January 16, 1994. It is a date that looms over the Kansas City Chiefs, constantly being brought up to consume the folks around One Arrowhead Drive.
This was the date of the 1993 AFC Divisional Playoffs, when the Chiefs went into the Astrodome and defeated the heavily-favored Houston Oilers, 28-20. It is the last time Kansas City won a playoff game, despite eight more attempts since the final whistle sounded that day.
January 9, 2016. It is the date in which the Kansas City Chiefs can finally push history into the past, instead of allowing it to envelop the present and future.
The teams from the 1993 season and the current edition have nothing in common. None of the players, coaches or front office executives are the same. Hell, the owner is not the same. The playing surface in Arrowhead has gone from AstroTurf to grass. The uniforms have been slightly altered. Marcus Peters was 1-year-old when Joe Montana was leading that famous comeback in Houston.
Yet, all Chiefs fans can think about, can talk about, is how the franchise is going to falter if only because of the previous teams adorned with an arrowhead on the sides of their helmets.
Kansas City has long been known as a team that can’t win in big moments. The Chiefs have shrunk in the limelight, seemingly finding ways to lose while making excuses afterwards. The weather was bad. There were a ton of injuries. Our better quarterback was left on the bench.
Ultimately, none of it matters. Rest assured, men like Justin Houston, Tamba Hali, Alex Smith, Andy Reid, Jeremy Maclin, Eric Fisher, Dontari Poe, Eric Berry and Derrick Johnson are not thinking about a streak that started when all of them were in grade school or earlier. This team has been in the playoffs for the past 10 weeks, needing to win every game despite playing without Jamaal Charles.
The Chiefs are playing great football, and facing a team that they should plaster. The Texans have a great wide receiver, a great defensive end, and nothing else. If Kansas City executes, it will blow Bill O’Brien’s team out of the water. This game should be an utter hammering.
If we weren’t all pulling for Kansas City and looked at this game objectively, we would all be saying how the Chiefs are much more talented and should bury the Texans. Does all that mean Kansas City can’t lose? of course not. This is the National Football League, and Houston won nine games in it. The Texans are going to bring everything they have.
The Chiefs are ready to win. Kansas City is good enough to not only topple the Texans but perhaps to reach the Super Bowl and win it.
This horrifying streak of playoff ineptitude began in Houston. It’s also where this damn thing is going to end.