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Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Chiefs in 2012.

Dream scenario (10-6): Kansas City’s roster is much stronger than it was in 2011, when the Chiefs were riddled with key injuries. Kansas City lost franchise building blocks like Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles and Tony Moeaki very early. If such young players can return to where they were pre-injury to go along with an extremely strong offseason for Kansas City, this roster could be one of the most talented and deepest in the NFL. Despite a gaping hole at right tackle, the Chiefs’ pass blocking was pretty strong in 2011, but the run blocking was suspect. Kansas City has upgraded dramatically at that spot with the addition of Eric Winston, so expect the front five to excel this season. Another area where Kansas City could rather easily improve is on special teams, where overall they struggled quite a bit in 2011. Based on last year’s opponents’ winning percentage, the Chiefs have the easiest schedule in the AFC West by a narrow margin over Oakland. To me, the Chiefs ceiling this year is winning the division and maybe a playoff game or two.

Nightmare scenario (7-9): When discussing the Chiefs’ roster, which overall I am very high on, I failed to mention the quarterback position. Matt Cassel is not a bad quarterback, but he certainly isn’t a difference-maker either. In fact, Kansas City is possibly the weakest team in the AFC West at the most important position on the field -- although a case could be made for the Raiders for that distinction. Also, there is little behind Cassel if he should fall to injury, as he did a year ago. That in itself puts a low ceiling on what this team might be able to ultimately accomplish in 2012. Also, will those young talents return to past form after injury? Will Dontari Poe be a difference-maker in his first NFL season? Although I don’t see the Chiefs’ ceiling being as high as Denver’s, I also think their floor is in the 7-9 range unless utter disaster strikes again.

Mort sees big things for the Chiefs this year, Cris Carter elaborates on his bounty comments, and the 32 Crew has some advice for Adrian Peterson when he returns from knee surgery.

Todd McShay has offered his final mock draft, in an Insider piece, and he has some extremely interesting choices for the three AFC West teams that are picking in the first round.

McShay has the Chiefs taking Alabama safety Mark Barron. There has been increased talk in the past couple of days that the Chiefs are on Barron. It makes sense. Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli loves players from the SEC. A Barron-Eric Berry combination would be potentially out of this world.

Barron has become one of the hottest names in the draft, and there have been reports the Chargers could try to trade up from No. 18 to get him. Perhaps they will have to leapfrog a rival to get Barron.

McShay has the Chargers doing just fine for themselves. He has South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram dropping to No. 18. Folks, if that happens, you will hear roars of excitement from the Chargers’ war room. He’d be the impact 3-4 pass-rusher the Chargers have been craving.

McShay completes his AFC West blockbuster first round with Denver taking Boise State running back Doug Martin. I know the Broncos like Martin, and with the top defensive tackles off the board, maybe this is where the Broncos will be headed, although they might be able to trade down and still get Martin.

The Kansas City Chiefs are in an interesting draft position with the No. 11 pick. They may not be in a perfect spot for their needs and that’s why I could see them moving out of the slot once the draft starts.

This week, Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli said he was completely open to this approach in the first round.

“We may pick, we may trade up if something is getting close to us that we can get and someone is trying to bail out at a ridiculous price that we can’t pass up and there’s a player that really is the apple of our eye, or move back if someone comes to us with something,” Pioli said in a pre-draft news conference. “I think it might be a little bit interesting this year while we’re sitting there as to what we want to do.”

I think there may be a limited group of players Kansas City would trade up for. I could see them moving up to the No. 7 range for Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill, but I’m not convinced Kansas City would go up to the No. 3-4 range for the quarterback.

I’m not so sure there are any other prospects the Chiefs will make a big reach to get.

If the Chiefs stay at No. 11, they will focus on Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly or Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe.

Bailing out and sliding down five to 10 spots and picking up another quality pick is also feasible option. By dropping down, Kansas City would eye Stanford guard David DeCastro (he could be available in the No. 14-16 range) or even Alabama safety Mark Barron (he could also be available in the same spot) to pair with Eric Berry.

