2007-08 Kansas City Chiefs
Ball players or Reality TV stars? HBO’s series “Hard Knocks” series features the Chiefs, and has made household names out of previously unkown players like Boomer Grigsby, Bobby Sippio and Derrick Ross. Unflrtunately, the cameras revealed a harsh truth: The Chiefs offence leaves a lot to be desired. Damon Huard is the new QB, but it is not like management is jumping up and down about it. Brodie Croyle goes into his second year with a very bad preseason. Larry Johnson’s ready to go, but question marks remain in many key postion - and the AFC looks great in '07. These TV stars need to play hard and exceed expectations to be playoff contenders in '07.
Previous Seasons
Despite the most productive offense in the National Football League that included running back Larry Johnson’s 20 rushing touchdowns and 1,750 yards, the 2005-2006 Kansas City Chiefs will miss the playoffs this year. The Chiefs’ absence from the postseason is not due to a losing record, but instead to an increasingly difficult AFC. This season marks an end to head coach Dick Vermeil’s reign, and the leader announced his plans of retirement after four seasons in Kansas City with only one trip to the playoffs.
Before joining the National Football League in 1970, the American Football League Chiefs won Super Bowl IV and rarely suffered through a losing season. After the Chiefs merged with the NFL, the team struggled for its first two decades of competition with only two postseason appearances. However, when Marty Schottenheimer became the team’s head coach in 1990, the team’s former misery turned into six consecutive trips to the postseason, and the Chiefs only suffered through one losing season under Schottenheimer’s command. Much of the Chiefs’ success during the decade was due to a strong defense. Linebacker Derrick Thomas led the Chiefs’ threatening defensive attack, including a record-setting performance in 1990 when he finished with seven sacks in a single game.
While legendary quarterback Joe Montana and running back Marcus Allen did not play the majority of their careers in Kansas City, the addition of the two offensive weapons in 1993 helped the team reach its furthest point in the postseason since joining the NFL. Even with this strong offense, the Chiefs lost to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship. Since Schottenheimer’s departure at the end of the 1998 season, the Chiefs have only been in the playoffs once. In addition to struggling on the field, the team was dealt an emotional blow when the veteran leader of the defense, Thomas, died in a car accident in 2000.
Despite struggles against opponents on the road, Kansas City Chiefs football tickets remain coveted items for their fans, especially during the month of December. The team has only lost one game in Kansas City during the Christmas month in the last 10 years. However, home field during the rest of the season proves to be almost equally as advantageous. Since 1992, the Chiefs have been the NFL’s most successful home team, winning over 80 percent of their games at Arrowhead Stadium.
As the team deals with Vermeil’s retirement during the off-season, the Chiefs’ general management will search for a replacement leader for a team that appears to be on track for years of success. With a revitalized defense that includes young standout Derrick Johnson and quarterback Trent Green’s improving level of play, look for the Chiefs to compete for a first place finish in the AFC West in the near future.
