Glazer: Best Chiefs Playoff Team Since Marty?

Dare I say it?

This 2017 Chiefs unit is arguably the best playoff team offered up by the team since the Marty Schottenheimer era.  Let’s be honest folks, none of our former playoff teams after the Elvis Grbac debacle in 1998  have been Super Bowl type teams.

We had the phony Dick Vermeil team in 2003 that went 9-0 to begin the season, then they found out they had a high school defense when they met the Colts in the post season. The Colts never had to punt, not once. We had the back- into-the-playoffs Herm Edwards joke after that one. We had the Todd Haley team led by Matt Cassel who were trounced in round one.  And then the Andy Reid teams which did win our one and only playoff game in the last 10 against the Texans on the road before getting clipped by New England.

Yes, not since the ’98 playoff loss to Denver – where had we started Rich Gannon we may have landed in a Super Bowl –  havewe had a great team with a 13-3 record.

Reid has now had four playoff teams for the Chiefs in his first five seasons, a first for KC.

But none of those past teams were considered a real threat to even get to a Super Bowl or an AFC title game and they didn’t.

So what makes this playoff team our best hope since 1993 and Joe Montana?

We are a No. 4 seed, but with only 10 wins and at mid season one of the NFL’s worst.

Why does this team have a shot at the big prize?

Simple, we have four big offensive weapons and are a team that can show up at times and be outstanding, as we saw against a very good Chargers team at Arrowhead. Right?

For the first time since Len Dawson this Chiefs squad has some real weapons: Tyreek Hill with over 1000 yards; Travid Kelce over 1000 yards; Kareem Hunt; over 1000 yards and a 4,000 yard passing quarterback in Alex Smith with only 5 INT’s!

That’s why.

Yes, there are many problems to go with those shiny numbers: starting with a low ranked defense. However it’s a bend, don’t break type of D. An offensive line that can too often be terrible. An offense that can’t score in the red zone and too often settles for field goals. A quarterback that has great numbers but lacks the It factor of winning the big post season games especially on the road. We also don’t have a pass rush to speak of in most games.

Those are big issues, for sure.

Today nobody expects much from the Chiefs in the post season.

Nobody will see them coming.

Brother, we have to beat the Ravens here, then go on the road to New England and Pittsburgh likely. That’s a tough ticket. Can the Chiefs get it done? Nobody outside of delusional Chiefs fans think its possible.

Is it?

The answer is, never say never.  I have been down on this team since this fall after we lost to the Giants. I felt we wouldn’t make the playoffs but the Chiefs did that by defeating the Raiders, Chargers and Dolphins all in a row. That seemed unlikely as well.

We have an elite wide out in Hill, an all pro in Kelce and a rookie sensation in Hunt, but is that enough? The answer is not likely.

I have to say that this is an interesting team and one that you just can’t predict anymore. The Chiefs can be dangerous and yes, it’s their best bet since 1998 due to their offensive weapons.

So don’t plan the Super Bowl parade just yet, but we all can hope.  Maybe they will shock the NFL world and get it done.

P.S. hats off to Bill Snyder and the K-State Wildcats for the big bowl win over UCLA, nice.