The Chiefs are going to have a tougher schedule this year and I think that they will really miss Charlie Weis in 2011.  That being said, they still should have a decent offense and a really good special teams unit.  If the defense steps up in 2011, they might surprise everyone and win around 10 games again.  I think the line here is just about right on the nose, but if pressed to make a bet, I would make a small one on the over.

44-year old head coach Todd Haley had a lot of help last year with offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel on board.  Haley clashed with Weis, who left in the off-season to take the same gig with the Florida Gators.  It will be up to Haley to pick up the slack in the play calling with Weis no longer on board.  The Chiefs won the AFC West last year with a surprising 10-6 record.  This year though, they won’t have a last place schedule, so to stay on top…Haley is going to have to step up.  The Chiefs are 14-18 (43.8%) in the regular season in Haley’s first two years as a head coach.  They are also 0-1 in the playoffs.

The Chiefs have the same cast of characters returning at RB for 2011 and that’s a really good thing.  24-year old Jamaal Charles will likely split carries again with Thomas Jones in 2011.  Charles will likely get more carries than Jones this year though.  Charles played in 16 games (6 starts) for the Chiefs last year and he carried the ball 230 times for 1,467 yards (6.4 ypc) with 5 TD runs.  He also caught 45 passes for 468 yards (10.4 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  Charles can go the distance any time he touches the ball and that is why he should get more touches in 2011.  Charles has now played in 47 games (18 starts) in his first three years with the Chiefs and he has carried the ball 487 times for 2,944 yards (6.0 ypc) with 12 TD carries.  He has also caught 112 passes for 1,037 yards (9.3 avg) with 5 TD grabs so far in his NFL career.  To me, Jamaal Charles is the most exciting RB to watch in the entire NFL.

32-year old Thomas Jones is the tough guy who gets the work in short yardage situations and around the goal line.  He played in 16 games (10 starts) for the Chiefs last year and he carried the ball 245 times for 896 yards (3.7 ypc) with 6 TD carries.  Jones also caught 14 passes for 122 yards (8.7 avg) last year for the Chiefs.  Jones will likely see his touches go down a little bit in 2011, but he’s still a darn good RB.  Jones has now played in 164 games (117 starts) in his first 11 years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 2,525 times for 10,113 yards (4.0 ypc) with 68 TD runs.  He has also caught 303 passes for 1,980 yards (6.5 avg) with 3 TD grabs in his NFL career.  Jones still has plenty left in the gas tank.

21-year old Dexter McCluster is more of a WR than a RB.  He played in 11 games (7 starts) for the Chiefs in his rookie year in 2010 in which he carried the ball 18 times for 71 yards (3.9 ypc).  McCluster also caught 21 passes for 209 yards (10.0 avg) with 1 TD grab last year.  McCluster is too small to be a full-time RB, but he’s fast enough to handle a few carries a game.

27-year old Jackie Battle will be way down on the food chain at RB for the Chiefs in 2011.  He played in 16 games (0 starts) for the Chiefs last year and he carried the ball 20 times for 50 yards (2.5 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Battle also caught 1 pass for 9 yards last year.  Battle has now played in 33 games (0 starts) in his first four years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 41 times for 118 yards (2.9 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  Battle has also caught 5 passes for 8 yards (1.6 avg) in his NFL career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHIEFS RBS IN 2011:  A+

The Chiefs have virtually no experience behind behind 29-year old Matt Cassel at QB, so they better pray he stays in one piece in 2011.  Cassel played in 15 games (all starts) for the Chiefs last year and he completed 262 of 450 passes (58.2%) for 3,116 yards with 27 TD passes and 7 INTs (93.0 QB Rating).  Cassel also carried the ball 33 times for 125 yards (3.8 ypc) last year.  The Chiefs have a lot more weapons this year but offensive co-ordinator Charlie Weis left the team to go back to college and call plays for the Florida Gators.  It will be interesting to see who Cassel adjusts to all of the changes but I expect him to play well.  Cassel has now played in 60 games (45 starts) in his first six years in the NFL and he has completed 882 of 1,498 passes (58.9%) for 9,986 yards with 66 TD passes and 36 INTs (83.6 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 168 times for 612 yards (3.6 ypc) with 3 TD runs so far in his NFL career.  Cassel is now 24-21 (53.3%) as a starting QB during the regular season in his NFL career so far.

27-year old lefty tosser Tyler Palko probably will be the #2 QB for the Chiefs in 2011.  Palko played in 2 games (o starts) for the Chiefs last year and he completed 4 of 6 passes (66.7%) for 35  yards with 0 TD passes and 0 INTs (81.9 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 2 times for 5 yards (2.5 ypc) last year. 

23-year old rookie Ricky Stanzi will open the season as the #3 QB for the Chiefs.  He was a fifth round pick out of Iowa last April.  Stanzi ran a pro style offense with Iowa, so look for him to get up to speed quickly with the Chiefs.  He might be the #2 QB before the 2011 season is over.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHIEFS QBS IN 2011:  B

Jamaal Charles was the man returning most of the kickoffs last season but he will likely pass the torch to either Javier Arenas or Dexter McCluster.  Arenas will likely be the man as he returned all of the punts and kickoffs in last night’s pre-season opener against the Falcons.  Arenas has the speed and moves to go the distance any time he touches the football as he returned the ball 7 times for TDs in his college career.  McCluster is probaby even faster with more moves than Arenas but he’s also got to be the Chiefs’ secret weapon on offense.

