The 1971 Kansas City Chiefs were one of the best teams in franchise history. The Kansas City Star reports there were 11 Pro Bowl players and five future Pro Football Hall of Fame members on the team. The Chiefs faced an unheralded Miami Dolphins squad on Christmas Day in 1971 in what would turn out to be the longest day in Chiefs’ history. In the annals of NFL history, it was the longest game ever played.

Sports Illustrated reports no less than 12 players, both coaches and the Chiefs’ owner would eventually end up in the hall of fame. The game lasted 82 minutes and 40 seconds, going almost halfway into the second overtime.

The Dolphins won 27-24 on a 37-yard field goal by Garo Yepremian. They advanced all the way to the Super Bowl before Miami lost to the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 24-3.

There were many stars for the Chiefs that day. Quarterback Len Dawson was an efficient 18-for-26 and 246 yards. Unfortunately, Dawson also threw two interceptions. Wendell Hayes rushed 22 times for 100 yards. The true master of the game was Ed Podolak who had 350 all-purpose yards. He rushed for 85, caught 110 yards’ worth of Dawson’s passes, scored two touchdowns and had 156 yards in returns.

But it still wasn’t enough. Normally reliable Jan Stenerud, the only pure placekicker in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, missed two field goals and had one blocked. He missed a 29-yard kick, a 31-yard try with 35 seconds left in the game and had a 32-yard kick blocked. Stenerud was just 1-for-4 with a make in the first quarter.

The Chiefs squandered a first quarter lead that ballooned to 10-0. To make matters worse, it was a home game that was supposed to be a Christmas gift to Chiefs’ fans.

Had the Chiefs made just one more field goal in that game, they might have advanced to the next round. Another Super Bowl berth would have given Kansas City three title games in the first four years of the AFL-NFL title game.

Imagine the fortunes of the Chiefs and their fans if Kansas City had a dynasty in the early 1970s. After the Hall of Fame players moved on, the Chiefs languished in oblivion for 20 years until the 1990s.

Alas, the franchise is still waiting for its next playoff glory. It may still come this year, albeit that would take some help.

If you want to see portions of the historic game, the NFL Network will air a one-hour special on the game Dec. 25 at 6 p.m. ET as a 40th anniversary presentation.

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

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Here we go. Just a day before the Oakland Raiders face the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. I have a feeling this game should have a warning that reads, “People with heart problems should not ride.” This will more than likely be a high scoring game and come down to a battle between the quarterbacks, and the Raiders’ defense will need to force the Chiefs into turnovers in addition to holding their penalties to a minimum.

Carson Palmer on the field before Broncos Raiders game Nov 6 2011
K.C. Dermody

As always, we don’t have a crystal ball to look into and see just exactly what will happen, and anything can happen. But what we can do is compare the two quarterbacks, Carson Palmer and Kyle Orton to get an idea of the possibilities in the Christmas Eve game.

Their previous match up in Oakland should be thrown out the window. Palmer had just arrived into town, and probably shouldn’t have even entered the equation. Orton was playing for the Denver Broncos when Tebow Mania hit and he was booted out.

The Raiders have faced Orton with Denver many times, and in this match up the Chiefs new quarterback is just 1-3 against Oakland. He’s barely over 50% in pass completions. One concerning fact is that Orton has thrown seven interceptions to Palmer’s 13 in 2011; however, three of those came in the infamous game against the Chiefs when he clearly wasn’t ready. Palmer is credited with ten touchdowns this year, compared to Orton’s eight.

Orton clearly went into Green Bay last week and had one of the best performances of his career, completing slightly over 74% of his passes, and threw no interceptions. But there’s a reason Bronco fans were crying for Tebow. Orton contributed to Denver’s four out of five game losses at the start of the season, leaving them with a record of 1-4 at the end of week five.

The last time Palmer faced the Chiefs with the Bengals, he led his team to victory, scoring two touchdowns and completing 17-for-25 passes back on December 27, 2009.

