Chief Concerns

Thursday night was the most public of the Chiefs' many humiliations. In primetime in front of a national TV audience, NFL fans were forced to watch what Chiefs' fans have been forced to watch all season: perhaps the worst team in the NFL. The way things are going, they could be approaching historic futility.

Think I'm exaggerating? This team won't go 0-16, but they could set some pretty awful marks that will stand a long time.

The Chiefs are a mess, and it won't get any better this year.

They have not had a lead in regulation yet this year. The only time they've had a lead was in overtime when Ryan Succop kicked a game-winning field goal against the Saints. Beyond that, we've played 32 quarters of regular season football, and the Chiefs have not led for one second. Just digest that. They haven't even gotten a field goal to go up 3-0 in the first quarter. No leads. Ever.

The Chiefs' turnover differential currently sits at -20 through eight games. Since 1970, only the 1989 Lions were worse at -21, and that was for the entire season. Could you imagine if KC keeps up this pace and finishes at -40?

The 2008 Lions went 0-16 and are widely regarded as the worst team in NFL history. They had 29 turnovers the entire season. The Chiefs have 28 through eight games this year.

The 2008 Lions were outscored 517-266, a difference of 251 points on the year. Halfway through the season, the Chiefs have been outscored 240-133. That's a difference of 107. Thus, KC is on pace to be outscored by 214 points. That's a little too close for me.

How did it get this bad this fast? Two years ago, the Chiefs were in the playoffs at 10-6. Last year, Kansas City was pretty bad, but rallied late to finish 7-9 and be in the playoff race with two weeks to play. The defense played well enough to give people reason to believe that this team could be a couple wins better this year and maybe challenge for the AFC West.

Not so much. This team is awful, and it's hard to fathom how it got this pathetic. A team that was a win away from the playoffs last year only lost a few notable players (Brandon Carr was really the biggest departure) in the offseason. They added depth the offensive line in Eric Winston, and got two Pro Bowlers (Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry) back from injury.

Yet, somehow, this team is a disaster. Coaching has to be part of the problem. Romeo Crennel was given the head coaching job because the players liked him and the team played better after he was named the interim coach late last season. After firing a guy like Todd Haley who rubbed everyone the wrong way, Romeo was the players' coach that some thought could lead this team. They were wrong. He hasn't made a difference. Last year's late surge was more a result of the players playing loose with nothing to lose because the wicked witch was dead (when Haley was fired). Crennel's coaching has been exposed this year in the Chiefs' sloppy play. The team is simply unwatchable. Losing is one thing, but they're never even in games and losing close battles. They're getting embarrassed week in and week out. That's on everyone: players and coaches, but especially those in charge.

What have you done, Pioli?

But the issue goes beyond Crennel, all the way to the top. Scott Pioli is under fire. He has put a bad team out there. Even though they did make the playoffs two years ago and were in the mix last year, I think many will agree that was smoke and mirrors: a weak schedule, a weak conference. Neither team was all that great. As the years go by, this team is made up more and more of guys Pioli has signed and drafted.

Chiefs fans are rallying to have Pioli fired. Quite frankly, he probably deserves it. It makes me wonder if he really did anything great in New England. Did he really make a lot of great decisions to help that franchise, or was he just a guy in the room while Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were out there winning games? The fact is he had a franchise quarterback and a great head coach in New England. He has neither in Kansas City.

He has followed the long Chiefs tradition of refusing to draft a franchise quarterback, too. The Chiefs haven't had a quarterback they drafted win a game for them since Todd Blackledge.

I don't want to sound like it's all on Matt Cassel, because it's not. He is not, however, a franchise quarterback. Giving Cassel a six-year, $62 million contract before he took a snap in Kansas City is one of Pioli's many failures as a GM. I could list more, but this blog is getting long enough. I will, say, though, that his decisions to hire Todd Haley and Romeo Crennel as head coaches are right up there, too. I know hindsight is 20/20 on some of these things like coaches and draft picks, but the GM still has to live with those consequences. It's part of his job, and he hasn't been very good at it.

Here's the sad part: we're only eight games in. There should be hope of a second half rally, but I don't even want one. This team is going nowhere this year, and I'm already thinking about the NFL Draft. If they win another game or two, I'm going to be concerned it pushes them down in the draft. It's too bad this year's draft class does not appear deep on quarterbacks. Kansas City almost has to put all of its chips in the Matt Barkley basket, because what's the next best option behind him? Geno Smith?

The season is a lost cause. The Chiefs should just admit that and start cleaning house, starting with Pioli. Chiefs fans are giving up and getting frustrated as it is. Just admit this team is done and make some moves that show them that the team is efforting to make sure 2013 will be much better.

It's honestly at the point that I don't even want to see this team win another game this season. I don't want to hear about the messages of "never giving up" and "you have to believe." This team has nothing to believe in. They stink, and it's only going to get worse this year. You can't go out and get a better quarterback or head coach in November. Chiefs' fans are now counting down until the offseason.

The better news: their next game is on Monday Night Football... in Pittsburgh. So, an even bigger audience can see how awful this franchise is right now.