I'm getting antsy, so here's 2012.

[Direckshun]

With a pretty tough schedule, the Chiefs have their work made out for them. They are coming off a pretty underrated 7-9 season against a tougher schedule than they had when they went 10-6, and played some brilliant football with their best players on both sides of the ball injured. This year, they sport a roster that, aside from the QB position, could hold its own with virtually any team in the league.

The Achilles' heel of this season, however, isn't necessarily that our QB position is shaky. Like most, I believe that Cassel can be a winner when surrounded by very strong cast. Which, again, he definitely has. The offensive line must hold at the edges with Albert and Winston, which I'm confident it will. The run game must at least be adequate, which with a pretty good version of Hillis and a pretty good version of Charles, it will (I'm also really high on McCluster and Gray as rotational backs). The WR position, assuming Bowe resigns which I feel will certainly happen, will be as good as it's ever been in Kansas City, ever. Cassel can perform this season.

Where this season's Achilles' is has to do with the other QBs we'll face this season. Rivers twice, Manning twice, Ryan, Rothlisberger, Newton, Brees... plus Flacco, Freeman, Andrew Luck, and Palmer twice. That is a hell of a roster of QBs for any defense to face, and presents a steep upgrade over the QBs the Chiefs faced last year.

This defense can rise to the challenge, however. They were instrumental in shutting down Aaron Rodgers last year, and should they remain mostly healthy, they sport one of the toughest run defenses and one of the best secondaries, with two dynamic passrushers. But when you face this many good quarterbacks, there are going to be games where it doesn't matter what you do -- a great QB can lay all challenges to waste when they're on. The odds are, there will be more than a few games where this will be the case.

The good news is, I am not very high on the rest of the division. The Raiders are the Raiders. The Broncos have a bull's eye on them all year, and that almost never works out in the NFL. Add into the fact that they are essentially the 2010 Indianapolis Colts, but with a weaker, older QB whose been out of football for a year, and I think they'll be lucky to match what the Eagles did in 2011.

The Chargers present the major threat here. Gates is a year removed from his injury problems. Both the offense and defense have holes, but Rivers is being given a full offseason know exactly who his offensive weapons are. If he finds his rhythm, the Chargers will be the Chiefs main threat this year for the AFCW crown, and they have the better quarterback.

At this point, I'd put the odds of winning the division 50% in their favor, and 50% in ours. The Chiefs have the easier close-out schedule.

We resign Dwayne Bowe to a 7-year deal before the preseason, $80m deal with 34m guaranteed. During the season, we extend Jovan Belcher for a 3 year, $12m deal. We extend Tyson Jackson during the 2013 offseason for a 5 year deal worth $30 million.

Stanzi ends up beating out Brady Quinn over the course of the season. They both seem to play to a standstill in the preseason, but Quinn is Crennel's guy so he gets the clipboard until about halfway through the season as Stanzi comes into his own.

Tim Biere looks like a fascinating fullback, an impoverished man's version of Dallas Clark out of the backfield. The Chiefs will use fullbacks less under Daboll, and Hillis will get reps at the position anyway. Since last year's 7th rounder Shane Bannon looks slow as molassis, Tim Biere gets the chance to prove himself.

Maneri lands the blocking tight end role. Donald Stephenson looks like he has promise, but the staff simply doesn't trust him at left tackle yet. Jeff Allen, then, is penciled in as the backup left tackle. Dexter Heyman and Jerome Long land roster spots. Junior Hemingway and Brandon Bair do not.

Poe is the starting nose tackle, day one. He doesn't always play three downs, however, as the staff continues to bring him along incrementally.

