The Kansas City Chiefs took a step toward protecting quarterback Matt Cassel in the upcoming NFL season by signing the Arena Football League’s reigning Offensive Lineman of the Year, Rich Ranglin, on May 16.

Ranglin is a 6-foot-3, 315-pounder out of Central Connecticut State, which also happens to be the alma mater of Chiefs GM Scott Pioli. Prior to his senior year with the Blue Devils, the four-year letterman was named preseason All-American, and he earned second team All-Northeast Conference honors at the conclusion of the season.

Ranglin began his professional career with the Manchester Wolves of the now-defunct af2–the Arena Football League’s former developmental league. After two seasons with the Wolves, Ranglin made the jump to the AFL in 2010 with the Milwaukee Iron–now known as the Milwaukee Mustangs–and was part of an offensive line that allowed just one sack all season long. The Mustangs led the league in several offensive categories that year and advanced to the National Conference championship game.

Kansas City is familiar territory for Ranglin, as he spent his 2011 season with the AFL’s Kansas City Command. He proved both durable and talented, as he was one of the few offensive linemen to start each of the Command’s 18 regular season games, and he was named first team All-Arena and the Arena Football League’s Offensive Lineman of the Year. He also caught four passes for 67 yards, adding another threat for a team that averaged over 300 yards of offense per game on the AFL’s 50-yard field.

Ranglin signed with the AFL’s San Jose SaberCats for the 2012 season and has played an important role in the ‘Cats leading the league in total offense per game. Again, he has shown his versatility as a receiver, too, catching four passes for 48 yards in nine games this season.

“We are very happy for Rich that he has earned this opportunity,” said SaberCats owner and head coach Darren Arbet through a press release. “He has done so well for us on the offensive line, and I believe he has the ability to succeed in the National Football League.”

After finishing a dismal 7-11 in 2011, San Jose currently boasts a 7-2 record and is the No. 1 team in the league, according to the AFL’s coaches. Meanwhile, without Ranglin, the Command’s offense has plummeted to a league-worst 241.5 yards per game, and Kansas City quarterbacks have been sacked 14 times in eight games. The Command are currently 0-8 on the season.

The Arena Football League has already provided the NFL with several players over the years, including offensive linemen. Cliff Louis of the Arizona Cardinals played for the AFL’s Cleveland Gladiators in 2011, and Martin Parker of the Super Bowl champion New York Giants played for the AFL’s Chicago Rush last season.

The author is a Featured Contributor in Sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and frequently contributes to Yahoo! Sports’ coverage of the Arena Football League. You can follow him on Twitter at @RedZoneWriting and on Facebook.

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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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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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Newly-hired Kansas City Chiefs’ head coach Romeo Crennel told the team’s official website his offseason has been busy. Recently, he noted all of the attention he was getting at the 2012 Senior Bowl. Many people were shaking his hand in congratulations when there were spare moments.

The reason for all the fuss? Crennel still has some coaching positions to fill.

Crennel stated on the day he was hired that he will keep his defensive staff intact, largely because Crennel himself was the defensive coordinator and will call the defensive plays in 2012. But the offense still needs some tweaking in the coaching department.

The defense was the pride of the Chiefs in 2011. The defensive side of the ball held the Pittsburgh Steelers to just 13 points in a losing cause. The Denver Broncos just got three points on the final day of the season in Colorado. On a good day when the offense came alive, the Chiefs were responsible for the only regular season loss of the Green Bay Packers.

The offense is in need of a few good men to make that unit better. A new offensive coordinator would be nice. An improving Matt Cassel or Kyle Oroton is also a must. Something that can be cured by the draft would be some great offensive linemen. The Chiefs will pick 11th in the 2012 NFL Draft to be held in late April.

While Crennel is in Mobile, Ala., for the Senior Bowl for a week. He’s been finalizing lists of candidates for the jobs he wants. The new head coach plans announcements sometime in the next week in order to keep fans abreast of any hires.

The Chiefs finished 7-9 in 2011. The team fired Todd Haley as head coach with three games before the end of the season. Kansas City was a streaky team losing three games, winning four, losing another four before alternating wins and losses the final five weeks of the season.

The Chiefs ended up one victory away from winning the AFC West title before faltering in the last two weeks. The next season should be an improvement as the Chiefs will have many players recovering from major injuries.

