Last year the NFL brought us one of the rarest anomalies ever seen in a season. An anomaly so rare that it will never happen again. Or could it? Last year for the first time in NFL history a team  with a losing record in the regular season made the playoffs thanks to the fact that they won their division.

Whether or not you agree with the way the NFL determines its playoff teams the Seattle Seahawks showed that they deserved to be there despite their losing regular season record.

 
Could it happen again? Yes it can. Anything is possible, especially in the NFL. Though I wouldn't go so far as to say that it ‘will' happen again. I would go so far as to say that it is possible and not just possible, but more likely to happen this season than most would expect. Did I just write this to say this to say that NFC West is a weak division in the NFL? No, we all know that. The team I had in mind is a lot closer to us than you might think.

via sports-odds.com

That's right ladies and gentlemen, the team that could repeat the anomaly is our very own Kansas City Chiefs. 

What's that? Jamaal Charles? Number one running game in the league last year? A rising defense? Scott Pioli and another great draft? I wont deny any of that, but I have two words for you. Weak schedule.

The last game Kansas City played last year was proof that they took advantage of a weak schedule. The Chief's schedule this year is immensely more difficult than last years. Six of the thirteen different teams they play this year made the playoffs last year. (Patriots, Packers, Steelers, Colts, Jets, and Bears). The division games are always tough, and none of the other teams they play this year are exactly a write off.  (Lions, Vikings, Bills, Dolphins).

With all of this said it is time for me to show you just how exactly the Chiefs could do this. To demonstrate such a preposterous notion I will predict each of the games for each team in our division.

Denver:  Fox has taken the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl before and lost. However, as Chief's fans, we know the dreaded 'R' word takes while to spit out of a team's identity. This team will show flashes of greatness throughout the season but their record will not reflect that greatness.

vs. OAK (W)

vs. Cin (W)

vs. Ten (W)

at. GB (L)

vs. SD (L)

at Mia (L)

vs. Det (L)

at Oak (L)

at KC (L)

vs NYJ (L)

at SD (L)

at Min. (L)

vs. Chi (L)

vs. NE (L)

at Buf (W)

vs. Kc (W)

Final 2011 record 5-11

Oakland: Last year's 8-8 season was way overblown by the media (nfl.com) and the notion of the Raiders suddenly being on the rise is deceptive. I've got two numbers to show just exactly why the Raiders are overrated coming into the 2011 NFL season. First number, 2-8. That is Oakland's record against non-divisional opponents last year. Second number, 1998. That is the year which was the last time anyone in the AFC West swept the division save for Oakland doing it last year. What does it mean? It means the Raiders are not going to sweep the AFC West this year and the schedule for the Raiders will not be the cakewalk it was last year.  

at Den (L)

at Buf (W)

vs. NYJ (L)

vs. NE (L)

at Hou (L)

vs. Cle (W)

vs. KC (W)

vs. Den (W)

at SD (L)

at MIN (W)

vs. Chi (L)

at Mia (L)

at GB (L)

vs. Det (L)

at KC (L)

vs. SD (W)

Final record 6-10

San Diego: Here is a team that will more than likely do better than the prediction below says. This prediction is more of a worst case scenario than an actual prediction. The Chargers still have the major play makers that make them good. So long as Phillip Rivers has a forest of trees to throw to, (Nanee, Floyd, Jackson, and Gates), the Chargers passing game is always going to be a problem for teams against them. The Chargers are the only other team that has a chance at winning the division this year.

vs. Min (W)

at NE (L)

vs. KC (W)

vs. Mia (W)

at Den (L)

at NYJ (L)

at KC (L)

vs GB (L)

vs. Oak (W)

at. Chi (L)

vs. Den (W)

at Jac (W)

vs. Buf. (W)

vs. Bal (L)

at. Det (L)

at. Oak (L)

Final record, 7-9

Kansas City: The Kansas City Chiefs in my mind were the most improved team last year. Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones showed that KC has a running game that shouldn't be taken lightly and Dwayne Bowe established himself as a receiving threat. This is the year that Chiefs will show us just how well they will do against playoff teams.

vs. Buf. (W)

at. Det (L)

at. SD (L)

vs. Min (W)

at. Ind (L)

at. Oak (L)

vs. SD (W)

vs. Mia (W)

vs. Den (W)

at. NE (L)

vs. Pit (W)

at. Chi (L)

at. NYJ (L)

vs. GB (L)

vs. Oak (W)

at. Den (L)

Final record 7-9

If the season were to come down to a 7-9 tie between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers. With the exact way listed here the tie breaker would go down to Strength of Victory or Strength of Schedule. This favors the Chiefs because they play the Big Three teams of the AFC (Colts, Steelers and Patriots the only three teams in the AFC to make the Super Bowl since the 2002 season [Oak vs. TB] ).

So could it happen again? Absolutely anything is possible, but will it happen again? Probably not, however it is fun to speculate. But you know what I want to see happen again? More runs like that one in the video above, preferably runs like that coming from our own Jamaal Charles.