The Chiefs have a lot of options and I think they will be one of the most interesting teams to watch in the first half of the first round.

Breakdown: Tony Gonzalez is coming back to Kansas City in Week 1. In his first meeting against his former team, the superstar tight end will try to ruin the opening game of the permanent Romeo Crennel era.

The Chiefs have an interesting stretch after their Oct. 21 bye. They host Oakland on Oct. 28 and then play in a prime-time game at San Diego four games later on Nov. 1. After a long layoff, the Chiefs are back on prime time in their lone Monday night game -- in Pittsburgh on Nov. 12. The Chiefs will face former head coach Todd Haley, who is now the Steelers’ offensive coordinator.

Then, the Chiefs have three straight home games, against Cincinnati, Denver and Carolina before playing three of their final four on the road.

Complaint department: The Chiefs’ schedule has two trouble spots. Playing back-to-back prime-time roadies at San Diego and Pittsburgh is not ideal. Having one home game in the final quarter of the season is challenging as well. The Chiefs must enter the final stretch is good shape.

Berry-Johnson meeting: There will be some juice involved in the Chiefs’ Week 2 trip to Buffalo. Kansas City star safety Eric Berry suffered a torn ACL when he was hit by Stevie Johnson in Week 1 last season. Berry has openly questioned the hit. Johnson has denied that it was dirty. Expect emotions to be high.

Chiefs Regular-Season Schedule (All times Eastern)
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, Atlanta, 1:00 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, at Buffalo, 1:00 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, at New Orleans, 1:00 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, San Diego, 1:00 PM
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, Baltimore, 1:00 PM
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, at Tampa Bay, 1:00 PM
Week 7: BYE
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, Oakland, 4:05 PM
Week 9: Thursday, Nov. 1, at San Diego, 8:20 PM
Week 10: Monday, Nov. 12, at Pittsburgh, 8:30 PM
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, Cincinnati, 1:00 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 25, Denver, 1:00 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, Carolina, 1:00 PM
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, at Cleveland, 1:00 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, at Oakland, 4:15 PM
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, Indianapolis, 1:00 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, at Denver, 4:15 PM

Bounties are a very sensitive subject in the NFL. Pretty much the mention of the word from any pro football player is sure to capture headlines.

That was the case with Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry. He injured his knee in Week 1 and was lost for the season against the Buffalo Bills when receiver Steve Johnson blocked him low. The block was deemed legal and didn't draw a flag.

But following the discovery of the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal, Berry recently tweeted "Sometimes I sit [and] wonder if they had a bounty out on me ... oh well ... who cares. Either way [you] can't hold me down."

Berry this week was asked about the tweet by reporters.

"They got the tape out there, you can make your own opinion," Berry said. "I mean, my opinion is my opinion. People are going to take it how they want to take it anyway."

Regardless of Berry's stance, he needs to be more careful with bounty talk. He shouldn't make public accusations against Johnson or any player unless he's absolutely sure. For example, the NFL did a thorough investigation into the Saints that took years to uncover.

Johnson is not known to be a dirty player and denied the hit was intentional in the past. Hopefully, Berry isn't setting a new and dangerous precedent, where every NFL player who suffers a significant injury will publicly accuse an opponent of trying to collect a bounty.

The AFC West was the tightest division in the NFL in 2011.

The Broncos, Raiders and Chargers finished 8-8 with Denver prevailing as division winner via a tiebreaker. Kansas City was a game behind at 7-9. The Chiefs were a blocked field goal attempt against Oakland in Week 16 away from winning the division.

Each team marches toward 2012 with hopes of winning the division. While there is still some work to do in terms of the draft, let’s play the “what if” game. Below is five ways each team in the division could win the AFC West in 2012 if certain things occur. Hat tip to the reader who suggested the idea:

Denver

If Peyton Manning is fully recovered from a neck injury that kept him out of the entire 2011 season: Manning’s health is the key to Denver’s entire season. The team and Manning think he will be fine. If he is, the Broncos will be in great shape.

If Demaryius Thomas develops into a true No. 1 receiver: The third-year player has great potential and he showed great flashes last season. Playing with Manning should spark his career.

