With four days to the Draft, we still have no idea who the Chiefs are going to pick first in the Draft.

I myself have argued for Poe, for Tannehill and for neither. The fact is that there is not a single right answer in this year’s Draft for the Chiefs. I believe strongly there are multiple ways they could go that will pay off for them down the road. It’s one of those beautiful times when the question is more about how the Chiefs will get stronger, not whether.

With that in mind, over the last few weeks I’ve been reviewing the Chiefs’ tape. In an admission of total powerlessness to my NFL addiction I paid the $69.99 to re-up my subscription for the NFL Gamepass to be able to watch NFL Network and all the games of the 2011 season on demand until August.

While I’ve already watched every game the Chiefs played in 2011, some stand out more memorably in my mind due to a mix of factors. Because I watch live games from 8-9 hours ahead of Eastern Time all year (meaning noon kickoffs at Arrowhead are either 9 or 10 p.m. here), sleepiness/alcohol remain obstacles to proper analysis. I also feel like the offseason narratives tend to take a life of their own the further and further we get away having actually seen some football played. We all agree that the Chiefs are going to be better and in contention for the division title again this year. But they were downright bad in certain areas last years – and not just at positions where we had injuries.

Therefore, I decided I would take a look a back at the season of ups and downs in a mixed order so to not just look at the awful start and the inspiring finish, but try to see how players played in the season as a whole. My final goal of looking back was to scout the Chiefs’ additions this offseason.

First up:

Week 15 Raiders at Chiefs, L 16-13

• Why: I was actually physically present at this game and long wanted to revisit it, because, although I had great seats and a marvelous view of how it went down, I continued to find it very hard to wrap my head around just how we managed to lose this game. Save for an easy field goal that was blocked as time expired, this would have won the division for us. I also figured it would be a good chance to scout CB Stanford Routt, who saw the light and joined the Chiefs after being cut by the Oakland freak show.
• Moving the ball: The Raiders have a very good front seven, and while the Chiefs didn’t run all over them, we overall did not have problems getting downfield. The fact that we only put 13 points on the board was due primarily to two blocked field goals, some questionable penalties and one AWFUL Kyle Orton interception in the endzone.
• Game-changing defense: Overall, it’s pretty clear that the majority of the Chiefs’ playmakers are on defense. We all love Hali and Flowers, but what was most interesting in this game was the play of S Kendrick Lewis and CB Javier Arenas. Each are young and promising players who also make bone-headed moves at times. Arenas, 24, had a timely interception that could have changed the game in the Chiefs’ favor. But as usual, he also drew a few penalties and got beat on a throws to the flat (although depending on the coverage scheme for that play, it could have been intentional). Lewis, 23, broke up two key passes, and again had a game of stout run support, but he also got beat BADLY on the first play of overtime, which was a deep pass to Denarius Moore that ended up sealing the Raiders’ victory. I have a love/hate relationship with both of these guys. They make plays, plain and simple, plus Arenas is a very valuable special teamer. At times they look so great I hate the idea of drafting or signing their replacements through free agency. But they also make some really deadly mistakes. In the end I think they will keep getting better and will be great for the Chiefs down the road. What gives me pause is the idea: can we afford it if they don’t?

Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

• Stanford Routt is very, very good: Look, Brandon Carr was a great fan favorite and Routt had horrendous 2011 numbers. He both gave up more touchdowns than any other corner in the NFL, he was also the most penalized guy at his position. But, if you actually watch him play, you understand why. First off, the Raiders are a blitz-happy, man-on-man defensive team, which means that whoever is covering the other team’s #1 option is screwed a good portion of the time. That defense was designed for Nnamdi Asomugha, who can handle being on an island, but Routt just doesn’t have his phenomenal ability. Still, he did very well with what he had to offer. As for penalties, the Raiders are the most penalized team in the league and this Week 16 nearly beat the single-game record for penalties. The fact is that it was clear Routt knew the score, knew he had no help half the time, so whenever he felt like Dwayne Bowe was about to break away from him, he took the 10-yard defensive holding penalty rather than give up a touchdown. In the end, he had an interception and held Bowe to six catches and a touchdown (a beautiful, undefendable left-arm bullet-pass). In my mind, that is overall a wash, which, on a team with crappy D-backs against the clear #1 target, is more than admirable. As for his stats and performance for the Chiefs, I think he will be a great #2 CB, and with S Eric Berry able to get to both sides of the field to help out in pass support with his insane athleticism, I think Routt will be safe to lay up on the penalties and just do what he does. In KC, he won’t have to carry the entire defensive backfield on his shoulders.

Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

• Our offensive line is serviceable: Even against the solid Oakland front seven, the Chiefs were very productive running the ball, and only passed it when it was absolutely necessary, despite the fact that the Raiders were overall weaker in the secondary. For what G Ryan Lilja lacks in pass-blocking, he remains a very good run-blocker, especially when pulling to the outside.
• The “not getting it done” factor: The Chiefs suffered from this all season long. Sure, we lost by the freak probabilities of having a game-winning field goal blocked as time expired. But the Chiefs should have never been in that position. We outplayed the Raiders for all but a few big moments. We should have won by two scores, but we didn’t capitalize on our opportunities the way that winning teams find a way to do.
• Insight for the Draft: This was a very evenly matched game and when we play the Raiders next two times, it will not be so close in terms of the level of talent on the field. With all of the Chiefs’ injured players back plus free agent acquisitions and the Draft (Oakland is all but skipping the Draft this year), we should be able to roll these clowns on paper going into the next meeting. However, they will still be able to shoot at our Achilles’ heel – if Berry is out or is covering a different guy, we do not have any other pure athletes in our secondary that can keep up with the Raiders’ signature track-squad WR corps. If we continue to have problems scoring, this tendency to give up big plays late will still kill us in the end. Lewis may be a great run-support banger safety, but he is a liability against speedy downfield weapons. If the Chiefs trade back in the first round, I will have no problem with selecting Mark Barron with our first pick.

Kelly Lambert-US PRESSWIRE

Barron to KC? What do you think?

The 2011 season turned the entire AFC West on its head, multiple times. All four teams, which have had fairly stable identities over the past several decades, went schizo – and those changes may be permanent.

In Oakland, the King is dead. Long live the King.

When that eccentric 82-year-old lunatic died this year, with him died the personality of the franchise that had persisted from its 1970s dominance to its 2000s irrelevance. It was a franchise governed by gut decisions, obsession with raw athletic ability and disregard for red flags in personal conduct. If you were an axe murderer with a sub-4.3 40, you would never be unemployed in Oakland.

If you haven’t read Mike Silver’s controversial article about Mark Davis yet, do it. Silver has taken a lot of flack and hate for it, but much like Kent Babb’s investigation into the Arrowhead Gestapo-state, it is very well researched and smells like the truth. Nearly all of the anger towards the column came from zealously loyal Raiders fans, who, let’s face it, are psychopaths.

In the column, Silver makes the case essentially that Mark Davis, who appears to still get his Prince Valiant hair cut by an protective aunt of sorts, essentially pulled the plug on the Hue Jackson regime primarily because Jackson was a guy with a strong personality who had seen him repeatedly humiliated by his reptilian father.

Another former Raiders coach said that he “saw [Al Davis] tell Mark to ‘shut the [expletive] up’ all the time. It was a regular occurrence. He treated him like his opinion didn’t matter.”

With Al Davis gone, and Reggie McKenzie in, Oakland will have something resembling an NFL front office for the first time in Raiders’ history. It appears that Mark Davis, the gentle giant, will cede most real authority to McKenzie, who was brought up through the Packers’ methodical organization. This means – gasp – long-term planning and conservative personnel moves. This could be trouble for the strategic balance in the division. But it won’t matter this year, since the Raiders will use their first draft pick in the fifth round. It won’t matter much next year, when the Raiders will also be missing a second-round pick, plus whatever else they manage to trade off during this offseason. Still, it does mean that over the long term, this is going to become a very different team than it has been historically.

