Patriots at Chiefs - Week 12 - Record: 7-4

Getting up for this game was probably not difficult since we were facing the Super Bowl champs and nothing less than playing at top form would do. A fine effort, but curmudgeonly me, the Patriots were still without their top running back and have slogged along all season playing no better than .500 ball.

Our defense is showing that it can play, and I don't think there is any question at this point that it is much improved from last year. Greg Wesley had three of the four picks we had on the day, so our guys did a terrific job of disrupting the Brady-to-Branch connection.

Our offense is still struggling big-time in the red zone, exposing in the rawest way the loss of Priest Holmes. Down there he just found a way to get into the end zone. Today Larry Johnson did pound it in from the one on the very first drive, but after that we'd get down there and we'd be all excited and then blap -- in'd come Tynes to boot in a chip shot. This is just not going to get it done. The other touchdown was a unconventionally non-spectacular 52-yard pass play to Dante Hall, who did do a nifty job of getting behind the defense.

On the whole I can't be unpleased with the result today, setting us up positively for more of a grueling final stretch of the season in which we play all winning teams.

Chiefs at Texans - Week 11 - Record: 6-4

I think this week the Chiefs kept in mind how they lost last year's game against the Texans, at home, in such a silly way-- a loss which really set the tone for a 3-8 start to that season. They knew there was no way they were going to lose this year's rematch, especially when this Texans team had a record of 1-8.

Larry Johnson ran for over 200 yards to put the stamp on a 45-17 pasting. The team showed that it did have at least a little bit of the drive to win that it didn't have last week. There's a glimmer of hope, but we still need Willie Roaf and we still need to prove it against a team like the Patriots this week.

Fortunately we've got a batch of games at home to finish the season.

Chiefs at Bills - Week 10 - Record: 5-4

It would seem that Trent Green had a miserable day, but any time what happened to him happens to any quarterback, it is the offensive line that had the miserable day. So let's just tell it like it is: the OL suffered three interceptions, six sacks, and a lost fumble. Trent Green does not, cannot, and will not have what he had two years ago (indeed last year when, really, we lost several games because of crazy plays that went against us) because the offensive line is a shadow of what it was. I can't say it emphatically enough: The #1 critical factor in this year's mediocre performance to date is not having Willie Roaf out there.

The was a game that really showed how weak this team is. We couldn't do diddly and this was still with a second-string QB in for the Bills and our defense neutralizing RB Willis McGahee.

What is scary is how old we are. Who are our top players on offense? Trent Green is ancient. Eddie Kennison and Tony Gonzalez are grizzled vets. Priest Holmes, bless him, I think is done. Larry Johnson is all we've got and you can't have a productive offense with one offensive threat and little strength up front as I just mentioned. Add to this the fact that Dick Vermeil just looks exasperated out there, and it spells big trouble.

Today, anyway, this team just looked horrific. When you add to it all two missed field goals and endless fighting resulting in two ejections, it is evident this is a team without the winning drive and spirit to be real contenders. Sigh. I can't give up on them too soon, so I just say "Today, anyway..." But looking at this team-- still, sigh...

Raiders at Chiefs - Week 9 - Record: 5-3

Struggling to get down for that game-tying field goal in the final seconds, Trent Green whips a pass out to Larry Johnson who rambles 36 yards but barely can't get into the end zone. Faced with the choice between a field goal to send it into overtime and going for it from the one-yard line, Vermeil decides for the latter and Johnson pounds it in for the score.

It can't get any more exciting than that. Another clutch win over the Raiders.

Thing is, it should never have been that exciting. We had taken command of the game at the beginning of the 4th quarter, leading 20-9, and had the Raiders in a 4th and long situation when Jared Allen gets a stupid roughing the passer penalty, then gets a personal foul penalty by mouthing off, and then costs us a time-out when we have to tell him to get out on the field. This is one of those banes of being a fan. Allen has definitely helped this defense, but what do you do with a guy like that, a terrific player who can get you in serious trouble with idiotic moves like this one. Aaaagh!

When are we going to get a break on the schedule from facing world-class receivers. It was Terrell Owens a few weeks ago, then Antonio Gates last week, this week it was Randy Moss (and I might even say Jerry Porter is pretty great). Even with his groin injury Moss burned us for a touchdown. Hopefully it will only serve to toughen up the defense that has improved from last year, but we absolutely can't afford any Jared Allen-type antics to mess up what we do have going.

Chiefs at Chargers - Week 8 - Record: 4-3

A poor first half really cost us. We couldn't do anything, and I wonder again how Dick Vermeil can justify not using Tony Gonzalez at all until the second half when we came alive to make it a game. This is most appalling in light of San Diego's banged-up defense. Our once touted offensive line couldn't protect Trent Green-- I believe the loss of Willie Roaf has hurt us the most this year.

I still don't think we learned enough from the Terrell Owens disaster of week 4 when we seemed to forget all about the best receiver in the game. This time it was Antonio Gates who ran all over us. I will say that it looked like we did do a better job of covering him. That first TD pass was just a terrific throw by SD quarterback Drew Brees.

In the 4th quarter it looked as though Marty Schottenheimer was going to cave again, but we just didn't take advantage of it. Playing catch-up for the entire game didn't help.