The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t get a lot of production out of their rookie class in 2011.  But they have a nice upside.  Here is a look at how the Chiefs’ rookies did in 2011:

22-year old WR Jonathan Baldwin was the Chiefs’ first round pick in 2011.  He got off to a late start to his 2011 season after losing a locker-room fight with veteran RB Thomas Jones which resulted in Baldwin having a broken thumb.  This got him into head coach Todd Haley’s Dog House right away.  Baldwin played in 11 games for the Chiefs last year and he caught 21 passes for 254 yards (12.1 avg) with 1 TD grab.  Despite his rough rookie season, Baldwin has a nice upside.

22-year old center Rodney Hudson was the Chiefs’ 2nd round pick last April.  Hudson played in 16 games (1 start) for the Chiefs last year.  He projects to be a starter for the Chiefs in the very near future.

23-year old OLB Justin Houston was a 3rd round pick last April.  Houston played in all 16 games for the Chiefs last year and he had 56 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6 tackles for a loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery and 4 passes defensed.  Houston has a huge upside as he got better with every single game that he played in 2011.

22-year old DE Allen Bailey was also a 3rd round pick last April.  He played in all 16 games for the Chiefs last year and he had 10 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 fumble recovery and 2 passes defensed.  Bailey will likely see increased P.T. as his career goes on.

24-year old CB Jalil Brown was picked in the 4th round last April.  He played in 14 games for the Chiefs last year and he had 8 tackles.  Brown will likely start to get more P.T. next year for the Chiefs.

24-year old QB Ricky Stanzi was a 5th round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.  Stanzi could be the QB of the future down the road for the Chiefs, but you have to wonder why they didn’t give him a chance instead of Tyler Palko.

24-year old OLB Gabe Miller was a 5th round pick of the Chiefs.  He spent his rookie season on the Injured Reserve List.

24-year old NT Jerrell Powe was picked in the 6th round by the Chiefs.  Powe played in 1 game for the Chiefs last year but he didn’t have any tackles.

22-year old fullback Shane Bannon was a 7th round pick of the Chiefs.  He was cut before the season even began.

GRADE FOR 2011:  C+

GRADE FOR THE FUTURE:  B+

The Kansas City Chiefs have stripped the interim label from 64-year old Romeo Crennel’s job description and they have signed him to a new three year deal to serve as the head coach.  The Chiefs were 2-1 under Romeo Crennel this year after he took over from Todd Haley.  The Chiefs only scored 39 points in Crennel’s three games in charge, but they only gave up 33 points.  Romeo Crennel is now 26-41 (38.8%) in his first five years as an NFL head coach.  Maybe Crennel will be better in his second time around as a NFL head coach, as Bill Belichick excelled after he left the Browns.

29-year old Matt Cassel missed a huge chunk of the season due to injury, but he didn’t play too well before he was injured.  Cassel played in 9 games (all starts) for the Chiefs last year and he completed 160 of 269 passes (59.5%) for 1,713 yards with 10 TD passes and 9 INTs (76.6 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 25 times for 99 yards (4.0 ypc) last season.  Cassel was 4-5 (44.4%) as the Chiefs’ starting QB this year.  Cassel has now played in 69 games (54 starts) in his NFL career so far and he has completed 1,042 of 1,767 passes (59%) for 11,699 yards with 76 TD passes and 45 INTs (82.5 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 193 times for 711 yards (3.7 ypc) with 3 TD runs in his NFL career.  Cassel has a 28-26 (51.9%) record as a starting QB during the regular season so far in his career.  The Chiefs are likely going to give Cassel some competition for his starting gig next training camp.

28-year old Tyler Palko was pathetic for the Chiefs last year.  He played in 6 games (4 starts) for the Chiefs last year and he completed 80 of 134 passes (59.7%) for 796 yards with 2 TD passes and 7 INTs (59.8 QB Rating).  Palko also carried the ball 5 times for 15 yards (3.0 ypc) last year for the Chiefs.  Palko was 1-3 (25%) as the starting QB for the Chiefs this year.  He has now played in 8 games (4 starts) in his NFL career so far and he has completed 84 of 140 passes (60%) for 831 yards with 2 TD passes and 7 INTs (60.7 QB Rating).  Palko has also carried the ball 7 times for 20 yards (2.9 ypc) so far in his NFL career.

