After a preseason of mishaps and bad mojo, Todd Haley is probably thanking the football gods that the battered and dysfunctional Chiefs can start off 2011 with the soft part of their schedule. Still, this five-game stretch is not to be taken lightly. In fact, me thinks it will be the key to the season.

If you don’t believe me, just take a look at what follows after it. After their bye, the Chiefs face all three division opponents with Miami sandwiched in the middle. As bad as Denver and Oakland have looked, the Chiefs were still 2-4 in the division last year, and these games cannot be overlooked. Meanwhile, I think Miami is an extremely underrated team – they have one of the best defenses in football, and a solid O-line. They are a bad matchup for KC, plain and simple.

What comes after that you ask? — all four participants in the 2010 AFC and NFC Championships plus New England. Given the beating that the Chiefs took against their top opponent last year (Baltimore), I’m not sure we can expect to win any of these five games – maybe we’ll sneak away with a couple of wins, just because football is a crazy sport.

After that murderous stretch, the Chiefs will again play back-to-back division games against Oakland and Denver in what will likely be must-wins in order for KC to have a chance at the post-season.

Thus, the Chiefs 2011 season can essentially be broken down into four segments – the Easy First Five, the Key Post-Bye Four, the Gauntlet, and the Must-Win Duo at the end.

So let’s play out how each of these sections will probably go after the jump, skipping over the EFF for now. (more…)

(No Hard Knocks this season)

Friday, July 25: Begin training camp

(Starts two days earlier than last season, what does this mean? I have no idea.)

Thursday, July 31: Practice with Minnesota, River Falls

(I bet Jared Allen is buying the meal for his former teammates)

Saturday, Aug. 2: Family Fun Night

(Are you going to River Falls?)

Thursday, Aug. 7: Chiefs at Chicago, 7 p.m.

(Meet Glenn Dorsey and Branden Albert)

Friday, Aug. 15: Break training camp

(Hopefully, the Chiefs will be arrest free at this point in the offseason)

Saturday, Aug. 16: Chiefs vs. Arizona, 7 p.m.

(I am thinking about attending this game with a new Glenn Dorsey jersey)

Saturday, Aug. 23: Chiefs at Miami, 6:30 p.m.

(This is always the best preseason game)

Thursday, Aug. 28: Chiefs vs. St. Louis, 7 p.m.

(Trent Green getting his last shot at Arrowhead)

I am more excited about this preseason than the last few. Most of the time, we are trying to see who will win a few starting spots or who will be a good back-up. This season we will get to see a bunch of young guys fighting for almost every spot on the team, and that excites me! There will be around seven spots on offense potentially up for grabs, and about the same number on the defensive side of the ball. I love competition and I think it will help build a young team. Continue the discussion at our forums…

• 2008 Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp Dates Set – KC Chiefs
• Training Camp Link – University Wisconsin-River Falls