If Denver gets a running mate for Willis McGahee: McGahee had a great season in 2011, but he was dinged up a lot and he needs some help. If Denver can draft a player such as Miami’s Lamar Miller, Boise State’s Doug Martin or Virginia Tech’s David Wilson in the second round, they should be in great shape.

If Denver improves at defensive tackle: The Broncos need some help at the position and it is their most pressing need. Watch for Denver to take a defensive tackle at No. 25 in the first round and that player needs to contribute right away.

If the change at defensive coordinator is smooth: With Dennis Allen now the head coach in Oakland, former Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio is Denver’s seventh defensive coordinator in the past seven seasons. This change could be seamless, though, because Del Rio has previously been a coordinator on John Fox’s staff, and Fox plays a major role as a defensive coach.

Kansas City

If quarterback Matt Cassel plays better than he did in 2011: Cassel took a step back last season after a strong 2010 season. Instead of replacing him, though, the Chiefs gave Cassel more weapons. He has everything a quarterback needs to succeed. Now, he has to be a success.

If the Chiefs’ injured stars are recovered from serious knee injuries: Running back Jamaal Charles, safety Eric Berry and tight end Tony Moeaki all suffered torn ACL’s in their knees in September. All are expected back. If they are all fully recovered, the Chiefs should be fine.

If the Chiefs get an impact defender in the first round: The Chiefs have a strong defense, but they can use another stud. Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe or Boston College inside linebacker Luke Kuechly would both be solid fits.

If Stanford Routt fits in the defense: The Chiefs opted to sign former Oakland cornerback Stanford Routt and let Brandon Carr walk. Kansas City thinks Routt will flourish as the No. 2 cornerback next to Brandon Flowers. If Routt struggles, the defense will suffer.

If Romeo Crennel’s late influence is intact: Crennel went from the interim coach to the permanent coach because he sparked the Chiefs in the final three weeks of last season. His team played very hard for him and went 2-1. Let’s see if the good vibes continue.

Oakland

If quarterback Carson Palmer adjusts well to the West Coast offense: Palmer is both trying to re-energize his career and adjust to playing in a West Coast offense. The Raiders and Palmer believe it is a good fit.

If receivers Darrius Heyward-Bey, Denarius Moore and Jacoby Ford continue to develop: I think these three players have showed flashes. If they continue to develop well, the Raiders will have a lot of firepower.

If running back Darren McFadden can stay healthy: McFadden has missed a total of 19 games in four NFL season and he has missed, at least, three games in all four seasons. He missed the final nine games of last season with a foot injury. With backup Michael Bush now in Chicago and Oakland having young backups, it is imperative the special McFadden stays healthy as much as possible in 2012.

If the defensive front can stay healthy: The Raiders’ defensive line is their best aspect of a defense in transition. It must stay healthy and be an anchor to the unit.

If rookie coach Dennis Allen can have fast success: At 39, Allen, who has just one year of experience as a defensive coordinator, is the youngest head coach in the NFL. He must prove quickly that he is up to the task.

San Diego

If quarterback Philip Rivers can avoid the interception bug: He threw a career-high 20 interception in 2011. Rivers threw a total of 22 interceptions in the previous two seasons combined.

If running back Ryan Mathews can take the next step: San Diego coach Norv Turner recently said he expects Mathews to have a breakout season in 2012, his third in the NFL. He has shown flashes, but he needs to be more consistent.

If the receivers, as a unit, can make up for Vincent Jackson loss: The Chargers like their receiving crew even after Jackson signed with Tampa Bay. San Diego added Robert Meachem and Eddie Royal and already has Malcom Floyd and Vincent Brown. Jackson is a star and he will be missed, but the Chargers think they have made up for his loss by having a deeper rotation.

If the Chargers' defense can be better on third down: San Diego had the worst third-down defense in the NFL last season. Improving in that area is a point of emphasis for new defensive coordinator John Pagano.

If the Chargers can add an impact pass-rusher in the first round: The Chargers need a young pass-rusher to emerge. It will be their top priority with the No. 18 pick.

