Most NFL coaches don’t stay unemployed for long. The Associated Press reports former Kansas City Chiefs’ head coach Todd Haley, who was fired in mid-December, has interviewed for the offensive coordinator job with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers finished 12th in the NFL in yards and 21st in points scored. The Chiefs were even worse on offense. They were 31st in points scored and 27th in total yards.

The Arizona Republic reported in mid-January that a return to Haley’s old staff with the Arizona Cardinals seemed doubtful. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt is happy with his offensive coordinator and Haley would have to start lower on the totem pole in Phoenix. He was the offensive coordinator in Arizona until he was hired by the Chiefs as a head coach.

The Haley saga continues. He lasted less than three seasons in Kansas City as a head coach. All of the head coaching positions are filled. Now he seems to be going around to different teams seeking a job on the offensive side of the ball.

Teams’ unwillingness to hire Haley may stem from several reasons. First is that new head coaches need a few weeks to settle in. Then the hiring process takes time to whittle down candidates from applicants to interviewees to finalists. Another reason may just be that Haley’s last team on offense was one of the NFL’s worst. Kansas City scored just 13.3 points per game and traveled just 310.8 yards per game.

Yet Haley’s dynamic may change when he’s back at being an offensive coordinator. He only has to worry about one side of the ball and not two as a head coach. There is only one unit Haley needs to rely upon instead of three (including special teams). Some coaches do just fine as lifetime coordinators and never make it to the head coaching ranks.

In short, Haley seems to have been given a valuable life lesson about knowing his limitations. He may eventually work his way into another NFL head coaching job, but only after he spends a few more years soul searching as an offensive coordinator.

There’s nothing wrong with that.

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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Head coach Romeo Crennel of the Kansas City Chiefs will have a new look on his coaching staff in 2012. The team’s official website announced Jan. 30 that Tom McMahon will serve as the special teams coach of the Chiefs next season. He comes to Kansas City after three years down I-70 with the St. Louis Rams. In 2010, the Rams had the third-best punting average. They also led the league with 12 punt returns of 20 yards are more from 2009 and 2010 combined.

McMahon has also served as assistant special teams coaches with the Atlanta Falcons. Before that, he was coaching with the University of Louisville and Utah State. McMahon replaces Steve Hoffman who was not retained by the team after Todd Haley was fired. Two other coaches, both on the offensive side of the ball, were also let go.

Special teams, although not horrible in 2011, need improvement. The kick return game was stagnant in 2011 as there were no special teams touchdowns scored whatsoever. Two field goals were blocked in a game Dec. 24 against the Oakland Raiders, an overtime loss that haunted the team. Had the Chiefs won that game, they would have made the playoffs.

Placekicker Ryan Succop was a bright spot on special teams. ESPN reports he tied Pete Stoyanovich’s franchise record of 22 makes in a row. As such, the team signed him to a five-year, $14 million contract for his hard work.

There is still no word on a new offensive coordinator.

Whoever gets hired to run the offense will have an interesting job in 2012. Key players will be back from injuries. The defense, run by Crennel in 2011, came up big and bailed out the offense several times. The offense was sorely lacking in scoring. The Chiefs’ red zone offense was horrible. They would move the ball just fine until the team got down inside the five with a first a goal situation. Succop had eight field goals from less than 29 yards, meaning the ball was spotted at the 12-yard-line or closer to the end zone.

The Chiefs will likely draft an offensive lineman high in the draft as they need players to replace aging veterans that can open up holes for running backs and who can protect quarterback Matt Cassel.

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 focused on defense in the 2011 NFL Draft . Five of nine players drafted were on defense. Of the offensive players drafted in 2011, only wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin made any steady appearances later in the season. He had one touchdown catch.

In 2010, Jamaal Charles was the second-leading rusher in the AFC with 1,467 yards. He scored five touchdowns on the year. The entire Chiefs team scored five rushing touchdowns in 2011.

Enough already!

It’s time to get the Chiefs back into a running team. Charles will be back from his injury in 2012 and will need a good offensive line. A good blocking team will also protect the quarterback well. Getting the running game going will open up the passing game in dramatic fashion.

The Chiefs drafted Rodney Hudson on the offensive line in the second round from Florida State last year. He started one game for Kansas City.