29-year old Kyle Orton led the Chiefs to a 2-1 record in three late season starts.  He played in 9 games (8 starts) overall last year for the Broncos & Chiefs and he completed 150 of 252 passes (59.5%) for 1,758 yards with 9 TD passes and 9 INTs (77.8 QB Rating).  Orton also carried the ball 11 times for 13 yards (1.2 ypc) last year.  Orton was 3-5 (37.5%) overall as a starting QB last year.  Orton has now played in 71 games (69 starts) in his NFL career and he has completed 1,284 of 2,204 (58.3%) passes for 14,532 yards with 80 TD passes and 57 INTs (79.4 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 110 times for 274 yards (2.5 ypc) with 3 TD runs so far in his NFL career.  Orton is now 35-34 (50.7%) as a starting QB during the regular season in the NFL.

The defense won this game for the Chiefs, as they were stellar.  OLB Justin Houston was a monster for the Chiefs in this game with 7 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, 3 QB hits and 1 fumble recovery.  DE Glenn Dorsey (7 tackles) and CB Brandon Carr (2 tackles, 2 passes defensed and 1 interception) also had solid games for the Chiefs.  The Broncos finished up with 216 yards rushing on 47 carries (4.6 ypc) but they only completed 6 of 22 passes (27.3%) for an amazingly bad 50 yards.

The Chiefs didn’t do much offensively, but enough to win over the Broncos.  Kyle Orton completed 15 of 29 passes for 180 yards without a TD pass or INT.  Dexter McCluster led the way on the ground for the Chiefs in this game with 61 yards rushing on 12 carries (5.1 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He also caught 3 passes for 25 yards in this game.  Thomas Jones pitched in with 42 yards rushing on 15 carries (2.8 ypc) in this game.  WRs Dwayne Bowe (6 rec, 93 yards) and Jonathan Baldwin (3 rec, 27 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Chiefs.  The Chiefs finished up with 106 yards rushing on 30 carries (3.5 ypc) and they also completed 15 of 29 passes (51.7%) for 175 yards as they had possession of the ball for 27:02.  The Chiefs finish the 2011 season with a 7-9 record.

The Chiefs have placed 28-year old RB Jackie Battle on the Injured Reserve List, ending his season due to a foot injury.  Battle played in 15 games (4 starts) for the Chiefs this year and he carried the ball 149 times for 597 yards (4.0 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  He also caught 9 passes for 68 yards (7.6 avg) this year.  Battle will likely end up as the Chiefs’ leading rusher this year, unless Dexter McCluster (455 rushing yards) or Thomas Jones (436 yards rushing) have a career day tomorrow against the Broncos.  Battle has now played in 48 games (4 starts) in his first five years with the Chiefs and he has carried the ball 190 times for 715 yards (3.8 ypc) with 4 TD runs.  He has also caught 14 passes for 76 yards (5.4 avg) in his NFL career so far.

The Chiefs have a chance to be a big time spoiler tomorrow against the Broncos in Denver.  The Broncos can make the playoffs with a win tomorrow, which would clinch the AFC West.  But, the Broncos have lost two games in a row by a combined score of 81-37!  The Broncos beat the Chiefs 17-10 earlier this year in Kansas City. Don’t forget that Kyle Orton is going to be plenty motivated to stick it to his old team tomorrow.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Chiefs have the ball:  The Chiefs are likely to come out running the ball early in this game with Thomas Jones and Dexter McCluster getting most of the work against a Broncos’ D that is allowing 127.7 yards rushing per game and 4.2 yards per carry so far this year.  Make no mistake though, the Chiefs are going to let Kyle Orton attack the Broncos’ secondary a lot in this game.  If the O-Line gives Orton time to throw the ball, he’s going to be very effective in getting the ball to WRs Dwayne Bowe, Steve Breaston and Jonathan Baldwin as the Broncos are giving up 235.3 yards passing per game so far this year.

When the Broncos have the ball:  In the first matchup between these two teams, the Broncos rushed for 244 yards and completed only two passes.  Look for the Chiefs to focus on stopping the run and force Tim Tebow to beat them with his left arm.  Willis McGahee and Tim Tebow have combined to rush for 1,698 yards so far this year, so the front seven is going to have their hands full trying to stop them from running the ball.  The Chiefs should double cover WR Demaryius Thomas the whole game and force Tebow to beat them by throwing to someone else tomorrow.

PREDICTION:  CHIEFS 23, BRONCOS 17

The Kansas City Chiefs are sending 28-year old OLB Tamba Hali and 29-year old inside linebacker Derrick Johnson to the Pro Bowl.  Hali has played in 15 games for the Chiefs this year and he has 62 tackles, 12 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and 4 tackles for a loss.  Johnson has played in 15 games for the Chiefs so far this year and he has 126 tackles, 2 sacks, 8 tackles for a loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 2 interceptions and 9 passes defensed.  Both of these guys have really stepped up their games since the arrival of Romeo Crennel as the defensive co-ordinator a couple of years ago.

