3 Must-See KC Week 7 Matchups

Man, I just can’t whip up the disdain this week for the visiting 2-3 New Orleans Saints like I did for Oakland in Week 6. It’s to be expected I guess, as the Raiders are organically fun-to-hate, while Drew Brees is just, like, a great guy, you know? I still want him picking Arrowhead Stadium turf out of his facemask after each of the 30 painful sacks he suffers today, but you know, a really awesome guy. So, putting aside today’s fundamental matchup of Brees vs. each member of the Chiefs defense, let’s take a closer look at three must-see matchups:

Marcus Peters vs. Brandin Cooks

Brandin Cooks is one of just five guys in the NFL with more than 13 catches and an average yardage per catch over 17. Only two players have a higher average and as many receptions as Cooks' 17.1 yards and 25 catches. I already predicted that the good guys would win today if KC's star cornerback Marcus Peters manages to pick an errant Brees throw to keep the turnover ratio in the Chiefs' favor. However, if any type of receiver can exploit Peters' all-or-nothing playing style, it's a guy like Brandin Cooks (especially when a guy like Drew Brees is throwing the football.)

Alex Smith vs. Cameron Jordan

The Saints enter Week 7 with injured players on every level of their already-ineffective defense. This puts even more pressure on the few New Orleans defenders who consistently contribute, such as linebacker Cameron Jordan. This two-time Pro Bowler and member of the 2015 All-Pro Team needs to slow KC's offensive down without much competent help around him. Slowing down Alex Smith and Company at Arrowhead seems like a tremendously tough task for Jordan or anybody else after last week's remarkable performance from the Chiefs offense.

Alex Smith's incredibly efficient game against the Raiders is still the talk of the town, and many Chiefs fans can't help wondering aloud whether or not he can repeat it, or at least build on it. KC doesn't need him to complete north of 85% of his passes again in order to beat the 2-3 Saints. The Chiefs just need Smith to convert at key moments against the NFL's second-worst defense. Only a top-tier talent like Cameron Jordan should get the chance to stifle Alex's mojo today.

Spencer Ware vs. Craig Robertson

Okay, so the last matchup technically wasn't even a matchup. To be clear, Eric Fisher and the rest of KC's offensive line is responsible for physically matching up against Cam Jordan today, because duh, I know that. Maybe I should call them something other than matchups? I'll find a smoother-sounding version of "3 Must-See Player Duos Who Significantly Influence One Another’s’ Performances" and I’ll get back to you. This last entry is another non-matchup. That's my only point here.

While Ware isn't exactly matched up against Saints middle linebacker Craig Robertson, they'll be seeing each other often today. Robertson leads his team with 33 combined tackles, and Ware (not to mention Jamaal Charles if he's feeling healthy) should get enough up-front blocking to reach the second level of the New Orleans defense. This is where Robertson's ability or inability to wrap up Chiefs in space could decide this game.

KC's simple, obvious key to success today is running the football with conviction and consistency. If the Chiefs run the ball successfully, they can burn the clock with a tie or the lead, thus keeping the opponent's future Hall of Fame QB on the sideline. A consistent running game limits Brees' chances to hurt KC, and also keep the Chiefs defense well-rested. So, to keep that running game going, KC needs third-down conversions on the ground, and nobody has a bigger defensive impact on the success or failure on third downs than a middle linebacker that leads his team in tackles.

I will continue with this “fool’s errand” of making week-to-week NFL predictions by picking the Chiefs to win a 27-24 thriller at home today. As a bonus, I also predict that Chiefs fans will continue to hit up Saints defensive tackle Nick Fairley’s Twitter feed with love after he suddenly lost his mother earlier this week. We can all sympathize with that kind of pain, whether or not it’s something we want to acknowledge within the sanctum of football Sunday.

Doug LaCerte sometimes uses Twitter @DLaC67. He still has a Facebook page, and he loves his momma very much.

The Good, The Bad and The Awesome from KC's Week 6 Win

This season’s first installment of the decades-old rivalry between the heroic Kansas City Chiefs and the dastardly Oakland Raiders resulted in a comfortable, important victory for the good guys. Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the really, really good from yesterday’s satisfying stomping in Oakland:

The Good – Almost everything? Let's get specific and give some love to KC’s offensive linemen, who comfortably controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the game. Their dominance allowed Alex Smith to complete 19 of his 22 pass attempts (a franchise record for completion percentage) and allowed Spencer Ware to run for 131 yards. Only five people on the planet currently have more 2016 yards from scrimmage than Ware. Any team in the NFL would struggle to beat the Chiefs on a day when Ware has room to run and Smith records a 109.1 passer rating.

The Bad – The questions that Chiefs fans must ask through the week paint the picture of a team with tremendous potential but too many concerns to be considered elite. While Pats fans wonder how many touchdowns Tom Brady's about to throw next week, fans in KC are asking more daunting questions. 

We still don't know when Justin Houston will be himself again, and despite a hope-inducing nine carries against the Raiders for Jamaal Charles, nobody knows how often #25 will be able to contribute going forward. We also don't know if the offensive success KC enjoyed against the Raiders can be replicated against a more legitimate defense. As the Star's Terez A. Paylor wisely pointed out, Oakland's passing defense was the NFL's worst heading into yesterday’s game, and their run defense ranked 27th.

Also, Amari Cooper’s 10 catches for 129 yards makes him the first player with over 100 receiving yards against KC since Week 2, which could reignite fears regarding KC’s weakness against elite wide outs.

