2014 Chiefs: Eight 64 Million Dollar Questions

Now that the off-season has officially ended and the Chiefs are in the midst of their first regular season game week preparations for 2014, there are (at least) eight important 64 Million Dollar Questions — not thousands, that went out last century — that they’ll be facing. We’ll all be finding out the answers to these questions in the next few weeks so let’s take a look at each magnitudinous query to get a better focus on what we’ll be looking for as another Chiefs season rebirths.

Question One:

Was it the right move to keep Cairo Santos and allow Ryan Succop to walk?

Andy Reid said that Cairo Santos “edged out” Ryan Succop in the kicker competition. The first test of his assertion will be this weekend when the Titans visit Arrowhead because the Titans signed Mr. Succop to be their kicker on Monday (see, he wasn’t out of work long). Can you imagine if this game comes down to a kickers battle? Not to worry, I believe in Santos, big time. His kicking motion is flawless and stays the same no matter what the down and distance may be. Seeing Cairo Santos in person twice during training camp was a clincher for me. If you got to go to camp then you know how tight and consistent his kicking motion is and yes, he has a big leg for such a small guy.

Question Two:

Will the suspensions of starters RT Donald Stephenson (4 weeks) and WR1 Dwayne Bowe (1 week) hurt the team so badly at the beginning of the season that the Chiefs can’t come back from it?

If you look over the Chiefs schedule:

Week One:     Titans (Arrowhead)

Week Two:     Broncos (Denver)

Week Three:     Dolphins (Miami)

Week Four:     Patriots (Arrowhead)

Week Five:     49ers (San Francisco- new stadium)

Week Six:     Bye week

You could see the possibility that the Chiefs… if they were to lose game one to the Titans when they have neither Bowe or Stephenson… could easily go 1-4 in their first five games. Then again, 0-5 is a possibility too because playing away games, even in Miami, are much more difficult than home games in the NFL. Of course the Chiefs could go 5-0… yes that’s a possibility but I’m examining the downside and the consequences of not having your best WR and your best OL to begin the season. Hope for 5-0… but be prepared for 1-4.

Question Three:

Will the reformation (or some might call is dismantling) of the defensive backfield spell the Chiefs doom on defense in 2014?

The Chiefs are known around the league as having one of the best linebacking corps around, even with Joe Mays going down. However, the question remains whether or not Bob Sutton and his band of merry men will ever be able to rob from the rich while their own defensive backfield is so poor. Good quarterbacks should be able to dissect this group by going short initially then going long, strong, steadily and often. While we didn’t get a chance to see the whole first string defensive backfield play together this off-season, that may be part of the problem early on.

Question Four:

Will Andy Reid be able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again on offense?

As far as the offense goes, a lot has happened since last season. Whether it’s short term change or long term change, change is the keyword. Take a look at the line-up in 2013 compared to 2014. After examining this chart, I’m not so sure we’ll see Humpty back together again until Halloween. Judge for yourself.

Question Five:

Is the fact that the Chiefs didn’t draft a big time receiver, or sign an accomplished #2 WR in free agency, going to come back to bite them in the gluteus maximus?

Even if WR2 Donnie Avery is the exact same player as last year, I’m not worried so much about the Chiefs wide receiver corp. Part of that is due to players like Frankie Hammond Jr. and Albert WIlson but more of that has to do with TE Travis Kelce. While having TE1 Anthony Fasano healthy and contributing on a regular basis is going to help the passing game immensely, it’s the second year come back of Mr. Kelce that that should have Chiefs fans excited. The next step for the Chiefs offense will be to draft a top performing WR in next year’s draft. However, keep your eyes peeled whenever #87 takes the field this eyar. I’m betting he’ll be more responsible for giving Chiefs fans something to cheer about than De’Anthony Thomas will be. And I think Thomas will thrill plenty.

Question Six:

Now that Alex Smith has a new contract, will he become the quarterback we hope he can become?

Before we go any further please take a look at sporttrac’s breakdown of Alex Smith’s contract details here. I had a chance to see up close and personally how Alex handles people, and even rude comments, at a signing session last summer and I was impressed with his ability to take it all in and respond to each person in an even-handed manner. One of the unspoken reasons that Alex Smith received the generous, but team friendly, contract that he did is because he’s a reliable person. One who can be trusted. One who can lead. I think the word “leadership” is often misunderstood. In the case of Alex Smith, I see a man who can be trusted to lead… himself. If a person can establish their own set of guidelines and then follow them to gain success, then that person can be relied upon to be followed. And that is a real leader. I think that not only describes Alex Smith but he’s also the kind of athlete who is the same person after signing a big contract as he is before. You can love or hate what AS11  does on the field, but Alex has the “right stuff” to be the Chiefs QB for the foreseeable future, and I’m hoping fans can see that.

Question Seven:

Do GM John Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid seriously see this team winning a championship this season or do they really think they’re in in the middle of a re-tooling project (because one thing we know for sure is that since they’ve come to town, it’s been all about the re-tooling)?

While I see their “re-tooling” as the status quo for now and forever for these two, I’m not so sure this is the season that dreams are made of. I hope I’m wrong on that count. In fact, I’d love to be wrong about that but, when as much change takes place from one season to the next as the Chiefs have had and the insertion of new players includes a sixth round rookie who’s at the beginning of the learning curve… it may be wishful thinking to believe that this season is the season the Chiefs end up in Phoenix in February.

Question Eight:

Will the Chiefs put it all together this year and finally, yes finally, WIN a doggone playoff game?

I’m going to leave this last question up to Addict fans. On your mark… get set… go for it!