But this "preview" isn't as much a preview of this game but of the entire remainder of the season. We've got Denver next, but then it's Atlanta, then Oakland, then Tennessee, then Denver again, then San Diego. These are all good teams, and it is not beyond the realm of possibilities we could be out of the playoff picture even after starting 7-2.
I simply wanted to remark on three key things that may be our undoing, or if we can overcome them, would be our "doing" as we head into Super Bowl contention. Indeed, we must have these things working in our favor if we're going to be meaningfully Super Bowlish this year.
1. Injury issues. To truly be playoff ready you must have a team that is healthy. The Chiefs have actually been pretty good with the health-throughout-the-season in past years, but this year it seems we've had more of our key players go down. This will hurt us -- it already has. I believe not having Jeremy Maclin in on offense, Marcus Peters in on defense, and Justin Houston not at full strength cost us big-time against Tampa Bay this past Sunday.
There's not much you can say about this, we'll have to go with who we can go with. Every team has their injuries -- heck, Denver is without their top running back for the year because of an injury.
This is where depth comes into play, and while the Chiefs have actually been able to benefit from pretty decent depth, depth can only go so far in the NFL. Will we reach critical mass where those key losses keep us from winning games? We'll certainly see.
On the offensive side? Not as much. Who is it? Is it Andy Reid? Is is Brad Childress? Is it Matt Nagy? I've always been concerned about having two "offensive coordinators" -- in quotes because I've been very concerned about this potential confusion.
Fact is, the Chiefs are abominable on 3rd down, absolutely abominable. Look at these coaches we have, they're good coaches, they should know better. Look at who we have out there, very smart Alex Smith, very reliable Spencer Ware, very fast Tyreek Hill, very resilient Travis Kelce, and very much several others. Here's the thing.
How can we be so crappy on 3rd down?
I honestly think it is those coaches. It is simple.
They are just not using all their weapons.
I do believe these coaches do some bold, innovative things, I do. But it isn't enough, it just isn't. It simply isn't enough for us to take advantage of the skill set we've got out there. This is what is so frustrating.
As I mentioned, it is Thanksgiving afternoon as I write this. I'm here right now sitting in front of the television and the Cowboys-Redskins game is on. Sure enough, the Cowboys put together a drive to go ahead of the Redskins 24-12, and the announcer just said this, just as I was writing these words.
"The Cowboys just used all their weapons," something like that.
Oh my that the Chiefs would have that said about them.
Seriously, the Chiefs have the weapons to score 30 points a game, they do.
How on earth are they not?
3. Absence of the drafted and developed quarterback. What? The D&D quarterback? We don't have one of those, so why's this here?
That's exactly the point -- We don't have one.
And because we don't have one, we are really going to have a hard time getting into the Super Bowl. I am very very sad about that. I'm very very sad that I'm watching on TV this Cowboys team play like crazy with a Dak Prescott at quarterback, and they are world-beaters with him in there. This is Dak Prescott, 135th pick in the entire draft.
Now yes, anyone can say they should've picked this player or that player, anyone can be a Monday morning general manager, I got that.
But let's be honest, the last time the Cowboys won a game with a quarterback they drafted was last week. The last time the Chiefs did so was September 13, 1987, six years before Dak Prescott was born. This preseason the Chiefs piled up quarterbacks to see who'd back up Alex Smith, this is apparently what Andy Reid likes to do. Our No. 1 backup turned out to be Nick Foles, who got dumped by the Rams. Everyone else was pretty much jettisoned except for Tyler Bray who Andy Reid likes but (as far as I know) has never had a regular season snap.
Please.
Nothing against Foles, he's done well for us in his fill-in play, or Bray -- who knows how he can play? -- or even Smith -- I personally like Alex Smith. But...
Please.
Know that I hope the best for Alex Smith. I hope he shows us all that he can get the job done. The next few games will truly tell the tale, I hope for the very very best for an offense that could be the very very best, it really could be, we all know it.
But dang it, the history of NFL success just says different. It says for a team to win the Super Bowl
You -- have -- just -- got -- to -- have -- a -- long-term -- fine -- DRAFTED-&-DEVELOPED -- quarterback.
I'm just saying it now, and I've said it a million times before, belaboring the point, but why not? It is my blog -- and it is SO TRUE.
Next year the Chiefs simply must take the best available quarterback in the draft. First round. It doesn't matter who it is, just get him, develop him, coach him, groom him, and get him ready to take the Chiefs to the promised land in 2021. Now yeah, I understand that quarterback may not be there when we draft, but dammit it never has been and much of that is because we've somehow had a humongous brain fart anytime we have the opportunity to make a solid quarterbacking selection decision during the draft.
So yeah, what of it.
Alex Smith is who we've got at quarterback.
And Denver is who we've got to play this Sunday.
Will the coaching staff get a reasonably talented, smart, and versatile Alex Smith to use all the Chiefs weapons to start doing some convincing winning?
That's the major question of the season so far.
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