A lot of Chiefs’ fans are all riled up by the news that the Kansas City Chiefs are considering at least two of the top quarterbacks available in the draft.

My reaction? Predictable.

The Chiefs looked into some of the quarterbacks in last year’ draft pool, and I expect them to look at several this year. So, it’s no shock the team is taking closer looks at Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill and Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins.

Kansas City starter Matt Cassel turns 30 in May. It would behoove the Chiefs to look for a young prospect to develop. The Chiefs probably have a better chance to draft Cousins rather than Tannehill. Kansas City has the No. 11 pick in the draft, and Tannehill is expected to taken before then.

Cousins is expected to be a second-round pick. The Chiefs have the No. 44 pick in the second round and could have a real shot at Cousins

I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the Chiefs show interest in other quarterbacks in the coming weeks, such as Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden, Arizona’s Nick Foles, and Arizona State’s Brock Osweiler.

The Chiefs don’t have a ton of pressing needs, so this might be the time to try to snag the quarterback of the future, and I’m sure that is why the Chiefs are taking pre-draft looks at players at the position.

Meanwhile, in a radio interview, Chiefs’ safety Eric Berry talks about his recovery from a torn knee ligament.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli met with the media on Friday afternoon. In addition to talking about the team’s quarterback situation, here are some other highlights:

Pioli said the Chiefs’ three injured stars -- running back Jamaal Charles, safety Eric Berry and tight end Tony Moeaki -- are on schedule to be ready for training camp. All three suffered torn ACLs in their knees in September. Pioli said there aren’t any guarantees that all three will be ready for camp, but the team feels good about each player’s progress.

Pioli said he thinks this is a strong draft overall and he really likes the running backs. I expect the Chiefs to look at a running back fairly early in the draft or in free agency. With Charles coming back from injury and Jackie Battle and Thomas Jones being free agents, the Chiefs will need help there. One possibility, I think, is to sign New England’s Benjarvus Green-Ellis in free agency. Pioli signed him as an undrafted free agent in New England.

Pioli said he believes second-year player Rodney Hudson is ready to start at center or guard. His best bet might be at center. Casey Wiegmann is considering retirement, and the team might be ready to move to Hudson anyway.

Pioli said 2011 first-round pick Jonathan Baldwin has made progress and is expected to be a contributor in 2012.

Pioli reiterated that he wants to keep receiver Dwayne Bowe and cornerback Brandon Carr, who are headed for free agency. With the Chiefs signing cornerback Stanford Routt this week, the odds of Carr's coming back have lessened considerably.

Pioli said he was “heartbroken” to see college scouting director Phil Emery leave to become the Bears’ general manager. Pioli praised Emery extensively and said he will make the city of Chicago proud.

» NFC Wrap-ups: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final power ranking: 22
Preseason Power Ranking: 18

Biggest surprise: The Chiefs’ resiliency. Some may be surprised a team that went 10-6 last year and won the AFC West title and followed it up with a 7-9 season is trending up. But the Chiefs showed a lot of guts. First, they fought back from an avalanche of injuries and an 0-3 start to become competitive. Then, after coach Todd Haley was fired following the Week 14 loss, the Chiefs responded by going 2-1 under interim coach Romeo Crennel, including giving Green Bay its only loss of the regular season. Kansas City was a blocked field goal at the end of regulation in Week 16 against Oakland from repeating as division champion. Crennel is expected to be the permanent head coach. This is a young team getting key players back. The future is bright.

Biggest disappointment: The injuries. The Chiefs played the entire season with standout second-year tight end Tony Moeaki. They lost star second-year safety Eric Berry in Week 1 and star running back Jamaal Charles in the second week. Quarterback Matt Cassel suffered a season-ending injury in November. It could have been a much different season.

Biggest need: Kansas City still needs some help in many areas, including the defensive line, linebacker and at safety. But I think it needs to look at a tackle. Right tackle Barry Richardson is the type of player you look to upgrade from; I think tackle will be a focal point for the Chiefs in the first round, where they will have either the 11th or 12th pick in the first round. That will be decided by a coin flip with Seattle.

