Chiefs Vs. Bills: The Best And The Worst

Tired of it.

Sorry folks, there will be no Best & Worst today, at least, not in the traditional sense that is. Not after the embarrassment that transpired yesterday. Nope. CAN'T DO IT. CAN'T WRITE WITH 'EM.

See, the Best & Worst is all about having fun (you know, maybe go to Sea World, take my pants off). It's meant to cast a different light on our beloved Chiefs games each and every week - capturing the essence, and recognizing the ridiculous. The Best & Worst is my happy place.

I just can't bring myself to do it today. Nothing about yesterday's performance warrants anything other than the cold, hard, stinky truth. Save your optimism this week. The Chiefs don't deserve it.

This is the absolute lowest I have been on the Kansas City Chiefs since I began my ragtag writing career (tail end of 2009), so this is new territory for me.

The Pioli regime has had their excuses locked securely in place since taking over: Inaugural season. Charlie Weis. Injuries. Todd Haley. Non-pot related suspensions. More injuries.

There was no excuse for yesterday.

Dirty Dirkness Done Dirt Cheap:

Worst thing you can feel about your favorite team - That you don't like them.

I've LOST that LOVING feeling. Whoooa, that LOVING feeling...

It's just blowout after blowout. Uninspiring performance after uninspiring performance. A complete lack of heart consistently put on display. From Clark Hunt, Scott Pioli and the top of the organization down to Jonathan Baldwin, Travis Daniels, and the dregs of the roster.

In other words, I have the same respect for this team as the team has for the fullback position.

I remember a time (not that long ago) when watching the Chiefs play on Sunday was literally my favorite three hours of every week. My love burned so deep that I denounced any Sunday devoted religions, derailed a promising bowling career at a young age, and refused any job that required availability on Sundays.

Fast forward to yesterday, which was something closer to watching a family member get tortured. I watched the second half of yesterday's game in an anger coma, which led directly to a serious necessary amount of substance abuse (and few retained details of the game).

Coming into this season, my main goal as a Chiefs enthusiast was to rediscover my love for the team. Set aside my journalistic coonskin cap of benevolence and reattach my diehard denim jacket of unbridled love.

I had come to the realization that, for whatever reason, my love for Jamaal Charles, Tamba Hali, and Dwayne Bowe didn't burn as deeply as it once did for Priest Holmes, Trent Green, Will Shields, and Tony Richardson (difficult to trim this list to only four). Maybe it's a sentimental thing, and those players just came along at the perfect time in my life, kinda like how a new gaming system will never be able to top the original Nintendo.

However, after yesterday's game, I'm starting to believe it's something more discernible than that. Two things stick out in my mind about this currently constructed team that have led to my utter distaste:

1. An overall lack of toughness

One of the more respectable, endearing qualities you can ask for from a sports team is toughness, of which I believe this team has none. And it's difficult to sit by and support.

I can't believe how weak-willed the Chiefs looked yesterday. Getting spanked in public, and I didn't see a single player stepping up to put an end to it.

This team is so un-tough that Joe Buck is feeling jealous today. This team is so Sally that it makes this Tom Brady moment look manly. This team is so feeble that they collectively defend Jay Cutler's decision to sit out in the 2010 NFC Championship Game. Roy Williams' KU teams of the 90's think this team is soft. The team probably slaps this picture on their way out to the field.

Whew, I feel better. That was oddly therapeutic. Hopefully, it healed some of your wounds as well.

In all seriousness though, I've never supported a team with less toughness in my life. When I think of toughness on the gridiron, the following facets of the game come to mind: Stopping the run (gave up 201 yards yesterday), getting stops in the red zone (Bills 3-3), running the ball in short yardage situations (Peyton Hillis fumbles at the 1 yard line after inexplicably lining up with 3 WR's), responding to adversity (which they fold to quicker than Matt Cassel in a collapsing pocket), and oop, sorry, Ryan Lilja's man just beat him again, taking me down before I could finish this list.

I mean, how many times can the Chiefs get blown out of the water like this? It's UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE. I've seen this movie one too many times by now, and I might just walk out next time.

2. Ultimately, the organization is afraid to take that risk

There's few things in life worse than finding yourself afraid of what might come next. It's a terrible way to live. So why does this organization seemingly run itself like so?

Why open up the offense early when yesterday's game was still up for grabs? Nah, we'll let the Bills dictate the pace of the game and then pounce on them with our coaching adjustments (HA!).

Why challenge Brad Smith's 16 yard reception when it was clearly bobbled? Nah, we might need those challenges later.

Why kick the ball onside down three scores in the 4th quarter when there are moral victories to be had? Nah, we'll kick it deep and tack on meaningless touchdowns at the end, making us look better.

Why throw the ball downfield on 3rd and 18 when we could increase our punting position? Nah, you throw that immediate swing pass, Matt.

Why hire a head coach outside of our professional family when he's been such a good coordinator? Nah, we'll hire from within the regime following a super-tumultuous season. AND we'll keep him as coordinator!

Why draft Russell Wilson ( or any other QB in the history of the NFL Draft) when he lowers the potential win floor for this team? Nah, we'll play it safe and stick with the Remarkably Average Matt Cassel.

The fear of taking that risk is a fear of losing this city's fan base and freefalling into the depths of irrelevance alongside the Royals. Instead, our decision makers have come to accept the team's perpetual mediocrity. And that's bullcrap.

Worst part of it all - This team will stick with the status quo. They aren't as bad as they looked yesterday (they can't be), they'll find a way to go 6-10 or 7-9, miss out on the top QB's, and we'll find ourselves in this exact same boat next season. And it's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey, and it's gonna last us for the rest of our lives.

I will always support and love the logo found on the front of the jersey unconditionally. But it has become increasingly difficult to support the names on the back, as well as the names at the top of this organization.

My condolences,

His Dirkness