For both quarterbacks, consistency is an issue. There is no question that Orton did a great job against the Packers, but will he have two good performances in a row? I don’t think so.

This is a must win for both teams, but it’s time for the Raiders to show up and play up to the potential we know they’ve got and give the Raider Nation a Christmas present we would most like to have.

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan from the time she could walk. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett . Follow her at www.facebook.com/KCDermodyWriter or on Twitter @kcdermody.

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ESPN reports interim head coach Romeo Crennel has picked up two endorsements for a permanent head coaching position with the Kansas City Chiefs. Offensive coordinator Bill Muir said that Crennel’s “demeanor” fits well with the players. Outside linebacker and sackmaster Tamba Hali said he would “love” to see Crennel’s game plan on a regular basis.

Crennel has been the head of the team since Todd Haley’s firing Dec. 12. The Chiefs responded with a convincing 19-14 win over the previously unbeaten Green Bay Packers.

The Kansas City Star quoted Muir saying the positive changes for the Chiefs were probably due to the new interim coach. The Chiefs are still in the hunt for the playoffs, but they need help.

Crennel’s certainly made a statement in his first game. He accomplished what 19 NFL teams before Dec. 18 couldn’t do, which was to defeat the Packers. If the Chiefs can win out and make the playoffs, I would wager the job is his for the taking.

The former defensive coordinator used to be the head coach for the Cleveland Browns where he amassed a 24-40 record. Crennel was also the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots under Bill Belichick. After taking a year off in 2009, Crennel was brought on in 2010 as the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator.

Now is his chance at redemption. The years in Cleveland were bittersweet. Crennel’s lone winning season was 2007 when the Browns went 10-6 and tied for first in the NFC North but missed the playoffs thanks to losing both head-to-head matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 2007 Browns are one of just a few 10-6 NFL teams to miss the playoffs.

That’s good that the players and personnel around Crennel like him. It’s a good sign he might get the job after the season is over. Winning two more games, or at least giving the Chiefs a chance to win, will go a long way from the inconsistencies during the Haley era.

Should the Chiefs win the AFC West, fans will start asking “Todd who?” when referring to the 2011 season. Haley’s part of the struggle in 2011 needs to be forgotten in a hurry.

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

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Should quarterback Kyle Orton pull off a second straight week of smart passing, the Kansas City Chiefs will keep their playoff hopes alive. The Chiefs host the Oakland Raiders Dec. 24 in a game featuring two teams that have mimicked each other since last they met.

The Chiefs beat the Raiders 28-0 in Oakland after Jason Campbell went down with a season-ending collarbone break. Carson Palmer took over but hadn’t figured out the offense yet. Since that game, Kansas City should have improved but instead endured a four-game losing streak and a 3-5 record. Oakland has had similar woes. Palmer got better but the Raiders are currently in the middle of a three game losing streak and have gone 3-4 since the shutout loss.

Orton was picked up on waivers from the Denver Broncos after Matt Cassel’s hand injury ended his season. He played one game and knocked the Green Bay Packers from the ranks of the unbeaten. Orton’s efficiency was remarkable. He completed 23 of 31 passes for 299 yards for the Chiefs. Ironically, he had near-similar numbers on Oct. 2 when the Broncos lost to Green Bay when he was 22-for-32.

In 2010, Orton had six games with nearly the same efficiency in Denver. Of those, only two were victories. The difference with the Chiefs is the defense. Denver’s defense kept opposing offenses on the field too long and Orton wasn’t able to work to his potential in 2010. Kansas City’s vaunted secondary is another matter.

Given enough time on the field, Orton has shown he can perform just fine and keep an NFL team in the game. Plus he’s done better than both of his predecessors at quarterback this year.

Another thing to consider is the gaping hole in the Raiders’ defense. They are 29th in the NFL in points given up with 27.3 points per game. They also allow around 235 yards per game passing. Yet Orton’s passing number should eclipse that total if history serves. Only five games in 2010 did Orton have fewer than 235 yards passing.