Team MVP: Linebacker Derrick Johnson. He is an underrated player and deserved his Pro Bowl berth. He is a playmaker and is always around the ball. Kansas City finished the season strong on defense and it began with Johnson.

Who’s the quarterback? After Sunday’s game, Kyle Orton, who started the final three games of the season after being claimed off waivers from Denver, said he believes it is Cassel’s team. I agree. I think the Chiefs will move forward with Cassel and Orton will look for a starting job elsewhere as a free agent.

We knew Scott Pioli wasn't going to lose this battle.

There have been rumblings of a major rift between Pioli, the Chiefs' GM, and Kansas City coach Todd Haley since shortly after the Chiefs were bounced in the first round of the playoffs last season. The talk continued through the offseason and into training camp. Reports of problems between Pioli and Haley churned nearly on a weekly basis during this season of disappointment for the Chiefs.

It reached a head Monday morning when Haley was fired after posting a 19-27 record in Kansas City. His four-year contract expires after next season. The Chiefs clearly didn’t feel that they could move on with Haley after they were blown out 37-10 by the New York Jets on Sunday. It was the Chiefs’ fifth loss of 27 points or more this season. They are 5-8 and have the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL, starting with a home game Sunday against 13-0 Green Bay.

Now that the Chiefs are moving on without Haley, the focus is solely on Pioli. He needs to get the next move right to keep this program on the right track. Despite the team’s poor record and its inability to compete in many games, I believe the Kansas City program is heading the right direction in the big picture. I realize the NFL has become a microwave league where fast success is now expected. But Pioli has built a good core group that has a chance to compete for several years.

I pin this poor season on injuries that decimated this team. You can’t expect to compete when youngsters Tony Moeaki, Eric Berry and Jamaal Charles were all lost for the season with knee injuries before October. Plus, quarterback Matt Cassel is out for the season.

So, the Chiefs have a chance to get better quickly when these players return. It’s all on Pioli.

He has to ensure that the Chiefs rebound in 2012. If not, he could soon be on the hot seat.

He was the one who hired Haley, so he must take responsibility for it. Hiring Haley -- an old colleague from their shared Bill Parcells days -- was Pioli’s first move in Kansas City after being hired in January 2009.

If they couldn’t get along, it is partly Pioli’s fault. He must be able to get along with his head coach. That’s why it is so important that he makes the right call with his next hire. If the next coach is a failure or if Pioli butts heads with him, it probably will be Pioli’s turn to pay the price.

We will hear plenty of names connected to this job, including former Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz and former NFL coach Eric Mangini. Expect Pioli to take his time as he tries to get his second coaching hire right.

Pioli has to know his long-term future in Kansas City is reliant on him making the right call.

The presumption is doom.

No team with a third-string quarterback at the helm, a rookie, no less, is going anywhere.

But T.J. Yates and the Houston Texans will set about trying to disprove that theory starting Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons at Reliant Stadium

The Texans have lost Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart for the season in consecutive games. Now a team with the NFL’s top defense and third-ranked rush offense moves forward with Yates.

In a year when Cam Newton, Andy Dalton and Christian Ponder have played well as full-time rookies and Blaine Gabbert and Jake Locker were top draft picks, Yates was the eighth quarterback selected and the 152nd player drafted.

He worked as the third quarterback until Schaub’s injury, not dressing for games and running the scout team in practices.

Plugging him in as the lead guy is hardly something the Texans envisioned, and hardly the sort of thing seen around the league.

One team that experienced similar circumstances was the 1979 Los Angeles Rams.

After losing Pat Haden to injury in Week 10 that season and then getting an ineffective start from Jeff Rutledge in a Week 11 loss tot the Chicago Bears, the Rams turned over the starting job to Vince Ferragamo, then a third-year pro who had never started an NFL game before.

Ferragamo posted a 4-1 record over the remainder of the regular season as the Rams won the NFC West. They then beat the Cowboys in Dallas and the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay in the NFC playoffs before they fell to the Steelers, 31-19, in Super Bowl XIV.

