Special Pre-Week 17 Note - Our Playoff Chances

I don't normally write a post in between games, as I've worked to strictly devote this blog to thoughts about each individual game sans all the fuzziness that goes on among the elitist media pundits. But since everything hinges on a number of concrete factors this last weekend of the season, I thought I'd comment about where we are.

Last year we took it down to the last game but it was easy then. If we won and the Steelers lost, we'd be in. Interesting to note that the Steelers not only didn't lose (to a very poor Detroit team--we all knew it wasn't going to happen) but they surprised everyone and went all the way to the title.

Yes, believe it or not, this year we are still in it.

I kinda think this whole thing is just yanking us along. Our straight-up chances are 1 in 16, because we need four results to occur for us to get in. But I do confess, like all Chiefs fans, I'm excited. Woo-hoo-- I'm excited just because we're still there hanging by that thread.

Strictly speaking we need:

1. Us to beat Jacksonville at home. Because I pay the tiniest of attention to any other team, much less a non-media-darling like the not-New-York-or-Chicago Jaguars, I just don't have a clue what kind of team they are except that they too are 8-7. But since we're at home, we should be able to beat them. Hey, I know they aren't the Ravens. Prognosis: Very good.

2. Pittsburgh to beat Cincinnati. Okay, this year we need Pittsburgh to win. They are the reigning champs, so they can do it, but they're playing in Cincy and the Bengals need this for their playoff ticket-- and I'm sure they've got on their minds last year's playoff game in which the Steelers wrecked Carson Palmer's knee and then trounced them. Prognosis: Fair.

3. New England to beat Tennessee. New England is certainly a quality team but they too are on the road. I don't know, but I'd like to think they're playing for a bye or home field advantage. Prognosis: Good.

4. San Francisco to beat Denver. Uh-oh. I'm really hoping the Niners are also playing for a playoff spot, but at 6-9 I'm just not sure. (I only say this because I'd heard there may be a losing team making the playoffs in the NFC.) They're also in Denver, which means a Niners victory is nearly impossible. This is where the true miracle has to happen. Prognosis: Extremely poor.

Thing is, we're just being dragged around in the NFL mud anyway. Yes, I'm putting on my curmudgeon's hat again, but in all my silly giddiness that we're still "a contender," we are still hurtin'. Do you actually believe all those glaring deficiencies-- the O-line, the inconsistent D, Trent Green's nerves, unreliable kicker-- are going to vanish?

And if we should have all four of these results go our way, I'll send up the biggest cheer and just think of the Steelers of last year, but would their miracle happen for us this year? We'd have to get through any and most of four utterly dominate AFC teams-- SD, Balt, Ind, or NE, all at their place.

So yeah, I know I know. Just enjoy it now. We're in amongst all the "Who'll make the playoffs" conjecture. The Chiefs are still on people's lips. At least there's that.

So my curmudgeon's hat is off then.