Palmer has had good outings in 2011. Only twice has the thrown for under 200 yards (once against the Chiefs in his first game back). Yet the secondary, as well as pass rushing, has improved markedly for Kansas City in the past three games. Palmer will be under fire the entire game.

All things being equal, Orton’s performance on Christmas Eve may once again save the playoff chances for the Chiefs.

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

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With the Oakland Raiders facing the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Eve morning, a win by the Silver and Black would make it a much merrier Christmas for the Raider Nation. With the way things have gone this season, I wouldn’t place any bets, but I truly believe we’re going to see a victory for out team on Saturday. Please, Santa? We might have been naughty on occasion, but in general fans of the Raiders have been a good bunch this year, and it’s time we’re treated to a win for Christmas. I don’t think it’s too much to ask.

Darrius Heyward-Bey
Wikimedia Commons

The Raiders are slightly favored over the Chiefs by 2.5 points, not that it really makes a difference one way or another, but I believe Oakland is going to come out on fire Saturday and ready to win. They played well during three and a half quarters last Sunday against the Lions and if they can hang on for four this time, we’ll get our much deserved Christmas present.

The Silver and Black have to be frustrated after losing their last three, and coming so close last time. They’re ticked off, and they should be. They had to play Kansas City just after Jason Campbell was taken down and quarterback Carson Palmer had just arrived. He was in no way ready, throwing three interceptions in the second half, and was partially responsible for the team’s 28-0 loss.

Palmer has developed a rhythm now, and though he wasn’t at his best against the Dolphins or the Packers, he was much improved against Detroit, completing 32 of 40 pass attempts for 367 yards, and scoring a touchdown. And this time, no interceptions.

That’s what we need this Saturday. Palmer at his best, another great day by receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, and a stellar job on defense especially, forcing the Chiefs’ to as many turnovers as possible. And, keep the penalties to a minimum guys.

Yes, the Chiefs beat the Green Bay Packers, but as we all know, anything can happen in football, it does, and it did last Sunday. I don’t believe they have it in them to fight another tough battle which is what the Raiders will bring in week 15.

Whether running back Darren McFadden or receiver Jacoby Ford will make a return in the second to last game of the season remains to be seen. Both players were running at practice on Tuesday, which is a good sign, but they still weren’t actually involved in practice. I’d give Ford a slightly better chance than McFadden for making an appearance in Kansas City.

The Silver and Black will have to work with whatever they’ve got, and just win baby!

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan from the time she could walk. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett . Follow her at www.facebook.com/KCDermodyWriter or on Twitter @kcdermody.

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The rejuvenated Kansas City Chiefs host the Oakland Raiders Dec. 24 in a Christmas Eve game that means something for both teams. The Chiefs are coming off a monumental upset of the Green Bay Packers. The Raiders have a three game losing streak and went down in defeat in the final seconds to the Detroit Lions.

Here are five things to watch as the two heated rivals meet once again.

Secondary

The Chiefs’ secondary did a stellar job against Aaron Rodgers and Packers. Rodgers had season lows in several passing categories including completion percentage, quarterback rating and touchdown passes. The Chiefs will have to keep up the intensity against Carson Palmer. Palmer had a great game against the Detroit Lions when he was 32-for-40 and 367 yards in a losing cause.

Sacks

Tamba Hali finally had a breakout game this season against the Packers. Last year’s AFC sackmaster got to Rodgers three times and completely disrupted Green Bay’s offense. The defensive line and Hali will have to do the same thing against the Raiders to keep the Chiefs in the game.

New Head Coach

Romeo Crennel won his head coaching debut in an interim capacity when the Chiefs beat the Packers. The team was having fun, full of energy and Crennel was doused with Gatorade after the victory. Can Todd Haley’s successor keep the team focused for another victory? One more win should give upper management an idea of who their new head coach should be next season.

