Clayton: Chiefs-Chargers could end DV era

[Chiefs Pantalones]

For the Kansas City Chiefs, Saturday's game against the Chargers is more than a game. It could end a short era.

The Dick Vermeil portion of the Chiefs' history could be coming to an end. He's 69, but his mind and body are young. Vermeil wants to give Lamar Hunt and team president and close friend Carl Peterson a trip to the Super Bowl. Although Vermeil hasn't made a decision, it's unlikely he will return if he can't get this team into the playoffs.

As he's finding, the AFC road to the Super Bowl is much together than the road he took through the NFC with the Rams in 1999. The AFC has more established and elite quarterbacks. During Vermeil's time in Kansas City, the Patriots emerged as a three-time Super Bowl champion that was going to be hard for anyone to stop. Ask the Colts, who tried and failed. Now, it could be the Colts' time.



Barring a drastic turn of events, Vermeil will probably head into retirement after the season.Vermeil loves pro football and the game loves him. So does his team. Hunt, Peterson and the players would love to see Vermeil return. But Vermeil is a realist. The team is getting old. Despite having three Pro Bowlers on the offensive line, Vermeil experienced how tough it is for Willie Roaf and others to bounce back from injuries. As he said during the preseason, if he can't get this team to the Super Bowl, he might move aside for a younger person.

At 8-6, the Chiefs are in a tough spot, and even a victory over the Chargers might not help. The late-season schedule has been brutal for the Chiefs, who have faced nothing but playoff teams. The good news for Vermeil is they finish the season with two home games: Saturday against the Chargers and next week against the Bengals. The problem is, even if the Chiefs win those two games, their wild-card bid is all but over if San Diego beats the Broncos next week. The Chargers would get the spot based on the common opponent tiebreaker. The Chiefs would need the Jaguars and Steelers to collapse in the last two weeks.

The Chargers also are scrambling. Everyone acknowledges this might be one of the most talented teams to ever miss the playoffs, and the Chargers don't want that distinction. Their schedule has been brutal. If the Dolphins finish with a winning record, the Chargers would end up facing 11 teams with winning records. If the Jaguars win out and finish 12-4 and the Steelers beat two teams with losing records -- Cleveland and Detroit -- the Chargers could become the first 11-win team in 20 years to miss the playoffs.

As with most top AFC West matchups, the home team usually prevails. The Chargers manhandled the Chiefs at home in October in a game that wasn't as close as the final score, 28-20. And the Chargers snapped a seven-game losing streak in Arrowhead by pulling out a 34-31 victory last season, giving them a three-game overall winning streak against K.C.

Vermeil has been consistent. He doesn't lose December games in Arrowhead. Even including last year's loss to San Diego, the Chiefs have outscored the Chargers 232-107 in the past eight games in Arrowhead.

This game figures to be high scoring. Both teams have potent offenses. Both teams are desperate and will try anything to win. Both teams are creative and well coached. It should be a classic.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

So if we don't make the playoffs, DV will most likely retire...

[greg63]

I think DV is headed for retirement.

[ptlyon]

I think DV is headed for retirement.

and maybe even the nursing home

[StcChief]

As he's finding, the AFC road to the Super Bowl is much together than the road he took through the NFC with the Rams in 1999. The AFC has more established and elite quarterbacks. During Vermeil's time in Kansas City, the Patriots emerged as a three-time Super Bowl champion that was going to be hard for anyone to stop. Ask the Colts, who tried and failed. Now, it could be the Colts' time.


DV is done. I said this to Lambs fans here, with their
lucky SB win over Titans.

[alpha_omega]

Both teams are ... and well coached.

Not sure which Chiefs team Clayton has been watching.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

DV is done. I said this to Lambs fans here, with their
lucky SB win over Titans.

Yeah, it kind of explains the whole whining about the schedule thing Vermeil does. DV is not used to playing against good teams.

