Kansas City Chiefs: 8 Takeaways From Week 7’s Heart-Pounding Thriller

2. Cairo Santos Is Converting Critics One Kick At A Time

Oct 19, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs kicker Cairo Santos (5) and teammates watch as his field goal sails through the uprights to beat the San Diego Chargers 23-20 at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

"Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer Not a trace of doubt in my mind I’m in love, I’m a believer I couldn’t leave her if I tried"

The above are lyrics by The Monkees. Change “her” to “his” and “face” to “leg,” and it summarizes my bipolar relationship with Cairo Santos.

The ex-soccer-playing Brazilian misfired on two of his first four (regular season) kicks in the NFL.

Seeds of doubt? Planted.

I never belonged to the lynch mob who called for his job after Week 2. The man is one of the handful of kickers in NCAA history to pen a season with no missed field goals. (Technically, said season wasn’t “perfect,” as he missed an extra point. See: definition of football, slide No. 4.)

I was definitely filing Ryan Succop’s release under “mistakes,” though.

In the following five weeks, Santos has lined up and sliced the uprights on every attempt. After Sunday’s game-winner, he’s now 8-of-10 for the season and has me cheering like a groupie.

Add another believer.