The Raiders dumped the Chiefs in O.T. last weekend.  Kyle Orton completed 21 of 36 passes for 300 yards with 1 TD pass and 2 INTs.  Jackie Battle led the way for the Chiefs on the ground with 56 yards rushing on 14 carries (4.0 ypc).  Thomas Jones pitched in with 11 carries for 51 yards (4.6 ypc).  Dexter McCluster was busy as he carried the ball 3 times for 15 yards (5.0 ypc) and he also caught 5 passes for 89 yards (17.8 avg) in this game.  WR Dwayne Bowe led the way in the passing game for the Chiefs with 6 receptions for 80 yards (13.3 avg) and a TD.  WRs Terrance Copper (3 rec, 61 yards) and Steve Breaston (4 rec, 41 yards) also pitched in for the Chiefs in the passing game.  The Chiefs finished up with 135 yards rushing on 30 carries (4.5 ypc) and they also completed 21 of 36 passes (58.3%) for 300 yards as they had possession of the ball for 32:39.  Ryan Succop got a chance to win this game as time expired but he had his 49-yard field goal attempt blocked by DE Trevor Scott, and the Chiefs never got the ball back.

The defense played great until O.T. for the Chiefs.  LBs Derrick Johnson (7 tackles, 2 passes defensed and 1 interception) and Tamba Hali (6 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and 1 QB hit) led the way for the Chiefs on D in this game.  CB Javier Arenas pitched in with 2 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 interception.  The Raiders finished up with 71 yards rushing on 25 carries (2.8 ypc) and they also completed 16 of 26 passes (61.5%) for 237 yards.  The Chiefs are now 6-9 on the season.

The Chiefs looked good in Romeo Crennel’s first game in charge as they beat the Packers last weekend at Arrowhead Stadium.  Believe it or not….the Chiefs can still win the AFC West, so this is a huge game for them.  They thumped the Raiders 28-0 in Oakland in the first meeting between these two teams this year.  The Raiders have lost three games in a row in which they have given up 108 points.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Chiefs have the ball:  The Chiefs are going to be a power running team with Crennel in charge.  That means that Jackie Battle and Thomas Jones are going to be pounding away at the interior of the Raiders’ D.  They should have success as the Raiders are giving up 135.0 yards rushing per game and a stunning 5.1 yards per carry.  The Raiders have 39 sacks and they blitz when they get off the team bus, but if the Chiefs can give Kyle Orton time to throw….he’s going to have a big game.  Dwayne Bowe and Steve Breaston are going to give the Raiders’ corners fits tomorrow.

When the Raiders have the ball:  The Raiders are going to come out running the ball with Michael Bush.  But, they are also going to be throwing the ball deep too.  The Chiefs picked off Raiders’ QBs six times in the first matchup between these two teams.  The Chiefs need to get some pressure on Carson Palmer, because he will throw the ball to the Chiefs’ if they hit him hard early in the game.  The Raiders do have incredible speed at WR, so the safeties better be ready to help the corners.

PREDICTION:  CHIEFS 27, RAIDERS 20

The Chiefs looked like a new team today with Romeo Crennel making his debut as the head coach and Kyle Orton getting his first start at QB.  Orton completed 23 of 31 passes for 299 yards without a  TD pass or INT.  Thomas Jones led the way on the ground for the Chiefs today with 48 yards rushing on 15 carries (3.2 ypc) and he also caught 1 pass for 27 yards.  Jackie Battle pitched in with 37 yards rushing on 10 carries with 1 TD run.  Le’Ron McClain pitched in with 20 yards rushing on 4 carries (5.0 ypc) and he also caught 4 passes for 26 yards (6.5 avg) today.  TE Leonard Pope (2 rec, 72 yards), WR Steve Breaston (4 receptions for 50 yards and 1 carry for 25 yards) and WR Dwayne Bowe (4 rec, 49 yards) led the way in the passing game today.  The Chiefs finished up with 139 yards rushing on 39 carries (3.6 ypc) and they also completed 23 of 31 passes (74.2%) for 299 yards as they had possession of the ball for 36:11.

The defense gave an outstanding team effort today.  LB Derrick Johnson (7 tackles and 1 pass defensed) and OLB Tamba Hali (4 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 tackle for a loss and 2 QB hits) led the way on D for the Chiefs today.  The Packers finished up with 102 yards rushing on 18 carries (5.7 ypc) and they also completed 17 of 35 passes (48.6%) for 213 yards in this game.  The Chiefs are now 6-8 on the year.