The Awesome – Marcus Peters’ feast-or-famine style of play continues to work in his favor, and his fifth pick of the season is a perfect example. After Amari Cooper burned Peters on a double move, Marcus trusted his safety help and immediately reacted by deciding to play the ball, confident that Raiders QB Derek Carr couldn't successfully reach Cooper with the pass. His initial failure and immediate decision to gamble resulted in a momentum-shifting interception.

I would be remiss if I didn't also reflect on an all-time great scoring his first touchdown of the season and increasing his workload to nine carries. The next two teams on KC’s schedule – the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts – rank 25^th and 24^th respectively in rushing yards allowed per game this season. These next two weeks should be a great indicator of how much Jamaal still has in the tank. If KC scouts are to be believed, we will all witness the resurgence of one of NFL history’s greatest talents within the month of October. Now that would be awesome.

Doug LaCerte occasionally remembers that he exists on Twitter @DLaC67, and he still uses his Facebook to find good Raider Hater memes.

KC Success in The Steel City?

Our 2-1 Kansas City Chiefs face off tonight against the recently enigmatic 2-1 Pittsburgh Steelers. To better understand the 2016 Steelers, we need to take a quick look at the team that dominated them just a week ago. Pittsburgh lost 34-3 to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3, and rookie QB Carson Wentz threw for 301 yards. Pittsburgh was arguably Philly's first legit test of the year, since the Eagles began the season with wins against the Browns and Bears. Maybe Wentz runs an offense that will go on to consistently burn good NFL defenses. Maybe the Steelers' defense is officially "no good". It seems like there's some truth to both possibilities.

Only four NFL teams have allowed more yards per game than Pittsburgh. Despite that, the Steelers have only allowed 22 points per game, which puts them right in the middle of the pack statistically. Only five teams hold their opponents to a lower 3rd down conversion percentage, but despite the veteran presence of OLD James Harrison and others, the Steelers D won't instill fear in the Chiefs quite like they did in years past.

For the record, Philadelphia averages 9 points allowed per game this year, which is the lowest average in the NFL. It sounds like Pittsburgh got beat by a balanced, impressive Eagles team last week. However, KC surely had the flaws that Philly exploited in mind when designing this week's game plan. KC's offense has the weapons necessary to exploit Pittsburgh's flaws, and KC’s defense has the ability to suddenly change the game with a timely interception or six.

According to OddsShark.com, bookies will give KC between three and four points in this Week 4 faceoff at Heinz Field. For once, I have more faith in my Chiefs than Vegas does. I expect KC's offense to have a good day, thanks in part to that red-hot secondary keeping the turnover ratio in the Chiefs' favor. I'm predicting a 27-24 win for our Chiefs, a high-five-inducing interception for Marcus Peters while he's guarding the league's best wide out Antonio Brown, and a huge smile on millions of Chiefs fans' faces when Jamaal Charles takes the field for the first time this season.

No matter what happens, let's enjoy the return of #25 tonight. Every snap Jamaal takes is important to NFL history.

Doug LaCerte makes fun of the Raiders on Twitter @DLaC67, and he still uses his Facebook page to hustle for those sweet, sweet pageviews. 

3 Things KC Must Do to Win in Denver

So we got this, right guys? Total trap-game, right? The Kansas City Chiefs bring a deflated team to Denver in the coming hours, and most would consider their chances to be sigh-inducingly slim. What can KC do to make this game competitive, or even pull off a stunner at Mile-High? Well, sadly, the gameplan for victory this Sunday involves some awfully lofty goals. If KC ends the day with a seemingly miraculous 1-1 record, a lot of things will have gone very, very right. Here are the three things that must happen for KC to win this afternoon:

 

3- Jamaal Charles gets 15 touches or more for 150 yards or more.

Andy Reid took some well-deserved flak for Jamaal having only 11 touches in Week 1, but he also deserves credit for being candid and honest about his failure in that regard. It should be clear that Reid will make #25 more of the offensive gameplan this time around, but a struggling offensive line must also succeed in giving their star player a seam on running downs. Despite this being the easiest goal on this list to accomplish, it’s far from a safe bet against an improved Denver defense that now includes Vince Wilfork stuffing up the center of the field.

 

2- Chiefs win the turnover ratio by at least +2.

Shaun Smith and Marcus Cooper are both polarizing starters in KC’s secondary that sometimes get burnt and sometimes make incredible, game-changing plays. As fans, we can only hope that we get the good side of that coin today. If first ballot Hall of Famer Peyton Manning helps us out with some errant passes, nobody in the Kingdom will complain, but the Chiefs clearly aren’t banking on that. To force turnovers, KC needs to go out and get them. This means pressuring Manning to get rid of the ball early and allowing the aforementioned guys in the secondary to go after that pick-six with reckless abandon. Maybe with a better team on paper KC would avoid such a rogue gameplan, but not this year, and especially not today.

 

1- Justin Houston, Tamba Hali and Dontari Poe combine for 3 or more sacks on Manning.

With the dreadful loss of both Mike Devito and Derrick Johnson, the Chiefs absolutely must see their other big-name defensive players step up if they want to be anything close to relevant this season. Multiple sacks, especially early in the game, can keep Peyton uncomfortable and lessen the chance of huge plays against that unproven secondary. KC’s chances to pull this off will begin and end at the line of scrimmage.

 

It’s an important sports day in KC, what with the Royals continuing their playoff race and the rival Detroit Tigers playing a day-game as well. Today could be remembered as a shining moment for both clubs, or the beginning of the end of their respective seasons.   