Kyle Orton

Kyle Orton had the best passing game of the season for the Chiefs when he had a great game against the Packers. He has a lot to prove after being let go by the Denver Broncos. If he can have a second great outing in a row, injured starter Matt Cassel may be relegated to a backup role in his career once again.

Running Game

One thing that has been lacking with the Chiefs this season has been a lack of a running game. Running by committee has been decent and defenses are kept guessing when different runners come into the game. Jackie Battle has been a pleasant surprise and he’s been the only Chief to have a 100-yard rushing game. He had 109 yards on 19 carries at the Indianapolis Colts. The Raiders give up 135 yards per game rushing, 26th worse in the NFL. Crennel and the offensive line need to exploit the porous defense and run wild.

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

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Ryan Succop is on the cusp of having a record-breaking year kicking field goals for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Kansas City Star reports Succop has made 21 consecutive field goals which is second all-time for the Chiefs. He is tied with Nick Lowery who made 21 straight kicks in both 1990 and 1991.

The record is 22 field goals in a row, set by Pete Stoyanovich from 1997-1998 over two seasons. Just two more kicks and the record belongs to Succop.

The season didn’t start out well at all for the placekicker. The NFL lockout might have affected Succop’s performance in the beginning of the season. He started out making only one of his first four attempts over the first three games. One 38-yard miss in the first quarter against the San Diego Chargers on Sept. 25 could have given the Chiefs at least a tie by the end of regulation.

Since the 4:52 mark of the first quarter against the Chargers, Succop hasn’t missed. He buried 33-yarder later in the game to move the Chiefs to within a touchdown.

The best game of the season was a 5-for-5 performance against the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 2. The Chiefs won 22-17 in that game, the first victory of the season. In a recent game against the Green Bay Packers, Succop hit all four kicks en route to sending the Pack to their first loss on the season.

Succop has also hit from distance. He hit a 54-yarder against Minnesota and a 53 yarder against the New York Jets. Not bad for someone who has been in the NFL for just three years.

Succop’s success is a two-edged sword. It’s great that the Chiefs now have a reliable kicker. Unfortunately, many of Succop’s field goals have come from within 20 yards. That means the offense has sputtered in the red zone and Kansas City isn’t converting many touchdowns.

At least Kansas City can say they have a kicker for life should they decide to keep Succop. At this point, he’s having the best year of his young career. He missed four field goals out of 29 attempts in 2009. He failed on six tries out of 26 last season. His perfection from beyond 50 yards in 2011 is a personal best.

Two more makes without a miss and Succop owns the franchise record for consecutive field goals. He still has a way to go to set the all-time NFL record. Mike Vanderjagt of the Indianapolis Colts holds the record of 42 consecutive field goals from 2002 to 2004.

In a season of inconsistent play on both sides of the ball for the Chiefs, Succop has turned into one of the bright spots for the franchise.

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

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The Green Bay Packers (13-0) take on the Kansas City Chiefs (5-8) at Kansas City on December 18th, 2011. These two teams are headed in opposite directions. Green Bay has clinched not only the NFC North title, but also a first round bye in the playoffs. The Chiefs are in last place in the AFC West and have lost five of their last six.

Part of the reason the Chiefs are in last place is their inability to score. They have scored just 173 points in 13 games, last in the AFC and second worst in the NFL. Some of this can be attributed to key injuries. Running back Jamaal Charles rushed for nearly 1500 yards in 2010 but went out for the season with a torn ACL back in September. Starting quarterback Matt Cassel went on injured reserve in November. Green Bay is the highest scoring team in the NFL with 466 points, so Kansas City will have to keep quarterback Aaron Rodgers and company off the field to have any chance of winning.

The Chiefs do have a fairly good pass defense, allowing 209.3 yards per game, tenth best in the NFL. They’ll need to bring their A game, as Rodgers is the league’s top rated quarterback with a QB rating of 123.3. He has 39 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. Back on November 21st the league’s second rated quarterback, New England’s Tom Brady, threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns against the Chiefs in the Patriots’ 34-3 victory. Kansas City can’t allow a similar performance from Rodgers.

