Chiefs: They still don’t make sense

Sep 13, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (19) makes a reception during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Most, if not all, of those offseason hopes looked justified in Week 1 against the Texans. The Chiefs looked good and had control throughout the game. This was going to be a great year.

Then against Denver they looked both quite good and absolutely terrible. They managed to go up 14-0, and to stay competitive the entire game, forcing the Broncos to put together a late drive to tie the game. But they also turned the ball over an incomprehensible five times. And more than once deep in their own territory. That is not something good teams let happen.

Then there was Green Bay on Monday Night Football and they looked . . . awful. No third down conversions the entire game, and no sense that this team had any idea what it was doing. The less said the better.

The following week against the Bengal was not a lot better. Smith was sacked five times,  the offense went two of ten on third down, and Kansas City failed to get into the end zone even once. Also, the Chiefs defense allowed Any Dalton to throw for 333 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Through that point in the season K.C. had the ninth ranked scoring offense, and was dead last in scoring defense. Those stats make no sense in and of themselves. How does a team that cannot find the end zone break the top ten of the NFL in points scored? And how can a defense with Tamba Hali, Justin Houston, Dontari Poe, Derrick Johnson, Eric Berry, and an emergent Marcus Peters allow more points than any other team in the league?

Next: Then, this week happened...