Wait...Is It Football Season?

The recent success of the Kansas City Royals got me thinking about something strange regarding this 2014 Chiefs season. In my limited time as a sports journalist, doom and gloom and disappointment made up at least a slight majority of the job. Despite reaching the playoffs in the first year of the Reid/Dorsey regime in 2013, we all know what happened to end that dream and leave us all with nightmares all through the offseason. At this point, it's too late to go back and reminisce on that historically pathetic defeat, but last Sunday the Tennessee Titans helped to prolong the pang of pain in the gut of every Chiefs fan.

As the Chiefs stumbled out of the regular season gates, I switched back channels continuously to my first place Royals as they held the Bronx Bombers scoreless on Derek Jeter Day. KC won that important series and claimed their first season series win against the New York Yankees since 1999. With the Royals now nearing the middle of September with a great chance to make the playoffs, I started to wonder if all my experience reacting to disappointment and failure would wind up going unused this year. Thanks to our Kansas City Chiefs, I now have no need to worry.

The first half of KC's first game mostly told the story of rust and regression. It all began promisingly enough- Jamaal scampered untouched for a smooth first down on KC's first drive. Dustin Colquitt buried the opposing offense inside their own ten yard-line, as he so often does, and Tennessee's first snap resulted in a false start in front of a wild Arrowhead crowd. Even when Cairo Santos bounced in his first NFL field goal, we thought KC could shake it off and be happy with a slim early lead. The Chiefs did follow this up with a long completion to promising TE Travis Kelce, after all. Then, there goes Santos again for attempt #2...

From that doink on, KC's numerous questionable areas of the roster were exposed. An apparently downgraded secondary eventually gave way to a single touchdown that gave the Titans the lead, if only because of Kansas City's complete failure to reach the end-zone. Chiefs fans had a few positives to take to halftime- most of them being sacks from key defensive stars- but the second half failed to bring amy significant improvement from the offense.

This team isn't as awful as many Chiefs fans will believe following this ugly loss, but there's a fundamental problem with making that argument; I still don't think the Chiefs are good enough to make a playoff run this year. This season's schedule, as we'll review in the coming week, is undeniably harsh, and nobody can seem to find an area in which KC legitimately improved their roster. It's no wonder to me why I keep trailing off mentally during analysis of this blowout to daydream about the next Royals game.

Here's the good news: the Chiefs held a sneaky-good Titans offense scoreless for over thirty minutes of game-time. The bad news was, you know, the rest of the game. The worse news is the terrifying feasibility of the Chiefs falling into a huge hole early this season. Kansas City's next six opponents include five playoff teams from last season and the Miami Dolphins, who just beat New England by double-digits. This goes without mentioning the two awful, season-ending injuries to Mike Devito and Derrick Johnson.

Losing in such an embarrassing fashion surprised many, but to avoid falling to 0-7, the Chiefs have to pull off an equally surprising upset against a superior opponent. So, why not do it next week in Denver? Stay tuned in the next few days for analysis of that upcoming inspirational upset victory/ humiliating bloodbath defeat.

Doug LaCerte operates this blog, writes for Rant Sports and occasionally speaks of himself in third-person for the sake of fake professionalism. Feed his fickle ego by following him on Twitter @DLaC67, troll him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google, because they're gonna make you use that shit, anyway.

Luck Be a Lady Today, I Hope

A week after Jamaal Charles ran rampant on the Raiders, KC comes home for their last regular season game at Arrowhead. In what is probably a playoff matchup preview, the Chiefs welcome Andrew Luck and Indy to the snowy wasteland of Kansas City. Both teams say they won't save anything for the playoffs, and both teams are justified in their lies. Nonetheless, this game still has a chance of affecting playoff seeding for KC and Indy, so both teams will be going 100%.

For a division champ, the Colts are unremarkable. They rank 22^nd in overall offense and 19^th in defense league-wide, but Andrew Luck's 21/9 TD/INT ratio has helped to keep them in games, and his prowess as a comeback cultivator pushed them to a 9-5 record. Only five teams in the NFL have given up less sacks than Indy, which has allowed the talented youngster to stay accurate and smart in the pocket. Although he's harder to hate than any Raider, forcing Luck to fail today is historically relevant in a way that a win against Oakland could never be.

Not since the Montana years have the Chiefs won a playoff game, and today they're matched up against their probable opponent in this year's first round. A win today encourages a team and a fan base enough to think a deep playoff run is possible and a win in the first round is probable. Just try to wrap your head around how big a difference that is from how you felt as a fan this time last year. It looks like KC's Santa Claus is actually a Mormon with a walrus-style mustache.

Here are today's five predictions:

1- Indy upgraded their core of offensive skill players this offseason, but they're still mediocre at best without Reggie Wayne. T.Y Hilton will be today's biggest threat, and the Chiefs know it. KC will force Luck to beat them by spreading the ball around or running through them. Expect Luck to give four Colts not named Hilton at least two receptions each today.

2- Robert Mathis is the only linebacker in the league with more sacks than Tamba Hali or Justin Houston. Look for Smith to get dropped by this beefy, underrated vet at least once today.

3- Although Luck's been well-protected and kept picks to a minimum, he still fumbles the ball too often. In 30 NFL starts, he's fumbled the ball 15 times. Look for DC Bob Sutton to send a blind-side blitz that causes a key turnover today.