After four preseason games, here's the roster:

QB: Cassel, Quinn, Stanzi
RB: Charles, Hillis, Gray, McCluster
FB: Biere

WR: Bowe, Baldwin, Breaston, McCluster, Copper, Wylie
TE: Moeaki, Boss, Maneri

LT: Albert, Allen
LG: Lilja, Allen
C: Hudson, Harris
RG: Asamoah, Allen
RT: Winston, Stephenson

DE: Dorsey, Bailey
NT: Poe, Gordon, Powe
DE: Jackson, Gordon, Long

OLB: Hali, Sheffield
ILB: Belcher, Siler
ILB: Johnson, Heyman
OLB: Houston, Studebaker

CB: Flowers, Routt, Arenas, Daniels, Brown
S: Berry, Lewis, Elam, Menzie

K: Succop
P: Colquitt
LS: Gafford
KR: Arenas, McCluster
PR: Arenas, Wylie

Week 1: vs. Falcons L
Week 2: @ Bills W
Week 3: @ Saints W
Week 4: vs. Chargers L
Week 5: vs. Ravens L
Week 6: @ Buccaneers W
Week 7: BYE
Week 8: vs. Raiders W
Week 9: @ Chargers W
Week 10: @ Steelers L
Week 11: Bengals W
Week 12: Broncos W
Week 13: Panthers L
Week 14: @ Browns W
Week 15: @ Raiders W
Week 16: Colts W
Week 17: @ Broncos W

We finish the season 11-5 (only 4-4 at home...) against a schedule that is initially brutal, but really flatlines as the season wears on. I always assume there is a game we should win that we will lose (in this circumstance, I see the Chiefs taking a breather after beating Manning in Week 12 coinciding with an All World performance by Cam Newton in Week 13). I always assume there is a game we should lose that we will win (in this circumstance, I see the Chiefs taking advantage of a Roger Goodell-weakened Saints team in Week 3. Before taking beatings in consecutive weeks at home.

I imagine that stopping the Rivers-Gates combo may be too much for a defense even this talented -- the Chargers will sweep us. However, we will have our way with the Raiders, a clearly inferior squad. And we will be assaulting Manning towards the end of a tough Broncos season, allowing us to sweep them as well.

Our young rookie crop yeilds diminishing returns in limited roles. Poe will get his ass handed to him by the superior offensive lines of the first six weeks, before hitting his stride once he plays inferior talent. Even then, he will yeild modest statistics, 18 tackles with a FF and a fumble recovery. Jeff Allen comes out for jumbo packages, and looks fantastic. Stephenson doesn't see the field. Wylie looks like Lance Long, essentially, in limited time. Menzie looks lost until the last five or so games of the season, where he looks like another quality midround selection by Pioli. Gray, meanwhile, just has a burst to him in limited snaps that will have ChiefsPlant begging for more carries.

Crennel's job as HC will go through a familiar roller coaster. For the first six games, he will make calls that don't pan out and gambles that don't pay. His team will be outplayed in three home games by superior offenses with weapons the Chiefs just can't slow down in Julio Jones, Ray Rice, and Phillip Rivers. Doom will rain in Kansas City. But as the wins roll in, and Daboll has Cassel doing his best Chad Henne "maybe I'm not so terrible!" impression, Crennel will shore up fan support by January.

Daboll's offenses always seem to figure themselves out as the seasons wear on. I expect the Chiefs risk getting blanked against a couple teams before the bye. But when Daboll finds what works, which is always about halfway through the season, the offense will be clicking -- against some atrocious defenses they'll be seeing late in the year, the Chiefs could put up 40.

We will have the following issues:

• The following injuries will have been incurred: Dorsey (out in Week 4, is back by Week 10), Lewis (misses a couple games early in the year, out again by Week 11, however, for the rest of the season), Moeaki ends the season on IR after Week 8, Ryan Lilja (misses the first three weeks of the season, throwing Jeff Allen into the fire), McCluster (misses a six game stretch from Week 2 through Week 8).
• With Kendrick Lewis out a good portion of the year, the safety position is again in dire straights. Abe Elam isn't much more than McGraw was, and Menzie won't put together a good game until late in the year as he's brought along. Travis Daniels eventually has to start taking reps at safety, which thins out the CB corps.
• The defense suffers up the gut for a good portion of the year. Poe is still learning the craft, and won't be good for another year. The good news is, Crennel gives him a ton of work because Amon Gordon is too light to hold the point of attack. Powe gets reps on goal line situations. Direckshun will claim those reps demonstrate he's the best nose on the roster. Nobody will listen.
• Stanford Routt and Brandon Flowers is a serious downgrade from Brandon Carr and Brandon Flowers last year. They perform admirably, and are probably still a top 10 tandem, but they are going up against a beastly QB lineup and some great receiving talent this year.
• Despite two talents in Dexter McCluster and Devon Wylie, the slot position doesn't seem to be figured out too well. Breaston plays out wide more than he will in the slot, McCluster will go down with injury again, and Wylie will snatch a few receptions but otherwise disappear as he is brought along this season.

