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What are we, as a team?

That answer has changed approximately times since 1989. Let's review.

The Schottenheimer Era. Marty built this team from the ground up. The Chiefs of the late 70's and 80's were very sad. We didn't have a lot of quality players and Marty had to develop basically everyone, and he did a damn good job at it. He assembled a powerful and physical offensive line that fit his style of offense perfectly, molded one of the greatest physical specimans ever into an actual football player (Christian Okoye), assembled a respectable defense and also gathered a rag-tag crew of leftover QB's that were actually kind of able to succeed in our system. He maintained a playoff team through all the years, but just had some sort of mental block in the playoffs. So...

The Cunningham Era. Playoffs on our mind, we entered the 1999 season with high hopes for our new head coach. Coming in as a defensive coordinator, Kansas City became a largely defensive team but still maintained the physical style of offense reminiscent of Marty. Despite a fairly good defense and fair offense, Gunther failed to make the playoffs in his two seasons. Onto...

The Vermeil Era. When it all came down to it, Vermeil piloted probably our best teams not including the 69 Chiefs. He brought in and developed a bunch of late-round/undrafted misfits into probably the best assembly of blockers in league history to pave the way for other castoffs Priest Holmes and Trent Green to light up defenses. One of the best offensive lines in football history up front, future Hall of Famer Tony Richardson lead blocking, and giant Jason Dunn and ever-evolving blocker Tony Gonzalez manning the tight end positions. While Priest was a good player, I think anyone could've gained 1,000 yards behind that line. Along with Green's superb passing and a fairly respectable core of receivers, the Chiefs offense of that era was arguably one of the greatest ever. If it wasn't for KC having a defense ranked anywhere from 25th to 32nd in those years, I'm sure that team would've won a Super Bowl sometime. But Dick retired, leading to...

The Edwards Era. This was an ugly couple of years. Sure, we made the playoffs in 2006, but that was entirely because of Larry Johnson and the running game. When LJ got pissed for forcing him to take 450 carries in a season, which is seriously endangering his health, he got all mad and refused to do well anymore, and it didn't help that almost every good lineman we had ditched us. So we were faced with a defense that couldn't stop molasses, an offense that couldn't get on the board, and some draft picks that have more or less failed to live up to expectations. This Era couldn't last, so...

The Haley Era. What to think of Todd Haley... Well, what I can say is that when he's got the talent available to him he can make the most out of them (on offense, anyway). But his temper got the best of him and a lot of what seemed like personal grudges really hurt us. He had a shitty first season, made the playoffs in 2010 and got fired in 2011. After he dropped Jared Gaither for one stupid false start (Gaither then went on to play at a Pro Bowl level in San Diego when he actually got a chance to play), I got really pissed but didn't give up on Haley. What really sealed the deal for me was his refusal to play anyone but Palko. Sure, Tyler was a veteran QB that knew the plays. But he failed to realize, PALKO IS ABSOLUTE SHIT. He is possibly the worst QB I have ever seen start a game. I didn't care if Stanzi sucked in practice, didn't know the playbook, or wasn't ready. He shoud've been in during the Pittsburgh game after Palko turned over the ball 4 CONSECUTIVE TIMES. After the Palko era, I was ready to let go of Haley. Which brings us to...

The Crennel Era. It's now or never. We have the pieces (for the most, we may need a draft or two) to finally become a truly elite team on both sides of the ball. The defense, built by Romeo, is arguably elite. But for this team to finally win a damn playoff game FOR ONCE IN 16 YEARS, the offense will have to do something with the pieces they have. That's where Daboll comes in.

Observations of former offenses led by Brian Daboll.

This category is... depressing to say the least. 2010 he was with Cleveland, who racked up a grand total 4,635 yards, which was 29th in the league. Not impressive to say the least. Granted he didn't exactly have an arsenal of great offensive weapons, but that's still pretty sad.

The 2011 Dolphins offense was better. They ranked up 5,078 yards, which was 22nd in the league. Not great, but not necessarily pathetic. He had this reasonably good offense because he maintained balance in the offense by having a very effective running game, ranked 11th in the league.

What will he really do to us?

This is the biggest question mark for me. We have, when healthy, a very effective offense. A good yet very streaky offensive line that needs a little help, a very nice receiving core, and some amazing RB's (another in free agency or draft for depth couldn't hurt, however). Sure, we have fairly mediocre to good QB's in Cassel or Orton, but it's not like he's not used to that. He did work with Colt McCoy and Matt Moore, you know. So he's finally got a good group of talent, and it's up to him to do something with it. He's used to working with big receivers like Bowe and Baldwin and will hopefully help bring Jon up to his ceiling. He's also got a soft spot for fullbacks and utilizes them a lot in his offense, so I really hope he sees Le'Ron's potential and does something with it. I saw McClain being utilized a lot more during the end of the season, and I really liked what I saw.

What will he do to our blocking scheme?

