orleans, but for now it is a bad move.
On offense KC is virtually the same. Expect the same production, the same high scoring and the same inconsistency. The team returning all of their players is a good sign that they may get more consistent scoring, especially when they need it. The biggest problem for Kansas City is their division. Sure they have a great offense, but Denver and Oakland ranked higher offensively than KC did. Both of those teams are still head and shoulders above KC, and San Diego still gives them a dog fight twice a year. It?s hard to see this team making the playoffs since it hasn?t changed that much from last year.
O/U 9:
To put it simply, the Chiefs need at least three division wins if they want to make the playoffs. Getting two from San Diego and a split with someone else is fine except for the fact that they might lose out in a tie-break. Even three wins will not be easy for Kansas, but they are capable of it. That leaves 7 more against: Steelers, @Texans, @Ravens, @Packers, Bills, Browns, @Bengals, Lions, @Vikings, and Bears. The Chiefs finish with a cakewalk and if they stay focused 10 wins is not out of the question but they don?t have a lot of room for error.
Fantasy Sleeper:
For a team that passes so much, I think it?s obvious that Green, Holmes and Gonzalez will be nabbed pretty quickly. Kansas is still looking for a receiver to step up into the #1 spot. Marc Boerighter, a former CFL standout has been very sure handed and has impressed at every given opportunity. He doesn?t have break away speed which is what is hindering him from being a primetime player in this offense but he will definitely get more looks in the red zone this year.