It’s time for the Chiefs to pick a quality offensive lineman in the first round. General manager Scott Pioli needs to forget the best player available at the time the Chiefs pick 11th or 12th in the draft. They need an offensive lineman, period. Starting center Casey Wiegmann is leaving his retirement plans in the open, according to the Chiefs’ website as of Dec. 30. The aging veteran is an unrestricted free agent this year and will be 39 years old. He has started 175 games in a row and has taken over 11,000 snaps in a row for the Chiefs.

DraftTek.com has a list of offensive linemen available in the 2012 draft. Matt Kalil of USC is generally regarded as the top lineman in the upcoming draft. Riley Reiff may be number two. Should Reiff be selected by the Chiefs, it will be a second straight draft in which the Chiefs selected a player from the University of Iowa.

Jonathan Martin of Stanford is on the list. Perhaps Kansas City should consider his services since Andrew Luck had a dynamite year as quarterback for the Cardinal.

The point is that there should be plenty of great talent on the offensive line available in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. The Chiefs should pick someone who can contribute to the team immediately now that training camp will be a full-time proposition later this summer. Last season, the NFL lockout nixed much of training camp and preparation for 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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There are 17 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2012. The organization announced the list Jan. 7 and there are two former members of the Kansas City Chiefs on the list.

Will Shields and Willie Roaf are two possible candidates for enshrinement in early August should they appear on 80 percent of the ballots. The enshrinement class will be announced Feb. 4, the day before the Super Bowl is played in Indianapolis. The NFL Network will air the official selection at 5:30 p.m. ET that evening.

Shields played 224 games from 1993 to 2006, every single one of them with the Chiefs. This is his first year of eligibility. Shields played in his very first game as a rookie after an injury and was a starter the next week where he stayed on the offensive line as a guard for his entire career. The big man earned 12 straight Pro Bowl berths and is the franchise leader in both starts and games played.

The most amazing thing about Shields is that he never missed a single game once he was in the lineup until he retired. Shields opened up holes for such running backs as Marcus Allen and Priest Holmes. The huge guard also protected quarterbacks such as Joe Montana.

Roaf was a teammate of Shields as the two played on the vaunted Chiefs’ offenses of 2002 and 2003. Both years, Kansas City led the NFL in points scored. The offense also led the AFC in yardage from 2003 to 2005. Roaf earned all-pro honors in three of his four years in Kansas City. His 13-year career was mostly played for the New Orleans Saints before being traded to the Chiefs before the 2002 season.

Both men are equally deserving of enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The fact that two of 17 men on the ballot are former members of the Chiefs leaves a decent chance (11.7 percent) that Kansas City will have another hall of famer. Roaf and Shields are members of the NFL’s all decade team—Roaf for the 1990s and Shields for the 2000s.

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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ESPN reports the Kansas City Chiefs are on the verge of hiring Romeo Crennel as the team’s next head coach. He has been in that position as an interim capacity ever since Todd Haley was relieved of coaching duties in mid-December after a disappointing loss to the New York Jets. Despite interviewing other candidates such as Jeff Fisher and Jack Del Rio, the Chiefs may have already had their man in-house.

Crennel would come into the job with previous head coaching experience. He helmed the Cleveland Browns from 2005 to 2008. He amassed 24-40 record in Cleveland, earning a 10-6 record in 2007, but Crennel failed to lead Cleveland to the playoffs.

He formerly held the job of defensive coordinator with the Chiefs. The defense was the cornerstone of Kansas City’s play this year as the offense sputtered. The unit held the Pittsburgh Steelers to just 13 points back on Nov. 27. They also kept the Green Bay Packers to just 14 points in their only loss of the season to this point.

Crennel is also well-liked. Players joked with him and were all smiles after the victory against the Packers. Had Kansas City won their game against the Oakland Raiders late in the season, they would be hosting the Steelers as opposed to the Denver Broncos.

Two other things helped. Both sides of the ball improved under Crennel’s leadership, not just the defense. The on-field intensity and enjoyment of playing the game of football was apparent when Kansas City took the field for Crennel. His 2-1 record also speaks volumes to general manager Scott Pioli. Positive attitudes are great, but when that translates to victories then the people that write paychecks take notice in professional sports.

Hiring Crennel is an excellent choice. He’s already familiar with the players and upper management. Clearly the defense liked playing with him as players stepped up to fill voids left by injuries.