This is another big question. He used a man-blocking scheme, I-Form in Cleveland that powered Peyton Hillis to 1,122 yards rushing. He used an even bigger line in Miami that was the second heaviest in the league behind only Cincinnati's, and that actually worked for little, fast and elusive Reggie Bush (that basically does away with the myth that small RB's can only do good behind small, fast lines). It'll be quite the shell shock for him to go from the giants up front in Miami to the shrimps we call O-linemen here. Hopefully he adds some much needed physicality and beef up front, as I blame our weakness at the line for our pathetic red zone percentage.

Finally, on a little more off-topic note, what are some free agents he's associated with?

Not even necessarily offensive free agents, either. He was a defensive coach with the Pats, so he can appreciate a good defensive player when he watches one play every single day against HIS offense. He has played with and could potentially put in an opinion for...

Shaun Rogers

Paul Soliai

Vernon Carey

Lex Hillard

Kendall Langford

Chris Gocong

D'Qwell Jackson

And most notably and the free agent I find the most interesting given our circumstances, Peyton Hillis. Daboll was the guy who really helped him out, gave him a shot. He built an offense that knew how to work with Hillis, and surprise! When Daboll leaves Hillis sucks ass. If Peyton comes to Hillis comes to KC, he might be able to revive 2010 Peyton Hillis and how bad ass would it be to have 2010 Peyton Hillis and Jamaal Charles sharing the same backfield?

Thoughts?

There is way too much misinformation on Peyton Manning's injury.

First of all, a little history.

According to Dungy and Manning, Peyton received his initial neck injury in a game against the Washington Redskins on Oct. 22, 2006. Dungy recalled that " Manning's neck was wrenched and his helmet ripped off when he took a hit by Andre Carter followed by a hit from Phillip Daniels". The hits were legal so do not read anything into that.

When Manning got up he shook his right arm " as if to get the feeling back into it". Peyton took a time out and told the back up QB to be ready. Peyton went on to throw for 244 yards and three TD's in the second half. According to Irsay and Dungy the neck would get aggravated over the next few years but nothing really abnormal.

But, in September of 2010 it was reported that Peyton had been injured sometime before week one. That is when the disc in his neck began to do nerve damage. Manning struggled with pain throughout the 2010 season. He admitted to not having as much throwing strength as usual. This resulted in his decreased production: 91.2 passer rating, 4700 yards, 33 TD's and 17 Int. (hell of a season for an injured QB).

Peyton's first two surgeries were more noninvasive in an attempt to keep the disc from doing damage to the nerve. The fusion was done on the third attempt and was successful. Two of the countries leading neurosurgeons, along with the Colts neurosurgeon have cleared Peyton to play in the NFL again. This relates completely to the fusion itself. Not the nerve regeneration that is subsequent to the fusion surgery.

Peyton is no more likely to "break his neck and be paralyzed" than anyone else in the league. The fusion does not make his neck "weaker", it just may be a little less mobile. Only time will tell. The discs are fused and healed and no longer do damage to the nerve, which is what has caused the loss in arm strength.

The question now is, when and if the nerve will completely heal. This process can take from a few months to a year. The fact is, a study was done on this very issue in regards to NFL players who have had disc herniation's and nerve damage. According to the Spine Orthopedics,Aug. 2010, 72% of NFL players who underwent surgery for disk herniation and resulting nerve damage returned to play, on average for 2.8 more years. The non-surgery group returned to play for just 1.5 years.

In an interview with Joe Montana, Joe said he underwent fusion surgery in 1986 and was told many of the same things Peyton has by so many around him- just retire. Montana underwent his surgery and went on to win Super Bowls 23 and 24, was MVP in 1989, Super Bowl MVP and led his team to two 14-2 regular seasons. And all of this after disc fusion surgery.

According to Peyton and those around him he is getting strength back in his arm. Both Reggie Wayne and Joseph Addai took some reps from Manning and agreed that he was getting more zip on the ball. It could still take several months to find out if Peyton will be in that 72% club and get back to full strength.

The Colt's do not have the luxury of waiting to find out as they have to make a decision before March 8th and a 28 million dollar bonus they would have to pay Manning. It's not going to happen and Peyton will become a free agent.

The rest of the NFL has more time to see how Peyton is doing. The fact is the odds are in Peyton's favor. He is already getting his strength back and there is a three out of four chance his nerve will heal completely. If so, I believe Peyton has at least three more years of Manning level football left in him, maybe more. He may be 36 but other than this neck injury he was the least sacked QB in the league his entire career. He has never taken the kind of punishment other older QB's have endured.

I would also add that Peyton may be the smartest most cerebral QB in history. I believe he can adjust his game as he gets older and still be just as dangerous. Kinda like Michael Jordan when he could no longer dunk a ball from the free throw line. He just invented the fade shot and won more titles.

If Peyton's nerve completely heals, a team in need of a franchise QB would be nuts not to go for him. Just my two cents.

Who is your favorite all time Chief? Is it a former Hall of Famer? A perennial All Pro? The teams leading passer, rusher, receiver? Is it someone who terrorized offenses for years? Or is it an obscure player who contributed a bit, wore your favorite number, hustled on special teams or went to your college? I hope this article brings back some memories, sparks some conversation and most of all brings a smile to your face as I bring back some blasts from the past. Here we go!

