5 Reasons why the Chiefs will make the Playoffs

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Five reasons the Chiefs will make the playoffs

http://espn.go.com/blog/kansas-city-...e-the-playoffs

Adam Teicher, ESPN Staff Writer



KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It took them longer than expected to get there, but the Kansas City Chiefs are finally the team they expected to be when the season began.

The 5-5 Chiefs have won four straight games, all by double-digit margins, to climb back into the AFC wild-card race. The Chiefs would be in the playoffs if the season ended today, owning the tiebreaker over the AFC’s other 5-5 teams.

It's quite a turnaround after the 1-5 start to their season. At that time, ESPN's Football Power Index gave the Chiefs a 4.7 percent chance of reaching the postseason. That number is now at 74.6 percent.

The Chiefs will hold on and make it back to the postseason for the first time in two years. Here’s why:
1
They believe. The Chiefs never gave up on their season or vision for what they could become, even at the depths of 1-5. Coach Andy Reid believed the Chiefs would turn things around and he succeeded in getting the players to think the same way. That’s no small effort in a locker room with 53 players, but the Chiefs kept their eyes on the prize even when it seemed out of their reach. Now they believe anything is possible.

2
The defense is for real. One of the most mystifying parts of the early season was the play of the defense. The Chiefs allowed more than 30 points in each of three straight losses. They simply have too many good defensive players and are too well-coached to play that way. Now all of their good defenders are playing well and the Chiefs are difficult to throw or run against. They haven’t allowed more than 18 points in any of their last six games.

3
Opponents usually have to go the long field. It’s been difficult enough to have to go a few yards for a touchdown against the Chiefs’ defense. But opponents have consistently had to negotiate the long field against the Chiefs. In the last three games, opponents have had 36 possessions. One started outside the 29, and that one was at the 38. Twenty-eight started at the 20 or inside the 20. The Chiefs are too good defensively to allow many long touchdown drives. Cairo Santos' kickoffs and Dustin Colquitt's punts have been excellent and the Chiefs haven’t committed a turnover in more than a month.

4
The schedule. The Chiefs don’t have a game left against a team that currently has a winning record. Their next opponent, Buffalo Bills, is the only one that’s even at .500 (5-5). Otherwise, the Chiefs have two games left against the Oakland Raiders (4-6) and one each against the San Diego Chargers (2-8), Baltimore Ravens (3-7) and Cleveland Browns (2-8). Four of those games will be played at Arrowhead Stadium.

5
An improved passing attack. Nobody will confuse Kansas City’s passing attack with the league’s best. But the Chiefs are much improved over last season. They’re averaging 7.45 yards per passing attempt, which is 11th in the NFL and above the league average of 7.3. They have 31 pass plays of 20 yards or more, which is only 21st in the league. But they were last in this category last year. Quarterback Alex Smith still throws mostly short passes, but the Chiefs help to make up for that by being sixth in the NFL in yards after the catch.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Surprised Teicher didn't mention Sorensons name in the article.

[ptlyon]

Tickets still available!

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

Surprised Teicher didn't mention Sorensons name in the article.

Are people still bitching about Sorensen?

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

Surprised Teicher didn't mention Sorensons name in the article.

Not to upset Virus, but Sorensen has been knocking the shit out of people during their win stretch. Has been playing some very good ball.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Are people still bitching about Sorensen?

Other than ThaVirus, who only hates him because he's white, no, not really.

[ThaVirus]

He sucks.

.. But he's been granted a reprieve for that hit on Emmanuel Sanders a couple weeks ago.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

He sucks.

.. But he's been granted a reprieve for that hit on Emmanuel Sanders a couple weeks ago.

You must not watch the games. You probably sit at a table and play solitaire and look up at the score every once in a while.

Sorenson shows up EVERY game.

[ThaVirus]

According to Dane, I don't watch the games at all. When I do, it's on my 5" cell phone screen.

[scho63]

I always get worried when everyone jumps on the bandwagon and right now, EVERYONE is singing the Chiefs praises including the Inside the NFL team on HBO.

This concerns me......

[Hydrae]

I still say, this team is finally playing up to the potential that I expected from the beginning of the season. As much I hated the loss to Chicago (I expected us to be 1-3 at that point and ending at 10-6), overall it hasn't really hurt all that much.

If we win this weekend, I will be fully back on board the "Playoffs and Beyond" train.

[Prize Closet]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

You must not watch the games. You probably sit at a table and play solitaire and look up at the score every once in a while.

Sorenson shows up EVERY game.

No, he sucks. Two weeks ago against Denver, he would have given up a 90-yard TD pass with a good throw

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by Prize Closet

No, he sucks. Two weeks ago against Denver, he would have given up a 90-yard TD pass with a good throw

Oh, yeah. The pass to the halfback down the right sideline.

Thank goodness for pressure and Manning's wobble launcher.

[Mother****erJones]

Defense
Defense
Defense
Schedule
Defense

[Tribal Warfare]

If the DL is able to free Houston/Hali to rush the QB then it's smooth sailing. The offense just needs to not shit themselves.

This is the difference in comparison to last season.