If the Chiefs once again make the playoffs, hey, they've surpassed expectations.

If they tank, who cares. Everyone expects them to anyway (despite us finishing with a top 10 record in the league last year). I have a blog where I can bitch and moan about the team, tickets will be cheaper (hopefully I'll get some passes this season, though) and we'll get a great draft pick.

That being said, I fully expect us to have a pretty good season.

I can name the entire defense, c'mon, now. Our other starters will likely by second-year safeties Bernard Pollard and Jarrad Page. Page picked off Peyton Manning in the endzone during the playoffs last year, and Bernard was one of the hardest hitters and finest special teams performers in the league as a rookie last year. Then we have Jon McGraw for depth, who's no slouch.

At the defensive tackle spot we have T-N-T — rookies Tank Tyler and Turk McBride — along with Alphonso Boone, James Reed and Ron Edwards.

Michael Bennett is a pretty damn good player when's he's healthy, by the way.

D.J. plays weakside LB, missed games due to injuries last year, etc… check this out, from Warpaint Illustrated:

"It’s true. Despite the fact he only played in
13 games last season, Johnson posted more tackles, more sacks, more
forced fumbles and more tackles for loss than almost every other Cover
2 strongside ‘backer in the NFL. Minnesota’s Ben Leber had more forced fumbles and tackles for loss, but clearly isn’t a player with Johnson’s talent."

We're going to have a good year and L.J. won't break down. This guy's durable, he's not Clinton Portis.

First off, it is nice that you can name some of you offensive line and most of your defense.  Most of the league can't.  But just naming them doesn't make them good.  I'll grant you, I'd sure like to have Brian Waters in our open guard slot. But your left tackle, is rated 69 by Scouts Inc, and your right tackle is so bad that Scouts Inc. hasn't bothered to rate him yet. The entire line is over 30 and Waters who was a rock suffered his first injury last year.  This is a line you can't count on.  It has 3 holes and its best player is no longer a guy you can write in the lineup in ink.

Let's see, the 7 guys you could name on defense started with Jared Allen who was suspended for substance abuse.  That's a great start.  Then there was Tamba Hali who I will grant is very good.  Then there was Derrick Johnson with the completely average 75 tackles.  Check out this list: 33, 31, 34.  That's a list of the ages of your all-pro CBs and LB. And here's another fun number for Napolean Harris–81.  That's the number of tackles he racked up in a full season compared witht he 120-150 many MLBs rack up.  This is a defense that has age where it has talent and no talent where is has youth.  That's a recipe for a bad season.

As for the great Eddie Kennison, his production dropped 20% last year in a full season and he's 34.  I wonder if there is a connection? As for Dwayne Bowe, maybe he will be that good, maybe he won't.  Will it be this year?  Next year?  The year after? 

I've already covered the Larry Johnson holdout and the 400 carries.  This is a man who is about to hit the Terrell Davis wall.  And he's going to hit it hard.

Yes, this is a team with the talent of a 10-6 team.  But how many injuries to the 30+ crowd would it take to turn those numbers around?  What happens if Michael Bennett turns out to be your best RB for a good chunk of the season?  The easy bet is to play the middle, but I'll tell you, if I were a Chiefs fan I'd be shaking in my boots right now.

Not being a Cheifs fan I say they're going to collapse big time this year. Still feeling good?

The Chiefs made the playoffs last year, and it was more due to Damon Huard than it was Trent Green. Makeshift offensive line? With all apologies to Steve Hutchinson, Brian Waters might just be the best guard in football. He was much better than Will Shields last year. C Casey Wiegmann is no slouch either.

Defense is barely serviceable? Jared Allen, Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson, Ty Law, Patrick Surtain, Donnie Edwards, Napoleon Harris, etc… ? We have the fastest set of LBs in the league and will have a top ten defense at worst this year. This could be a special unit under Herm’s tutelage.

No WRs? Eddie Kennison is better than either Randle El or Brandon Lloyd “Banks” (leave the rappin’ to the pros, you Deion wannabe). And Dwayne Bowe has the potential to be the second-best WR of the ‘07 class (only behind Calvin Johnson). Plus, Tony G’s stats are better than those of about half the No. 1 WRs in the league (not to mention Chris Cooley’s)

When Larry Johnson, who’s the best pure rusher in the game I might add, signs we’re all good. All good.

Had to go there, didn’t you