The Chiefs Second-Half Scheduling Looking Harder Than Originally Thought

by Matt Conner on Nov 20, 2009 11:00 AM CST in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign

It's amazing how quickly the tides change in the NFL. What once seems destitute and unsalvageable can quickly become exciting and promising. Yet for the Chiefs, one glimmer of hope - namely, the second half of the schedule - has morphed into something rather unsightly.

In the months leading up to the 2009 season, it was quite obvious that the early season rotation through the NFC East was going to be a scheduling beast. After all, in all time head-to-head match-ups against various franchises, teams like the Giants, Cowboys and Eagles rank among the toughest. In fact, if you include the Steelers and Jaguars, the Chiefs literally face the five teams with the worst all-time winning %:

Team, Chiefs All-Time Record Against (Win. %)
New York Giants, 2-10 (.167)
Jacksonville Jaguars, 2-6 (.250)
Pittsburgh Steelers, 8-17 (.320)
Dallas Cowboys, 3-6 (.333)
Philadelphia Eagles, 2-4 (.333)

So Chiefs fans braced themselves early for this, knowing the storms of this season would prove rough-going in various weeks. But as we watch the season unfold, some things only become more difficult.

Before the season, KC fans scoffed at the drama unfolding in the preseason in Denver. The Broncos were the laughingstock of the NFL after Jay Cutler successfully wormed his way out of the Mile High City and Brandon Marshall tried to follow suit. And we dreamed of playing Kyle Orton twice a year. Many believed that was a possible two wins on the schedule and opened up the AFC West wide open. Now, the Broncos sit atop the standings, even with the current losing streak.

Another game that seemed to bring hope was the second to last game - a road trip to Cincinnati to play the Bungles, er, Bengals. Once a desperate franchise that housed every shady character this side of the Mississippi (i.e. the Portland Trailblazers from five years ago), now they are dominating the absolutely brutal AFC North division and just defeated the Steelers twice this season. That late game could now have home turf playoff implications for Cincy and that spells bad news for Kansas City.

Of course, the Browns and Bills still linger on the schedule and you just never know what can happen week to week in the NFL. But what once was a beam of light on the back nine of 2009 now becomes as potentially frustrating as the front.

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While I thought the transition problems with the Donks was great

I was REALLY unhappy to see Cutler go. The guy was almost Jake-Plummer-like in his ability to make bad plays at the worst time for his team.

"Bigamy is having one wife too many. Monogamy is the same." ~Oscar Wilde

by Big Chief on Nov 20, 2009 11:11 AM CST reply actions

I thought Plummer was the better QB for that team to be honest

He definitely won more than Cutlerf*cker.

At any rate I’m with you, I was skeptical that losing Cutlerf*cker would hurt the Broncos… Chicago isn’t happy with him as I predicted, either. Without Marshall and Royal, he’s pretty worthless. The Bears ought to have been the team looking up Matt Jones for his sake…

This isn't a "kum-bye-yah" campfire! THIS IS FOOTBALL!

by IISaiNtII on Nov 20, 2009 11:20 AM CST up reply actions

Here's what I'm thinking

Steelers – We get blown out.
@Chargers – We play better then we did at home, but lose.
Broncos – I’m preparing myself for a loss so I’m not crushed, but we do own the Donks in Arrowhead.
Bills – Close game, but we pull it out.
Browns – They will have quit on Mangini by then and we win by a TD or two.
@Bengals – We get beat and I refuse to read AP for several days to avoid seeing 2.7’s postgame quotes.
@Broncos – We make them work for it, but lose.

Feeling "The Love" and "Drinking the Kool AId"

by KCporkchop on Nov 20, 2009 11:19 AM CST reply actions

So you think the Chiefs finish 4-12?

Optimistic. I could see 4-12, but I can also see us not winning again. So I dunno. I’d like to think we have the ability to win all the home games, but it’s going to be a doozy of a season… again.

How the hell do we always seem to pull tough-as-nails schedules from the league?

This isn't a "kum-bye-yah" campfire! THIS IS FOOTBALL!

by IISaiNtII on Nov 20, 2009 11:22 AM CST up reply actions

"2.7" thats awesome

although i want to see him play (read fail) when we play Cincy, surely his attitude in the locker room will have had time to kick in by then. Also, i wonder if his contract had the “no local bars” clause. Hope the Ben-Gals have their umbrellas ready indoors.

by stenerud's roost on Nov 20, 2009 1:33 PM CST up reply actions

Well Chris Simms is starting next week.

Who knows maybe Orton will be injured when we play them. That would probably make them at least beatable. If we split with the Broncos then I will be thrilled. Cleveland and Buffalo are in such a mess that we really should beat them both. We are losing but both of their organizations are really in turmoil. At least we got through the getting a new head coach phase. We should beat them both.

Everyone else, we lose.

by Lucasjr5 on Nov 20, 2009 11:21 AM CST reply actions

Funny

How things are in the NFL from year to year. If someone would have said, before the start of the season, that the Bengals would be leading their division…after beating the Steelers and Ravens twice each? You would have been labeled a moron…and laughed out of the room.

by Scott B. on Nov 20, 2009 11:22 AM CST reply actions

I'm tempted to laugh you out of the room right now, actually.

This isn't a "kum-bye-yah" campfire! THIS IS FOOTBALL!

by IISaiNtII on Nov 20, 2009 11:23 AM CST up reply actions

Cool

As long as you don’t label me a moron.

by Scott B. on Nov 20, 2009 11:25 AM CST up reply actions

I'd be perfectly content

finishing up 4-12. Means we’re twice as as good as last year and still drafting in the Top 5. If we lose to the Browns or the Bills, though, I don’t even know…………

Welcome to Chiefs REBUILD - Version 2.0 /The Clark Hunt Edition
Chiefs will be lucky to go 4-12 in 2010

by KansasCityShuffle on Nov 20, 2009 11:46 AM CST reply actions

I can take losing to the Bills.

Remember last year’s disgraceful performance?
Losing to the Browns is as bad as getting swept by the Raiders…possible worse.

When you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.

by NJChieffan16 on Nov 20, 2009 3:46 PM CST up reply actions

Denver /Cincy

I thought Denver was dead but they actually hired a good (see sane) coach. The Bengals were hampered by management drafting knuckleheads (see signing LJ) but had a pretty good coach as well. Management may yet destroy them.

by FrankPitts on Nov 20, 2009 2:58 PM CST reply actions

u might

go 6-10 who sayes u cant beat denver at home u did last year and u almost won at milehigh and u might beat ciny they almost tied cleland for goodsakes yeah but 4-12 is most likey

okay i have cereal palsy arhrtis and chronic fatiue as well i have a grea life loveing folks some days are better that other days i got a make a wish in 2001 saw my favorive team the broncos was the trip of the lifetime i wish everyone couild gotten to enjoy that with me i know some of u hate the broncos and that ok but i bleed organ and bule

by j-man on Nov 20, 2009 3:51 PM CST reply actions