In Denver, the King is born, although it’s not quite clear if he is the Messiah or just a baby found in the Broncos’ stables.

One day, we will know what John Elway really thinks of Tim Tebow. I, for one, think that a legendary passer like Elway must think this kid has set the game back for decades with his generally awful vision and throwing, but is somehow more beloved already than he, and that must drive him crazy. Right now, the (sexless) Tebow-Bronco marriage is unavoidable and the Broncos are going to do everything they can to surround him with complementary talent. It also means they are going work to become the best defense and the best running attack in the league – a consistent problem for the Chiefs’ inconsistent offense and so-so run defense. The years of Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall seem like ancient history already.

In San Diego, the King got his stay of execution, but is still probably on death row.

I honestly don’t know what it is going to take to get A. J. Smith and Norv Turner fired, but I bet this is the year we see it happen.

Smith and Turner have to get aggressive this offseason to save their jobs, and it truly is (deep in the) playoffs or bust for them. One of the least talked about aspects of the Chargers this past year is that they have very quietly become a heavy running team with Ryan Matthews averaging 77. 9 yards per game – just behind Willis McGahee at 12^th in the league in that category. With Philip Rivers coming off the worst season of his career, and the coaching staff playing for their jobs, don’t be surprised if they continue to move in this direction. Against teams like the Chiefs in particular who have stout defensive backs, expect the Bolts to run early and often. And if they fall short again, the entire team is likely to be purged from the top of the front office to the lowest position coaches.

So, three years into the Scott Pioli Chiefs, who are we?

There will obviously be some changes with Haley gone and Crennel in the big chair, but those will be changes in tone most of all. The offensive coordinating hire will indicate a lot, but that’s only part of the story.

Watching the Chiefs this year I got the feeling that I was watching an identity emerge in the team. After losing key guys on both sides of the ball and being embarrassed to start the season, not only did the Chiefs never give up, but they continued to play like a team that was defending its division championship. After two blowout losses, the team circled the wagons and began its climb back into contention.

Why? Generally when a team deals with adversity the way this one did, it’s because the team, even if they are aware they are playing in a lost season, fights with heart to keep their head coach’s job. That apparently was not the case this year. The other reason teams are able to pull through is usually because they are full of veteran leaders who have seen the highs and lows before and are able to guide and motivate the rest of the players not to give up. That was also not the case with our team.

While there were clearly players in each unit that had been around the block, none of them are Ray Lewis out there. Wiegmann holds the middle of the line with the same quiet professionalism as a plumber snaking a toilet. John McGraw appeared to do more or less the same. Thomas Jones was physically assaulting rookies.

Oct 31, 2011; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs strong safety Jon McGraw (47) tackles San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews (24) in the second quarter at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

No, I think we saw that same tough, workman-like attitude spread throughout this whole team over the last two years with young players taking the field in clutch situations like they were on a business trip. I once heard someone say that adversity doesn’t forge character, it reveals it; and we learned a lot about the character of the Kansas City Chiefs this year.

By the end of the season, we learned that they are a team that can hold anybody to fewer than 20 points. We learned that they can persevere through the worst quarterbacking and safety-play imaginable. We learned that as an organization, as long as there is an outside chance we can make it to the postseason, that is the only goal.

Through several different themes, we at AA were trying to figure out what the 2011 Chiefs were this year. First, they were the Zombie Chiefs, then the A-Team – a video I think encapsulates our whole season.

In all I think we’ve seen accountability, professionalism and, yes, wiretaps, redefine this team. Some call it the Patriots Way, but I think it’s just some imported New England leadership presiding over a mix of guys that understand the mindset that has been a central feature in the mentality of the Chiefs nation and the Chiefs organization – albeit some aberrances – for decades.