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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A recent article in the Kansas City Star claims former head coach Todd Haley was paranoid during his final days with the organization. Supposedly, Haley felt like some conference rooms were bugged and were able to record people’s conversations. He even went so far as to say his cell phone, which he had owned before becoming head coach of the Chiefs, had been tampered with.

The article continues to say that many in the organization under general manager Scott Pioli’s watch have felt insecure in their job status. More than half of the front office’s staff has turned over since Pioli took over. Clark Hunt, the team’s CEO, has denied any wrongdoing and simply said he requires “excellence” from everyone in the organization.

So what if the conference rooms in Arrowhead’s offices are bugged with audio equipment? Facilities and venues have security cameras all of the time. As long as there aren’t any recording devices in bathrooms, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Companies can frequently monitor email accounts used by employees on the job. Rooms owned by an NFL team shouldn’t be any different. There are plenty of unemployed people in America. Surely someone else would love to step into the Chiefs’ upper management offices and be a part of the team.

Despite an age discrimination lawsuit, upper management has the right to hire whom they want to for various positions. Maybe the former employees aren’t being paranoid whatsoever. Having a room bugged is no different than having someone outside of a door listening in on a meeting through the door.

Yes, the style of Pioli is probably different than what the organization is used to. Yet his results are astounding. The New England Patriots won three Super Bowls under his watch. The ultimate goal of the Chiefs should be the same. If it means replacing staff that don’t adapt to new policies, that’s just the way any company operates.

Consider the theory of evolution—species adapt to conditions around them or they perish. Employees in any company, including the Chiefs, should be the same way. Perhaps the Chiefs have a higher standard than before. Unfortunately, it means that some former employees think the organization is overly paranoid.

I don’t think upper management is too paranoid. The new kids on the block are all about winning, as it should be.

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 are a franchise with a rich history. Fans of the Chiefs are as loyal as any in the NFL. Despite more than 40 years without a Super Bowl title, Kansas City still boasts one of the top 10 attendance figures in the league.

That’s loyalty to the extreme, even if the team’s performance doesn’t warrant such good deeds in return. The New York Times reports three other teams have Super Bowl droughts as bad or worse than the Chiefs. The Detroit Lions, New York Jets and Cleveland Browns have been absent from the NFL’s title game for longer than Kansas City since they won Super Bowl IV.

Yet among those teams, only the Jets had a higher attendance in 2011. ESPN’s attendance figures place the Jets at just under 79,000 for eight home games and the Chiefs had just over 72,000. Detroit had just over 63,700 and Cleveland just had 65,900 per home game.

That loyalty among fans will be rewarded if head coach Romeo Crennel has his way. The Chiefs’ website recently posted the “Romeo Rules” as compiled by sources in Cleveland when he was the head coach of the Browns.

Crennel’s loyalty streak comes from his father’s upbringing. The elder Crennel was a sergeant in the U.S. Army. If any unit in the world preaches loyalty above all else, it’s the U.S. Armed Forces. It is the same loyalty that kept Crennel in defensive coordinator positions for so long before becoming a head coach himself. He stuck it out with Haley even though he was fired with three games left in the season.

The entire team’s attitude changed when Crennel took over as interim head coach. If the team is as loyal to Crennel as he is to the Chiefs, it will be a fantastic year in 2012 should the team remain healthy. Crennel’s rules stem from being both a good instructor and good listener. He expects the best out of his players, yet isn’t afraid to tell them how to get it done.

I can’t wait to see how the Crennel experiment pans out in 2012. It all begins with spring training in July.

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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Is it possible Peyton Manning could be in a Kansas City Chiefs uniform? The easy answer is a resounding no. But as a fan of the Chiefs and a huge fan of Peyton Manning, it would be a perfect match for both sides and I will tell you why. If Peyton Manning is healthy enough to play in 2012, it would be an obvious upgrade over Matt Cassel. Cassel had an impressive 2010 season with Charlie Weis calling the plays, but in the other two seasons running the Chiefs offense he has thrown 26 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. Those numbers are average at best.

How the Cheifs fans would love to see the combination of Manning, Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe. This would instantly become one of the most lethal trios in the league. With teams having to respect Manning, Charles would see life easier than ever before. In 2010, Charles ran for nearly 1500 yards and those numbers could easily be attained again. Dwayne Bowe could reach nearly 1500 yards himself with Manning throwing the ball. Bowe also had his best season in 2010 as he hauled in 15 touchdowns before dropping off to just 5 touchdowns in 2011, both seasons Bowe came up just shy of 1200 yards for the season. Bowe has help in the receiving corps as Steve Breaston starts opposite Bowe and had 785 yards himself in 2011.

