The way I understand the playoff picture...

[Direckshun]

This Arizona game is a gravy game. It's not critical to our chances at a playoff spot, but it would really help.

Due to our losses the past two weeks, we need to get to ten wins, and we need to run up the conference win record. I've been noodling down about a dozen scenarios, and the Chiefs must beat Oakland, Pittsburgh, and San Diego to get to 8-4 in AFC play, which would make the Chiefs virtually tie-breaker proof against any AFC wild card team.

Those wins get us to 10-5, and we can honestly drop the Arizona game at that point. 11-5 gets us in, of course, but 10-6 with wins over the Dolphins and Steelers almost guarantees we're in.

The Browns are imploding, the Chargers are hitting a buzzsaw of games at the end of their season. I expect both of them to fade to 9-7 or worse (I have them both at 8-8), which puts them out of contention.

The Ravens, more than anybody, have been bolstered by slaughtering cupcakes in the NFCS. The Ravens are 7-5 with a game in Miami this week that will likely be their version of KC-Pittsburgh, and three winnable games to close out the season. That's probably a 10-6 record. A 10-6 Chiefs team has a very easy tie-breaker with them because our conference record will have trounced theirs.

The most obvious threats here are the Bengals, the Dolphins, and the Steelers. Beating the Steelers mean we have any tie-breaker you want over two of those teams. And I think the Bengals are waltzing to the AFCN title.

This is a bit jumbled, but there's virtually no world where we lose to Oakland, Pittsburgh, and/or San Diego and survive to the postseason. But we can lose against the Cards and still comfortably get there by winning all three.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Count Alex's Wins

The Cardinals have a far better defense than Denver.

We'll be lucky to score 17.

I disagree.

I think Denver's defense is not only better, but was playing inspired ball.

If our OL can play like they did a couple weeks ago, the offense will hum along just fine.

I expect a 23-13 type win.

[WakkaWakka]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Mark my words:

-The Chiefs will win out and make the playoffs.-

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by WakkaWakka

Please edit your post and cut that image in 11 more times to make 12 total gifs - no spacing please.

[BossChief]

This is the same team that DESTROYED the Pats on MNF.

Same team that beat the world champs a couple weeks ago.

Same team that beat a red hot SD team in SD.

Same team that came back from multiple scores against one of the best defenses in the league in the 4th quarter in one of the hardest places to play.

If this team doesn't come out firing on all cylinders Sunday, I'll be shocked.

[philfree]

Expectations are low but the gifs aren't even funny. We need to win just one game and then see where we stand. That's where it stands.

[Mile High Mania]

Originally Posted by BossChief

This is the same team that DESTROYED the Pats on MNF.

Same team that beat the world champs a couple weeks ago.

Same team that beat a red hot SD team in SD.

Same team that came back from multiple scores against one of the best defenses in the league in the 4th quarter in one of the hardest places to play.

If this team doesn't come out firing on all cylinders Sunday, I'll be shocked.

I sorta get it, they were 5-1 at the time... had defeated the Seahawks (in SD), but they had also just beaten the Bills, Jags, Jets and Raiders.

Enh.

[ILChief]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Wins against Arizona and Oakland are really gonna get this place back in business.

Losing to Denver sucked, but even playing a terrible game, we were still a play or two away from a win.

As bad as the offense and run defense was, we fell for a fake punt, had a punt hit Cooper for a turnover, a dumb int, and am inexplicable Avery fumble. All that crap and not getting completely blowed out was an accomplishment

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by ILChief

As bad as the offense and run defense was, we fell for a fake punt, had a punt hit Cooper for a turnover, a dumb int, and am inexplicable Avery fumble. All that crap and not getting completely blowed out was an accomplishment

Exactly.

We flat out gave them at least 10 points

[Mile High Mania]

Originally Posted by ILChief

As bad as the offense and run defense was, we fell for a fake punt, had a punt hit Cooper for a turnover, a dumb int, and am inexplicable Avery fumble. All that crap and not getting completely blowed out was an accomplishment

Yeah, it was a game where most of that went Denver's way - hard to win with that crap happening.

