The Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos were thought to be similar squads entering the 2009 season. Both had new quarterbacks, both had new head coaches that rubbed some the wrong way, both were employing the 3-4 defense for the first time, and both were expected to struggle.
Well, things didn't quite turn out that way. The Broncos started out 6-0 and the Chiefs started out 0-5.
Chiefs head coach Todd Haley was asked yesterday about Denver's turnaround and said ultimately they want to be like that.
"It’s a testament to building your program and knowing the types of players you want and the kind of system you want to run," he said. "Denver exemplifies that. It’s what we want to accomplish.
"You have got to know exactly what you want to do and how you want to play and then you have to acquire the players necessary to fit the things you’re doing. That’s your plan."
Haley was cognizant of the fact that teams like Denver and Kansas City face an uphill battle to start because they have a bunch of players that weren't necessarily brought in for the schemes they want to run.
"I think in the transition period you’ve got to do the things necessary to try to succeed but, at the same time, teach exactly what you’re going to be teaching for years to come," Haley continued. "Denver has a bunch of guys who can zone block and some runners that it appears are very good at zone running."
These are interesting comments because it's seemed at times that the Chiefs were trying to fit square pegs into a round hole. The Chiefs played Larry Johnson at a time when he wasn't producing anything and got rid of Chan Gailey even though he was the playcaller of an offense that made a second half turnaround last season.
Haley's a first time head coach so I think he's matured as the season has gone on understanding more and more the necessity of scoring more points than their opponent, regardless of the avenue they take.