Prisco Has Chiefs Going 6-10 This Season
By Ben Nielsen
Aug 9, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback
Alex Smith(11) throws a pass during the first quarter of a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports released his annual post where he predicts every game of the NFL season. He’s not very kind to the Chiefs.
After a 2-0 start, Prisco has the Chiefs going 4-10 the rest of the way, including a loss at Oakland. Ouch. He had the Chiefs record at 6-10 last season, too, which ended up being optimistic after the season played out.
Before you get too upset, Prisco had the New England Patriots going 16-0 and the Indianapolis Colts finishing 1-15 last year, so don’t take his predictions too seriously.
Still, it is an interesting exercise to play out the season game-by-game before it begins. And it is always fun to see what others outside of the Chiefs bubble are thinking. Here’s how Prisco sees the Chiefs season going.
Week 1: Chiefs 21, Jaguars 17
Week 2: Chiefs 19, Cowboys 17
Week 3: Eagles 25, Chiefs 17
Week 4: Giants 23, Chiefs 17
Week 5: Titans 21, Chiefs 20
Week 6: Chiefs 17, Raiders 10
Week 7: Texans 17, Chiefs 13
Week 8: Chiefs 20, Browns 17
Week 9: Bills 27, Chiefs 20
Week 10: Bye
Week 11: Broncos 29, Chiefs 21
Week 12: Chiefs 20, Chargers 13
Week 13: Broncos 21, Chiefs 20
Week 14: Redskins 25, Chiefs 20
Week 15: Raiders 24, Chiefs 17
Week 16: Chiefs 23, Colts 21
Week 17: Chargers 17, Chiefs 14
This seems possible if the Chiefs can’t manage to find another playmaker behind Dwayne Bowe and Jamaal Charles, and if the defensive line cannot produce a pass rush. There is always the injury situation with Alex Smith to account for as well.
If Smith, Bowe, and Charles stay healthy, a 6-10 record would have to be considered a failed season, right? While the Chiefs do lack playmakers on offense and a pass rush on defense, there is too much talent on this team to not get to 8-8. The projected losses to the Titans, Raiders, and Bills would be a disaster if they became reality.
There will be a lot of questions about not trying to land another offensive playmaker in free agency or looking for a pass rushing defensive lineman in the draft if the Chiefs end the season the way Prisco has predicted. Then again, signing a guy like Greg Jennings probably means the Chiefs could not have signed Sean Smith or Dunta Robinson.
When looking at the Chiefs roster from this perspective it becomes clear that there are still a lot of holes on this roster. As much as nation media like to point out how talented the roster is at the top, the Chiefs still lack the depth to consider themselves a serious playoff contender.
However, even with those holes the Chiefs are a far better team now than they were eight months ago. Coaching, improved quarterback play, and upgrades in the defensive secondary should propel the Chiefs to something around an 8-8 or 9-7 record. Get a break here and there then maybe a wild card spot opens up for them.
The Chiefs are heading in the right direction but there is still a long ways to go.