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I apologize to Texas Chief for the terrible play on his title but I liked it. I am pretty much a lurker on AP and very seldom do I post but after reading so many posts and comments for the last month I have a number of observations and questions to put forth to you fine folks for discussion.

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We all know about the wire-tapping. We've all heard about how Pioli is a "monster" who likes to control Arrowhead from head to toe.

But have you considered that maybe he is controlling things because the leftover employees from previous regimes are just comfortable with mediocrity?

I mean, for a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game in 18 years or a Super Bowl since 1970, its apparent to me that the people in charge haven't been focusing on doing whats right for the team. Pioli should be firing people like he has been. If the environment is comfortable for the employees, but the employees haven't delivered any sort of achievement since 1970, then clearly some things needs to get shaken up.

Well with Daboll as our new OC (it appears as though the Chiefs go through OC's like the Raiders go through HC's), there are going to be some ways he can help. Follow me folks.

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Close your eyes, clear your head of all objective clouds and ask yourself these questions:

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Hmmmm... There is much speculation on whether or not we should go after free agent Quarterback Jason Campbell. Well to put it in perspective for you all, I figured out what would have happened if Jason Campbell was our quarterback last year. So my thoughts on it were: To have wins, you must score points, to score points, you must be able to move the ball and score touchdowns. So, basically, I averaged up his career statistics and put emphasis on mainly his shortened 2011 numbers. More details after the jump

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1.) New Quarterback.

Whether you love or hate Matt Cassel, I think it's easy to agree that he is not the answer as a starting quarterback to lead the Chiefs to win any playoff games and ultimately the Superbowl. With Peyton Manning possibly becoming a free agent (which seems rather likely at this point) and two teams willing to trade down out of the 2nd and 3rd picks overall it's a possibility to get a better quarterback. It's whether Scott Pioli will or not. I would like to see the Depth Chart go as, 1.) Manning/RG3/Flynn. 2.) Matt Cassel 3.) Stanzi.

2.) Solidifying the Offense.

The offensive line..... It looks great at times, others not so much. With Albert coming on being one of the best blockers in the AFC West and a couple of young guys ready to step in to their roles, I think it's fair to say replacing Barry Richardson with a good tackle would make them one of the best lines in football.

The other thing that is important in making a great offense is having two Running Backs that can make plays. Jamaal Charles will hopefully recover and be back to normal. Thomas Jones is ancient. In running back years he is about 86. The Chiefs must pursue a draft pick or free agent to replace him.

This is what I would like to see for the offensive Depth Chart.

QB: 1. Manning/ RG3/ Flynn 2. Matt Cassel 3. Ricky Stanzi

RB: 1. Jamaal Charles 2. Tashard Choice/ Tim Hightower/ Peyton Hillis/ David Williams/ Anyone but Jones. 3.) Jackie Battle.

FB: LeRon McClain

WR: 1.Dwayne Bowe 2. Steve Breaston 3. Jonathan Baldwin 4. Copper/ Draft pick 5. Copper/ Draft pick

TE: 1. Tony Moeaki 2. Leonard Pope 3. Anthony Becht

OL: All the same except replacing Richardson and getting depth. Also, move Rodney Hudson to starting Center.

3.) Solidifying the Defense

The defense at times during the season (especially near the end) looked like one of the best defenses in the NFL. They finished up 10th overall in defense. The Chiefs did this without a possible starter in Brandon Siler and their pro bowl safety Eric Berry. The first priority is to re-sign Brandon Carr. I believe Carr has developed in to a shut down Corner.

To be the top Defense they must get a pass rushing Defensive end or Nose Tackle. I like Tyson Jackson in running situations, not passing. Same goes for Glenn Dorsey.

Depth Chart:

SS: 1.Eric Berry 2. Jon Mcgraw / Donald Washington 3. Not Sabby Piscetelli

FS: 1. Kendrick Lewis 2. Jon Mcgraw/ Donald Washington 3. Not Sabby Piscetelli

#1 CB: 1. Brandon Flowers 2. Javier Arenas 3. Travis Daniels

#2 CB: 1. Brandon Carr 2. Jallil Brown 3. Travis Daniels

#1 OLB: 1. Tamba Hali 2. Cameron Sheffield 3. Andy Studebaker

#2 OLB: 1. Justin Houston 2. Andy Studebaker 3. Cameron Sheffield

#1 MLB: 1. Derrick Johnson 2. Demarrio Williams 3 Cameron Sheffield

#2 MLB: 1. Brandon Siler/ Jovan Belcher 2. Demarrio Williams 3. Cameron Sheffield

#1 DE: 1. Tyson Jackson 2. Wallace Gilberry 3. Amon Gordon

#2 DE: 1. Allen Bailey/ Robert Mathis 2. Glenn Dorsey 3. Amon Gordon

NT: 1. Sione Pouha 2. Jerell Powe

GET IT DONE, PIOLI!

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I am trying to compile a consensus Big Board of the top 100 players available for the 2012 NFL Draft. I am using top player rankings from www.nationalfootballpost.com , www.walterfootball.com , www.cbssports.com , www.fftoolbox.com , and www.drafttek.com to create a master list.

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