Someone asked Yates, who was born in 1987, if he knew who Ferragamo was. He said no. Relayed Ferragamo's story, he said simply, "sweet."

Can Yates do anything similar?

Schaub thinks the rookie is equipped to succeed.

“The one thing that I’ve observed, I’ve been in this type of offense now … all the way back into my college days. T.J., for being a rookie, he’s probably picked this offense up to the point where he can function in it well, faster than anyone I’ve seen, including myself, including a lot of players that I’ve been around,” Schaub told KILT radio in Houston this week. “That’s a big credit to him, because this is not an easy offense to pick up. … I, personally, have a ton of confidence that he’s going to go in there and play very well.”

It’s not just the understanding, though. Right tackle Eric Winston said Yates is the most athletic of the Texans’ top three quarterbacks. Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. likes Yates’ arm: “He throws the ball quite well and should be able to get the ball to where it needs to be.” And everyone is talking about the youngester's calm, a key quarterback quality.

The Texans regard themselves as having supreme resolve, and they should. Their top players on offense have missed time -- receiver Andre Johnson was out six games with a hamstring injury and running back Arian Foster missed two and hardly played in one with a hamstring injury -- and outside linebacker Mario Williams was lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle suffered Oct. 19 against Oakland.

Kansas City probably didn’t come into the season with as much talent as the Texans. But the Chiefs won their division and appeared in the playoffs last season. This season they’ve lost safety Eric Berry, tight end Tony Moeaki, running back Jamaal Charles and quarterback Matt Cassel for the season along the way in their follow-up year.

They are 4-7, tied with San Diego at the bottom of the AFC West.

Houston’s had far better results overcoming injuries.

The mantra is how it’s about the team.

“They know how big the challenge is this weekend, but [they are a] very upbeat group, very positive group,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “… It’s a new world for [Yates]. Last week, he’s getting more reps because he’s the backup. All of a sudden, he’s running the team [Wednesday] and got a lot on his plate, mentally from leaving the classroom to coming out here, but he did fine. He’ll get better every day out here, and that’s the most important thing. The key is everybody else making sure they do their job.”

Said Yates: “Everybody around me is very confident. You can tell this team hasn’t really skipped a beat as far as intensity or tempo at practice. Nothing seems different except for it’s just a different guy at quarterback.”

Atlanta is the toughest team the Texans will have faced in some time. It’s a game they could have lost even with Schaub healthy. If they lose it with Yates it will hardly be a season-killer.

They simply need to see he can manage the game, maintain the calm they’ve lauded, and can make enough throws to make a defense either stay honest or pay the price for loading up the box with an eighth defender to slow Foster and Ben Tate.

If Yates does that, he can be enough.

If he does that, the Texans will have a chance to make us talk more about how he and the Texans can compare to Ferragamo and those Rams.

Scott Pioli isn’t bringing his best unit back to New England as he visits the place where he helped build a dynasty for the first time since getting the chance to build his own franchise out West.

However, in his third season away from New England, Pioli is coming back home clearly succeeding on his own.

Since leaving the shadow of Bill Belichick in January 2009, Pioli has built a reputation for bringing a strong executive in his own right. Pioli, a friend and underling of Belichick’s since their Cleveland days of the early 1990s, was Belichick’s right-hand man in New England.

The Patriots were the team of the first decade of this century and Kansas City owner Clark Hunt pegged Pioli as his top choice to lead his team after a nearly 20-year run by former general manager Carl Peterson. Hunt has to be pleased with the work Pioli, 46, has done in Kansas City as the Chiefs head to New England for a "Monday Night Football" game.

Because of a rash of injuries, however, Pioli’s team is limping into the game against the Patriots. Instead of bringing back Matt Cassel -- who started for the Patriots in 2008 as an injury replacement for Tom Brady -- to New England for the first time since he made the quarterback his first major addition in Kansas City, Pioli will have to watch his team adjust to playing with inexperienced backup Tyler Palko. Cassel may be out for the rest of the season after suffering a serious hand injury in a loss to Denver this past Sunday.

