KC Chiefs: This Team Is Better Than Its Record

The Kansas City Chiefs host the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday and have a chance to find its second win of the season.

The KC Chiefs must win Sunday.

Not for the playoff picture. Not for the coaching staff, or the general manager or the owner. Not for the loyal season ticket holders or the adorning tailgaters. All of these are important, but that’s not why the Chiefs (1-5) absolutely must beat the Steelers (4-2) at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs will win because they’re a good football team. They’re better than 1-5. They’re better coached, better prepared and better led than a last place 1-5 team.

You can call for the heads of head coach Andy Reid and GM John Dorsey. You can question quarterback Alex Smith. Question defensive coordinator Bob Sutton, and doubt this putrid offensive line. And I wouldn’t blame you.

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There’s rightful concern with the way this team is constructed.

But this team is better than 1-5. This team isn’t getting blown out 31-6 every week. This team isn’t losing in the first half, they’re losing in the fourth quarter.

Now the football gods have done this team no favors. Running back Jamaal Charles, receiver Jeremy Maclin, defensive linemen Dontari Poe and Mike Devito, cornerback Phillip Gaines. This team is either out of shape or a victim of unfortunate circumstances. Either way, the odds are against them. They’re not set up to win this season, let’s just tell it how it is.

The KC Chiefs, however, have talent, and they certainly have the ability to beat the Steelers on Sunday. Not just because quarterback Landry Jones is the likely opposition – although this helps a lot.

It doesn’t look like a good matchup on paper, but as long as Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t make the start, the Chiefs have a good shot.

The Steelers, even with Jones, will test the Chiefs. Pittsburgh presents a talented offense and a defense that’s been able to takeaway the ball this season. According to KCChiefs.com:

"The Steelers are tied for the NFL lead with a plus-6 takeaway differential (9 takeaways, 3 giveaways) through Week 6 of 2015.The Steelers defense ranks tied for sixth in the NFL with 17.0 sacks in 2015.Only Russell Wilson (26) of the Seattle Seahawks has been sacked more times this season than Alex Smith (23)."

It doesn’t look like a good matchup on paper, but as long as Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t make the start, the Chiefs have a good shot. (Big Ben still might start, so keep an eye on that.)

I’m not saying the Chiefs are a long-term buy. The offensive line is bad, the offensive weapons are questionable and the defense isn’t the hard-hitting, shutdown unit many projected.

But this team must win Sunday, and with the home crowd at Arrowhead and the mindset of desperate team, they’ll have every opportunity to knock off the Steelers.

Next: KC Chiefs: Time To Draft And Develop A Quarterback

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