Kansas City Chiefs: 6 Chiefs Who Need to Step Up

After watching their first five games of the '11 campaign, it's clear that the Kansas City Chiefs have some major work to do this season.

One area that has really struggled is their young secondary that consists of several players who have four years or less experience in the league.

Their offense has also struggled outside of receivers Dwayne Bowe and Steve Breaston.

Here are six Chiefs who need to step up for this team immediately.

CB Brandon Flowers

Starting CB Brandon Flowers has been pitiful so far this season.

He has been burnt several times on defense, while allowing seven touchdowns as well.

It seems that Flowers has regressed in his fourth season in the league, which is not good news for the Chiefs.

He needs to start playing like a leader on defense right now for this team, or there will be many more blown assignments in his near future.

CB Brandon Carr

Brandon Carr entered the league the same year that his teammate Brandon Flowers came, when they were both selected by KC in the '08 NFL Draft.

Carr has had three-plus up-and-down seasons with the team, and has been very inconsistent in 2011 as well.

Although he has managed to play a little better than Flowers, he still has had several lapses in coverage through the first five games this year.

The former Grand Valley State star will be a free agent after this season, so there is a chance that this will be his last season in Kansas City if his performance on the field doesn't improve.

S Kendrick Lewis

Safety Kendrick Lewis might be the most disappointing second-year player on the roster right now.

It's becoming more clear that without Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry playing safety with him, he struggles mightily.

Just like many of his secondary teammates, he has been beat many times in coverage this year.

Lewis needs to play better and prove that the organization made the right choice when they took a chance by selecting him in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

RB/WR Dexter McCluster

The speedy second-year playmaker has yet to make many plays for the Chiefs this season.

If anything, he has contributed less and less to the offense with each passing week.

He has the ability to do some great things if he can get the ball in his hands out of the backfield and in the passing game.

However, with the recent resurgence of RB Jackie Battle and the upcoming debut of WR Jonathan Baldwin, McCluster will need to step up his game if he wants to be a major contributor to the offense this season.

TE Leonard Pope

In the last game of the preseason, Chiefs starting TE Tony Moeaki was lost for the year with a torn ACL.

This essentially kicked the door wide open for veteran tight end Leonard Pope to grab the starting TE position, but he has failed to do so through the first five weeks of the regular season.

Hardly the receiving threat that Moeaki was, Pope has just 11 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown through five games.

This is clearly Pope's chance to show the coaching staff what he can bring to the table, and he needs to step it up if he wants to still be a member of the 53-man roster next season.

FB Le'Ron McClain

McClain was signed in the offseason to give QB Matt Cassel another legitimate weapon in the backfield.

Unfortunately for KC, he has done next to nothing for the offense so far this season.

The former Raven has just 15 rushing yards and 19 receiving yards in two starts at his fullback position in 2011.

McClain is a two-time Pro Bowler and needs to start playing like it right now.