Chiefs 2007 Preview: The Brodie Croyle Watch Starts ... Now

To get you ready for the season, FanHouse is previewing all 32 NFL teams. Here's the outlook for the Chiefs.

2006 record: 9-7

2006 Offense: The Chiefs lost quarterback Trent Green for the first half of the season, but were 5-3 behind Damon Huard. Running back Larry Johnson was the bigger story, rushing for 1,789 yards on 416 carries. Everybody -- including head coach Herm Edwards -- seems a little worried about the long-term effects of such a heavy workload, and the prospects aren't good. Tight end Tony Gonzalez turned in another Pro Bowl effort -- he had 73 receptions for 900 yards and five touchdowns -- but the club lacked another legit pass-catching threat after him.

2006 Defense: The Chiefs' defense was decidedly mediocre, ranking 20th against the pass and 18th against the run, according to Football Outsiders. Interestingly, Kansas City was 4th in the league against opposing teams' No. 1 wide receiver, but 25th against Nos. 2, and dead last against all other wideouts. The defensive line was solid in short-yardage situations, but the unit ranked 28th in Adjusted Sack Rate, just behind the Browns.

2006 Special teams: Dante Hall is now in St. Louis and the Kansas City spent much of the preseason trying to find his replacement. Rookie free agent Ean Randolph didn't do enough to win the job, so the club signed Eddie Drummond. Dustin Colquitt averaged 44 yards a pop and is a good directional punter, but kicker Lawrence Tynes did just enough to get sent packing in the off-season.

2006 Coaching: Herm Edwards seems like a great motivator, but you have to wonder about the Xs and Os. Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham is in his second run with the team - he was fired following the 2000 season -- and after a strong '05 season, the unit struggled a year ago. Mike Solari, who was promoted when Al Saunders joined the stable of coaches in Washington, featured a less explosive offense than his predecessor. Much of that, however, has to do with personnel; namely, not having Trent Green, version 2003, and a dominant offensive line.

Draft: Kansas City used their first-round pick on Dwayne Bowe to upgrade the pass receivers. Bowe held out early and stumbled through training camp, but he'll be better than Eddie Kennison and Samie Parker -- last year's pass-catching options -- once he gets comfortable in the offense. Turk McBride and Tank Tyler bolster the defensive line, and fifth-rounder Justin Medlock is the team's new kicker.

New additions: Other than Drummond, the club signed left tackle Damion McIntosh, who promptly injured his knee during the preseason and will be out for "an extended period of time." Kansas City also added Reggie Bush's favorite player, right tackle and madman, Kyle Turley.

Three keys:

1. Will the offensive line hold up? This unit's success could be the difference between a nine-win and four-win season.

2. Can Damon Huard play like he did during the first half of the 2006 season? If Huard struggles early, it'll be Brodie Croyle time, which means it's rebuilding time.

3. Can Larry Johnson be effective/avoid injuries in '07? History suggest otherwise, and there's not much depth behind Johnson should he go down.

Prediction: With so many new faces in key positions, Kansas City will finish third in the AFC West, and way out of the playoff race. Final 2007 record: 6-10.

Gratuitous YouTube: To distract you from what could be a very long season, here's the Nigerian Nightmare running through the Colts defense like, well, they were the Colts defense.

Good times.