4- Because of Indy's familiarity with Donnie Avery, who played with the Colts last season, his production will be limited. The entire passing game, in fact, will be stymied by today's snowy, icy conditions in Kansas City. That leaves the door open for 25 to strengthen his bid for Offensive MVP. The Colts have the league's 27^th ranked rushing defense, so look for Jamaal to average more than 6 yards per carry in this game.

5- Thanks to favorable weather conditions, a fantastic home field advantage and an offense that's finding its stride, the Chiefs should come out with a win today. KC wins 30-24 in a gritty, exciting ball game. At least that's what I'm hoping, since only a Broncos loss to Houston or Oakland can make next week anything more than a meaningless scrimmage in San Diego.

A New Reason To Hate

Thanks to a Denver defeat on Thursday, the rest of the regular season just became a hell of a lot more interesting for Chiefs Kingdom. KC is again technically tied with the Broncos atop the AFC West, but they'll need to win out and witness another Denver loss to claim that sexy #2 seed. That makes this afternoon's game in Oakland far more relevant than most Raider Haters imagined it would be entering the week. After a borderline-pitiful trouncing of the Redskins, KC should be coming into The Pit or The Black Zone or whatever with plenty of confidence on the offensive side of the ball. Don't tell me what they call it. I don't care.

This Chiefs offense has finally started to find their rhythm in the last few games. Regardless of what many will say about a lethargic effort from Washington last week, KC has been playing their best offense of the year, ever since that exciting but ultimately infuriating loss to San Diego. It's no surprise that Jamaal Charles' best rushing performance of the year coincided with the Chiefs' highest scoring game. Thanks to some relentless early-game scoring, the Redskins' chance of winning dropped below 1% in less than 20 minutes of game-time (according to the game's Win Probability graph.)

The defense obviously did their part, holding a listless Redskins offense to 10 points and 257 yards and sacking RGIII five times. Last week's game and this weeks game, alike should serve as confidence boosters for the Chiefs D, as well as further proof that they can succeed without Justin Houston – against subpar opponents, at least. The real test will come when Houston is healthy and facing off against Andrew Luck and the Colts, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. For now, there is still plenty of friendly, good-hearted competition to be had with those highly-respected and well-renowned Oakland Raiders.

With another loss last week, Oakland guaranteed themselves another losing season and a full decade of being losers. The Raiders haven't recorded a winning season since 2002, which is a stat that makes any jokes about them just seem cheap at this point. That's not like kicking a man while he's down, it's like kicking a crippled, syphilitic old woman after she falls down the stairs. So, I refuse to stoop to that level. No talk about their embarrassing QB situation, not from me. No mentioning their loss earlier this season against the same team KC just dominated last week, no sir or madam. I'm better than that.

Here are my five predictions for today's game.

1- Most KC fans are confident in their defense by this point, especially when Houston returns, so it seems clear that the offense's improvement will largely determine their chance of success in the playoffs. Only 8 teams give up more points per game than Oakland, which means this game shouldn't be much of a test. Nonetheless, the Chiefs need to avoid playing down to their competition and dominate this game. Expect KC to extend their 3-game streak of scoring 30+ points.

2- Not to be outdone by Knile Davis' franchise record-tying return, Quintin Demps brought one back in Washington to give KC the most touchdowns from kickoff and punt returns of anyone in the league. While they may not get a chance to return another one this afternoon (if the Raiders are smart), they should still dominate on special teams. Look for KC to average at least 8 more yards per return than Oakland.

3- The surprisingly decent Matt McGloin will get his fifth start today. Expect him to complete at least 58% of his passes, but also expect a KC defender, maybe Marcus Cooper, to bait him into an interception.

4- While McGloin has been mildly successful, Oakland's offensive line still struggles to keep him safe in the pocket. The Raider's O-Line has allowed the 5th-most sacks in the NFL. Expect Tamba to get at least one of at least 5 sacks on the Raider rookie QB today.

5- It would only make sense, in a frustratingly poetic kind of way, for the Chiefs to lose today. Regardless of their record and overall hopelessness, the Raiders are going to want this game bad. Beating their playoff-bound rivals in Oakland is probably the last thing the Raiders have to play for this season. However, that Thursday loss from Denver should be enough to keep KC playing hard and staying focused against inferior competition. Chiefs win, 30-17, and hope for that #2 seed stays alive for at least another week.

Doug LaCerte runs this blog and writes for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @DLaC67, send him your distasteful Raiders jokes on Facebook and add him to your network on Google.

A Distillation of Hope

I had admittedly low hopes heading into last Sunday's game against Denver. After joyously shouting at my TV screen through the first 20 minutes of that game, I started to think myself a pessimist. Then, as Manning continued to lob bombs through KC's secondary for score after score, reality set in and confirmed my most pressing fears.

Last week's game was tightly contested, and the offense deserves a bulk of the credit for keeping it close. While the defense gave up 35+ points for the second week in a row, the offense never looked better. With a balanced passing attack and a healthy dose of Jamaal, the Chiefs scored 21 points in 20 minutes and gained 452 yards. Five different Chiefs caught at least 3 passes from a remarkably accurate Alex Smith. Donnie Avery's heartbreaking drops happened, but holy crap, let's just never talk about that.

All the offensive productivity witnessed last Sunday was unfortunately trumped by failure on the defensive side of the ball. An injury-riddled KC defense gave up an embarrassing 535 yards for 35 points against the dreaded Peyton-led offense. While it was nice to see the team get hits on Manning with such a pieced-together blitz game, those moments were few and far between. In the end, the longest play in Chiefs history and a positive turnover ratio still weren't enough to help KC outscore the vaunted Denver offense.

