Kansas City Chiefs 2009: Who Is This Team's Offensive Playmaker?

"Matt Cassel, welcome to Kansas City! And on that note, we're trading the team's biggest playmaker and future Hall-of-Famer to Atlanta... have a great season!"

A clipboard holder since high school, Cassel stepped in for the game's best quarterback in New England last year and had a solid season.  With thoroughbreds like Randy Moss and Wes Welker in the stable, most figured there was no way he could fail. 

Now that Cassel has moved on to Kansas City, however, those same pundits are saying there is no way he can succeed.

So the question remains; with an offensive arsenal in Kansas City that doesn't include tight end Tony Gonzalez, can Cassel and the Chiefs' offense score enough points to win more games than the team did a season ago?

The short answer is "yes," and here are the reasons why:

An Improved Offensive Line

Cassel was sacked 47 times last season with the Patriots while Chiefs quarterbacks only hit the ground 36 times. Guards Brian Waters and Mike Goff, teamed with emerging left tackle Brandon Albert, should be able to guarantee that Cassel doesn't hit the deck near as many times as he did with the Patriots.

A Capable Receiving Corps

Compared to Cassel's receivers in New England and what new head coach Todd Haley had in Arizona, the Chiefs are missing an All-Pro or two. 

However, wide receiver Dwayne Bowe had a better season than Moss, a comparable season to Anquan Boldin, and continues to improve.  If Bobby Engram can stay healthy, and he, along with the rest of the receivers, can divert some attention away from Bowe, Cassel could very well repeat his numbers from last season and put Bowe in a position to have his best season as a pro.

Offensive Coordinator Chan Gailey

Assuming Haley doesn't have his heart set on implementing the "air-it-out" offense he led in Arizona, and he lets Gailey do his job, this team will score more points in 2009. 

Gailey was successful last season at understanding his team's strengths and designing an offense to take advantage of those strengths.  In 2008, however, Gailey's offense stalled at the most inopportune times, not because of poor play calling, but mainly because of poor quarterback play.  The addition of Cassel should resolve that problem.

Larry Johnson

Johnson supplies Haley and Cassel with something neither of them had last season on their respective teams; a hard-nosed downhill runner who can beat up the defense and take attention away from the passing game.  

Because of his off-the-field transgressions a year ago, however, his contract was negatively impacted to the point where he needs to produce to get paid.  The last time he had this much motivation, Dick Vermeil asked him to take off his diaper, and he ran for 1,750 yards and 20 touchdowns.

2009's Offensive Playmaker: Jamaal Charles

Charles provides the Chiefs' offense with game-breaking speed that must be accounted for each time he steps on the field. 

As a rookie last season, Charles averaged over five yards per carry and caught 27 passes, a number I expect him to double this season.  Look for Gailey to line him up in the backfield with Johnson, in the slot as a wide receiver, as the lone back in third down situations, and anywhere else that allows Cassel to get the ball into his hands.  Charles should catch 60 balls and run for 500 yards.

At the end of the day, Kansas City's offense will surprise most of the so-called "experts" this season.  The offense should be dynamic and diverse enough to keep opposing defenses from teeing off on Cassel, and thereby allow the Chiefs to improve greatly over last season's offensive production.  

Assuming that happens, the Chiefs will be in the wild card hunt in December.