[tk13]

Yeah, it kind of explains the whole whining about the schedule thing Vermeil does. DV is not used to playing against good teams.
Well, I said this before the season and got blasted for it, but DV's right. I don't think this season has really changed my mind. The teams with the easy schedules make the playoffs and have the good numbers. Look at the Colts, Seahawks, Bears, Bengals, Jaguars, etc... I've seen people argue how all of those teams benefit from easy schedules. Well that may be, but they're gonna be sitting pretty come playoff time.

[BigRedChief]

This is the game of the week because of the playoff ramifications. Both teams need this game badly to make the playoffs and I look forward to sitting down and watching these two teams fight for their playoff lives.
-- Joe Theismann

[BigRedChief]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/preview?gameId=251224012
ESPN preview of the game

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Well, I said this before the season and got blasted for it, but DV's right. I don't think this season has really changed my mind. The teams with the easy schedules make the playoffs and have the good numbers. Look at the Colts, Seahawks, Bears, Bengals, Jaguars, etc... I've seen people argue how all of those teams benefit from easy schedules. Well that may be, but they're gonna be sitting pretty come playoff time.

I can see that. I guess the times are over of the teams that will go out and beat good teams to make the playoffs. Every team is somewhat close, so the only thing that separates them is the schedule of teams that aren't quite there? Paridy is in full force then.

[Bob Dole]

Bob Dole's feeling is that we'll just mail it in and seal DV's fate...

[FringeNC]

Well, I said this before the season and got blasted for it, but DV's right. I don't think this season has really changed my mind. The teams with the easy schedules make the playoffs and have the good numbers. Look at the Colts, Seahawks, Bears, Bengals, Jaguars, etc... I've seen people argue how all of those teams benefit from easy schedules. Well that may be, but they're gonna be sitting pretty come playoff time.

Don't we get the easy schedule next year?

[chefsos]

Don't we get the easy schedule next year?
Well, we DO get the NFC West/AFC North, FWIW, but things tend to change. Who knows? Arizona may become a powerhouse.

[Frazod]

If losing to San Diego is what it takes to get rid of that douchebag, then GO CHARGERS.

I've had enough of DICK. 4321

[Deberg_1990]

If losing to San Diego is what it takes to get rid of that douchebag, then GO CHARGERS.

I've had enough of DICK. 4321

Same here, but what im afraid of is that the Chiefs will come out like a powerhouse big time the next two weeks and still not make the playoffs. It will only give DV and Carl more ammunition for their critics. the DV era Chiefs plays like worldbeaters once there is nothing left to play for.

[Frazod]

Same here, but what im afraid of is that the Chiefs will come out like a powerhouse big time the next two weeks and still not make the playoffs. It will only give DV and Carl more ammunition for their critics. the DV era Chiefs plays like worldbeaters once there is nothing left to play for.

Nothing scares me more. I sure hate to hope we lose, but we have no future until that f#cking idiot goes away.

[Bearcat]

Not sure which Chiefs team Clayton has been watching.

....and for a team named "most talented ever to not make the playoffs" repeatedly by ESPN, I'd guess the Chargers wouldn't be in that category either.

[Calcountry]

Don't we get the easy schedule next year?Maybe, but we will suck more, so it won't matter.

[Calcountry]

Same here, but what im afraid of is that the Chiefs will come out like a powerhouse big time the next two weeks and still not make the playoffs. It will only give DV and Carl more ammunition for their critics. the DV era Chiefs plays like worldbeaters once there is nothing left to play for.I called 10-6 at the beginning of the year, and I am sticking too it.

[Calcountry]

....and for a team named "most talented ever to not make the playoffs" repeatedly by ESPN, I'd guess the Chargers wouldn't be in that category either.The Chargers were the best 3-4 team in the NFL, then the best 4-4 team, etc.