The Packers will be without the services of Greg Jennings (949 receiving yards, nine touchdowns) until the playoffs, but they have so many capable receivers it just means more chances for everybody else. Jordy Nelson has 10 touchdown receptions and 957 yards, James Jones has five TD’s, and the venerable Donald Driver has four, including two in the Packers’ victory over the New York Giants on December 4th. With Jennings out, I would expect to see more of KR/WR Randall Cobb on passing downs. Rodgers also has thrown eight TD passes to tight ends, including six to Jermichael Finley. Again, with Jennings out , I would expect Rodgers to utilize the tight ends even more.

There is more bad news for Kansas City’s defense. Green Bay rediscovered the running game in their 46-16 rout of the Oakland Raiders on December 11th. Ryan Grant rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns, and Green Bay had a total of 136 rushing yards for the game.

The Packers simply have too much offense for the Chiefs to overcome. Green Bay will improve to 14-0, and in doing so, secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Mark Hudziak is a Featured Contributor in Sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. He has been a fan of the Green Bay Packers since the Vince Lombardi Era.

Sources:

Yahoo! Sports Green Bay Packers team site

Yahoo! Sports Kansas City Chiefs team site

Statistics from Yahoo! Sports NFL

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Todd Haley was fired as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are 5-8, one loss away from officially being eliminated from the playoffs with three games left. Their next home game is against the Green Bay Packers who are undefeated at 13-0.

Firing Haley, whether I agree with it or not, was timed well enough to ensure a longer process of finding a head coach. Even though Haley dealt with team injuries, the reason for the team’s lack of performance rests solely on the head coach.

Several things can be taken from Haley’s firing. First is that unlike the Indianapolis Colts who still have head coach Jim Caldwell after an 0-13 start, the Chiefs know that football is a team sport. Somehow the Colts lost Peyton Manning for the season and suddenly can’t win squat after being regular playoff contenders for a decade. Kansas City doesn’t rely on just one player as evidenced by several guys who stepped up this year in a pinch.

At least GM Scott Pioli realized the season wasn’t tanked just because of massive injuries, which weren’t necessarily Haley’s fault. The NFL lockout, partially caused by the owners such as Clark Hunt, may also be to blame as player’s fitness levels weren’t up to speed.

There are several teams worse that Kansas City this year who still have their head coaches. That is inexplicable to me. It’s a good thing that the Chiefs’ top brass has higher standards than the rest of the NFL.

Haley almost had his job intact. The two games before the debacle against the New York Jets Dec. 11 were actually very good defensive efforts against the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet the games on either side of the decent outings were horrible. Three points against the New England Patriots and just 10 against the Jets may have helped end Haley’s season prematurely.

At least it’s not 2008 when Kansas City went 2-14. Even though the scorelines of games were better, mounting losses led to Herm Edwards’s firing. A 54-31 thrashing at the hands of the Buffalo Bills was difficult to take in the middle of the 2008 season. Seven games were decided by a touchdown or less in that dismal year. Yet in 2011, only three of the eight losses have been within reach of a victory.

The offense has sputtered all year long. The defense is the unit that has sent the team on a roller coaster of highs and lows. At least the defense stepped up for some games instead of tanking all of them.

Hopefully interim head coach Romeo Crennel can at least make the team respectable over the final three games of the season.

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

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The Kansas City Chiefs website unobtrusively announced Dec. 12 that head coach Todd Haley was “relieved of duties.” General manager Scott Pioli cited a “lack of meaningful progress” when dismissing the third-year coach. Then a press conference was held later in the day.

A lack of consistency in the season was also a factor in the firing. Injuries are a huge reason why the Chiefs haven’t played well. However, it was how Haley handled the preseason and lack of training camp that also may have been a reason for his firing.