Pro Bowlers: Hillis, Bowe, Hali, Johnson, Flowers, Berry

All Pro: Johnson, Berry

The offensive line plays very well, allowing the 7th fewest sacks in the NFL, which would probably be like 3rd fewest if it weren't for the superhuman combo of Dumervil and Miller in Denver twice this year.

Their runblocking is unparalleled in the league, concluding the season in the top 3 in rushing. Charles puts up 900 yards in limited time coming off his ACL. Hillis leads the team in carries, stays healthy for most of the season, and emerges with 1,200 on the ground at a 4.5 clip. McCluster chips in 150 yards in spot work. Gray chips in another 150, most of it coming in a game against the Panthers where he carries the ball 18 times to spell minor injuries to Hillis and Charles. Yes, the run game is on.

Since it is on, Cassel looks like a different QB. Well... he'll look like the same QB, but better. By Week 7, the fanbase will no doubt be calling for his head -- we'll see some 100-yard and 200-yard performances in loses and victories alike. Expect a terrible ratio of 5TD:10INT. By the time Week 8 rolls around, and the defenses weaken, Cassel will get his groove back. In the last ten games, Cassel makes his case to remain the Chiefs QB for future seasons, with a 20TD:4INT. This is his team now, and with the right matchup in the playoffs, who knows. Cassel throws for 2,950 yards, 25 TDs, 14 INTs.

Top receivers: Bowe is slow out of the gate due to the lockout, but flirts with All Pro consideration with his final ten games. 75 receptions for 1,200 yards and 8 TDs. Baldwin is the lone bright spot of the first six weeks -- no corner can seemingly cover him. His first six weeks, he racks up 4 TDs and 500 yards. As fantasy owners flock to him, defenses will bracket him. This will stall his statistics, but it's going to unleash Dwayne Bowe all over everybody, as defenses try to take him one-on-one to take out Baldwin. Moeaki, 45 with 2 TDs. Boss, 38 with 6 TDs. Breaston, 33 and 1 TD. All other receivers get the scraps.

Crennel plays the snot out of Jackson and Dorsey this year, stuffing the run and getting a sense of who they want to remain a Chief in 2013 (a choice will likely have to be made). Both do their usual one-dimensional business, even as Dorsey misses some time to injury. But it doesn't get Allen Bailey on the field too often as a result, and really gunks up the sack totals, which will remain in the league's bottom third. Hali will have another great season, notching 15 sacks and constantly pressuring QBs, as Houston continues his development. He "only" puts up 9 sacks, but his play against the run is stellar and he loses a couple sacks as Hali beats him there. It is clear there is no depth at OLB, however.

The secondary, in addition to Berry's stellar play and Flowers and Routt doing their best to slow down some of the league's best passing attacks, is responsible for 9 sacks all year, with Berry getting 5, and Arenas 3.

Leading tacklers: DJ gets 140, and doesn't seem to be slowing down... ever. Berry has an outstanding year with 90. Belcher notches 110, Flowers 45 and Dorsey adds 39 to lead the DL.

Berry leads the team with 7 INT, almost every one of them looking like he'll take it to the house. Routt is going to be the player fans love to hate all year. He'll get torched in his fair share of games, but will be able to grab four INT of his own. Arenas' ascension at nickelback continues.

Notes about the upcoming offseason:

Compensatory picks for 2014! Dorsey is allowed to walk into free agency. (Allen Bailey is the heir apparent.) Peyton Hillis, coming off a one-year prove it Pro Bowl performance that he largely notched due to (a.) a great offensive line, (b.) a couple injuries to other key RBs, and (c.) another RB or two declining to play in the Pro Bowl. Hillis will walk, and some team will sign him to a nice little deal.

