Raiders Chiefs Football
A coach on the hot seat, a team in turmoil with a losing record, a locker room full of veteran players speaking out , sounds like it should be the Kansas City Chiefs but luckily for the Chiefs they have remained calm thru the rough waters thus far in the season. The team described is the Chiefs opponent this weekend the Washington Redskins, the Redskins are currently 2-3 with their victories coming against the combined 0-10 Rams and Bucs and the two victories were by a combined 5 points. Even more encouraging for the Chiefs should be the fact that the Redskins snapped the Detroit Lions 20 game losing streak helping them to their first win of the year, the redskins also gave the Panthers their first win of the year. You could say the only good game the Redskins played this year was week one when they fell to the Giants 23-17.

To add fuel to the fire of the rumors the Redskins are looking to make a change at the head coaching position they recently brought in offensive assistant Sherm Lewis not good news for head coach Jim Zorn since he is the main play caller. Whether the Redskins make a coaching change is irrelevant to the Chiefs Jim Zorn will be the coach they face this week and the Chiefs will have to game plan for his West Coast style offensive attack. The important factor for the Chiefs is that the Redskins are contending with the Raiders for being one of the worst run teams in te NFL and that their players are starting to publicly lose faith in the leadership staff. The Redskins look a lot like a team that if they get behind early will just pack it in early and mentally check out of the game.

While the Redskins made no coaching changes the Chiefs did, demoting Dedric Ward and replacing him with former running back Richie Anderson. Anderson joined the Chiefs this year as a member of the NFL’s minority coaching fellowship program. Coach Haley did not comment on the change in his weekly meetings with the press even to announce the move. While Anderson does have more experience coaching receivers in the NFL he does come with some baggage, Anderson coached wide receivers for the Jets in 2006 and moved on the next year to the Arizona Cardinals. He was fired four days after being arrested for soliciting a prostitute, but the charge was dropped. The passing game has steadily looked more consistent each week, this coaching move along with the Chiefs new plan to use some hurry up offense may help the passing game develop even quicker.

Keys to the Game

1.Don‘t let the Redskins get healthy: Right now the Redskins are a team in complete disarray, they have no faith in their coach or they believe he will be fired any day now. Their best corner back has questioned the talent level of his teammates and even former redskin greats are coming out and questioning head coach Jim Zorn and make no mistake despite his statements Jim Zorn is feeling the heat. Bottom line the Redskins barely beat two of the 0-5 teams in the NFL and lost to two other teams that should be 0-5. If the Chiefs want to prove they are not as bad as their 0-5 record indicates they have to walk out of Washington with a win.

2. Block Albert Haynesworth: Is anybody worth 100 million regardless of what kind of service they provide? In the off-season the Redskins sure thought Haynesworth was signing him to a free agent contract and while it may be hard for anybody to live up to a 100 million dollar contract Haynesworth has made a difference for the Redskins. The Redskins have given up over 20 points only once this season and that was to the Giants, Haynes worth is a force and is hard to block but two rushers have toped 100 yards against this defense. Larry Johnson once again will be a big key for the Chiefs, if they can block Haynesworth and get L.J. some holes to run thru which has been few and far between it will go a long ways towards a Chiefs victory.

3 Pressure Jason Campbell: As much pressure Jim Zorn is under to win QB Jason Campbell is in the same boat as he is tied to the hip of his head coach and their fates will probably be the same. Campbell has fell short of expectations for the first time since high school Campbell was going to be running the same offense for a second consecutive season and a big season was expected. Hearing all the critics after a off-season in which the Redskins tried to replace him with Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez, Campbell’s confidence has to be shot. The job for the Chiefs will be to take advantage of the Redskins battered O-line and get in Campbell’s face it should not be too hard to get him rattled.

Injury Report:

Chiefs:

Branden Albert T Out

Jarrad Page S Shoulder Questionable

Andy Alleman G Shoulder Probable

Redskins:

Chris Samuels T Neck Out

Hunter Smith P right Groin Questionable

Phillip Daniels DE Biceps Questionable

Cornelius Griffin DT Elbow Questionable

Anthony Montgomery DT Knee Questionable

Albert Haynesworth DT Ankle Probable

Clinton Portis RB Calf Probable

Weather Report: weather at kickoff will be classic football weather 100% chance of precipitation the temperature will be 43 degrees with a 15 mile per hour north north westerly breeze.

Final Score: Chiefs 27 Redskins 17

As laughable and pathetic as it may sound the Chiefs are the best 0-5 team in the NFL and they are getting steadily better every week. Last week they played what some consider a soft team and almost won, this week they play a wounded team and if they are ever going to learn how to pounce on someone when they are down and go for the jugular this is the week they have to do it, the Chiefs will not play a opponent in worse shape till they play the Raiders again. If they want to prove to the world they are improving this is their chance and they have to take full advantage of it.