I went to my first game in quite a while this year, and I realized I had forgotten what a stark cultural contrast is cut between Raiders fans and Chiefs fans. Among the Chiefs fans it was work boots and hunting hats — and more than a few sets of overalls. No bling, no costumes, just fans coming to support their team like miners in the shaft.

Many of our stars that have emerged over the past years – Jamaal Charles, Tony Moeaki, Justin Houston – were mid-round picks. Behind them, unheralded lunch pail guys like Andy Studebaker, Jackie Battle and Jovan Belcher have come in and held it together. CHIEFS WILL was a great rebranding move, and it suits this group well.

Because of all of this, tough, excuse-free guys like Matt Cassel are not likely to be replaced in favor of flashy alternatives. Through all of the upheaval since Scott Pioli came in, the greatest acquisition this team has made was an identity.

Sure, that identity was not enough for us to get us in to the playoffs this year, but I strongly believe we have yet to see the best from this group, and I greatly look forward to the workmen Chiefs taking on the saintly Broncos, the desperate Chargers and the suddenly rational Raiders.

2012 is going to be a great year.

Yep. So I was there.

Living on the other side of the world, my brief return for the holidays was my only opportunity to see the Chiefs in person this season. I happened to be in town for two consecutive home games – against the Packers and the Raiders — and had to choose one, so I naturally chose the one I thought they were going to win.

But, like that guy in Indiana Jones and the Quest for the Holy Grail, I chose … poorly.

My impressions after the jump. (more…)

You read it here first.

As for the rest of the season, we’re heading into the tough stretch.

I tried to play crystal ball with our schedule before Week 1, and I essentially asserted that we would have to go undefeated in our first five games to have a chance to come out of the end of the year with a playoff-worthy record. However, I also assumed a few other things: (more…)

What. A. Game last week.

All of AA’s columnists have done a great job documenting the fantastic things we saw in that game: A.) The Chiefs’ sudden rise from the grave B.) Their utter trouncing of the dirtiest, most classless team in the league and C.) Said team’s laughably inept offensive performance.

Now, while point C in some ways detracts from points A and B, it is what I want to focus on, because it is the most important in the long term.

Although Cassel looked far from impressive in that game and the defense did a lot of the work for the Zombie Chiefs, after doing some research, I’ve become a much bigger fan of Zombie Cassel and his insatiable appetite for comeback brains. So much so, that it has made me feel a lot better about that trade that brought him here, especially because it makes the Carson Palmer trade look like a Jedi Ronin Secret Suicide attack.

Read my lips: the Raiders are doomed. Check out why after the break. (more…)

What a crazy couple of weeks.

If you’re like me, you’re still struggling to put together everything that happened. Granted, the Chiefs were fairly quiet, but I can’t disagree with a single move they made. Still, obviously, the question of how they are going to do this year depends on much more than how they themselves improved. This year’s schedule will be much harder and all of our upcoming opponents have been busy.

Thus, to see how our upcoming adversaries stack up, I bring you my second Opponent Power Ranking of the year.

Disclaimer: I did my best to put in the latest and most complete FA info on each team, but I only counted FA’s that have been definitively signed or resigned. By the time you read this, there could be a whole swath of new developments.

See what we got coming after the jump: (more…)

Suffice to say that I am the new guy, and I have been brought onto the team just in time to toss out some pre-draft opinions for all of you to laud, decry, praise or generally throw poo at.

First of all, I think there has been some great draft discussion going on here, particularly surrounding the irate Green Giant, Phil Taylor. But to follow my fellow columnists‘formula, this is how I see it in a nutshell:

The Chiefs …

Will Pick: NT Phil Taylor

Should Pick: Gabe Carimi

Por que? Para que I have a strong suspicion that all of the best pass rushers and O-linemen are going to go FAST. Even if guys like Robert Quinn and Aldon Smith make it out of the top 10, the league’s two worst defenses (Washington and Houston) pick at 10 and 11. Then you have the Jags, Chargers and Bucs — all of which need DE’s — so there goes Kerrigan, J.J. Watt, and Cameron Jordan (who likely wouldn’t make it past New England at 17 anyway). Bowers doesn’t fit KC and has a broken knee. The Cowboys, Lions, Rams, Dolphins and Giants all want O-linemen, and Gabe Carimi is ranked as perhaps the most NFL-ready trench guy in the draft. I love him, but a pure right tackle isn’t worth trading up for, and Mike Pouncey is also likely to be gone. I could be wrong, and I hope I am, but it’s not looking too good. In fact, that’s exactly how things went down in the ESPN Football Today Superfan Super Mock Draft, in which I represent the Chiefs as the KC Superfan/Mock GM.

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Speaking of recent qualifiers, I’d say last Sunday’s victory over the Broncos probably met the “tough to watch, but we’ll take the win” criteria. San Diego’s unexpected loss also helped inch the Chiefs a little closer to qualifying for the post season – not a bad day any way you look at it. My feelings about how the Chiefs performed against the Broncos are actually fairly positive. While there were mistakes and missed opportunities, I firmly believe the Chiefs did exactly what they needed to do – play their game. Specifically, as long as they could shut down Kyle Orton and Denver’s passing attack, nothing else really mattered. Ugly execution perhaps, but undeniably effective.

Ready for this week’s DVOA stats? Let’s see if the Denver game tells us anything new about what kind of team the Chiefs are as they head into San Diego for a divisional showdown, right after the jump.
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If the Chiefs can stop this guy, they have a pretty good chance to get at least 1 win next season.

There are no easy games in the NFL. There are also no guarantees. Teams can drastically alter their record from year to year. Nearly every season, at least one team goes from league doormat to playoff contender. Last year, it was the Bengals. We’re hoping this year, it will be the Chiefs.

The NFL’s parity is a reminder that the line between winning teams and losing teams can sometimes be very thin. To make the jump, a team needs a combination of lucky bounces, improved play and good coaching. A favorable schedule also never hurts. As it stands right now, the Chiefs look as though they will have a favorable schedule in 2010.

While we don’t know what order these games will be played, take a look at the chiefs opponents for next season:

Home:Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Away:Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

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Without further ado…

Pick	Team	Player Selected	Player’s Position	Player’s School	Analysis
1.		Jimmy Clausen	Quarterback	Notre Dame	Yep. I’m going there. Look, the Rams have been drafting high for a while now. They usually go with the safe pick. Everyone is going to think they are crazy for passing on Suh but I think the Rams are going to look around at the teams in the playoffs. They’ll see names like Favre, Rivers, Manning, Brees, Brady and Warner. It is apparent you need a QB in today’s NFL more than ever. If the Rams don’t get one now, they aren’t getting one in this draft.
2.		Ndamukong Suh	Defensive Tackle	Nebraska	Detroit, already having a QB, pees their pants when the Rams take Clausen. Litterally pees their pants on their way to the podium to take Suh.
3.		Gerald McCoy	Defensive Tackle	Oklahoma	Tampa is now also freaking out because they had Gerald McCoy’s name circled on their draft board and suddenly Eric freakin Berry is available. They have planned their draft around the fact that Suh and Berry would be gone when they picked. The don’t gamble and they stick with McCoy.
4.		Eric Berry	Free Safety	Tennessee	Mike Shanahan won games with Jake Plumber as his QB. He can probably win games with Jason Cambell. He also isn’t stupid enough to go reaching for Sam Bradford here before he has a season to evaluate his new team. He is building a new program and Eric Berry is one hell of a start. No way does he let Berry slip to the Chiefs.

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The first thing we need to do during the Pioli Trinity era is re-establish our dominance over the Raiders. Looking at the two teams, I think the Chiefs can accomplish just that during the 2009 season. I really do.

