6 Tweaks the Kansas City Chiefs Must Make to Contend for a Title

Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs surprised everyone by going 10-6 and making their first playoff appearance since 2006.

GM Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley have done an excellent job of changing the culture of the organization in the last two seasons, mainly by providing more talent for QB Matt Cassel and switching to a more aggressive 3-4 defensive system.

This year, KC has changed from the hunter to the hunted as they begin their quest for a second straight AFC West division crown and a bigger goal of winning the Super Bowl in February.

Adding free agents Steve Breason and Kelly Gregg were two moves that will help KC this season, but there are still many more changes that need to be made for the Chiefs to have a shot at making a legitimate title run.

Here are some other tweaks that KC must make in order to contend for a title in 2011.

Sign Le'Ron McClain and Make Him the Starting Fullback

Over the past few seasons, one of the weaker parts of the Chiefs' offense has been their fullback position.

Free Agent Le'Ron McClain is a two-time Pro-Bowler, and appears to be an excellent option for KC at this point.

He could come in and start right away for Kansas City, improving an already potent rushing attack for the 2011 season.

At just 26-years-old, he could also be a long-term answer for the Chiefs' future.

Sign Marc Colombo to Start at Right Tackle

Going into the 2011 offseason, it was clear that KC needed help at right tackle.

Veteran tackle Marc Colombo could provide instant impact for the Chiefs at that position this season.

He started 15 games for the Cowboys last season, and would be a major upgrade over current starting RT Barry Richardson.

Although he is 32-years-old, he could still be a solid stopgap until the Chiefs decide to use a high-round pick for that spot in the future.

Re-Sign Tamba Hali to a Long-Term Deal

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year or so, you would know that the Chiefs possess one of the best pass rushers in the NFL right now.

His name is Tamba Hali.

The main problem with Mr. Hali this offseason has been that his team has yet to sign him to a long-term deal yet.

The last thing the Chiefs want is their best defensive player to be taken away from them because they weren't able to agree on a deal for him.

Re-Sign Brandon Carr to Help Solidify Secondary

Fourth-year defensive back Brandon Carr has been a mainstay in the Chiefs secondary since he came to the team as a rookie in 2007.

In 2010, Carr led the league in pass deflections with 25, and made many great plays from his right corner-back position.

As of now, he is one of the few remaining Chiefs that has not signed his tender for the '11 season, leaving him as a restricted free agent.

KC needs to sign Carr now if they want any chance of playing for a title this season and beyond.

Use Blitzes Early and Often This Season

Last year, when the Chiefs blitzed, it usually worked out well for them.

OLB Tamba Hali led the way with 14.5 sacks(mainly from blitzes) and even rookies Eric Berry and Javier Arenas thrived from the blitz, as they picked up two and three sacks respectively, for the campaign.

In 2011, KC should blitz even more, considering that they will have a true nose tackle in Kelly Gregg to help occupy blockers, and a strong pass-rushing threat in rookie OLB Justin Houston.

Chiefs defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel is a master at disguising blitzes, and the defense will be counting on him even more this year, if and when they decide to blitz.

Incorporate More Trick Plays into the Offense

Last season, the Chiefs were very successful when they used trick plays on offense.

Unfortunately, touchdowns like the one above from a reverse flea-flicker were few and far between.

This year, I expect some more trickery considering that KC might have one of the fastest offenses in the league, with Jamaal Charles, Dexter McCluster and Steve Breaston.

With the tough defenses that KC is likely to face in '11, they might have to have a few tricks up their sleeve to come out with a win in some of these games as it is.