the chiefs week one pick

"I remember when you said your father's asleep.
I remember swimming as our clothes drifted off to sea.
So wake up, wake up dreaming, and lie here with me.
Wake up, wake up dreaming, and lie here with me.

Here we go!
Just lose control and let your body give in
To the beat of your heart,
As my hand touches your skin --

Is this love, or just sexual desire?
We gotta start a fire! ...

I remember drinking as the stars were falling.
I remember dancing on the hotel's unmade bed.
So wake up, wake up dreaming, and lie here with me.
Wake up, wake up dreaming, and lie here with me!

Here we go!
Just lose control and let your body give in
To the beat of your heart,
As my hand touches your skin --

Is this love?  Or just sexual desire?
We gotta start a fire! ..."

-- "Start a Fire" by Ryan Star.

--------------------

And so ... it begins.

The latest, greatest, most hyped Chiefs season of my lifetime.

(For the record, I will turn 43 on Wild Card Weekend this season.  I know, I know -- how can someone as hot as me, be about to turn 43?)

And in my 42 years on this planet so far -- 33 of them as a known Chiefs fan -- I can only think of four seasons that were more hyped entering the opener, than 2019 is.

1994.  1996.  1998.  and 2004.

Each of them were hyped for good reason.  The 1993 Chiefs won the division for the first time in twenty plus years, and made the AFC Title Game for the first time since 1969.  The 1995 Chiefs went 13-3 and had home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  Ditto the 1997 Chiefs.  The 2003 Chiefs also went 13-3, but only earned the two seed (because, you know, #patriots).

Chiefs fans?  If we're guilty of one thing ... well, we're guilty of many things.  But if we're definitely guilty of one thing, it is of having a very, very, very long memory.

1994?  After a 3-0 start, the Chiefs tumbled to 7-7, before rallying to take the last two and earn a wild card berth, before losing said wild card game at Miami 17-27.  Also, the AFC West Champion San Diego "Super" Chargers made the Super Bowl.  Ouch.

1996?  After a 4-0 start, and getting to 9-4, the Chiefs lost their last three, to miss the playoffs at 9-7 after Morten Anderson missed a 20 yard attempt in Jacksonville.  Which in hindsight, I can live with: the Chiefs would have been throttled in Buffalo to open the postseason ... whereas the Jags upset the Bills, then beat the AFC West Champion those people at Real Mile High in the Divisional Round.

1998?  After a 4-1 start, the Chiefs lost six straight, finished 7-9, the locker room imploded, Marty quit, and off all the indignities suffered, those people cheated their way to a second straight Lombardi Trophy. 

2004?  After an 0-3 start, the Chiefs rallied to 3-4 entering what should have been a gimme two game road trip against two god-awful NFC South squads.  Instead, the Chiefs lost four straight, finished 7-9, and the worst NFL season of my life (to say nothing of arguably the worst year of my life), ended spectacularly awfully.

And now, here we sit, the most anticipated year in fifteen years upon us.  The fifth time in my lifetime the Chiefs are a popular pick -- if not a heavy favorite -- to finally bring Lamar's Trophy home, and take a shot at that Lombardi dude's silver.

--------------------

Only this time, it feels different, right?

Because of one person.

Patrick Lavon Mahomes II.

1994, the Chiefs got the last gasp of Joe Montana, who retired after the season.  1996 the Chiefs got Steve Bono * .  1998 the Chiefs got Elvis Grbac and Dick Gannon.  2004 the Chiefs got Trent Green.

None of those gentlemen was a disgrace to the QB position.  But none of them was Patrick Mahomes "Of The Chiefs" either.

--------------------

(*: Bono's record as a starter in KC?  21-10 (68%), 594/1075 (55%), 6,489 yards (209 yards/gm), 37 TDs, 27 INTs.  Those are damned good numbers for the mid 1990s.  Also -- 21-10, and really that's not fair, it should be 21-8, since he was 0-2 as Mr. Montana's backup in 1994.  Either way, he won 2 out of every 3 games he started here.  Yet he was benched, despite the 1996 Chiefs standing at 8-4 at the time of his benching.  You won't find a bigger defender of Mr. Bono than me.)

--------------------

I mentioned on Twitter earlier this week that I had no idea what to write for the Chiefs section this week, and I meant it.  This was all I had.  It's pathetic, it's embarrassing ... but there's a reason I struggled this week.

(damien voice) oh no.  Oh f*ck no!  You're not allowe --
(stevo voice) (sighing in disgust) I'm sorry.

I have a really, really, really bad feeling about this one.

The Week One Upset O' The Week.

* at Jaguars (+4 1/2) 28, Chiefs 24.

Remember though -- it's just one week.  And as noted in the Coaches Power Poll, I believe "Fat" Andy will get his 200th career win in Week Six.  Which means I have us reeling off five straight after this one.  (Note: the season picks will be up by Monday.  I had to revamp a couple after some of the trades made at the cut deadline last week * cough Seattle cough Houston *.) 

Also, if I did the math right, the next post is Post 950.  Which means that if I get motivated enough, Post 1,000 is in sight by December.  I may be the only one ... but that's something I'm kinda proud of.

Until next time -- hey!  Let's be careful out there ...