The Raiders are bound to pick up a wide receiver, either Michael Crabtree or Jeremy Maclin, in the first round of next weekend’s draft, so quarterback JaMarcus Russell will likely have more than just Zach Miller to throw to. Additionally, I expect their running game to be decent given their stable of running backs. Center Samson Satele and tackle Khalif Bharnes were decent pick-ups as well. The big problem is that adding a target and bolstering the line might not make Russell significantly better. Half of me thinks he simply just doesn’t have the mental make-up of an NFL quarterback.

Defensively, I see a team that really hasn’t improved at all. This is where we have a big advantage over the Raiders, as we have an actual quarterback now in Matt Cassel. Our line will also be better as Branden Albert is a year older and the addition of Mike Goff gives us a good set of guards, something we’ve missed ever since Will Shields retired. As things stand pre-draft, their defense could be in trouble. They couldn’t stop Tyler Thigpen last Winter, so I don’t see them stopping Cassel and Co.

I think our defense will get a big boost from the home crowd. I can’t remember the last time we opened against the Raiders, but I expect the Sea of Red to be as amped up as its ever been. After all, this is the first home game of the Pioli Trinity era and its against the hated Silver and Black. The 12th man will give our Chiefs a huge lift, and the Chiefs will coast to a big victory.

Prediction:

34-13 Chiefs

Marquee Match-Ups:

CB Nnamdi Asomugha vs. TE Tony Gonzalez

Asomugha got eaten alive by Tony G in Oakland last season the last time these two clubs met. I doubt the NFL’s highest-paid corner can do any better in a rematch. Gonzalez is just too big.

Chiefs’ Front Seven vs. QB JaMarcus Russell

If the Chiefs can put the heat on fat boy, it will be a long day for the Silver and Black attack. With the home crowd worked into a frenzy, I expect FatMarcus to struggle mightily.

Intereting Factoid:

Al Davis made his fortune selling metals during the Bronze Age.

Addicts, sound off on the home opener against the Raiders…

Got to be talking about T.O., right?

Nope. I’m talking about ex-Raider UFA Ronald Curry. That other Curry.

Yes, Curry has had some injury issues along the way. Yes, his production has been a bit off lately. On this latter point though, I have to attribute much of that to the fact he was relegated to second fiddle behind Javon Walker and even more to the fact that the Raiders are rarely in the redzone — i.e., where Curry creates the most havoc. His speed would also allow us to stretch the field better than our current cadre of receivers do. The fact that he, much like Randy Moss did, has languished within the Raiders organization should not be viewed as any kind of knock on this talent either.

The price? Negligible. No draft picks need to be expended on him and dollar-wise, probably somewhere this side of 1.5 mill per year.

One of the things that hurt us last year was our inability to score once we were inside the 20. Wouldn’t it be nice to have another TD weapon to add to our arsenal? I think so. Those Tarheel basketball hops come in handy down there.

What do you think Addicts, — how good would Ron Curry look in Red and Gold?

One could argue that despite this being T.O.’s third divorce, he’s more attractive than after his second one. It’s no secret that Jerry Jones and his Dallas Cowboys are a mess, and that Jason Witten, Pacman Jones, Tony Romo, etc…were just as much to blame as T.O. T.O. is just an easy scapegoat for the BOTOX Billionaire and his quarterback. Sure, he definitely played his part in this mess, but by almost all accounts T.O. was on his best behavior for most of his time in Big D.

Now, T.O., like Randy Moss, will have to both take a pay cut and be a model citizen for a contender to have any chance of entering the Hall of Fame. With his legacy now on the line, I’d say there is a good chance he reacts the same way Randy has. Considering that Jerry’s Kids still owe him $10 million, he might go somewhere and play for peanuts. With most players this might not be the case, but Owens cares more about the T.O. brand than he does money. I guarantee it.

If T.O. does decide that his legacy is more important than money or stats, it could work out. Then again, signing T.O. could also wind up being a disaster for the team that decides to roll the dice on him.