Only if this was possible the Chiefs would be instant Super Bowl contenders in the weak AFC West. This potential offense paired up with a young, aggressive defense could have led to huge things in 2012. It has been a long long time since Kansas City fans have had anything to cheer about. The last Super Bowl appearance was 1969. In 1993 the Chiefs were within one game of the Super Bowl as they lost the AFC Championship Game to come up just short.

Now back to reality. Cassel will be the quarterback in 2012. The Chiefs will be much better than the 7-9 record this season, well as long as they remain healthy. I think the Chiefs will be back in the playoffs, but unless Cassel returns to his 2010 form, they will be making an early exit once again.

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Kansas City Chiefs’ general manager Scott Pioli knew Todd Haley from their days with the New England Patriots. Yet Haley was fired after a 5-8 start to the season despite having deep connections with upper management.

Enter Romeo Crennel, the former defensive coordinator of the Chiefs who was recently hired as the head coach. He and Pioli go even farther back. The Kansas City Star reports Pioli’s first memory of the new head coach is a picture of Crennel standing next to the daughter of Bill Parcells in the mid-1970s. Crennel was just an assistant coach for Texas Tech at the time.

Since then, Crennel has had 30 years of coaching experience in the NFL. That daughter of Parcells? She eventually became Pioli’s wife. The general manager and new head coach have known each other for nearly four decades. Hopefully those ties will create a winning formula for success in KC.

It helps that Pioli and Crennel have led almost similar lives in the NFL. Crennel was an assistant for Parcells during the Super Bowl days with the New York Giants. He then moved on to the defensive coordinator job with the New England Patriots when Piolo managed that team’s finances.

Perhaps Crennel and Cleveland’s upper management didn’t get along. His only head coaching experience was with the Cleveland Browns. He had one winning season in 2007 out of four years.

Clearly Crennel and Pioli know how to make a winning NFL franchise. Chiefs fans are desperate for playoff glory, something that hasn’t happened regularly since the golden years of the late 1960s and early 1970s. There have been flashes of brilliance every now and then, but Kansas City has rarely gone far in the playoffs year after year in four decades. In the early 1990s, there were glorious offenses and stingy defenses. But those teams underachieved on a regular basis.

Now both men can take the Chiefs to the next level. They turned the lowly Patriots into three-time Super Bowl champions in four years. Fans and players in Kansas City are hoping for the same result in the Midwest.

The Chiefs have all the right ingredients on defense and offense. Coaches simply have to let each player work up to their potential and the team should do fine for the next couple season, provided the injury bug stays away.

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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It is expected that the Kansas City Chiefs will hire 64 year old Romeo Crennel as their 12th head coach in the teams history. This is a popular choice among players and many fans and after talking to the available coaches, the Chiefs feel that Crennel is the man to lead them at this time. I have been following the Chiefs since the Marty Schottenheimer days and I feel the Crennel will return the team to the success seen when Marty was in Kansas City.

Crennel has been in coaching since the young age of 23 when he was a graduate assistant at Western Kentucky University. At the age of 34, Crennel received his first NFL job as he became special teams coach and defensive assistant for the New York Giants. Crennel spent many years working with head coaches Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick, without a doubt enhancing his resume.

In 2005, Crennel decided to take on the task of being head coach of the Cleveland Browns. One good year was overshadowed by 3 losing seasons. Crennel went 24-40 in 4 seasons with the Browns. It isn’t like he had much to work with in Cleveland. The Browns have made the playoffs just once since rejoining the NFL in 1999.

So why do the Chiefs feel Crennel is the right fit in Kansas City? The players love him and despite the teams struggles, the defense has played with emotion and has been successful overall. It helps that he is part of the Bill Belichick coaching tree, that should help tremendously when the Chiefs try feeling their offensive and defensive coordinator positions. The Chiefs have a ton of young talent on both sides of the ball, they were just bit by injuries this year. Who the Chiefs hire as offensive coordinator will go a long ways in gaining the fans momentum heading into the 2012 season. The success of a head coach is often directly associated with the assistants they have working under them. Remember how bad the Chiefs offense was before and after Charlie Weis? It isn’t a coincidence. Kansas City will rely on defense and a solid running game to win games under Crennel. Getting an offensive mind (Todd Haley), didn’t work out too well, it will be nice to see the team return to a more traditional style that is suitable for the Kansas City cold.

