Kansas City Chiefs fans have pegged 2015 as the year they are going to overtake the despised Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning and go to the Super Bowl. Or, at the very minimum, end one of the most embarrassing runs in sports, the extended streak of postseason futility.
As we’ve mentioned before, the futility for the Chiefs is long enough it can share a beer with Chiefs fans. Chiefs fans need some good news. Do we have it?
With the apparent emergence of first-round draft pick Marcus Peters, this could be just that. In a division with some of the better quarterbacks in the league with the aforementioned Manning and Philip Rivers, the Chiefs needed a corner to step up. Peters, by all reports, has done nothing but show that he belongs, and that his talent may far exceed his draft slot.
This emergence and growth is magnified by the three-game suspension for starting corner Sean Smith. Facing Manning and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers along with the Houston Texans in the three games, the Chiefs would need a cornerback to hold down a spot opposite of second-year corner Phillip Gaines. Peters appears to have heeded the call.
Draft grades were all favorable to Peters in terms of on-field performance and potential, including NFL Draft Bleacher Report writer Matt Miller, who ranked Peters as a top-10 overall prospect. Thus far, no reports of any issues off the field. So far, so good. While it’s not fair to expect Peters to step in immediately and be really good (though wouldn’t that be a nice change of pace, a rookie stepping in immediately and performing?), it is fair to expect the Chiefs to have found a solid corner who we may look back a few years from now and wonder just how lucky Kansas City was.
The other player who could be a linchpin is offensive tackle Eric Fisher. Fisher is entering his make or break season.
Thus far, by all reports, Fisher is on his way to having a solid camp. Hopefully he feels comfortable and healthy, and puts the struggles from the past two seasons behind him. As was mentioned before, along with the Chiefs defense facing a tough task of facing Manning and Rodgers to open the season, the Texans have super-human J.J. Watt, the Broncos have Von Miller, Shane Ray and DeMarcus Ware, and the Packers have Clay Matthews.
Fisher will need to be on his ‘A-Game’ or the start of the season could be off to a rough start. Make no mistake, while much of the blame for the lack of a deep passing game rests on the shoulders of the 2014 wide receivers, issues with the offensive line contributed to play-calling forcing the Chiefs into quick reads and passes. Teams at the end of the season started playing 10 guys within seven yards of the line of scrimmage and blitzing, forcing the Chiefs to make a play. Film from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals games will prove that out.
Next week, we will discuss Dontari Poe’s future with the Chiefs, and while the end of his Chiefs tenure may be much sooner (gasp) then many would expect.
“Fear nothing, attack everything.” – Eric Berry