The Candidates:

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So, looks like we are back to where we started with the Chiefs and our big offseason campaign. I really don’t understand DeAngelo Hall‘s release, as he’s played pretty welll despite playing for a new team and opposite the league’s best corner in Nnamdi Asomugha. I think this is just another case of Al Davis coming out of denial about his Raiders, freaking out and cleaning house. The Crypt Keeper sure likes making heads roll, even though more often than not the fault is really all his. From NFL.com:

Two years removed from his second Pro Bowl, cornerback DeAngelo Hall said he doesn’t think his release from the Oakland Raiders eight games into the season has damaged his reputation as a good player or, he hopes, as a person.

“I don’t think so,” Hall said Wednesday, hours after he was officially released by the Raiders. “As bad as people may think I’m playing, I’m not playing all that bad. I’ve got about 50 tackles (48), (13) pass breakups, three picks — one off the league lead — and I’ve dropped a lot. I’m feeling good. I think if I get in a scheme that fits me, that will benefit me.

“I want the world to know that this didn’t happen because I was a dirt bag and messing around. A lot of people were making me out to be a (bad person). It is what it is, a business decision. (Team owner) Al Davis assured me that it had nothing to do with me, the person. It was a financial thing.”

I’ve watched the Raiders some, and I actually thought Hall played pretty decent opposite Asomugha, who teams simply are not challenging at all. Regardless of saying all the right things, you know Hall will be eager to stick it to Davis and his Silver and Black. He’s also said that money and playing for a contender aren’t necessarily important to him at this point. Could we get him for 60 cents on the dollar? Would he help us recruit his boy Michael Vick? As bad as our cornerbacks not name Brandon have looked, it’s a thought. All that being said…

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Chase Daniel takes Missouri back to the Big 12 Championship game, but this time he delivers a performance for the ages and absolutely crushes Oklahoma. The following April, Daniel is drafted by the Oakland Raiders on the second day of the draft. During the next couple of seasons, JaMarcus Russell struggles with injuries and Daniel becomes one of the better back-ups in the league. His play even helps the Silver and Black win a few games.

Is that a nightmare or what? (It also requires a huge suspension of disbelief, but that’s not the point here.)

Well, for us K-State fans that is exactly what we are going through.

Fresh off carrying K-State to its first Big 12 title, Heisman finalist Darren Sproles was drafted by the Chargers. I wanted him to play for the Chiefs so bad, but it didn’t happen. We could certainly use his return ability these days. Anyway, whenever I see him break one I can’t help but jump up and yell in glee. Then, when the whistle blows, I remember what team he plays for and hunker back down into my seat. It’s tough, because I absolutely love the kid. I was at that game when he single-handedly demolished OU, who I absolutely loathe. I’ll never forget that night. I mean, how can I not still be smitten over a player who’s both the “little engine who could” (at 5-foot-6 he’s the shortest RB in the NFL) and the greatest KSU player ever?

Sproles was just named the AFC Special Teamer of the month, causing me to swell with pride. Then I remembered that he no longer wears Purple and Silver, but rather Navy and Gold (and sometimes Powder Blue). What a dilema, right? Really, it’s the exact opposite of what a lot of us had to deal with when the Chiefs selected Neil Smith, who at the time was a star for the hated Huskers (well, hated by about 90% of us, if not more).

What do you do when your guy becomes the enemy? You root him on when he’s not playing against your team, and hope that his success doesn’t directly correlate into success for his team. That is, unless he plays for the Broncos. Then you boo and throw stuff at your TV every time you see him. What do you do when the enemy becomes your guy. You have no choice but to embrace him, at least until he becomes the enemy again (I just threw up in my mouth).

Addicts, sound off on “sleeping with the enemy.”

Of course, it doesn’t work when the owner won’t take a somewhat hands-off approach and let the football people he brings in make the football decisions. Al’s problems are: A.) He thinks he’s smarter than everybody else, even when it comes to Xs and Os; B.) He wants everyone to be subservient to him. Yeah, like dogs basically; and C.) He knows his time is winding down, so he’s gotten ridiculously impatient. Lane Kiffin was doing fine. He already had the Silver and Black playing much better. Hell, they’re a few plays away from being 3-1. I would have traded him for Herm Edwards and even thrown in some Metamucil for the Crypt Keeper. Either that or a Ouija board so that his employees could actually speak with him. Yes, I know I’m going to take heat for bashing Herm after last week, but save it. He’s still a terrible game coach.