Pioli has seen the core of his young roster ravaged by injury in what was supposed to be a season of continued progress. Running back Jamaal Charles, safety Eric Berry and tight end Tony Moeaki all suffered season-ending knee injuries in September.

The streaky Chiefs are 4-5, and because of the injuries and a tough remaining schedule, they will have a difficult time repeating as AFC West champions.

Pioli’s program tasted success in Kansas City earlier than expected when the roster he constructed and the team coach Todd Haley put on the field went 10-6 in 2010. Going into that season, both Pioli and Haley were looking to make progress from a team that had won a total of 10 games in the previous three seasons combined. A division title seemed like a pipe dream.

Regardless of what happens in this freakish season in the heartland, Pioli’s program is still on the upswing. There is intriguing, young talent throughout the roster. Pioli has put together some strong drafts the past two years and the future appears to be bright in Kansas City.

Pioli heads home Monday night, knowing his battered team is moving in the right direction and that the Chiefs are better off for prying him out of New England two-plus years ago regardless if they can compete with his former club.

Let’s look at the significant issues surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs after the news that quarterback Matt Cassel may be out for the rest of the season with a hand injury. He will require surgery and will, at least, miss several games:

What is Cassel’s future? I highly doubt we’ve seen the last of Cassel in Kansas City. He has been uneven, but the Chiefs appear to be committed to him at least for the short term. I expect Cassel to be the Chiefs’ starter in 2012.

The Chiefs’ season is likely over: This is not the time to lose your starting quarterback. After back-to-back home losses to Miami and Denver, the Chiefs are now 4-5 and enter a five-game stretch that features five 2010 playoff teams. Kansas City is struggling it is unlikely it will be able to withstand this tough stretch and stay in the AFC West race.

How much can one team take? Cassel’s injury is just another significant blow to this team. The Chiefs already lost star running back Jamaal Charles, star safety Eric Berry, and standout tight end Tony Moeaki to season-ending knee injuries. All of those injuries happened in September. These are the core players of this team.

Haley deserves a pass: There has been speculation throughout the season that Kansas City coach Todd Haley could be on the hot seat. But Cassel’s injury and the earlier major injuries have severely changed this team. The Chiefs’ record may not be impressive when the season is completed, but they are making strides, and Haley deserves to come back in 2012 with his full roster.

What should we expect from Tyler Palko? The left-handed quarterback is very inexperienced. Palko, 28, has thrown just 13 passes in the regular season since entering the NFL in 2007. He completed five of six attempts Sunday when he spelled Cassel late in the game. He was solid in the preseason, although he has had ball-security issues. Here is what Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. thinks of Palko:

The best way to describe [Palko] is this: Coach’s son, a student of the game. Eats, sleeps and breathes it. Very coach-friendly. He’s a good athlete. He’s tough, smart. He’s a very average thrower of the football, but he has obviously worked on it quite a bit and he looks to be improving.

Is Ricky Stanzi a possibility? I think the only way we see Stanzi play this season is if the Chiefs are completely awful with Palko and fall out of the race. The impression I have gotten is the Chiefs don’t think the fifth-round pick is ready to play. But perhaps in December, we could see the Iowa product get a chance to show what he can do.

How the Chiefs can stay competitive: They are going to have to improve on defense and have a consistent running game. Let’s face it; it’s going to be very difficult for this team to win enough game to stay in the race. The 2011 season in Kansas City will be remembered as one that was ruined by injuries.

How this affects Dwayne Bowe: His numbers will likely suffer for the rest of the season, which may have a detrimental effect when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season.I think now is the perfect time for the Chiefs and for Bowe to come to a contract accord to ensure his future in Kansas City. The Chiefs need to look to the future and Bowe needs to be part of it.

How this affects Jon Baldwin: It’s been a tough rookie season for the first-round pick. He missed time due to the lockout and then a thumb injury he suffered in a reported fight with teammate Thomas Jones in camp cost him two months. If he loses his starting quarterback, Baldwin and Cassel will not be able get in sync until next spring.

A game that gave the Kansas City Chiefs serious life for the rest of the 2011 season was a microcosm of the early season.