Sources

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/CrenRo0.htm

http://www.sports.yahoo.com

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Tim Tebow gets one more chance to show what he can do on the football field during the regular season. The Denver Broncos take on the Kansas City Chiefs to decide the AFC West on Sunday, Jan. 1. The scenario is pretty simple for Tebow and his Broncos in that if the team wins, they clinch the AFC West. If they lose, the Oakland Raiders can win the division by beating the San Diego Chargers.

The Week 17 game is also a chance for Tebow to put up more fantasy football points for leagues that still count stats this week. Last week, Tebow had a rough game against the Buffalo Bills, throwing 3 interceptions and losing a fumble. He did have 185 passing yards, 34 rushing yards, a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown, but Tebow finished the week with just 15.8 fantasy points. That made him the No. 17 ranked quarterback for the week and not exactly what fans were looking to see from him with seasons on the line.

Now Tebow faces a team that he didn’t have a lot of success against in Week 10, but it is a team that he also helped his Broncos to beat. While the Broncos won the game 17-10, Tebow was 2-of-8 in passing with one touchdown and he also rushed for another 43 yards and a touchdown. Overall those aren’t great numbers, but it was good enough for the Broncos to win the game. Now the team hosts the Chiefs in a Week 17 must-win situation and Tebow goes out for a second chance to put up big numbers.

It doesn’t seem likely that Tebow will have great fantasy football numbers in Week 17, but many also predicted he wouldn’t have them against some of the other teams he has beaten either. The truth is that you never know what to expect from Tebow in games like this one, but the likely scenario is that he will put the Broncos in a position to win the game in the fourth quarter. It’s a risky start if you are trying to figure out your Week 17 quarterback situation and simply looking at his performance in Week 10 against the Chiefs, I wouldn’t advise going with Tebow in this game either.

More From YCN :

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Sources:

Week 16 NFL Scores

Defensive Team Leaders

Yahoo! Fantasy Football

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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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Fans of the Kansas City Chiefs can finally say “there’s always next year.” On the next-to-last week of the season, the Chiefs were officially knocked out of the playoffs by the Oakland Raiders in overtime by a score of 16-13. The Chiefs had numerous chances to put the game away Dec. 24 but failed to do so.

Because the Buffalo Bills throttled the Denver Broncos, the Chiefs would have had a showdown in Denver to win the AFC West. Coulda, shoulda woulda. There were so many little things that could have led the Kansas City Chiefs to keep their playoff chances alive.

* Penalties killed the Chiefs all game long. Perhaps the most critical was a five yarder that backed up the Chiefs from a 2nd-and-1 on the Oakland eight yard line and instead it turned into a 2nd-and-6 from the 13. Quarterback Kyle Orton passed twice after that, one of which was an interception in the end zone. The play right before that was a dropped touchdown pass by Dwayne Bowe.

* Ryan Succop tied a Chiefs’ franchise record by making his 22nd field goal in a row in the first quarter. Inexplicably, two later attempts were blocked. Succop had one at the end of the first half and the end of regulation that would have won the game for the Chiefs.

* Special teams gave up a fake field goal touchdown at one point. Luckily, there was a delay of game penalty on the Raiders that brought the play back.

* The anemic red zone offense failed Kansas City once again. Four times the Chiefs made it inside the 20 yard line. The Chiefs only came away with 13 points—a touchdown, two field goals and then the costly interception.

* At one point, the Chiefs went for it on 4th-and-1 inside their own territory in the fourth quarter. Kansas City had started on their own 10 yard line and had some decent running plays until the drive stalled. Oakland stopped Jackie Battle on fourth and short and got the ball back on the 43 yard line. Sebastian Janikowski promptly kicked a field goal to put the Raiders up 13-6 with 2:57 left in the game.

* The secondary gave up two big pass plays. One was a 61-yard touchdown and the other was a 53-yard pass that led to the game-winning field goal in overtime.

* The opening kickoff wasn’t great either. The Raiders had a 91-yard kickoff return before quarterback Carson Palmer took a snap.

Several lapses of discipline on the part of the Chiefs knocked them out of the playoffs. Interim head coach Romeo Crennel still did a decent job, with the exception of the fourth down call that failed to convert.

The game was still heart-wrenching to watch. Kansas City had so many opportunities to put the game away but couldn’t get it done.

There’s always next year.

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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