Haley’s “plan” was to work on strength and conditioning during drills and preseason practice. Instead of having normal football practices like other teams, Haley went easier on his players. It showed up on the field later in the season.

Kansas City is 5-8 on the year despite the major injuries to key players like Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles and Matt Cassel later in the season. Haley may or may not have deserved to be fired mid-season. Clearly there is plenty of frustration to go around in 2011. When it comes to the general manager’s job or the head coach, the GM is the boss. He’s going to save his butt first.

If the next head coach doesn’t pan out, then Pioli’s own job may be on the line. Yet his firing may have more to do with a personality conflict than anything else. Take the counter example of the Indianapolis Colts. They haven’t won a game yet this year and head coach Jim Caldwell is the still head coach. ESPN reported Nov. 29 that Caldwell fired his defensive coordinator just days before facing the New England Patriots.

USA Today reports defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel will take over the team for the next three weeks.

Haley’s dismissal came at a perfect time, if there is such a thing for an NFL head coach’s mid-season dismissal. The Chiefs are all but out of the playoff hunt. They are about to play the undefeated Green Bay Packers on Dec. 18. If Crennel can pull off a miracle and win three games, there just might be a case for him to be hired as the head coach.

I feel bad for Haley in a way. He had some brilliant move and yet was never truly a good enough head coach. More often than not, his plan would backfire whether he had a game plan with too many passing plays or tried inexplicable trick plays to get ahead.

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

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The Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs dismissed their head coaches—Tony Sparano and Todd Haley, respectively—on Dec. 12 with just three games left in the season, creating a puzzling question: Why now?

Despite their 4-9 record, the Dolphins are on an upswing, recovering from an 0-7 start to go 4-2 over the past six weeks. They’ll finish with a losing record and miss the playoffs this season, but that was pretty much a done deal at 0-7. With three games left in the season, what’s the point in firing Sparano now?

The Chiefs also got off to a slow start with three straight losses to open the 2011 season before ripping off four consecutive victories. However, Kansas City has lost five of its last six games and sits at 5-8 on the year. As with the Dolphins—perhaps even more so, since the Chiefs are technically still alive for a playoff spot, and Haley just led the Chiefs to the AFC West title last season—what’s the point in firing Haley now?

It’s a curious move by each team. Certainly, if management wasn’t happy with the coaches, the coaches should be removed, but in-season? And with just a few games left? That seems more disruptive than it’s worth. Just ride out the season and make a coaching change in a month or so.

I’m well aware that fans in Miami and Kansas City wanted Sparano’s and Haley’s heads on pikes a long time ago, but do those fans really think that Todd Bowles and Romeo Crennel—he of the 24-40 coaching record with the Cleveland Browns—are going to do any better the rest of the way? Even if they do, and the teams go 3-0 down the stretch, how is a 7-9 or 8-8 record going to help anyone? It would seem that at this point, moving up the draft order ladder would be more beneficial.

The Rationale

“The results speak for themselves,” said Dolphins owner Stephen Ross about Sparano’s termination. “We’re looking to becoming a winning organization, and I thought this was the best time to make the change and let us go in a direction that will allow us to become that.”

Uh huh. I guess I’m just not seeing how firing your head coach with three games left is going to point the team in the direction of becoming a winning organization.

“Timing in these situations is always difficult. There never seems to be a right time,” said Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt about Haley. “We just felt the inconsistent play the team has experienced throughout the season, including yesterday’s game, made today the right day to do it.”

Interesting. Have you seen the guys who are on your roster, Mr. Hunt? Or more accurately, have you seen the guys who aren’t on your roster?

The Chiefs

In Kansas City, the inconsistent play might be a result of season-ending injuries to starting quarterback Matt Cassel, starting running back Jamaal Charles, starting tight end Tony Moeaki, Pro Bowl defensive back Eric Berry, and linebacker Brandon Siler. Just a thought. It tends to put a damper on things when you lose all of those key positions to injury.

