I woke up Monday to a HeyTell message from my brother asking if it was a dream or if the Chiefs really lost to the Buffalo Bills 41-7 at home. I must admit that although I knew it had happened, I still was shocked enough that I checked “The Website” (as I now call AA) just to verify. It’s a fortunate thing that I am slated to post on Tuesdays, because I’m not so sure I would have had the heart to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) after the devastating loss suffered by all Chiefs players, staff, and fans Sunday at the hands of the supposedly terrible Buffalo Bills. After waiting eight solid months and going through the dreadful lockout to see KC football again, the performance by the Red and Gold Sunday left me feeling deflated. I responded with jokes as the messages rolled into my phone from friends who are fans of other teams to seem in good humor, but all semblance of taking the game with a grain of salt was feigned. I felt let down to say the least.

I didn’t watch any more football that day, and spent the rest of my time cutting open long-healed scars by watching 9/11 coverage until it was time to go to bed. Hard to believe it’s been 10 years, and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

So what happened? Todd Haley’s press conferences after the loss give me both hope and doubt.  It was strangely comforting to hear Todd Haley take full responsibility after the game and mean it. He knew his team was not prepared, and he owned it. His apparent humility gave me hope that he knew his plan had failed, and it was time to revisit his thinking. That despite his careful use of players after the lockout key guys were still injured. With the loss of Moeaki and Berry, now the Chiefs are not only out two of their most influential rookies from last season, but are behind every other team in the NFL as far as preparation. We all knew his preseason tactics were a gamble (admittedly, a very poor one) and now it’s time to focus on next week. But wait, hold the phone, did I hear him say that he and his coaching staff all thought they were 100% ready going into Sunday’s game? This insight is decidedly not good. Todd may be using this as a tactic to avoid saying his offseason/preseason plan failed, but if this is true it means that Todd Haley and his coaching staff are clueless and incompetent beyond anything that anyone has previously conceived (even Double D). This, my friends, is perhaps the most discouraging thought to come out of the entire calamity.

More thoughts on the press conference, and some insight into the game after you click the thing.

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