After all their defensive struggles, KC still found themselves within one red-zone reception of tying the game with 1:51 left in the game. Getting that close may have proven some things to Kansas City and its fans, but it didn't earn the team a win.

So is it time to panic, Chiefs Kingdom? After a wondrous, undefeated beginning to the 2013 season, KC is now reeling from three straight losses. Although the sky is not yet falling, the ceiling on expectations for this team has certainly been lowered. The Chiefs are all-but locked into the #5 seed, thanks to that defeat at Arrowhead last Sunday. That means road games in the playoffs, and that means greatly diminished chances for KC's first Super Bowl in more than 40 years.

The Chiefs now need to focus on finishing the season strong. One or two late-season losses against inferior opponents could send the Chiefs limping into the playoffs. If you can remember how that usually turns out for KC, you're probably cringing at the possibility right now. That makes the matchup on every coming Sunday just as important as the last three insanely dramatic games we've just witnessed. Stay tuned for a look at the upcoming face-off with RGIII and the struggling-but-talented Washington Redskins.

Doug LaCerte operates this blog and writes for Rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DLaC67, "Like" his awesomely cheesy "Feel Good Songs of the Day" on Facebook and add him to your network on Google. Credit for the linked photo goes to GIFD Sports.

A Return to Winning Ways?

This week, the Chiefs relished in having a very good problem on their hands. For the first time this season, KC must now learn to react to a loss. In a long-awaited return to Arrowhead, the Chiefs will have San Diego and the often-unbearable Philip Rivers to overcome this week. How will they react to their first defeat, and how often will Philip Rivers make you, for any of numerous reasons, want to slap him through your TV screen?

The Chiefs return to Arrowhead for the first time since November 3^rd for the teams' 107^th matchup. The 4-6 Chargers have won the last two meetings and 8 of the last 10. In their first year with former Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy at the helm, the Chargers are potent but unpredictable. They started the year 2-3, fought their way back to a winning record, then promptly plummeted to their current position below .500 with a three-game losing streak. They've won against the Colts and played well against Denver, yet they lost to Oakland and Tennessee.

Kansas City is looking to return to their winning ways and avoid the start of a potentially mojo-killing losing streak. This is a huge game we'll be watching. With another face-off against Denver looming seven days in the distance, the Chiefs have a talented and bitterly angry squad to deal with. Will KC be able to overcome Rivers and Sandy Eggo at home today? Finish up with my five predictions to find out.

1- Ryan Mathews will absolutely not have the kind of day he had against Miami last week, when he took 18 carries for 127 yards. Look for the Chiefs to cut that yardage nearly in half today, limiting him to 70 yards or less on the ground.

2- An angry Jamaal Charles, on the other hand, should abuse the 16^th ranked running defense in the league. Doug Pederson gets wise and connects with him on at least two successful screen passes as well, giving #25 at least 110 total yards today.

3- Once again, KC probably needs to win the turnover ratio to win the game. Expect Shaun Smith, Marcus Cooper or both of them to snag a timely pick.

4- Rivers will get big yardage through the air, at least 300 yards, without turning it into a win.

5- At least three times, Rivers whines and makes facial expressions that anyone beyond elementary school should be embarrassed to make, as the Chiefs go on to win 20-17. I really do love to hate that guy.

One-Loss Woes, and Why They're Overblown

The first loss of the season is never fun. No matter when or how it comes, it will always bring with it new feelings of fear and uncertainty. This year, it came after a surprising 9-0 start that provoked just as much commendation as it did scrutiny. How bad will this hurt the team, and what does it say about their ability to compete against the league's best?

We should all take a deep breath, Chiefs fans. This loss doesn't prove KC to be a fraud in any way, as humbling as it may now feel. If anything, the Chiefs proved yesterday that they're just a couple adjustments away from beating the Broncos with their style of football.

The Chiefs held the Broncos to their lowest points total and Manning to his lowest completion percentage all year. That says a lot when you consider that KC never got to Manning all night. I predicted that Peyton would dink and dunk KC to death and limit sacks, but I sure as hell didn't think he'd go completely unblemished. It seems the Chiefs DC Bob Sutton was unwilling to blitz often, which is something he'll need to remedy in the very near future. Sadly, that's just one of the ways coaching lost this game for Kansas City.

Jamal Charles touched the ball 18 times last night. 7 of his 16 rushes went between the tackles, and his 2 receptions (for -6 yards) came with less than a minute left in the 4^th quarter, when the game was effectively over. While running up the gut clearly isn't Jamaal's specialty, the coaching staff can't be blamed for that one. KC's offensive line struggled, especially at the tackle positions, and their inadequacy allowed way too many rushing attempts to fail. To succeed on offense, OC Doug Pederson and the rest of the offense have to figure out ways to give their best asset big-play potential. Wasn't Jamaal supposed to be the new Brian Westbrook or Lesean McCoy? Please, give that man a damn screen pass.

Without properly using their most valuable player, winning the turnover ratio, sacking (or even knocking down) the opposing QB or completing half their passes on offense, the Chiefs still had Peyton furrowing his massive brow in concern until the last few minutes of the 4^th quarter. KC should be able to improve their blitz game, give Jamaal the ball in open space to beat Denver at home two weeks from now. Before that fateful game, the Chiefs have the impressively whiny Philip Rivers to deal with next Sunday. Tune in later this week for a look at the upcoming divisional face-off against the Chargers at Arrowhead.