I was STUNNED when forced to punt again and they pulled the fake, sitting 14-0 at midfield on the road, I just didn't think they had the stones to do that. Impressive, could have backfired in a major way - could have been a major momentum switch.

Then, the punt hitting Cooper - crazy dumb luck.

And, I want to say that Manning has overthrown Sanders 37 times in the last few weeks on that same damn deep route to the right. It's crazy.

All season, I've said that McManus would cost Denver a win ... had they not replaced him, this would have been that week. Absolutely no way that nutsack nails 5 FGs. It's so rare to see them settle that many times, but McManus would have showed his McAnus and missed 2 of those.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by ILChief

As bad as the offense and run defense was, we fell for a fake punt, had a punt hit Cooper for a turnover, a dumb int, and am inexplicable Avery fumble. All that crap and not getting completely blowed out was an accomplishment

True , but the Chiefs were totally dominated from start to finish. At times KC could have gotten back in it - I think when the punt hit Cooper that changed all that. Honestly, I think that Denver knew they had it which is why they got FG's instead of TD's. There was a bit of a let up on their part more than the Chiefs doing anything to help their cause. The game was not as "close" as the score suggests. It was the worst ass kicking since Reid took over. Denver dominated in the trenches both ways. No way to spin it otherwise.

[Manila-Chief]

Who knows ... with this team it is unwise to even wish for wins much less predict what will happen. They have have already won more than I thought before the fist game. I agree with Direckshun in post #14. It has been an up and down season for expectations and for Andy's coaching ability. Losses to Tenn. & Oakland ... then the near win in Denver seemed to indicate we could take them at home and a good chance to take the division. Now it looks to me like we are toast.

ESPN has the Chiefs rates at 46% to make the playoffs ... which is better than all the other teams.

Quote: WakkaWakka "Don't worry, they'll bring it to the last game against the Chargers, it'll be a lose and go home, win and get in game. It'll suck all the homers in. But just like every other time it matters, they'll piss down their leg and lose in epic fashion."

See guys I don't know what to hope for ... 1. just barely get into the playoffs and then as usual get blown out in the first game ... at least we can say we have a "getting into the playoffs" streak. Or; 2. Lose to Ari., Pitt, and SD and put us out of our misery??? And maybe Dorsey gets the message that we need top quality NFL talent ... i.e. not just bodies on the OL, or "tall WR/CR's" but talented players whatever their measurable.

BTW ... know this is a topic for another thread ... understand that even GM's need to learn how to do their job ... but I'm not impressed with Dorsey's running of the Chiefs.

Yes, ILChief ... almost ... but an uninspired first half after a mini-bye week raises serious questions about Andy's coaching ability. Well, his decision to keep Sutton after the ending of last season raises even greater questions but that is a subject for another thread. Just being stupid (meaning me) ... you do realize it is the final score that matters in determining playoffs not how close the game was.

[Titty Meat]

Denvers defense held the Chiefs to 16 points without their best CB. We ****ing suck.

[Mile High Mania]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Hog

Denvers defense held the Chiefs to 16 points without their best CB. We ****ing suck.

The pass rush was fun though, pulled this from Mile High Report... Ware was all over the place.

[wink91wink]

Originally Posted by Count Alex's Wins

The Cardinals have a far better defense than Denver.

We'll be lucky to score 17.

We may not need to score 17 the way the Cardinals offense is playing. They only scored 18 vs the falcons and 7 of that was on a pick six. Falcons have a much worse defense than we do. And Ellington will either be out or very limited.

[Manila-Chief]

Mile High ... just curious ... you have SD beating Pats & S.F. yet losing to the Chiefs & Broncos. I know that AFCW teams usually win at home no matter the record (re: Oak/KC) ... but, if they beat the Pats logic would say the beat the Chiefs????

Which seems to indicate losing to Den is a homer pick???

And, you note I dare not pick those games. I see they can go either way. For what's it's worth, I think the Donks win out, but the way things have gone this year ... SD could wind up winning the division ... not likely (coz Donks have an easy schedule) but who knows????