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Good morning Chiefs fans! I am almost back to normal posting. I fly out of OK in a few hours and I'll be back to the usual grind in Jersey tomorrow. I can't say how happy I was to get to see the game on the day the Chiefs won the West. It was a great time.
Today's Kansas City Chiefs news reads pretty nice. It seems there are a lot of folks out there that think this team might make some noise going forward. Enjoy!
The Chiefs already have the AFC West championship in hand, but beating the Raiders would provide other benefits, both tangible and intangible. The most obvious is that by winning, the Chiefs would clinch the third seed among the AFC’s six playoff participants.
Being the third seed would allow the Chiefs to avoid playing against the Patriots in New England until the AFC championship game should both teams advance that far. It would also put the Chiefs third in line to have the conference title game at their stadium.
Haley wants Chiefs not to get ahead of themselves from KC Star
If you're looking for a darkhorse to emerge out of the AFC, you might want to cast your eyes on the Kansas City Chiefs. The AFC West champions are one of the hottest teams in the league, and their offense is built for the rugged play of the postseason.
When thinking about the formula for winning games in January, it is imperative that an offense features an elite quarterback, a dynamic playmaker at receiver and a strong running game. The Chiefs surprisingly feature each of these critical elements in their arsenal, and the collective production will make them a difficult opponent in the postseason.
Chiefs offense built for extended run in postseason from NFL.com
KC Star Photo Gallery: Jackson County residents line up for Chiefs playoff tickets
On Monday, fans were bundled up in thick coats, stocking caps, scarves and gloves. Cups of coffee and hot chocolate were being handed out to help them keep warm as they waited for their chance to buy tickets.
Derrick Parker of Kansas City said he had to be at the game because he knew the Chiefs would be going all the way, even though their first opponent has yet to be determined.
"I just feel it," Parker said. "We are going. It is in my heart. It is time. The city needs it."
Chiefs fans endure cold for hot playoff tickets from KC Star
Matt Cassel has surprised the heck out of me this season and probably at least 95% of those reading this. I think we all knew he might have a shot at being respectable if he simply managed the offense as opposed to leading the offense. But, even then... Over the course of the season, he has gone from managing to leading. At the moment, I'm at a complete loss as to what his upside is. It's one of those classic situations where the more you learn, the less you know!
I'm going to evaluate Cassel with respect to the rest of the NFL quarterbacks.
Matt Cassel: Pro Bowler? from Upon Further Review
Biggest area to fix: Are you kidding? We can't think of much that the Chiefs need to fix this week. It's all gravy for the Chiefs as they prepare for the postseason.
Moving on: Kansas City Chiefs from ESPN
This is the Football Outsiders' chance to stick out their chest and gloat.
They called the Kansas City Chiefs the unlikely AFC West championship way back before the season started.
Who else can say that? I know I can't.
I thought the Chiefs, who won a total of 10 games from 2007-09, would be improved. I didn't think the Chiefs would be 10-5 and would have clinched the AFC West in Week 16.
Not only are the Chiefs going to the playoffs, they are playing well enough to be a dangerous team in the postseason. We all know the Chiefs can run as well as any team in the league. Their passing game looked pretty dangerous as well on Sunday. Matt Cassel has gone from overpaid pretty boy to borderline MVP candidate and tough guy since he recovered so quickly from his appendectomy.
First and 10: Bears feast on Jets defense; more early-game analysis from Sports Illustrated
Coach of the Week
Todd Haley, head coach, Kansas City.
Haley took a four-win team with a questionable quarterback, new offensive and defensive bosses and play-callers, and shoddy offensive and defensive lines ... and turned the Chiefs into a division champion. He'll be a contender for coach of the year, but whether he wins it or not, he deserves credit for changing the structure of the team and for changing players' mindsets.
MMQB from Sports Illustrated
They've Got Answers
The Kansas City Chiefs, because in addition to their tremendous running game, quarterback Matt Cassel -- having recovered from the appendectomy that sidelined him in Week 14 -- has found his groove in Charlie Weis' offense. The Chiefs, who also have a solid defense, are going to be dangerous in the playoffs.
Tuesday Huddle from NFL.com
The Chiefs' hiring of Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel
People ask me what's different about this year's Kansas City Chiefs -- correction, this year's AFC West champion Kansas City Chiefs -- and all that I can come up with is these two guys. I mean, the head coach is the same. The quarterback is the same. The offense and defense basically remained unchanged. And the message is the same. But coach Todd Haley had the wisdom and foresight after last year's 4-12 finish to realize that he needed help and that he wasn't going to find it anywhere on the premises.
Five difference-making team moves that paid off from CBS Sports
In September, the Kansas City Chiefs opened their season with a 21-14 Monday-night victory over the notoriously slow-starting San Diego Chargers that was portrayed as a major upset. We now know it wasn't - the Chiefs (10-5), who'd won only 10 games over the previous three seasons, were the best team in the AFC West, and they clinched their first division title since 2003 by crushing the Titans 34-14 while the Chargers lost at Cincinnati. Scarily, with another offseason of general manager Scott Pioli's shrewd talent-acquisition touches and second-year coach Todd Haley's continued growth, this team should be really good in 2011 and beyond.
Michael Silver's Morning Rush from Yahoo! Sports