Doug LaCerte operates this blog and writes a bunch of other stuff for Rant Sports. Follow him @DlaC67 for more Philip Rivers hatred, send any and all funny Chiefs GIFs to him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google.

A Pattern of Success

After the Broncos' grin-inducing defeat last Sunday, your very own Kansas City Chiefs now stand alone as the only undefeated team in the NFL. With another tough victory against the Texans, the Chiefs found another way to win an important game (while still winning in the exact same way? I'll get that to make sense later in the article.) After playing through seven weeks and overcoming numerous legitimate teams, the nation is starting to take notice. This is no anomaly, no matter how nail-bitingly close some of those battles may have been.

This team is finding new ways to win, sorta. What I mean is, every game is different, and they've taken different paths to victory in different circumstances against different types of teams. But, they win with the same formula every game. A tremendous weight is put on a great defense to keep the momentum in their favor with constant pressure and multiple crucial stops, and they've proven their ability to do just that. Special teams tilts the field in KC's favor, and the offense finds a way to put up points, if only when they absolutely need them.

The Chiefs are becoming predictable, in a good way. Mistakes are expected to be limited, the defense is expected to stand strong time after time, and the offense is expected to do just enough with Jamaal and its other pieces to barely outscore the opposition. Most importantly, the Chiefs are now expected to win tough games against competitive teams. These expectations come from a pattern of success, and the stats back up their methods in every important facet of that pattern.

KC is one of only five teams with 10 or more INTs, and they lead the league in defensive points scored and points allowed per game. KC's sack total, 35, is 10 more than anyone in the NFL so far this season. The offense isn't as statistically impressive, as anyone paying attention could safely assume. However, they do lead the league in the all-important turnover ratio, and it's not even close. Three teams are tied for 2^nd place at +7, two are at +6 and five at +5. The Chiefs' ratio currently sits at +11.

Many fans hold their breath now, waiting for the regression to the mean, and I don't blame them. Jamaal may fumble less than most backs with that running style, but he probably still fumbles more than the average running back. Charles averages 4 fumbles in every 16 games played. Only four running backs lost that many fumbles in 2012, and only one did so in 2011. Alex Smith can be trusted to keep the picks at a minimum, but multiple errant passes have bounced off opposing players' numbers this year. Some of those drops will inevitably turn into interceptions, so keep holding your breath. Those drops are just one of many factors keeping the Chiefs unbeaten that are out of KC's control.

Some critics will point to all of Houston's injuries and tout them as the reasons Kansas City won last Sunday. While it's hard to argue with Schaub, Foster, Cushing and others not influencing the game, their replacements weren't slouches. Case Keenum looked way more NFL-ready than virtually anyone would have expected, Tate is a respectable, sturdy back, and the defense still had enough firepower to hold Kansas City to two touchdowns and a field goal. No one can say how the game would have played out with the aforementioned starters in their normal roles. They can only say that Houston put a competitive team out there at game time, and the Chiefs beat them.

A lot of things have gone the Chiefs' way, but that shouldn't take away anything from their 7-0 start. When the decisive moment came in every game this year, whether on offense, defense or special teams, this team stepped up. The gritty, often-ugly fashion in which they've won should simultaneously act as a reminder that the team is imperfect and a statement that they know how to do whatever it takes to get a win.

Whether or not fans in Chiefs Kingdom will admit it, this will to win is going to be legitimately challenged again this Sunday. Each level of competition poses a different psychological challenge, and losing to the lowly Browns is just poetic enough to be feasible. I keep telling myself that this team will lose as soon as they expect winning to be automatic. After a successful but emotional start to the season, this Browns game are as close to that psychological hurdle as they've come so far.

I'll guess that this mental weariness makes the game close in the first half, yet again, but that Andy Reid and the rest of the coaching staff know this issue well enough to prepare the team for it. Reid has been around for a long time, and this potential trap game won't sneak up on him or the Chiefs this Sunday. The first half may be aggravating, but I'm predicting that another win should be comfortably within grasp by the beginning of the 4^th quarter. Official prediction: the Chiefs go 8-0 to start the season, as I do my damnedest to get the Broncos matchup off my mind long enough to prepare for the upcoming Bills game.

Doug LaCerte is a freelance journalist and a writer for Rant Sports. Argue with him on Twitter @DLaC67, leave him a disparaging comment on Facebook, and add him to your circle on Google. 

3 Stats Each For the Optimists and Pessimists

A perfect record through the third week of the season has Chiefs Kingdom riled up and ready for Sunday's home game against the win-less New York Giants. Though some fans are already drifting to sleep with playoff visions swirling around in their eager minds, others are beginning to notice chinks in the armor. This team has a disproportionate ratio of believers to naysayers, but sadly, the skeptics present valid points. Today, I offer three messages each for the overly-optimistic Chiefs fan and the justifiably paranoid critic in an effort to (once again) simultaneously curb enthusiasm and relieve the woes of doubt. Let's start with a few distressing stats, if only for the sake of finishing in a happier mood.

1- A seemingly much-improved offensive line has allowed the 10^th most sacks and tackles for a loss in the NFL. The offense is losing an average of 11 yards per game on sacks, which is middle-of-the-road for the league so far this year.

Eric Fisher's effectiveness will be a huge factor in determining the success of this offense. That right tackle position is crucial in almost any situation- deep pass protection, setting up big run plays and earning YAC with short passes. His inability to seal the right side led to sacks and collapsed pockets on several occasions Thursday night. Fletcher Cox and Connor Barwin made him truly look like a rookie for the first time. Fisher did better in Dallas against a presumably stronger defense, so it leaves one to wonder. Only time will tell if the Philly defense is better than most assumed it would be, or if Fisher has trouble with that specific defensive scheme.

