You take the field, knowing that if you do force a punt you will in all likelihood be back on the field in a few minutes trying to do it all over again....all game long....and that any hope of winning rests upon YOU forcing a turnover and scoring....several times. So you start gambling, jumping routes, guessing the snap count, holding, etc. Eventually the grind just wears you to exasperation. So you start backing off a bit, giving too much of a cushion to the offense player and you end up getting burned on a big play. Rinse and repeat: 60 minutes later you got blown out by a mediocre team. Seven days later you get to do it all over again with the expectation of somehow maintaining the same tenacity as a team that actually has a chance of making the playoffs. I don’t know how our guys do it every week without throwing in the towel completely. Yep, probably some of them have.

I don't think it’s possible to evaluate the Chiefs defense this season as bad as the offense is. I think the Chiefs are somewhat unique in this respect because they have the talent to be a top defense but lack the confidence in the team as a whole to perform as such. I remember how much better the team played when Montana came to town. It’s the same thing the Bronco’s are experiencing now. Back then the Chiefs played above their talent (and Denver this season) because they felt like they had a legitimate chance to succeed if they could just keep things close. It’s a catalytic effect caused by good leadership feeding confidence, feeding performance, feeding confidence, etc. Unfortunately our very talented roster is experiencing the dead-opposite of that. You’ve all heard this before; "winning is a habit, so is losing…" Here’s a thought; why did the Chiefs win at the end of last season, but that hasn’t happened this season? Our talented group caught a glimmer of hope when Haley got canned, that’s why.

I do think RC is a good defense coordinator and I would rather not make our defense start over with an all-new regime. What we need is an offensive-minded head coach who doesn't go on a mad power trip (Haley) and can get the offense to perform. The head coach also needs to be able to inspire guys in a way both Haley and Crennel could not. The problem is I just don't know who that guy is. Pioli's biggest sin is that has hasn't been able to figure it out either. I’m not unhappy with Pioli’s draft picks nor his free-agent additions (that’s not to say he hasn’t made some mistakes) I just think his covert style and poor choices in head coaches has been his primary failure as a GM. Clark Hunt needs only to ask Scott Pioli one question before deciding to make a GM change; "Who are you looking at for our coach next season?" I just outlined the most basic criteria, so Pioli can decide his own fate with the answer. Now you can opine what a good answer might be.