2013 Kansas City Chiefs Preview

2013 Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs, quite obviously, were terrible last season, and received the number one pick in the 2013 NFL Draft as a reward for being the worst team in the entire league. They only won two games all year, but get this: one of them was IN NEW ORLEANS, and the other was against Carolina, which is the only time the Panthers lost over their last six games. My big upset pick going into last season was in Week 5, with the Chiefs beating the Ravens. It would have been successful, except for the fact that the CHIEFS SUCKED AND MATT CASSEL FUMBLED THE BALL ON THE ONE YARD LINE AND THEY STUPIDLY LOST 9-6 BECAUSE THEY COULDN’T SCORE ONE TOUCHDOWN. Sorry. I’m still bitter over that one. Anyway, 2013 is a new year for the Chiefs, more so than anyone else in the world for whom it is also a new year. Enter new head coach Andy Reid and new quarterback Alex Smith Who Doesn’t Turn The Ball Over That Much, and the future for Kansas City is immediately brighter. This team did have its individual talent last year (they had the same number of Pro Bowlers as the Ravens), but they just couldn’t put it together. With upgrades at coach and QB, Kansas City instantly becomes the second best team in the AFC West and a legitimate Wild Card contender. Now, I know it’s an impossible feat to jump from a two-win team to a playoff team in one year---oh wait, it’s not, just look at the Colts from last year! The Kansas City Chiefs turned from a team in the dumps to a team full of promise and potential, and, possibly, a playoff-caliber one? Alex Smith should be able to limit the turnovers that absolutely killed this team last season. Jamaal Charles is an absolute stud in my opinion, and will have his best season yet, as you’ll see in a little bit. Many people, including me to an extent, expect a bounce back year from Dwayne Bowe, the most talented receiver Smith has ever had (Smith, coincidentally, and somewhat pathetically, is also the best quarterback that Bowe has ever had as well). The defense has ability, led by Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson, Eric Berry, and Brandon Flowers. The Chiefs will undoubtedly improve, the only question is by how much.

Schedule

Week 1: L at JAC (surprise loss of the bat, need to get adjusted)

Week 2: W vs DAL (good matchup, home opener, classic Dallas letdown)

Week 3: L at PHI (Reid’s return won’t go as well as Peyton’s)

Week 4: L vs NYG

Week 5: W at TEN (monster Charles game)

Week 6: W vs OAK

Week 7: L vs HOU (Alex Smith will struggle)

Week 8: L vs CLE (I just love Cleveland)

Week 9: L at BUF

Week 10: Bye

Week 11: L at DEN (I know Reid doesn’t lose after bye weeks, but...)

Week 12: W vs SD

Week 13: W vs DEN

Week 14: L at WAS

Week 15: W at OAK

Week 16: W vs IND

Week 17: L at SD

I have the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs finishing 7-9, but this is their floor. There are multiple winnable games on that schedule (at JAC, NYG, CLE, at BUF, maybe even vs HOU), that would flip their record to nine or even ten wins. They will probably win one of those games to finish somewhere about 8-8, but I do not think that they fall below seven no matter what. Either way, I do not see the Chiefs making the postseason, not this year, anyway. They are better this year, but to go from two wins to ten is a lot to ask. I know I brought up the Colts before, who made the leap from two to 11, but that was with a lot of Luck, both literally and referring to the greatness of their star QB. I just don’t think Alex Smith has it in him to put this team on his back for a four-week stretch and win close games by himself. I do like this team, though, and I will be rooting for them to succeed as much as possible.

Bold Prediction: Jamaal Charles will lead the NFL in rushing yards with 1,633 and break 2,000 yards from scrimmage to go along with 8 total TDs.