2- While a win's a win, the last two wins looked ugly on the offensive side of the ball. The Chiefs showed signs of weakness against a mediocre defense on Sunday, then again against a downright bad defense on Thursday in Philadelphia. Only the Raiders and the Rams have scored fewer points against teams the Chiefs have played this season. Thank goodness for a badass defense, which we'll get into later this week.

3- In a league dominated by passing and elite quarterbacks, KC's Alex Smith has thrown for 669 yards, ranking 24^th overall in the NFL. That's 474 yards behind the league leader in pass yards, Peyton Manning. Although fans know the teams' strengths lie elsewhere, it's still unsettling to think that the offense is producing only 58% of the passing yardage as our most significant divisional rival.

So sure, the offense has shown the fans its ugly side. It's a finesse-y kind of system that can look really bad without the proper rhythm. Alex Smith hasn't thrown for more than 275 yards in a single game, and that probably won't change much. That doesn't mean it can't do enough to win- but shit, we already knew that. 3-0 baby! Let's not forget the things that got the Chiefs this far without a loss.

1- Jamaal is one catch behind Matt Forte for the most receptions by a running back this year. For all the fans praying that 25 wouldn't be under-utilized, this may be the most promising stat of all. His limited, but consistent production running the ball will only get better over time- both through the season, and through each game. Andy Reid's strategy to slice through tired defenses with Jamaal in the 4^th quarter is a wise one. Whether Charles is catching the ball out of the backfield, lining up in the slot or running the ball traditionally, he will continue to be the bread and butter of this offense. That's comforting to anyone who cares about Chiefs football.

2- Zero turnovers. Still. That gives KC the best turnover ratio in the league at -9, and that's after two defenses got consistent pressure on Alex Smith. The Giants will prove to be an intriguing challenge, and the Texans will strike fear in the hearts of any O-line in the league. But, who else is going to put more pressure on the QB than that? This offense overcame one of their biggest tests on the schedule against Dallas, even if they just barely earned a passing grade.

3- Well, they're 3-0. That's a big deal. 75% of teams in the modern era that start the season with three straight wins reach the playoffs. The rest of the season looks to be moderately difficult at worst, and the Broncos are the only team on the schedule still without a loss. The door to the playoffs is wide open, and only Peyton's massive head stands in the way.

I'll be back later in the week to explain how this upcoming match-up against the Giants epitomizes the phrase “trap game”. Until then, let's forget about all that skepticism and enjoy the fact that the team is undefeated and KC's playoff chances look great. Let's save our negativity for that sad, fateful Sunday when we lose to the Browns (no way) or the Raiders (please don't.)

Key Players Re-signed, Part 2- Struggling With Commitment

Clark Hunt, Andy Reid and John Dorsey, who will hitherto be referred to as Clark and Company, agreed to use the Chief's franchise tag promptly this year. In order to solidify the offensive line, they applied it to Pro Bowl tackle, Branden Albert. Was this the right decision? Could more be done with the tag? How does this influence draft day? And, first off, does having a great offensive line really matter in this era of football? Let's (try to) find out.

The value of an elite offensive line is highly debatable these days. With agile QBs taking over the league, the effect of an unstoppable O-Line may be more diminished than ever before. In fact, according to Advanced NFL Stats, 3 teams made the playoffs with top-ten lines last year, but 3 teams with offensive lines ranking in the bottom-ten also made the playoffs, including the Super Bowl Champion Ravens.

For the record, two of the teams that made the playoffs with bad offensive lines (Seattle and Washington) are led by two of the most athletic quarterbacks ever to play the position. However, Baltimore's line ranked second to last in the league, behind only Pittsburgh, and they won the Lombardi trophy with a kinda-sorta-mobile QB in Joey Flacco. I mention this because Alex Smith is considered by most to be more mobile than Flacco. It's also worth noting that the Ravens passed the ball on 56% of there snaps, whereas both the Redskins and Seahawks threw less than 47% of the time. Even with an incompetent passing game and an offense built around Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs passed on 49% of their offensive possessions last year. With an offensive makeover performed by a pass-friendly veteran coach, the 2013 Chiefs should have a similar passing percentage with similar QB mobility as the 2012 Champion Ravens.

Does this mean KC should avoid using their resources to upgrade the offensive line? No- not when you look at the team's other choices for the franchise tag. The list of other unrestricted free agents is highlighted by Peyton Hillis, Steve Breaston and Matt Cassel. While it would be advantageous to get more value out of your franchise tag than re-hiring an offensive lineman, the Chiefs truly had nothing better to do with it. Would you rather hold onto Breaston for $10.5 million? How about retaining Andy Studebaker for $9.6 million? No way. So KC holds onto its most valuable UFA, he signs the contract and the deal is done.....which would all just be grand, if it actually meant that Albert would be playing here in 2013. Unfortunately, this is not the end of the story.

Albert now stands as a holdout. He is currently the only Chief on the roster not attending the first phase of Andy Reid's new voluntary off-season program. Instead, he waits for KC to offer him a long-term contract, or find a worthwhile deal with another team to send Albert elsewhere. The 28 year old lineman is telling the press he wants a longer commitment before showing up to camp. On NFL AM, Albert said "Until I know my situation with certainty I'm going to stay away." He went on to tell the media that he's unsure of what he'll do when the mandatory program begins.