The Chiefs are left with Tyler Palko, who has been abysmal, at quarterback, but they made a shrewd move by picking up Kyle Orton off waivers after he was released by the Denver Broncos. Orton, however, lasted all of one play before he dislocated a finger in his throwing hand. Back to Palko went the Chiefs.

Kansas City certainly has room to improve, but given the rash of injuries at vital positions, coupled with Haley’s very recent success in the AFC West, his firing strikes me as throwing the baby out with the bath water.

The Dolphins

The Dolphins also lost their starting quarterback, Chad Henne, to a season-ending injury, and their second-stringer, Matt Moore, just got his bell rung and gave way to J.P. Losman in the team’s 16-point loss to Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles. Prior to that, the team’s only loss in the past five games was by one point to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

Low home attendance figures seem to have contributed to Sparano’s demise, but Miami only has one remaining home game: January 1 against the New York Jets. Is firing Sparano now going to pack the house on New Year’s Day? I tend to doubt it.

If the rationale is that the Dolphins want to pursue a high-profile head coach like Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, or Jeff Fisher, they certainly shouldn’t feel the need to dispose of Sparano first. After all, they publicly courted Jim Harbaugh in the off-season while Sparano was still in place. It doesn’t seem to bother the Dolphins organization at all to treat its head coach that way.

So I’m baffled by the timing. Why now?

Believe me, I understand wanting to see a head coach move on down the road. I’m a fan of the Indianapolis Colts. I probably don’t have to tell you how disastrous this season has been. Jim Caldwell can’t hit the bricks soon enough after the final gun on the season, as far as I’m concerned, but we’re well past the point of no return on the 2011 campaign. There is absolutely nothing to gain by firing Caldwell at this juncture. In fact, if you look at it through the Andrew Luck lens, there’s a lot to lose by winning our final three games.

Perhaps the Dolphins and the Chiefs will soon show me the light and I’ll see the error of my ways. But for now, I have a hard time understanding how the terminations of these two head coaches at this point in time is anything but detrimental to the teams.

The author is a Featured Contributor in Sports for Yahoo! Contributor Network. You can follow him on Twitter at @RedZoneWriting and on Facebook.

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The Kansas City Chiefs have had a disappointing year in 2011. Most of the reason was due to a slew of injuries to key players starting with Tony Moeaki, Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry. Later in the season it was Matt Cassel who went down with a season-ending hand injury.

It could always be worse. Here are five reasons why.

Not the Indianapolis Colts

The Chiefs are 5-8 after 13 games. The Indianapolis Colts, without their star quarterback Peyton Manning all season long, are winless at 0-13. Even though the Colts will likely get the top pick in the NFL Draft next year, at least the Chiefs haven’t sunk to their level.

Nine Teams Lower

Nine out of 32 NFL teams have a worse record than Kansas City. The Chiefs are at the bottom of the heap in the AFC West, but at least they have more victories than nine other franchises. If you count other teams with a 5-8 record, Kansas City is even or better than 11 teams, a full third of the league. Believe it or not, Kansas City is a middle of the pack team overall.

Steady Improvement

The Chiefs were steadily improving at one point in the season. Even without Cassel, former backup Tyler Palko has also gotten better with each game this year. The difficulty is that football is a team sport. Granted the quarterback is an important position, but clearly that player isn’t everything to the Chiefs organization.

Young Guys

Many of the players on the team are younger and will only get better in the next few seasons. The Chiefs will be a very skilled team by 2013 and 2014 when last year’s draft picks mature into better players. Unlike other franchises that never seem to get better even with draft picks, the Chiefs have a load of quality, young players around which to build a future.

St. Louis Rams

Perhaps the St. Louis Rams have deflected some of the problems with Kansas City this year. The other Missouri team is 2-11 and scores even fewer points than the Chiefs. Two bad teams in one state doesn’t bode well for NFL fans in Missouri, but at least the Chiefs have bragging rights at this point.