It only figures that they will be the best 11-5 team to NOT make the playoffs. Enjoy it Marty you bitch. Here's hoping to you doing body language on a last second field goal tomorrow and your kicker missing.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Now watch us win our final two, San Diego loses to Denver, and Pitt loses to Cleveland...ROFL

Go away Dick!!!

[stevieray]

Go Chargers! We're tired of DV!

We need someone new to complain about!

[Eleazar]

Go Chargers! We're tired of DV!

We need someone new to complain about!

ROFL

[Abba-Dabba]

Go Chargers! We're tired of DV!

We need someone new to complain about!

It's a performance based industry. You don't perform, your ass is on the line. It's quite simple really. 1 playoff appearance that ended in disaster in 5yrs isn't performing. The expectations were too high with DV. People thought that DV would bring them to a SB because of his success with the other teams he had coached. I remember saying that the Chiefs were back at the time DV was hired was a win-win situation for him. I remember saying that it still looks good in the end to take 2 out of 3 teams you coached to the SB. I didn't think that DV would bring us to a SB so I was one of the few that wanted to keep Gunther. I realize now that wanting to keep Gunther was a mistake. I also realize now that the same can be said with wanting to keep DV.

The time has come for him to move on. It's not about hating or having disdain for DV. It's about realizing that the ship has run it's course and change is needed to progress the organization in a different direction.

[siberian khatru]

Maybe, but we will suck more, so it won't matter.

This franchise has been all about missed opportunities for the last 17 years.

[htismaqe]

It's a performance based industry. You don't perform, your ass is on the line. It's quite simple really. 1 playoff appearance that ended in disaster in 5yrs isn't performing. The expectations were too high with DV. People thought that DV would bring them to a SB because of his success with the other teams he had coached. I remember saying that the Chiefs were back at the time DV was hired was a win-win situation for him. I remember saying that it still looks good in the end to take 2 out of 3 teams you coached to the SB. I didn't think that DV would bring us to a SB so I was one of the few that wanted to keep Gunther. I realize now that wanting to keep Gunther was a mistake. I also realize now that the same can be said with wanting to keep DV.

The time has come for him to move on. It's not about hating or having disdain for DV. It's about realizing that the ship has run it's course and change is needed to progress the organization in a different direction.

Excellent post.

[siberian khatru]

The time has come for him to move on. It's not about hating or having disdain for DV. It's about realizing that the ship has run it's course and change is needed to progress the organization in a different direction.

The same applies to Carl, although he will be much harder to dislodge.

It's not personal. It's just business.

[htismaqe]

Go Chargers! We're tired of DV!

We need someone new to complain about!

Come on, Stevie.

This is about HOPE.

I FULLY supported Vermeil when he arrived. I defended him 100% on this message board for a long, long time.

Why?

Because he was different. He knew the value of a feature RB. He could build the offense we never had under Marty. He represented a chance to escape the failures of the previous 10 years. And most of all, he'd won a Super Bowl.

In short, he gave me HOPE.

He's the #1 reason that hope is now gone. I, for one, won't be complaining about a new coach anytime soon, because I'll once again have some hope.

[siberian khatru]

Come on, Stevie.

This is about HOPE.

I FULLY supported Vermeil when he arrived. I defended him 100% on this message board for a long, long time.

Why?

Because he was different. He knew the value of a feature RB. He could build the offense we never had under Marty. He represented a chance to escape the failures of the previous 10 years. And most of all, he'd won a Super Bowl.

In short, he gave me HOPE.

He's the #1 reason that hope is now gone. I, for one, won't be complaining about a new coach anytime soon, because I'll once again have some hope.

A new coach has five years to get it done. After that, I turn on him like a cornered, rabid wolverine who hasn't eaten in a week.

[htismaqe]

A new coach has five years to get it done. After that, I turn on him like a cornered, rabid wolverine who hasn't eaten in a week.

I probably would have given DV 5 years had he not agreed to bring back Gunther.

[greg63]

and maybe even the nursing home

ROFLROFLROFLROFL