Kansas City Chiefs Don't Get Any Respect, but Should in AFC West

With a 3-2 record, the Kansas City Chiefs are sitting on top of the AFC West with a comfortable 1.5 game lead. While they put up two losses after three straight wins, their play has improved overall. Why, then, do so many still insist they are not a good team?

Why They Don’t

History

For long-time football fans, it’s still too early to bank on the Chiefs holding out. The Kansas City Chiefs winning seasons since the beginning of the franchise as the Dallas Texans outnumber their losing seasons, 29-20. Well, that looks pretty good, right?

Until you consider the fact that those 29 winning seasons only resulted in 15 postseason appearances, eight division championships, two Super Bowl trips and one Super Bowl championship.

This is a team that has consistently gone most of the way but not all the way, often either not getting to the playoffs or losing in the first or second round. Even through the golden years of The Schottenheimer Era, they didn't do much more than raise our hopes to dash them at the feet of teams like the Indianapolis Colts.                                       

Inaccurate Predictions 

Nobody likes to admit that they might have been wrong, and who could have expected it? This is a rebuilding team after two abysmal seasons in '07 and '08 when the Hunts cleaned house and went back to the drawing board.

Last year’s record was barely an improvement. No one could have guessed they’d come back just one season later as a real football team. Even their most loyal fans didn't see them coming.                                                                                    

The San Diego Chargers

For some reason, the media is in love with the Chargers. Perhaps because they've had winning seasons five out of the last six years. Perhaps because they don’t want to admit their beginning season predictions for the Chargers might have been a little too optimistic.

Point of Interest

The San Diego Chargers have overall franchise history losing records against every other team in the AFC West.

Inconsistent Play

While steadily improving overall, their play this year has shown definite inconsistencies. Winning ugly for two weeks, not so ugly for one week, then losing pretty the following two (albeit to much better teams).

First, they lost to the Indianapolis Colts with an impressive defensive effort that almost seemed to have Manning in fits. Unfortunately, their offense just couldn't get it together to put away the win.

They followed that with an unexpected offensive shootout against the Houston Texans. The Houston offense got the better of KC’s defense, and many would say sub-par officiating didn’t help the Chief’s cause.

In any case, the Chiefs won’t get real recognition until they can win pretty, and most likely, win pretty for at least three games.

Why They Should

They Came to Play

The 2010 Chiefs play their butts off. They get down. They get dirty. They get physical. If you want to beat this Kansas City Chiefs team, you’re going to have to get up close and personal.

Play As a Team

I know it’s not quite as impressive, no superstar on the field making all the plays, but it’s working for them. I don’t get the privilege of being in the locker room for Todd Haley’s pep talks, but I get the feeling that he makes the phrase “for the good of the team” second nature to his players.

Well Rounded

They may not have many superstars, but they have plenty of playmakers. In my 20-plus years as a fan of this team, I can honestly say I can’t recall them ever having this many notable players at one time.

The defense boasts Tamba Hali, Glenn Dorsey and the ever-impressive Brandon Flowers. The offense weighs in with Thomas Jones, Jamaal Charles, Tony Moeaki, Dwayne Bowe and Matt Cassel, who doesn't make the most impressive passes in the league but clearly plays “smart football” for Coach Todd Haley by keeping the ball safe.

We top it off with Dexter McCluster, who appears to do a little bit of everything.

Heart

Many things can be debated about the 2010 Kansas City Chiefs. One thing that is indisputable is that this team has as much heart as any team in the NFL today. They come out like a lion and not once this season have they gone out like a lamb. In their two losses they were never out of contention right into the final minutes of the games.

In Conclusion

It’s about time some people stopped and took another look at the Kansas City Chiefs. This is a team that should not be underestimated. If you don’t believe that, just watch the replays of the Chargers-49ers games. Those two teams thought they had a win in the bag. They didn't.

If the 2010 Chiefs aren't given the respect they’re due, well, they’re just going to reach out and take it.