2012 Chiefs: Peyton Was Right, I Was Wrong
Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE
A real man can admit when he’s wrong.
The Chiefs are now sitting at 1-10 on the year and are consequently in the pole position for the top selection in next April’s NFL Draft. It’s probably time that I copped to speaking out of turn this off-season. I was clearly inebriated when I evaluated this football team over the summer. I made one bad prediction after another. I’ve come to terms with the fact that my prognostication powers leave much to be desired. Peyton Manning clearly knows the Kansas City Chiefs better than I do.
It was Manning who politely declined Kansas City’s offer to visit during the open free agency period. Apparently, he saw something he didn’t like about this organization. Chiefs fans mostly laughed at his decision to join the Denver Broncos, but it appears that he was spot on. The Chiefs are in the basement with the worst record in the NFL. The Broncos are running away with the AFC West and need just two more wins to seal the division. How is it even possible that Manning saw this coming without ever having visited Kansas City, but the powers that be at One Arrowhead Drive were caught unawares?
Denver beat Kansas City 17-9 in Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. The Chiefs have now lost eight straight. Brady Quinn got the start, but didn’t do much to help the offense. Aside from Jamaal Charles’ 107 rushing yards, the Chiefs didn’t get much else accomplished offensively. Ryan Succop was the only Chiefs player to account for any points on Sunday afternoon. That comes as no real surprise, as there hasn’t been an offensive touchdown in the last eleven quarters of football. The Chiefs defense had a better day, but still buckled at inopportune times. Manning faced consistent pressure, but made plays when he had to. The Broncos failed to score 30 points for the first time over their six-game win streak, but 17 points were all Denver needed to improve to 8-3.
I’m not going to waste time telling you what you already know about this franchise. The Chiefs stink to the high heavens. Manning could smell it from his South Florida home. How will future Chiefs targets perceive the organization? Given my aforementioned prediction pitfalls, I probably shouldn’t suggest that we’ll be in the market for a head coach this off-season (though I think we will be).
Several teams are likely to be looking for a new head coach in 2013. I won’t try to handicap those teams right now, but I can’t imagine that Kansas City will be most attractive option no matter who has a head coaching vacancy. Then again, the Chiefs have a talented core of young players and are staring down the barrel of the first overall pick. I guess it all comes down to who’ll hire the next head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. If Scott Pioli is retained, the odds of snaring one of the top head coaching candidates available are likely to be longer.
I hope I’m wrong, again, about how difficult this process will be. Fan circles are chomping at the bit for a Jon Gruden or an Andy Reid. I’m not sure that either of them could co-exist with Pioli though. A full house cleaning may be required for this franchise to obtain the best available parts once the season is over. Clark, get the Pine-Sol ready. You couldn’t fool Peyton Manning and there’s a very good chance someone else may get a whiff of the stench here in Kansas City. There hasn’t been a move made yet and I suspect there won’t be until the Chiefs’ 2012 campaign is over. Like everyone else, I’m hoping those dominoes start to fall immediately after the Chiefs close the season up against the same Denver Broncos team in late December. In the meantime, Killa Cam’s coming to town for what he hopes will be a get-well game in the house the Chiefs haven’t protected all season long. The Panthers stink too though so we may be in for a cripple fight.
Until next time, Addicts!