At least the team won’t finish 2-14 like it did in 2008. The low of the low that season was giving up 54 points to the Buffalo Bills.

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

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The Kansas City Chiefs take on the New York Jets Dec. 11. The game is considered a must-win for both teams as the Chiefs are still in the hunt for an AFC West title with four games left and two games behind the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos. The Jets need a victory to keep pace with the New England Patriots.

Here are five keys to victory for the Chiefs as they fight for their playoff lives.

Red Zone Defense

The Chiefs played fantastic defense in the red zone against the Chicago Bears Dec. 4. They limited Caleb Hanie and the Bears to just three points. Kansas City got an interception in the end zone after the Bears drove to the 13-yard line in the fourth quarter.

Field Position

Field position was another reason reason the Chiefs beat the Bears. Chicago started many of their drives inside their own 30. Dustin Colquitt got some good punt coverage and returner Devin Hester was contained all game long.

Sustained Drives

In what was perhaps the best drive of the 2011 season, backup-turned-starter Tyler Palko started on his own 11 early in the second half after a special teams penalty. A 15-play, 86-yard drive stalled on the three yard line and Ryan Succop kicked a field goal for a 10-3 lead. Although the Chiefs should have gotten a touchdown instead of a field goal, that one particular drive proved Kansas City can move the ball on offense.

The drive to end the second quarter was equally as impressive. The Chiefs started on their own 13 and ran 16 plays in just over four minutes. That’s the kind of offense Kansas City needs against the Jets.

Running Game

The Jets give up nearly 113 yards rushing per game. Jackie Battle and company need to take it to the Jets linebackers and run early and often. Combining a sustained drive with lots of runs to put New York on its heels quickly.

Stifle the Offense

New York is the perfect team for the Chiefs to play on the road. They only have 310 yards of offense every game. Scoring 20 points is the key for both teams. The Jets are 7-5. Three of those losses had New York score under 20 points. The Chiefs are the same way. When they score more than 20 points, Kansas City wins. Only the victory against the Bears had the Chiefs win when scoring less than 20 in a game this season.

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Charlie Weis left the team after the 2010 season to become the offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators. Weis has accepted the job of becoming the head coach of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. Kansas finished 2-10 overall and was a dismal 0-9 in the Big 12.

That means he will not be with the Gators as they play in the Gator Bowl. It’s an interesting thing that he chose to abandon his team before the end of his term. It was the same basic thing he did in Kansas City. As the Chiefs were wrapping up the AFC West division title last year, the team lost its last two games in a row and bowed out in the first round of the NFL playoffs.

Weis has never truly been settled with one team. He spent time with Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots and won three Super Bowls on his staff. But since that time, success has been fleeting for the aging coach. Weis was supposed to turn around a struggling Notre Dame program but was let go nearly halfway through a 10-year contract. Florida barely became bowl-eligible this year with a 6-6 record in the brutal Southeastern Conference.

Weis probably won’t last long at Kansas based upon his past credentials. Most college programs give head coaches at least four years to turn around a program. I predict Weis will last five years, tops. He’s never truly been settled and is rarely loyal in terms of coaching a program.

Weis didn’t even stay with head coach Todd Haley of the Chiefs for over a season. Both men are disciples of Belichick. There were rumors Haley and Weis didn’t get along. Yet the former Chiefs’ coordinator has been playing musical chairs with coaching positions. All of Weis’ former teams can’t be wrong. Did he have personality conflicts with other teams too?

Only time will tell how Weis does in Kansas. College football programs need time to rebuild. Unlike Notre Dame, the standards for success with the Jayhawks will be set much lower. A top four finish in the Big 12 will be enough to please booster in Lawrence.

The question remains as to whether or not KU’s new head coach can stand to be around his colleagues. Just because the team looks decent on the field doesn’t mean everyone is singing the Alleluia Chorus in the coach’s office.

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.