Albert is franchised.

The big question of the offseason is... now that Daboll has figured out what to do with Cassel, and the entire OL is returning for next season (upgrading! because Jeff Allen will replace Ryan Lilja), do we keep Matt Cassel or move on?

The team will need to get the safety position fixed as well, and find even more depth for a young, talented front seven.

The Chiefs will make the playoffs as division winners.

AFC Byes: Ravens, Texans
Patriots host Steelers
Chiefs host Chargers

Arrowhead, as it often does in prime time situations, just proves too much for Phillip Rivers. The Chiefs emerge as the victors, their first playoff win in 19 years. But once again, they will run into the Ravens buzzsaw in the next round.

The Ravens reach the Super Bowl against the Giants and pull out a grunter, 13-12.

It's clear by season's end that Oklahoma's QB Landry Jones is a second-round prospect, which can only mean some team in the middle-to-bottom of the first round will reach for him. The Chiefs, drafting in the mid 20s, are far too low in the 1st to have a chance at any of the premier QBs. But they trade up four spots to select Landry Jones, who will compete with (and probably lose to) Cassel in 2013, before taking over in 2014.

Any questions?

[Hammock Parties]

Sweeping the Broncos? Beating the Saints? Sweeping the Raiders?

Get the **** out.

We are not sweeping teams with superior QBs. We are not beating Drew Brees at home.

This is homer bullshit.

[Hammock Parties]

The Raiders are the Raiders.

The team that owns us the last three years?

Why ignore this?

Answer: HOMER

[Hammock Parties]

Here's another problem with your prediction:

Week 2: @ Bills W
Week 3: @ Saints W

Winning two games in a row on the road is almost impossible to do in the NFL.

To expect THIS team to do it, against a team like the Saints, is pretty ignorant.

[Bowser]

You said the Chargers will sweep us, but have us beating them in San Diego.

[KCrockaholic]

Win @ Saints? Really....

Although I did have a dream that we beat them 24-6.

[JoeyChuckles]

Well I for one thank you for the analysis, and I hope that you are more wrong than right.

[Tombstone RJ]

yep, this is the time of year kc wins it all, congrats!

[BigMeatballDave]

I REALLY hope the Chiefs win 10 because Clay needs a sabbatical in the worst way.

His drivel is old and tired.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

I appreciate your enthusiasm but why in the hell does Dorsey have to get hurt.

[Hammock Parties]

Doing this now is pretty premature.

If we come out in preseason and the offense stinks, half this place is gonna be thinking 8-8.

I'd bet money on that happening.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Dave

I REALLY hope the Chiefs win 10 because Clay needs a sabbatical in the worst way.

His drivel is old and tired.

You know what's old and tired?

Patriot Way bullshit.

I'll change my "drivel" when it's flushed.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Toad King

Sweeping the Broncos? Beating the Saints? Sweeping the Raiders?

Get the **** out.

We are not sweeping teams with superior QBs. We are not beating Drew Brees at home.

This is homer bullshit.

I explained why we'd sweep the Broncos. I am dismissing the Raiders -- they are on life support until the new regime can actually complete burning down what Al Davis built.

The Saints... will be missing plenty of critical players. Their best passrusher, their QB coming off a holdout. I think the downgrade in coaching will also be felt.

And we beat the Packers last season. It's the Chiefs -- they win one game they're not supposed to every year. If you don't like the Saints prediction, offer a better one, or claim that the Chiefs will beat nobody they're supposed to lose to.

[Hammock Parties]

I don't care about your explanation.

We never sweep Denver, and with Manning in place, sweeping them is a completely unrealistic expectation.

You can't dismiss the Raiders, because that team was better than us last year and will be better this year because they have a real QB for the whole year.

You are basically just being a homer, and it makes me sad.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Toad King

The team that owns us the last three years?

Why ignore this?

Because it's the NFL. And the tide changes quickly.

The Raiders are doing the smart thing, and dismantling so they can be completely rebuilt. But that means they are going to lose everybody worth anything.

Oakland does not have a single corner, not a single one, who can slow down Bowe/Baldwin.