Chiefs at Ravens - Week 15 - Record: 9-5

Every year at this time I'm always working out where we stand, where the Chiefs are as a team. Do you do that? Tell me if I'm wrong, but a big glop of our cerebral activity is used to figure out our playoff chances and how reasonable it is for us to succeed getting there, and getting beyond.

Where do we stand in the playoff picture? Who are we playing to secure that spot? How challenging will it be? What are the weapons we have -- and any critical injuries to address? Where are the other teams also in the chase, and what are their chances? Who are we rooting for or against or...?

There are a dozen other issues related to these occupying our grey matter right now.

Thing is, this year, at this point in the season -- two games left and the Chiefs still firmly holding on to that first wild-card spot -- I don't know what to think, and I'm almost tired trying. At this point the Chiefs still have a chance for something as splendid as a first round bye (they now cannot get the No. 1 seed by virtue of New England's win today) or as disappointing as missing the playoffs all together.

Sure we're going to go crazy trying to answer those questions and seek some kind of solace in comforting information that we're fine, that we've got this or that advantage, that we're perfectly okay on the track to Super Bowl glory.

Well...

From our history I just don't know how valuable all that effort is, really. I'm kind of resigned to the eventuality of not getting it done like we want. Don't worry, I'm enjoying the ride -- today's game was eminently enjoyable and I am indeed holding on with the deepest and richest hope for great things.

But think about the gymnastics our minds have done about these things in the past. We've been the No. 1 seed -- how many times? -- and still lost the first playoff game. We've squeaked into the playoffs with good teams and, well, yeah, still lost the first playoff game. We even miraculously slipped into the playoffs on that wonderful New Year's Eve day in 2006, only to then encounter a weak Indianapolis defensive line suddenly finding its game against us.

Well, more on playoff stuff later, when it's merited.

It appears that it will be as the Chiefs continue to steamroll their way through the NFL after that 1-5 start, winning their 8th straight today. But today I saw some of those things that make me still wonder about our chances for great Super Bowl glory. When I think this, believe me, I think about this year's World Series Champion Royals, ya know? They had their liabilities too, but they were the greatest postseason comeback team in major league baseball history, and it was because of their guts and their grit and the grinding game they played.

The Chiefs have shown they've got that too.

Will it be enough?

I mean, I like the tough play, but dammit I'm so sick of the goofy celebrating in the end zone I'm actually glad the Chiefs were penalized after Charcandrick West's early touchdown. The Ravens got a very short field and a far-too-easy touchdown as a result. Good, now stop it. Learn from it, Chiefs players, and be professionals. Spike the ball, award high-fives all around, and get back to the sideline to get ready for the next play. It reminded me of the Key & Peele sketch where the touchdown scorer may perform just one more hip gyration that'll get him penalized.

Among the more notable liabilities exposed in great boldness today was the offensive line play. Sorry, but it is just not the best. I'm concerned this line just doesn't have enough of it to make our team truly competitive in postseason play -- sorry, just sayin', and I'm sure I'm not the only one. The O-line does well mentally -- they don't make mistakes, that's a good thing. I'm just talking about their quality. Will it win the trenches battle against a playoff team's defense?

Our backs do a decent job of zipping about and covering for this. Both Alex Smith and Charcandrick West are elusive runners whose skills keep drives going when we need it. Smith has developed the ability to make that key pass when he needs to, and glory-be he's still throwing the ball down field as he has over the past several games. Do you know he was 21 for 25 today? That's terrific, actually. A full dose of Maclin and Kelce this week helped a lot.

Our defense did well enough, but this was a Ravens offense run by a lower-level quarterback who got one of his touchdowns on a hail-mary at the end of the 1st half when his receiver made an incredible play on the ball to score the stunning touchdown. Marcus Peters pick-six in the 4th quarter to seal the win was after the receiver fell down.

This was another injury-depleted weak opponent we did struggle against. Don't let the 34-14 score fool you. We got very lucky with much of our scoring, including a fumble return for a touchdown by Tyvon Branch.

Yes every team is an NFL team, got that.

In that sense, some good things included our toughness in the 4th quarter. We are becoming notorious for outlasting our opponents late in games. Or offense is moving the football when it needs to, we had a very nice modestly time-consuming drive at the beginning of the 4th that led to a FG. Our defense is stiff enough to keep games out of reach, today it bent a bit too much before Peters' interception but that just shows we're pretty decent in coming up big on any given play.

Again, lots of thinking to do by Chiefs fans. What does all this mean going forward? Thinking thinking thinking...

For what it's worth...
__