Fans have queried about the Chiefs offense production at the end of the game. Why do they wait? Why not use the “hurry up” offense sooner?

A good question and it may be the Chiefs could benefit from that. But I would like to offer another possible reason why the Chiefs seem to do their best in the 4th Quarter: Conditioning.

The Chiefs lose the talent battle nearly every week. When the game begins, we are dominated week in and week out. That is a reflection of talent.

The Chiefs seem to be a better team at game’s end. I think that is a reflection of conditioning.

Conditioning is a talent enhancer. The odds begin to tip in our favor the deeper we get into games.

Complaints about Haley’s play-calling have always bothered me because I watched at least six of the Cardinals games last year. Haley is a brilliant play-caller. Some might disagree, but hold off if you have not watched several Cardinal games from last year: Haley is a better coordinator and play-caller than Al Saunders.

During the course of the game, it appears to my eyes that the Chiefs play better because they hold up better than the competition. Blitzes seem to be more effective, the offensive line holds up better, we look more and more like a “real” football team.

The conditioning Haley puts our guys through is a talent enhancer in the 4th Quarter. When defenses tire, our offensive line protects better and the play-calling becomes more clear. The last several drives put together by Haley/the Chiefs at the end of the Pittsburgh game looked exactly like the drives the Cardinals put together time and again last year. The creativity and effectiveness of the play-calling jumps out at you. If you still have the Chiefs/Steelers game on your DVR, watch the last several Chiefs drives. They are a thing of beauty. It appears we have a good offensive line.

We know better.

If Scott Pioli can give Haley the talent he needs to protect Cassel, this town will go absolutely nuts. If our talent levels rise and if Haley stays on the conditioning regime (that’s guaranteed), the Chiefs will be a handful every week for opposing teams.

Last week, Haley picked apart Dick LeBeau’s defense when it counted. Just like he did in the Super Bowl. NFL fans understand what this means. Haley, once with a good offense and once with a terrible offense, ate LeBeau’s lunch.

How can that be? Two games in a row Haley out-duels the great Dick LeBeau. And he is great. The best ever.

No one in the KC media has written (that I’ve seen) that Haley, as an offensive coordinator and play-caller, out-coached and out-smarted the best D coordinator to ever coach in the NFL—— two games in a row with two totally different teams with completely different levels. Haley’s play-calling both times kicked in during the 2nd half of games against the Steelers and, IMHO, his coaching, game-plan, play-calling and conditioning were the reasons.

Why has that not been examined? I can promise you Dick LeBeau has thought a lot about it. LeBeau has been unable to stop Haley’s offenses in two consecutive games. That just doesn’t happen to LeBeau.

Haley is a HC in progress. We’ll see how he works out as time goes on. But he is a top-flight, first rate, big time O coordinator and play-caller and anyone who can’t give him that will never look at him objectively. Going head-to-head against Dick LeBeau and taking him apart both times should be all the proof anyone needs to understand why Scott Pioli wanted Todd Haley to lead the Chiefs.