Charles played in 15 games for the Chiefs last season and he returned 36 kickoffs for 925 yards (25.7 avg) with 1 TD return.  He has now played in 31 games in his NFL career and he has returned 51 kickoffs for 1,246 yards (24.4 avg) with 1 TD return.  The Chiefs want him to focus solely on offense after his breakout season in 2009.

25-year old Quinten Lawrence is a long shot to return kicks because he didn’t do too well in that role last year.  Lawrence played in 6 games for the Chiefs last season and he returned 16 kickoffs for 317 yards (19.8 avg).

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHIEFS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  B+

The Kansas City Chiefs will likely have two new starting offensive linemen in 2010 and that’s a good thing.  LT Branden Albert has a ton of potential and the Chiefs hope he realizes it this year.  He is already an outstanding pass blocker but he has had problems with his run blocking.  33-year old Brian Waters will be the Chiefs’ starting LG and he is the leader of the line.  He wins most of his one on one battles by staying lower than his opponent.  Center will be decided in training camp between veteran Casey Wiegmann and Rudy Niswanger who wasn’t playing too well as the season went on in 2009.  Ryan Lilja was signed to start at RG for the Chiefs in 2010 and he is a winner having played all of his career with the Colts until now.  Ryan O’Callaghan will be the RT for the Chiefs this year.  He came out of nowhere last season so the Chiefs hope he wasn’t a mirage.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHIEFS O-LINE in 2010:  C+

43-year old head coach Todd Haley was a rookie last season and it showed at times as the Chiefs limped to a 4-12 season.  But the Chiefs went out and got him some help for the coaching staff with Romeo Crennel now running the D and Charlie Weis running the O.  They worked very well together in New England and I think Haley will benefit big time from their help in 2010.  The Chiefs also made some nice upgrades player wise so maybe Haley can get the Chiefs close to .500 in 2010.

The Chiefs are hoping the 25-year old kicker Ryan Succop’s second year is as good as his first one.  Succop was “Mr. Irrelvant” in the 2009 NFL Draft as he was the very last pick.  But the Chiefs hit a homerun with him.  Succop played in all 16 games for the Chiefs last season and he made 25 of 29 field goals (86.2%).  He also nailed all 29 of his extra points as he finished with 104 points on the year.  The Chiefs can’t afford to leave any points on the field but that won’t be a problem in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHIEFS KICKERS in 2010:  A

25-year old Dwayne Bowe missed a few games last season to a league suspension.  But he’s been a good boy this off-season and he will be ready to go from Week #1 this year.  Bowe played in 11 games (9 starts) for the Chiefs last season and he caught 47 passes for 589 yards (12.5 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  He has now played in 43 games (40 starts) in his three years with the Chiefs and he has caught 203 passes for 2,606 yards (12.8 avg) with 16 TD grabs.  Bowe gives the Chiefs a big, physical target in the passing game and I expect him to have over 1,000 in 2010 as long as he stays healthy.

31-year old Chris Chambers was a godsend for the Chiefs last season.  He played in 16 games (14 starts) for the Chiefs & Chargers last season and he caught 45 passes for 730 yards (16.2 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  Chambers has now played in 140 games (120 starts) in his 9 years in the NFL and he has caught 518 passes for 7,435 yards (14.4 avg) with 57 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 44 times for 373 yards (8.5 ypc) in his career.  Look for him to have a solid year for the Chiefs in 2010.

Rookie 2nd round pick Dexter McCluster was a RB in college but he will likely be the Chiefs’ #3 WR in 2010.  He has electric speed as he can score whenever he touches the ball from anywhere on the field.  He is small at 5’8″, 165 pounds but he’s very strong for the small frame.  If McCluster can handle the workload he will be a solid WR for the Chiefs in 2010.

29-year old Jerheme Urban played in 10 games (0 starts) for the Cardinals last season and he caught 18 passes for 186 yards (10.3 avg).  He has now played in 47 games (6 starts) in his five years in the NFL and he has caught 87 passes for 1,231 yards (14.1 avg) with 7 TD grabs.  Urban played under Coach Haley in Arizona so look for him to catch at least twice as many passes as he did in 2009.

28-year old Terrance Copper will likely be the Chiefs’ #5 WR in 2010.  Copper played in 15 games (2 starts) for the Chiefs last season and he caught 4 passes for 68 yards (17.0 avg).  Copper has now played in 78 games (7 starts) in his six years in the NFL and he has caught 50 passes for 668 yards (13.4 avg) with 6 TD grabs.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHIEFS WRs in 2010:  B+

26-year old Leonard Pope has the most experience for the Chiefs at TE so he will be the starter by default as training camp opens.  Pope played in 13 games (8 starts) for the Chiefs last season and he caught 20 passes for 174 yards (8.7 avg) with 1 TD grab.  He has now played in 55 games (33 starts) in his 4 years in the NFL and he has caught 68 passes for 650 yards (9.6 avg) with 6 TD grabs.

Rookie 3rd round pick Tony Moeaki looked pretty good in OTAs for the Chiefs.  The 6’3″, 252 pound Moeaki out of Iowa will have a legit chance to win the starting job if he has a good training camp and a solid pre-season.

25-year old Brad Cottam finds himself #3 on the depth chart heading into this season.  Cottam played in 8 games (1 start) last season for the Chiefs and he caught 9 passes for 120 yards (13.3 avg).  He has now played in 24 games (8 starts) in his career with the Chiefs and he has caught 16 passes for 183 yards (11.4 avg).

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHIEFS TEs in 2010:  D