The Three Faces of Me – Chief’s outlook, 2010 in general, week one in particular.

[AirForceChief]

Like most Chief’s fans, I have suffered over the last few decades. The results: Schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress, multiple personality disorder and alcoholism. The three dominant personalities I share cranium space with have voiced their opinions on the upcoming season and Monday Night. I present: The three faces of me…

Bad Luck Schleprock: I curse God, as God has cursed me a Chief’s fan. We will suck this year. Why? Because, in our infinite wisdom, we’ve decided to field substantially the same team as last year. If KC wasn’t forced to take part in the NFL Draft, we probably would have trotted out the same losers that brought us the 4-12 record of 2009. Rookies cannot be counted on to provide immediate improvement (See 2009 season…Heck, see 2007-2009). This organization has made no real improvement for years and has the worst three year record in franchise history to show for it: 10-38 (by the way, that’s the AFC’s worst record since 2007, too). When you point to new OC and DC coordinators as your “big” off season signings, you know you’re in trouble. Unless Weis can throw the ball to stretch the field and Crennel can play NT and stop the run (and they can’t), we’re in for another loooong year. Weis stated his first priority was to “fix the quarterback”…the pre-season showed us just how broke Cassel remains.

Monday night? Seriously, of all the AFC West opponents to open with, we get the Chargers. The Chargers own us; as of late we’ve lost five in a freaking row to the ‘Bolts. Last year the Chargers beat us twice by putting up an average of 40 points a game, while we answered with a paltry 21…no, not an avg of 21 per game, a total of 21 in two games. So, we should lose Monday night 40 to 10.5…the only real mystery is how Haley and Weis will manage the half point. Our vaunted 31st ranked rush defense of a year ago now gets to face rookie sensation Ryan Mathews, who averaged rushing 150 yards a game last year. Hey, we gave up an average of 156 rushing yds/game last year…maybe we can bring that down six yards or so a game this year! After all, Crennel said, "We're going to try to emphasize not letting them run the ball on us." Wow –that’s a heck of a plan…”going to try to emphasize?” Romeo, feel free to go right ahead and emphasize…hell, throw in a little “execution” while you’re at it! The loss on Monday night will start us off where we’ve been for three long seasons: historically bad, with another two drafts to go before we see real improvement (provided Clark doesn’t blow the whole thing up once again). A repeat of 4 - 12 wouldn't surprise.

Good Time Charlie: We’ve turned the corner and the Super Bowl waits! The party starts this Monday as we open the gates of a renovated Arrowhead, with a rejuvenated Chief’s team, and won’t stop ‘till we reach the playoffs, and perhaps even Dallas, Texas, site of Superbowl Whatever It Is this year! Every year a team seems to come from worst, to finish first (In each of the past seven seasons, and in nine of the 10 seasons of this decade, one of the NFL's last-place teams has gone from worst to first.) – Why NOT our beloved Chiefs? In only their second year together, Pioli and Haley continue to build a solid foundation the only reasonable way you can: Through the draft and from within. Who needs an overpriced, overhyped free agent eating up valuable salary cap room while providing nothing but a poor example to our young players? Not the Chiefs. Our 3-4 will improve b/c Jackson and Dorsey will improve – Crennel will get it done with Pleasant’s help. The three up front will hold the line while our LBs fly around and make things happen (I’m looking for big things from Johnson this year – finally!). And even Schleprock can see the secondary is going to be special. The offense will continue to improve, as it did in the second half of 2009. The left side was solid at the end of last year and the right side will be now that Lilja has come home. Asamoah will also contribute. Cassel will be better because nobody’s receivers can drop that many passes two years in a row, right? Plus, c’mon, Jamaal freakin’ Charles is going to continue to light up defenses. We’re stronger on the O-line, at RB (welcome Mr. Jones!) and receiver (get the ball to McCluster and push fast forward), not to mention once Moeaki gets on the field we’ll have a viable TE threat. Put all those tools in OC supreme Charlie Weis’ hands and good things will happen.
San Diego is the perfect opponent for Monday Night. In the history of our franchise we’ve never lost six in a row to the Chargers. It won’t happen. The crowd will rock as we establish the run, then move to play action pass. Charles-Jones one two punch will wear down a depleted S.D. defense (Merriman will be a shadow of his former self). Chambers and Bowe will produce. McCluster and Arenas will return the “special” to our Special Teams. Stronger defense, faster offense, opening night at Arrowhead…it all spells victory for the opener to what proves to be a special Chief’s season!

Voice of Reason: I love the Chiefs, and that’s hurt recently. But things are getting better. Pioli and Haley have done as much as one can expect in the short time they’ve been in place. But you have to temper your expectations - so ignore psychos one and two above. Pulling ourselves out of the basement and into mediocrity is, sadly, a couple of steps forward for our franchise. We are better on both offense and defense. But rookies take time to get their feet. Our younger players will show improvement. Unfortunately, those improvements won’t be enough to get us to a winning record this year. 8 – 8 would be great, putting us in a place to compete for the post season come 2011. It’s a stronger 53 man roster this year, but the depth to string together multiple victories just isn’t there…yet. Cassel remains unproven, but he’s not a clear free agent bust QB. K.C. did practically everything it could last year, as an organization, to ensure he’d get killed. The fact he remained upright is encouraging. I’m willing to give him another ten starts before I pass judgment. Offense and special teams have the potential to take a couple of steps forward, but that defense scares me. We seemed to have moved to the 3-4 without the three in place to run the scheme. Counting on help from within is a scary proposition, but that’s where we sit.

I don’t care who we play opening night, but since its San Diego I have one simple wish: Compete. Dear Lord, please don’t let them walk all over us like they did last year. Those two games against S.D. were two of the lowest points I endured in what otherwise was a crappy year as a Chief’s fan. Keep the score close and make the choice of whatever glam rock band that plays prior to the game the most embarrassing decision of the night. Modest goal? Yes. But it would be a solid start to getting us back to being a competitive team. I’m tired of folks referring to the team as the . I thought we’d lost that moniker back in the 80s…sigh.

So which camp do you fall in? Or do you hear multiple voices in your head every time you think about the upcoming season??