Chiefs streaking: The boys are back in town

What a difference a few weeks, and a few wins, make. Last Sunday was red and gold nirvana and if you just returned from vacation and missed it all you should know there are a ton of Kansas City Chiefs fans who have said that it was the best game they’ve seen them play in ages. But oh what a streaking bunch these Chiefs are! First, five losses and then 3 wins. However, the wins have been significant enough to turn the mathematical equation on it’s head because now: 3 is greater than (>) 5. It’s enough to tout the royal proclamation: THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN!

What that really means is that the Kansas City Chiefs are back in the thick of a playoff race and there’s no reason, at the moment, to believe they won’t continue to be in that race until the end of the year.

First things first. Ever since Mr. Peyton Manning stated that he was taking his talents to South Beach… er… the Rocky Mountains, I have essentially hated the man. No, not the kind of hate that gets you arrested for doing things like breaking out the headlamps on your old flame’s new boyfriend’s car (not that I have any experience with that mind you).

But the kind of sports-nut hate which means you are essentially waiting for the day he either collapses on the field… or retires. Well, Sunday was as close to it as it comes… maybe even better… than him collapsing on the field. In fact, watching Manning set the all-time passing yards record early in the game — with that frustrated, befuddled and exasperated look on his face — was a long time coming and pure heaven on a bun.

Don’t you just love the stats from that game! If you add up the times Peyton Manning was intercepted (4) and the times he was sacked (2), it equals a number (6)… which is more than the number of passes he completed (5). That’s not only sweet RadioTuna to my ears but it represents the kind of dominance that we’ve been waiting to see from this defense all season. For years really. But it’s the kind of superiority that we’ve all suspected this group was capable of imposing. And that doesn’t even count the number of times Manning was nearly intercepted.

Honestly, I can’t say I’ve felt this excited about a Chiefs defensive performance since Derrick Thomas and Company were roaming the range at Arrowhead.

Peyton Manning breaking the passing record may have been historic, but the game and it’s outcome for Kansas City, especially in Denver, was monumental.

While my eyes may have been lost in the glaze of glory from the constant feeling of “we-are-winning” throughout that game, it’s not the only reason I was jazzed beyond relief: the team established a new cachet, one that says, “We are some mean muthuhs and you don’t wanna mess wit us!”

I liked the fact that Marcus Peters got in a little tiff with a Bronco and coach Reid had to remove him from the game to cool off. Overall, I haven’t seen this much crankiness and chutzpah from the Chiefs players since DL Shaun Smith played grope-a-dope with a Niner a few years back. This team needs crankiness and chutzpah… without the “handsy” approach of course.

My hope is that this game wasn’t just a “back against the wall game” because they simply weren’t going to allow the Broncos to be the one’s to put their lights out. If the team can bring that same kind of intensity to each game from here on out, there’s no reason to believe a playoff victory isn’t in the cards for them this season.

No, before we get carried away with the playoff talk, let’s examine what it will take to get there.

Next: What's Required for a Playoff Run?