Kansas City Chiefs: Why the Chiefs Will Repeat as AFC West Champions

When I moved to Kansas City in the summer of 1995, I immediately adopted the Royals and Chiefs as my teams. Since then, I have rooted for them through the thick and thin, although in Kansas City, it seems the thick is hard to come by at times.

That’s why 2010 was such a treat for Kansas City fans. Last season saw the Chiefs' turnaround from a 4-12 record the season before and, after years of suffering, we Chiefs fans were treated to their first division title since 2003.

Yes, they lost in the playoffs, being manhandled by the Baltimore Ravens, but with a young team, there was finally hope for Kansas City.

Now, with the Royals having slipped into their usual midseason form, a form which is usually full of a lot of losing, Kansas City fans are left hoping for a continuation of the Chiefs' 2010 success. We find ourselves asking questions such as, “Will Jonathan Baldwin help the passing game?” or, “Will Jamaal Charles continue to dominate on the ground?” or, “Can we please, please, please finally win a playoff game?”

While I do not know the answer to that last one, the other two are an unquestionable yes. Those are two of the facts that will drive the Chiefs to another AFC West championship.

With a dominant running game, the Chiefs offense was able to overcome a mediocre passing attack. Quarterback Matt Cassel was forced to rely on only wide receiver Dwayne Bowe for receptions with the rest of the receiving corps proving themselves to be a non-factor.

While Jonathan Baldwin will not be a superstar wide receiver his rookie season, particularly with the lockout keeping him from any simulation of NFL action, he is still a threat. Another threat is just what the Chiefs need, providing some defensive relief to Bowe and giving Cassel a second option down the field.

Combining this with a powerful running game should give the Chiefs one of the most explosive offenses in 2011.

On defense, the Chiefs improved at linebacker and on the defensive line by selecting linebacker Justin Houston and defensive end Allen Bailey in the third round. These two will give the Chiefs a better defensive rush, complementing a solid young set of defensive backs that are able to make plays and knockdown passes.

The Chiefs are talented all around and, with a few pickups in free agency, the remaining holes could be filled.

Despite this talent, there is still a great deal of pessimism surrounding Kansas City, built up after years of disappointment.These fans are quick to point out the Chiefs schedule in 2011. It is significantly more difficult than 2010, with the Chiefs playing the Patriots, Steelers, Bears, Jets and Packers in consecutive weeks late in the season.

Three of those five games take the Chiefs out of the comfort of Arrowhead stadium and throw them into hostile environments. That, along with a trip to Indianapolis in Week 5, would challenge any team.

Fortunately, the rest of the Chiefs' schedule is much more manageable. In 2010, the rest of the opponents were a combined 44-68. With opponents like the Bills, Lions and Vikings, the Chiefs have very good shots at winning in 2011.

Also, the Chiefs will not be alone in facing these opponents. All three of the Chiefs’ AFC West foes face four of those five teams. The biggest competition for the Chiefs, the San Diego Chargers, also has the addition of the Baltimore Ravens, a team that demonstrated their abilities against Kansas City in the playoffs last year.

It seems like it could come down to divisional play. The Chargers are always a competitive team and the Oakland Raiders showed sparks of brilliance last season. The Chiefs will need to win against these teams to have a shot at the playoffs.

All of this said, if the Chiefs are able to play up to their potential throughout the season, they could reach 10 wins again, which could be enough to put them at the top of the division. 
Maybe I am too optimistic. Maybe I am tricking myself into believing this team is any different than past Chiefs teams that have been nothing but disappointments.

Or this could be the team that brings Kansas City its first real taste of success in years. For Kansas City, at least it gives us something to root for.