Kansas City Chiefs' 2009 projection: 5-11

Chiefs' QB Tyler Thigpen will have to settle for a backup role...for   now. (AP Images)"]

The Kansas City Chiefs will certainly be different in 2009, and they needed to be different considering this once-proud franchise has won just twice in the past 25 games. The Chiefs were are the center of a trade that actually affected many franchises, acquiring QB Matt Cassel (and linebacker Mike Vrabel) from New England for the relatively low price of a second-round pick. That move eventually led to the Broncos trading Jay Cutler to the Bears, as well as a few other teams re-evaluating their QB situations (Tampa Bay, Washington).

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New GM Scott Pioli knows Cassel as well as anyone, as Pioli was the former player personnel director for the Patriots. In fact, the Chiefs already have locked up Cassel long term despite the QB's inexperience.

Also in is new head coach Todd Haley, who directed that high-powered Arizona offense as the coordinator. Outside of the front office changes, the team also traded tight end Tony Gonzalez, coming off one of his best seasons, to the Falcons for a second-round pick next year.

The offense should be good not great this year. Running back Larry Johnson's best days are behind him, and this might be his last season in Kansas City. Cassel could turn receiver Dwayne Bowe into a yearly Pro Bowler, however. On defense, the team is switching to a 3-4. Look for the D-Line to grow into a strength, as the Chiefs have taken an LSU lineman with their first pick in the past two drafts. I guarantee the defense will have more sacks than last year, which isn't saying too much considering the Chiefs only had 10 in 2008 – by far the fewest in the league.

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So is different better? Certainly K.C. will be better than last year's 2-14 team, as the Chiefs have had two terrific drafts (so say the experts) the past two years. However, this club is probably at least a year from approaching .500, much less contention.

Here is the Chiefs' 2009 schedule, and we'll break it down after:
Sept. 13 at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m.
Sept. 20 vs. Oakland Raiders, 1 p.m.
Sept. 27 at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m.
Oct. 4 vs. New York Giants, 1 p.m.
Oct. 11 vs. Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m.
Oct. 18 at Washington Redskins, 1 p.m.
Oct. 25 vs. San Diego Chargers, 1 p.m.
Week 8: Bye
Nov. 8 at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m.
Nov. 15 at Oakland Raiders, 4:05 p.m.
Nov. 22 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m.
Nov. 29 at San Diego Chargers, 4:05 p.m.
Dec. 6 vs. Denver Broncos, 1 p.m.
Dec. 13 vs. Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m.
Dec. 20 vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.
Dec. 27 at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m.
Jan. 3 at Denver Broncos, 4:15 p.m.

Strength of schedule: 17th (opponents combined to go 123-131-2, .484, in 2008)
Projected record: 5-11
Bodog over/under total: 6
Bodog odds to win AFC West: 8/1
Bodog odds to win AFC: 35/1
Bodog odds to win Super Bowl XLIV: 65/1 (subject to change)

Only six games against 2008 playoff teams, which is largely in part to playing in the weak AFC West (and finishing last in that division). Look for the Chiefs to get their first win in Week 2 against Oakland. It was in Oakland last Nov. 30 that Kansas City last won. It's the second straight year K.C.’s home opener is against the Raiders, who won 23-8 last year at Arrowhead.

The Chiefs become a NFC East team beginning with the Eagles game – it's the first of four straight against teams from that division. That Oct. 11 matchup against Dallas will be historic – literally. The Chiefs will don "classic" uniforms from their '62 AFL championship season as the Dallas Texans three times this season, including the game against the Cowboys. Both teams inhabited Dallas from 1960-62 but never played, being as they were in different leagues. It's the Cowboys' first visit to Arrowhead Stadium since 1998. K.C. will also wear classic unis against the Chargers on Oct. 25 and Raiders on Nov. 15.

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In a bit of a schedule quirk, the Chiefs will play the Bengals for the fifth straight season; Cincy won 16-6 in the regular-season finale last year. K.C. visits Washington, meanwhile, for the first time in eight years.

The season finale in Denver is the first time the Chiefs have finished there since 1968. That one might be to stay out of the AFC West cellar.

In what isn't much of a surprise for such a struggling franchise, Kansas City isn't scheduled for any-prime time games. But look for this team to begin to grow, and it could end the season on a high note with the final five games against non-playoff teams from 2008.

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