Tweet
If you thought the Kansas City Chiefs' season was over at 1-5, history was on your side. Since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, the only 1-5 team to make the playoffs was the 1970 Cincinnati Bengals. They were actually 1-6, in a 14-game season, and won out to make the playoffs. That's pretty amazing (also, as a side note, that was the team for which Bill Walsh is credited for devising what would eventually become the "West Coast Offense" ). What the Chiefs are doing is pretty remarkable, as well. Kansas City has won four in a row and is in a four-way tie for the last wild-card spot in the AFC. And they have to be considered a favorite to get a wild-card spot based on this remaining schedule: Week 12: vs. Buffalo Week 13: at Oakland Week 14: vs. San Diego Week 15: at Baltimore Week 16: vs. Cleveland Week 17: vs. Oakland Wow. Not one winning game among the six remaining opponents. Three of the worst teams in the NFL (San Diego, Baltimore and Cleveland) remain. The only .500 team, Buffalo, comes into Kansas City next week off a short week, and quarterback Tyrod Taylor hurt his shoulder on Monday night. Oakland should provide a couple tough games, but you have to figure the Chiefs get at least a split there. A 4-2 finish, given that schedule, is the bare minimum it seems. 5-1 seems about right and 6-0 might happen. Could we see a team start 1-5 and finish 11-5? Take a look at that schedule again, and you tell me. Listen to Yahoo Sports' Grandstanding podcast for more: Grandstanding: A Yahoo Sports podcast Subscribe via iTunes or via RSS feed The Chiefs have saved their season how the Chiefs under Andy Reid have always had success, and that's with a good running game (even without Jamaal Charles), a safe passing game and a really good defense. Even though the formula the Chiefs use isn't exciting, the possibility in front of them is. If they just win the games down the stretch that they'll be big favorites to win, they're going to become the first team in 35 years to start 1-5 and make the playoffs. And if they do that, who is really going to want to play them in January? Here are Shutdown Corner's power rankings after Week 11: 32. San Francisco 49ers (3-7, Last week: 32) The final score didn't really reflect it, but for a while in the second half the 49ers were in that game against the Seahawks, after falling behind early. Give them credit for continuing to play hard. 31. Cleveland Browns (2-8, LW: 31) Cornerback Justin Gilbert, a 2014 first-round pick who went ahead of Odell Beckham, among others, has played 32 snaps all season for a bad team. And 23 of those came in one game. Because of the team's other first-round pick last year, Gilbert doesn't get a ton of attention. But he's going down as an all-time bad pick. 30. Baltimore Ravens (3-7, LW: 28)
More...
More...