Kansas City Chiefs: Picking Against Them Seems To Be the Popular Choice

All season long you've been hearing why the Kansas City Chiefs should and would fold their tent, pack their bags and get out of the AFC West division lead. After all, first place is no place for a bunch of un-seasoned young pups. I mean, Kansas City had been absolutely brutal the past three seasons compiling a total of 8 wins in that time span. Here we sit entering week 15 of the NFL season, and like Jason from Friday The Thirteenth, they've been kicked, smacked, punched and pretty much drug up and down the field, but here they stand still leading the division at 9-5.

Ever since the Chiefs opened the season with a rain drenched win at The New Arrowhead Stadium against the San Diego Chargers 21-14, everyone outside of 1 Arrowhead Drive has been trying to put Kansas City in its place. They followed that performance up with a less than impressive victory over a Cleveland Browns team that hadn't quite found their legs early in the season 16-14. After week three had come and gone with a 31-10 dismantling of the San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City found itself as the leagues only unbeaten team at 3-0 heading into their bye week.

If you turned on any TV channel or radio station sports talk show you heard every analyst or talking head tell you that Kansas City hasn't played anyone or done anything to hang its hat on yet. Beating the Chargers didn't count because it rained that day, After their bye they said, Kansas City would fold up like a cheap suit against the Colts and the Texans.

How proud they must have felt when the Chiefs dropped a tightly contested game to the Colts 19-9 and a week later suffered an agonizing defeat to the Texans when they allowed 21 points in the fourth quarter to lose 35-31. This is what we're talking about they said, move aside Kansas City!!

Two weeks later after destroying a struggling Jacksonville team 42-20, the Chiefs limped through another contest against the Bills, eeking out a 13-10 overtime victory at Arrowhead.  In first place at 5-2, Kansas City now had every ones attention but still clearly not their respect.

After traveling to Oakland the Chiefs got into their annual knock down, drag out, penalty infested, slugg-fest against the Raiders. The Chiefs came out on the short end 23-20 in overtime when the Raiders snatched victory from the jaws of defeat by converting a spectacular catch in Kansas City territory in the games closing seconds and converting a game tying field goal. Now the Raiders were tied with Kansas City and were the talk of the town! The Chiefs followed that contest up with a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Denver Broncos 49-29.Now sitting at 5-4 and having been beaten like a drum in their last contest, it was time for Kansas City to go quietly into the night. No More they said that's it! 

Unfortunately for the rest of the league, Kansas City won't watch the talk show circuit, ESPN, and NFL Network be damned they say!!

Todd Haley rounded up the troops, regrouped, and led them on a three game win streak over Arizona 31-13, Seattle 42-24 and Denver 10-6.  Once again the Chiefs had defied expectations and remained atop of the AFC West at 8-4. maintaining a two game lead over the Charger and Raiders who sported records of 6-6.

Funny thing happened on the way to a week 13 showdown with the Chargers, Kansas City signal caller Matt Cassel fell victim to an appendectomy, sidelining him for the contest. Well, they said, Kansas City was going to lose this game anyway. The Chargers are on one of their patented late season runs. Kansas City had no right being in front anyway! The game took place but only San Diego showed up, as they whitewashed the Chiefs 31-0. It may have been one of Kansas City's most thorough defeats in Todd Haley's time as their Head Coach! Aha! We haven't heard the crash, but we can see the fall coming! Just listen! Press your ears to the ground and you'll hear it any minute now!

With Kansas City heading on the road where they were a paltry 2-5, and the real possibility of their starting QB Matt Cassel not playing against the St. Louis Rams, the Chargers would be officially in first place at the end of the day! The Chargers had just dispatched the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday to move to 8-6, a half game behind the Chiefs. A Kansas City loss would give the Chargers the division lead and the tiebreaker edge over the Chiefs. Order would be restored to the NFL!

Hey!  Which one of you guys forgot to tell the Chiefs and Matt Cassel that he wasn't supposed to play today, let alone win! Kansas City, and their surgically repaired quarterback made quick work of the St. Louis Rams 27-13 on Sunday in what seemed like a Kansas City home game with all the red jerseys in attendance. Not only did Cassel play, he played well. His presence inspired his teammates, as they shook off last weeks lost to the Chargers and kept hold of their lead in the division at 9-6.

If you haven't noticed the trend here, this team just keeps bouncing back. Next up, the Tennessee Titans come into The New Arrowhead where the Chiefs are undefeated at 6-0. The Titans, a shell of the team they were when they started the season, had been on a six game losing streak. By winning Sunday they moved their record to 6-8. Their defense has been offensive and they have struggled to score in 4 of their last 6 contests. Vince Young the starting quarterback was injured and after a run in with head coach Jeff Fisher was placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season and asked to not (wink, wink) show up to team facilities! 

 Guess what Kansas City! "You Go Down this week". Right? Maybe? Or maybe just wishful thinking by all the experts who can't seem to do anything but whats popular and continue to pick against this team!

dwayne davis