The Chiefs have from now until then (with "Phase Three" workouts beginning May 14) to either come to terms with their veteran lineman or find an suitable trade offer. It's at that point when things start looking ugly and the team has the right to start fining Albert for every day he misses. On March 22^nd, ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted that KC was “seeking a second-round pick in this year's draft as well as another pick in 2014 in a trade for franchise OT Branden Albert.” Judging from the rumors that are swirling around at this point, Miami seems to be the most viable, if not the only, team interested in that deal. Clark and Company have moved swiftly thus far with major, team-changing decisions, so for all we know, a deal could be made tomorrow. However, the upcoming draft, and the Chiefs' position therein, play a key role in determining Albert's worth to the organization.

If the team trades Albert, it would be almost obvious to go with a highly-regarded lineman like Luke Joeckel or Eric Fisher with the first pick, especially since KC has already parted ways with another seasoned lineman in Eric Winston. But, the Chiefs have until prime-time on April 25^th to probe and evaluate and analyze and make damn sure they don't use the #1 overall pick on an overrated offensive lineman. Maybe they fall in love with Fisher or Joeckel. Maybe they retain Albert and decide to upgrade defensively through the draft, instead. Maybe they decide to trade down for more value. There is plenty of time left until draft day to evaluate the numerous options, and it would seem wise to use however much is necessary to get the best deal possible. They would gladly take the previously mentioned original asking price for Albert if someone offered, but it sounds like even Miami would try their best to talk the Chiefs down from that original ask.

Whichever way the Branden Albert situation gets sorted out will define KC's role in the upcoming draft. With the QB situation seemingly solidified and many flawed positions filled with talent from free agency, this signing (or lack thereof) could be the final deciding factor for how KC uses that first overall pick. Things will be much more clear once we know whether or not the Chiefs will need to upgrade the O-Line- to the point where KC's choice could be made very simple by the situation at hand. RGR will be here to report any news on the matter, so we can then make the next step in pondering our draft day fantasies. Stay tuned for any major breaking news, and check in later this week for more analysis of this year's off-season signings.

Meet the Gang, Part 5- New Hope and New Help for QB

What separates the Chiefs from the two teams fighting to call themselves champions today? Lots of stuff. It may actually be simpler to count the things we have in common, but what is perhaps the biggest difference? The defense in KC isn't elite yet, but it certainly showed signs of improvement and clutch holding power. This is a good enough defense right now to be competitive if matched with even an average offense. So the offense is the problem- but, not all of it. KC ranked 5^th league-wide in total rushing yards this year, with Jamaal listed in the top five for season rushing yards, average yards per carry, average yards per game and total yards from scrimmage. Clearly, Jamaal has what it takes to be a winner and push the Chiefs toward the playoffs. #25 can only let this team down by getting injured.

So, the defense has hope and the running game is great- obviously not KC's biggest flaws. That narrows it down to the passing game. Neither team in this year's Super Bowl had incredible passing stats in the regular season; Baltimore and San Fran ranked 15^th and 23^rd in total passing yards, respectively. The Chiefs rank dead last, though. Anyone who watched the games each Sunday can clearly see that Kansas City needs to evolve on the offensive side of the ball. Compared to watching a game with at least one competent passing attack, the Chiefs' Sunday viewing experience felt downright juvenile. The rest of the league enlisted field commanders with rifle arms to bomb the opposition. Meanwhile, the Chiefs were playing around with Nerf guns and Super Soakers. While everyone rode around the neighborhood on their shiny, new ten-speeds, KC was pedaling away on one of those plastic, tricolor Playskool bikes.

Let me get to the point before my metaphors get any weirder. The QB crippled the Chiefs' chances to succeed last year. The last team to rank last in passing yards and still make the playoffs was the Ravens in '03. That Baltimore squad still ranked 8^th in overall offense, and its legendary defense featured several future-Hall of Famers like Ed Reed and the man of the hour, Ray Lewis. In the nine seasons that followed, teams that ranked last in passing yards averaged 4.4 wins per year and never recorded a winning season. Recent changes for the Chiefs will help them to avoid this fate.

Kansas City started the season by limiting their offense in order to cater to a limited QB. Whoever starts at quarterback next year will be an upgrade, but he'll need to deal with the struggles of learning a brand new offense. Because of this, and also because of the QB position's cerebral nature, this year's choice of a quarterbacks coach is crucial to future success. Andy Reid has yet again gone with a former assistant from Philly to bolster the coaching staff- shocking, I know. Before we lose ourselves to the bright lights and high drama of the day, let's quickly get to know the new Chiefs quarterbacks coach- Matt Nagy.

Nagy's resume is a quick read, but he brings hands-on QB experience and strong work ethic to his first quarterbacks coach position. After playing six seasons at QB in the AFL, Matt quickly started his coaching career by climbing the ranks in Philly under Andy Reid. After two years as a coaching intern, Nagy claimed a position as offensive assistant to begin the 2010 season. The next year, Andy upgraded his position to offensive quality control coach. I won't pretend to know much more about this guy. I have no idea what he brings to the table from an X's and O's standpoint. All that aside, I still really like this hire. Nagy offers, at the very least, a list of accomplishments based solely on his hard work and determination. Whoever the next Chiefs quarterback is, hard work and determination will be exactly what he needs to succeed. Other factors will influence this QB's chances considerably, but no other person will have more effect on KC's new big hope than Matt Nagy.