Crennel’s time as head coach won’t be easy to start the season. He will have a potential quarterback controversy on his hands when Matt Cassel returns from his hand injury. Kyle Orton started the last three games of the year. He had a game of 299 yards passing and 300 yards passing, both of which were season-highs for the club.

Nothing is official as of yet. The Chiefs’ website states when the team is ready to announce a new head coach, a press conference will be scheduled. That press briefing will be broadcast live on the website.

Bring on the Crennel era. It should have happened a lot sooner.

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 calendar year of 2011 wasn’t too kind to the Kansas City Chiefs. Things didn’t start well and then they ended just as abruptly at the end of the 2011 regular season. Here’s a review of what the Kansas City Chiefs did in 2011 from January to December.

Playoff Loss

The Baltimore Ravens came into Arrowhead Stadium and defeated the Chiefs 30-7 back on Jan. 9. The first AFC West title in years was short-lived. The Chiefs were actually ahead 7-3 after a 41-yard touchdown run by Jamaal Charles. Then the Ravens scored 27 unanswered points to leave the home fans wishing for next year.

First Draft Pick

Jonathan Baldwin out of Pittsburgh was the first round draft choice of the Chiefs in April. He is seen as another big-play receiver to give some help to Dwayne Bowe downfield. ESPN reported in mid-August that Baldwin hurt his fist in a locker room fight with running back Thomas Jones. Baldwin would sit out a month while his fist healed. Kansas City got nine draft picks overall. Outside linebacker Justin Houston came around later in the season to have an impact on defense.

Clocks Cleaned

The Chiefs got their clocks cleaned on opening day at Arrowhead Stadium. The Buffalo Bills defeated Kansas City by a score of 41-7. The Chiefs didn’t score until the first half was almost over. The Bills had a 20-7 lead at halftime.

Todd Haley Fired

Head coach Todd Haley was fired Dec. 12 after a disappointing 5-8 start to the season. The Chiefs started out 0-3 and then improved to 4-3 before enduring a four-game losing streak. The inconsistency in the season was enough for general manager Scott Pioli to fire Haley and promote defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel to interim head coach.

Spoiled Perfection

A week after Haley’s last game against the Jets, Crennel’s squad defeated the Green Bay Packers. The win ended the Packers’ 19-game winning streak dating back to last season. The 19-14 win gave fans hope that the Chiefs’ slim playoff hopes would come to pass. The next week, a 16-13 loss to the Oakland Raiders meant Kansas City would miss the playoffs just a year after being crowned the champions of the AFC West.

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 close out the 2011 NFL season with a trip to Colorado to take on the Denver Broncos. Here are five things to watch for as the Chiefs battle the Broncos.

Kyle Orton Versus Old Team

Kyle Orton was let go by the Broncos in late November. The Chiefs picked him up to stand in for injured Matt Cassel. Orton had two decent games against the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders. If he has the same type of game against his old mates, it will be a long day for Denver. It will help that Orton should have some kind of working knowledge of the Broncos’ defense.

Tim Tebow Versus Chiefs’ Defense

In the first game between the Chiefs and Broncos back on Nov. 13, quarterback Tim Tebow ran for a touchdown and threw for another. He completed just two passes all game long and had 43 yards rushing. Surely the Chiefs would know how to handle the offense by now. Shut down the running game of Denver and then let the vaunted secondary take over after that and the Chiefs will win.

Head Coaches

Interim head coach Romeo Crennel is trying to prove he’s head coaching material. John Fox is trying to avoid another late-season disappointment for the Broncos. Despite not making the playoffs just a year after winning the AFC West, the Chiefs can spoil the postseason hopes of Denver.

Ryan Succop

Placekicker Ryan Succop had a miserable game against the Oakland Raiders Dec. 24. He had two kicks blocked that could have won the game. In the thinner air of Denver, a kicker’s dream exists. Earlier in the season, Sebastian Janikowski of the Raiders tied an NFL record with a 63-yard kick way back on Sept. 12 in Denver. Succop needs to have a good game in the thinner air to regain his confidence.

Momentum

A win for the Chiefs will give them momentum going into the offseason and a positive vibe with the draft and in the front office. With all of the major players coming back next year from their injuries, a season-ending victory may help nudge the team along as they start workouts for next 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 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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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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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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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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