Year In Review: Part 3

To catch up, here's Part 1 and Part 2.

The Tyler Palko Experience: Weeks 11 - 14


When Matt Cassel went down with injury at the end of the first Broncos game, the backup quarterback got his first snap of the season. Tyler Palko, who spent most of the 2010 season on the Chiefs practice squad, was the next man up on the Chiefs QB depth chart. He lead the Chiefs to a field goal at the end of the Broncos game. When it was learned that Cassel was lost for the season, even after Matt Cassel sort of hinted that he would be facing his former Patriot's team earlier in the same week he was sent to Injured Reserve, Palko immediately became the starting quarterback for his first time since college. With the way Cassel had been playing for much of the season, however, some fans didn't view Palko as being much of a downgrade. This couldn't have been more wrong.

Palko's first game came against the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football. And although Palko didn't look fundamentally unsound (going through progressions might seem strange to a Chiefs fan), he was intercepted three times in a 34-3 loss. The Chiefs offense couldn't sustain drives, and the defense eventually wore down. And while Palko didn't play very well, many Chiefs fans wrote it off as a game the Chiefs couldn't have won anyway. Palko got a pass.

But perhaps the front office of the Chiefs weren't quite as content with Palko's performance. When Kyle Orton, who was benched earlier in the season by Denver in favor of Tim Tebow, was waived by the Broncos, the Chiefs decided to claim the veteran QB. Coming in late after Thanksgiving, Orton was not able to get enough time with his new team, and wouldn't see action for the next two weeks.

The schedule, instead of getting easier, was only getting started. The defending AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers were coming to Arrowhead for a Sunday Night Football match-up, being Palko's second consecutive primetime game in as many starts. And while the defense played one of their best games of the season, holding the Steelers to only 13 points and allowing the Chiefs one last opportunity at the end of the game to win it, the offense could only score 9 points, and Palko again threw three interceptions. This time, Palko did not get a free pass.

The Chiefs offense wasn't great before Palko, and it became absolutely anemic during it. But the Chiefs defense started playing well, and facing another backup QB in Caleb Hanie in Chicago gave Palko his first ever win in the NFL. Thanks to a field goal and a Hail Mary completed pass after a deflection to Dexter McCluster right before halftime, the Chiefs won in Chicago by the final of 10-3. Kyle Orton had even come in the game, possibly to replace Palko, but dislocated his finger on a fleaflicker on his first play. The Chiefs were 5-7 and still mathematically in the AFC West race, but there has been no point I have been more unconfident in the Chiefs chances than under Palko.

And these fears were punctuated by a loss to the New York Jets that would reverberate past the weekend. The Monday following the Chiefs miserable performance in a 37-10 loss, head coach Todd Haley was fired by GM Scott Pioli and owner Clark Hunt. Black Monday had come a month early, and lack of consistency was the justification used for this move. While much of Chiefs nation was split on this decision, many couldn't help but wonder if Palko was the death of Haley. Defensive Coordinator Romeo Crennel was made interim HC, and his first move was to declare Kyle Orton the starter, and Ricky Stanzi the backup. Tyler Palko's time as the starter in KC was over.

Under Palko's four-game reign as starting QB, the Chiefs averaged: 264.8 total yards - 166.5 passing, 98.3 rushing, 2.25 turnovers, 34.4% third down conversion, 291.3 total yards allowed - 162 passing, 129.3 rushing, and 28:26 time of possession.

Close but no Cigar: Weeks 15 - 17


With the Chiefs at 5-8 and the Green Bay Packers coming to town, many fans, including myself, thought the season over. No matter who was our QB, no one had beat the Packers all season, so the team doesn't stand a chance. But like most of the season, just when you count the Chiefs out, they surprise you. The Chiefs held the league-leaders in scoring to just two touchdowns, and beat the previous unbeatable 19-14. Orton had a good game, and Romeo Crennel was met in the locker room by 'RAC' chants.

With the way the AFC West was shaping up, the Chiefs were still alive, along with all other teams in the division. For the Chiefs to make the playoffs, they had to win their last two games, and hope the Broncos lost to the Bills before facing the Chiefs, and that San Diego would lose just one of their last three (the Chargers played on Monday the week the Chiefs beat the Packers). Hopes were renewed, and the Chiefs just needed to win.

Standing in their way were the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders playoff hopes were still alive too, so both teams had a lot on the line. At the end of the day, the Raiders were victorious in overtime, taking advantage of Chiefs mistakes, including two Orton interceptions, a Dwayne Bowe dropped TD catch, and two blocked field goals, including one that would have won the game for the Chiefs with no time left in regulation. The disappointment was multiplied with the Broncos and Chargers both losing. Everything that needed to happen did, except the Chiefs winning. Playoff hopes were dashed.

With nothing left to play for besides pride, the Chiefs went on to beat Tim Tebow and the Broncos in Denver to conclude the season. It wasn't pretty, but a 7-3 total was enough to get it done. The win put Crennel at 2-1 on the season, and solidified his chances of retaining the HC role into next year. During these three games, the Chiefs averaged: 384.7 total yards - 258 passing, 126.7 rushing, 1 turnover, 30.8% third down conversion, 296.3 total yards allowed - 166.7 passing, 129.7 rushing, and 31:54 time of possession.

And while the Chiefs took a 3 win drop in 2011 from 2010, I think the arrow is pointing up for this young and talented team. Hope you all enjoyed catching up on a season that was quite polarizing.