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In a perfect world, the Chiefs would play a series of meaningless games to rebuild their tattered confidence, sort through their defensive troubles and, in short, get playoff-ready.
As the Chiefs showed in recent blowout losses to Denver and Minnesota, their
world is anything but perfect. They get only one such meaningless game today
against Chicago at Arrowhead Stadium.
New England's win Saturday over Buffalo removed the Chiefs' last remaining chance to use today's game to claim home-field playoff advantage. That prize goes to the 14-2 Patriots.
The 12-3 Chiefs are locked into the AFC's No. 2 seed, regardless of what happens
against the Bears. The Chiefs will get a first-round playoff bye and play their
first postseason game in six years on Jan. 10 or 11 at Arrowhead against an
opponent to be determined.
Under normal circumstances, the Chiefs might use such an occasion to rest some
of their stars in today's game. But the Chiefs aren't heading into the postseason
with anything resembling a head of steam.
They've allowed 193 rushing yards per game and a mind-boggling 5.9 yards per
carry in the last six games. They were shut out in the first half last week
in Minnesota for the first time this season.
So, with the Chiefs lacking that look of a Super Bowl contender, they have goals
for today other than emerging injury-free.
"As an offensive group, after we performed the way we did in the first
half against Minnesota... we are anticipating playing a full four quarters and
having to play hard and play well and trying to get some momentum going into
the playoffs," quarterback Trent Green said. "(Coach Dick Vermeil)
made it quite clear to everybody that we are going to prepare for this like
any other game. That is the thing for us right now; we want to regain some momentum
going into the playoffs."
Speaking for the defense, free safety Jerome Woods said, "This is a tune-up
game for us after the way we played last week. We need to go out on defense
and take care of business, build some momentum going into the playoffs. It's
our last chance. The next time, it's do or die.
"This isn't about what New England does or anybody else does. We've got
to worry about the Kansas City Chiefs and what we've got to do, which is go
out and play a good football game."
The Chiefs haven't done that since routing the Browns 41-20 at Arrowhead in
early November. That victory pushed the Chiefs to 9-0 and sparked dreams not
only of a Super Bowl win, but of an undefeated season, too.
Those hopes fell hard in Cincinnati the following week, and the Chiefs haven't
been the same since. They have gone 3-3 and were outscored 179-166.
Defensive deficiencies, hidden so well during the nine-game winning streak by
a turnover-hungry defense, surfaced now that takeaways have slowed to a trickle.
They came to a head last week when the Vikings not only crushed the Chiefs but
also turned them against one another in the form of a post-game shouting match
between defensive linemen Eric Hicks and Ryan Sims.
That's why today's game, despite the absence of playoff implications, is so
important to the Chiefs.
"We're prepared to line up and play well and try to win and use that game
to try to get better," Vermeil said. "I plan on starting my starters.
I'm not saying I'll play them all four quarters, but we've only got 46 guys.
Right now, we're going to line up and play as if it's a playoff game, especially
coming out of a game like we played last week."
One game may not be enough to allow the Chiefs to make their many fixes and
get their confidence back where it was. But the way they've played of late,
the Chiefs are grateful they still have that.
"One game is better than no games," Hicks said. "That's the only
opportunity we have, is the Chicago Bears to get some momentum going."