Will the Raiders ever win again while Al Davis remains in power?

What was the worst moment of this horrendous team performance?

Ten Reasons Why the Chiefs Are Cooler Than the Raiders:

10. Our defensive coordinator isn’t afraid to blitz. Rob Ryan may drop F-bombs like Gunther Cunningham, but he runs his defense like a pansy.

9. Brodie Croyle may be frail, but at least he’s not fat. Yeah, I’m talking about you, Jamarcus Russell “Stover.”

8. Javon Walker had to get champagne popping out of his system this summer, because he’ll never get to do it as a Raider.

7. DeAngelo Hall, how does it feel to be washed up at the ripe old age of 24?

6. Silver and Black, how does it feel to wipe your asses with the $70 million you spent on a 24-year-old hasbeen?

5. Nnamdi Asomugha? Even the spelling bee whizkids can’t spell that one. No wonder he’s underrated; nobody can say his name, let alone spell it. Nnam-Nnam…name don’t matter when you play for the worst team in the league.

4. We don’t have an idiot Polak kicker. Sebastian Janikowski ‘s from Wałbrzych. Is that Polish or Snoop Doggenese?

3. Look at the bright side, Lane Kiffin. If you get canned maybe you can become Vice President. I hear the criteria isn’t what it used to be.

2. All-time head-to-head record: Chiefs 50, Faders 43. Face.

1. Both of our original owners have checked out, God bless their souls. Lamar Hunt left with his dignity, legacy and wits intact, while Al Davis is still propped up in the owner’s box Weekend at Bernie’s style. Might want to save some of that money you guys have been throwing away for the formaldehyde fund.

1. Ronald Curry. He always roasts us.

2. Tommy Kelly. Warren Sapp says he still doesn’t know how to play defensive tackle. With his size and talent, if he figures out a little more this week…let’s just say Adrian Jones and Rudy Niswanger could be in trouble.

3. Darren McFadden. Run DMC is a lot harder to tackle than Sammy Morris. Our linebackers better step up.

4. Al Davis. He looks like something out of George A. Romero horror film.

5. Nnamdi Asomugha. Possibly the most underrated player in the NFL.

Five Things That Don’t Scare Me About the Raiders:

1. That they got blown out at home by the Broncos. Yikes!

2. Their fans dress-up obsession. We know this is just how they overcompensate for having to share showers with other men while incarcerated.

3. Javon Walker. He’s a bigger threat to himself than he is to our defense.

4. Lane Kiffin. He’s already a lame duck. Book it.

5. DeAngelo Hall Fall. I used to like Hall. But for what he’s getting paid, shouldn’t he be able to stick with Eddie Royal? Warren Sapp is right, “over-rated…duh, duh, duh, duh, duh!”

Addicts, what does or doesn’t scare you about Sunday’s match-up?

Which AFC West Rival do you hate the most: Broncos or Raiders?

I dunno, but what I do know is that I don’t trust either the Raiders when it comes to talent evaluation. I am certainly intrigued by the thought of the Chiefs adding Archuleta as an outside linebacker and special teams player. If that’s not enough to convince you, maybe we could get his playmate wife (right) to join the Chiefs’ cheerleading squad. Last time I looked, we needed a little bit of help there.

What does everybody else think about us potentially adding Archuleta?

I’m not going to lie–this picture scares the bejesus out of me. If Darren McFadden is the next Adrian Peterson, or even Reggie Bush, the Raiders could be on their way back. Remember the painful years when they had eventual Kansas City icons Bo Jackson and Marcus Allen running roughshod over our Chiefs? I do. Let’s hope he’s more like Harvey Williams.

How much does Run DMC in Silver and Black scare you? Be honest now…