Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs aren't who we thought they were

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

“Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion, simultaneously the source of your greatest strength, and your greatest weakness.” – The Architect, Matrix Reloaded

You’re in the wrong place if you’re looking for reassurance. I’d only be doing you a disservice to peddle optimism after a nationally-televised, 29-point drubbing of the Kansas City Chiefs. I’m not here to anesthetize a fan base looking for answers. This administration just suffered its worst regular season loss since coming to town in 2013. If there was ever a time for honesty, it’s right now.

The battered wives of Chiefs Kingdom will resent the truth of today’s column. They’d have you believe that any criticism of the front office or 53-man roster, at such an early stage in the 2016 season, is purely reactionary. After all, there are 12 games left on the docket and the Chiefs are sitting at 2-2.

They’ll quickly remind you of how Kansas City rebounded from a 1-5 start in 2015. Some may even cite the 2014 routing of the New England Patriots – on their way to winning Super Bowl XLIX – as the rational basis for ignoring the voice of reason. I can hardly say I blame them.

Prior to the start of the season, many of us thought the Chiefs were in position to be a viable contender in the AFC. With Peyton Manning out to pasture, they were certain to become the team to beat in the division. Though in the NFL, what may appear true on paper could be anything but on the field.

Through four games, Kansas City’s proven those expectations to be more farcical than factual. Their two wins have come over two teams with a combined record of 2-6. One required the greatest comeback in franchise history. The other called for an improbable, eight-turnover day.

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Here’s the perspective fans so desperately need today:

Ask yourself if these are the kind of offensive statistics befitting a team, in its fourth season, that’s had continuity both with personnel and its coaching staff? Wasn’t the Chiefs offense supposed to carry the team until Justin Houston returned to fortify the defense? Weren’t we expecting ascending players like Spencer Ware and Chris Conley to help Reid establish a more potent offense? What we’re left with are the unpaid bills of uninventive coaching. The Chiefs offense won’t be confused for the juggernauts of the league, but they’re also too talented to be struggling so mightily.

Some of this falls squarely on the shoulders of a head coach who has been dogmatic about his own involvement in play calling. Once a well-respected offensive mind, it appears the game may have passed Reid by. The west coast, as a system, isn’t an anachronism in today’s NFL, but Reid’s version of it seems to be.

Despite early success with the vertical passing game on Sunday, he eventually fell into a familiar pattern of one ineffective quick screen after another. Kansas City has playmakers in Jeremy Maclin, Travis Kelce and Chris Conley, but Reid seems perfectly willing to keep their hands tied. Even down multiple scores, the Chiefs were still nickeling-and-diming a Steelers defense which had been the league’s worst pass-rushing defense coming into the game.

If I’m being honest, part of this can also be attributed to quarterback Alex Smith. This offense is limited with him at the helm and that may explain Reid’s reluctance to play to his offensive strengths.

Remember the Week 3 contest where Kansas City got eight turnovers from the New York Jets? They still only managed to score 10 offensive points. That’s an indictment of Reid’s offensive imagination and could also indicate a ceiling created by being tied to Smith at quarterback. It’s not enough to avoid negative plays. The modern NFL requires a quarterback to make positive plays on a consistent basis.

Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Make no mistake; the season is far from over. There are still a dozen games to play and few teams on the remaining schedule present the kind of challenge that a pissed off Steelers team did on Sunday. That said, these kinds of problems rarely sort themselves out without significant change. The way this Chiefs team is currently playing, it’s entirely possible that they finish third in the division and find themselves on the outside looking in when the postseason rolls around.

It’s time for Reid to reconsider his stranglehold on an offense going nowhere. Alex Smith can no longer hide behind his reputation as little more than a good steward at quarterback. Low expectations are killing this offense at a time where Kansas City should be having success. It should be noted that Reid and Smith aren’t the only guilty parties. Some of the responsibility has to fall on general manager John Dorsey.

His offensive line is still an issue after three full seasons, Dee Ford has yet to live up to his draft promise and the defense doesn’t have anything that remotely resembles a pass rush.

Hopefully, there will be serious reflection at One Arrowhead Drive over the bye week. It’s not time to panic, but it’s 20 minutes past “time to worry.” The team is approaching a more manageable portion of its schedule, but beating bad teams is great deodorant for a group that isn’t playing good football on a regular basis.

The Chiefs shouldn’t settle for surviving their schedule and backdooring the AFC playoff picture. In the event that they even get there, they should expect to stick around a while. Beating teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, in their stadium, is how you become that team. It’s clear that right now, the Chiefs aren’t.

Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The truth is that this team isn’t the one we expected all offseason. They’re capable of growing into that team as the season progresses, but honestly, what evidence is there that they will? It’s easy to think they’ll summon the steely-eyed perseverance of the 2015 season. Winning ten straight games isn’t much of a plan though.

It’s also helpful to remember that rebounding the way they did, hadn’t been done in close to 50 years. The Chiefs can’t keep relying upon their resilience and historic feats to blossom into the team pundits thought they’d be. At some point, they need to be well prepared, motivated, energetic and opportunistic.

What are your expectations of this team headed into the bye week? Can they rebound or is this team headed down a dark path that ends in failing to return to the playoffs? Can the Chiefs rebound from being humiliated on national television and beat the Oakland Raiders on the road? Is it time for a change to Kansas City’s offense? Use the comment section below to weigh in. As always, we appreciate your readership and support.

Until next time, Addicts!