Going into the season everybody knew there was a chance this season could get ugly, but nobody anticipates getting beat 34-0, not even in the middle of a rebuilding project. If you take out the Denver game this team has got progressively worse every single week, offensively and defensively. At 1-4 the Chiefs now know they are not a threat for the playoffs. The Chiefs also had a lot of questions heading into the season most of which are still not answered. This team cannot afford to exit the season with those questions still lingering. There are a lot of draft picks that are playing but there are too many that are not playing. At 1-4 it is time to call up players from triple A and see what you really have in your farm system..

1.Move Donnie Edwards to MLB once he is healthy : This move has less to do with the youth movement and more to do to with the fact that the Chiefs rank 31st in the league in rush defense. Donnie Edwards has made it to the Pro Bowl playing middle linebacker, Pat Thomas the current starter is not the only problem on the defense but when you are second to last in rush defense you have to shake things up. This move would also give the Chiefs more speed in their line backing unit as they could continue to start Demorrio Williams at OLB. Granted, Williams did not play well in the loss to Carolina but nobody on the roster played well in that game.



2. Keep starting Brandon Carr: Coverage cornerback is one of the most important positions on the field, right behind QB and LT. CB Patrick Surtain should be ready to come back from his injury against the Titans after the bye week. The worst mistake the Chiefs can make is to insert Surtain back into the lineup, Brandon Carr has given up yardage against the receivers he has faced but has shown a knack for the ball being involved in two turnovers in the Broncos game. The Chiefs have to know for sure heading into the off season that they hit on Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr so they can focus on scouting and improving other positions.

3. Bench Damion Mcintosh: Damion has been put into a tough position being asked to switch from the left side of the line, where he had played for 9 seasons to switching to the right side. If the Chiefs were not rebuilding I would like to see him get a longer look at RT, but Mcintosh is not part of the future for the Chiefs. That means the more he plays the more it stunts the growth of a developing player like Herb Taylor who has filled in nicely for Branden Albert on two separate occasions. Herm Edwards has been saying he wants “cohesion” on the offensive line but since there has been no real progress made on the right side of the line, making some substitutions should not disrupt their development it should only help.

4.Start anybody but Devard Darling at receiver: Devard Darling has been ineffective at best, Everybody remembers his break away catch against the Patriots. Darling’s stat line in the next four games of the season was two catches. That is inexcusable for a number two wide out, To say the Chiefs don’t have the best receivers in the league would be a understatement but there has to be a better option than Darling. Will Franklin the fourth round draft pick from Missouri would be the logical answer but he has struggled to find a groove since his preseason knee injury. Maybe Jeff Webb is the answer maybe it is newly signed Mark Bradley but the Chiefs will not find out until they send somebody new out there to catch passes opposite D-Bowe.

5. Play Brodie the rest of the year: All the Chiefs can do on this one is hope, Hope Brodie stays healthy long enough the remainder of the season to show the Chiefs he is their quarterback of the future or that he is not. The Chiefs have to know what Brodie is by the end of the season or it was a wasted season. The Chiefs have to know Brodie is the real deal at QB or find out if he is the long term answer at backup QB maybe being someone who could replace the aging Damon Huard. The Chiefs can ill afford to pull Croyle at any point the rest of the season no matter how much he struggles. Because he will either turn it around and keep his job, or the Chiefs will know for certain to go as hard as they can at the next big college QB. Chiefs Nation will be highly upset if they address the QB situation by throwing just another third round pick they took a flyer on out there.

6. Open the competition at right guard: Adrian Jones has not played up to expectations this season making the switch from tackle to guard. It has been apparent since the training camp he was struggling with the position switch. The bottom line is Brodie will not stay healthy or develop unless the Chiefs can stop the bleeding on the right side of the line. The Chiefs do not have many solid options available at their disposal either. The best option would be to fill in with Wade Smith a six year veteran who is listed as the backup center but played guard in the preseason and played well, not to say Smith is the answer, but over the bye week the Chiefs need to see if Adrian Jones is really the best option at guard before trotting him out on the field again.

7.Move Brian Johnston up in the rotation: Right now Johnston is the second defensive end on the rotation behind Alphonso Boone. Both players are tied for the team lead with one sack, but only one fits into the youth movement. Johnston has played efficiently since seeing a increase in his playing time with Tamba Hali’s injury concerns. Johnston may just be a rotation guy or he may end up being a elite pass rusher, but the Chiefs will never know if they don’t get him on the field more. The Chiefs are gaining nothing for the future by playing Boone ahead of Johnston. Even if Johnston struggles and he turns out not to be a player at least the Chiefs won’t be wondering what they have in him at this time next year.