“Guys on the sideline we saying ‘it ain’t over til it’s over. Keep playing and keep digging in, because you don’t know what is going to happen,'” Kansas City coach Todd Haley said Monday night. “We’ve got some fighters.”

Haley was answering a question about the late fumble by San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers that took a victory out of the Chargers hands and enabled the Chiefs to come back and win in overtime, forcing a three-way tie with the Chargers and Raiders for first place in the AFC West. In truth, Haley was speaking about the season and not just one game.

There is no doubting these Kansas City Chiefs are fighters. The Chiefs enter November after being one of the stories of the NFL in October, and they are living proof a devastating start doesn’t necessarily scuttle an entire NFL season. Their unlikely 23-20 overtime win over San Diego in Week 8 was the Chiefs' fourth straight win after starting 0-3.

It wasn’t just that the Chiefs entered October winless; they looked in as worse shape as any team in the NFL.

They were outscored 89-10 in their first two games. They were ranked No. 32 in ESPN.com’s NFL Power Rankings in Week 4. They were considered a prime contender to win the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. There were reports Haley was on the verge of being fired and they lost running back Jamaal Charles, safety Eric Berry and tight end Tony Moeaki -- who are all among the organization’s top five players -- to season-ending knee injuries in a span two weeks in September.

A surprise AFC West winner in 2010 at 10-6 -- after it won a total of 10 games spanning 2008-10 -- Kansas City looked as if it was going to go back to being a bottom-feeder.

Now, though, the talk is of a potential back-to-back division title. ESPN.com’s current playoff predictor believes the Chiefs will emerge from the AFC West scrum (this is the first time since 1989 that there's a three-way tie between three teams in a division) and will win the division. The Chiefs are the first team in the NFL to win four straight games after starting 0-3 since the 2000 Pittsburgh Steelers.

There is a strong chance the Chiefs will further move away from starting 0-3. Kansas City hosts Miami (0-7) on Sunday and it hosts Denver (2-5) in Week 10. Yes, it would be an upset if the Chiefs aren’t 6-3 in nine days. The Chiefs will need to stockpile wins when they can. It has one of the toughest schedules in the NFL from Weeks 11-15 beginning with a Monday night game at New England. It then hosts Pittsburgh, plays at Chicago and at the Jets and then hosts the Packers before hosting Oakland on Christmas Eve and finishing the regular season on New Year’s Day in Denver.

Don’t expect the Chiefs to fret about any part of the final nine-game stretch. Their start to this season simply taught them to take it one game at a time.

“We know everybody wrote us off at 0-3,” said linebacker Andy Studebaker, who recovered Rivers’ fateful fumble Monday night. “We just kept our course and we just were focused on not letting the season get away from us. And now look at us.”

There are all kinds of theories why the Chiefs have turned around their season. Some credit the beanbag game Haley (who has to be considered a Coach of the Year candidate) put in the locker room to create team unity. Some believe in the power of Haley’s scruffy beard that will not kiss a razor until the Chiefs lose again.

At the risk of ruining a good story, the Chiefs stopped losing and began winning because they started playing much better on both sides of the ball. The Chiefs were minus-6 in turnover differential in the first three games. They have been plus-5 since. Their yards per game differential since the losing streak ended has been 100-plus yards. In the first three games, the Chiefs’ points differential was minus-82. In the past four games, it’s been plus-40.

The Chiefs went back to trusting their running game in Week 4 after the shock of losing Charles in Week 2 wore off. Kansas City led the NFL in rushing last year and Charles had 1,467 yards. Since Week 4, the Chiefs are leading the NFL in rushing attempts per game and former practice squad player Jackie Battle has emerged as a solid lead rusher.

After Monday night’s game, ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer lauded the Chiefs for sticking to “their convictions” after the key injuries and 0-3 start. Dilfer expects the Chiefs to stick around for the rest of the season because they stay true to their plan and there is belief in the coaching staff by the players.

The defense seems to get timelier every week, and with the emergence of first-round pick Jon Baldwin (he was outstanding against San Diego, catching five passes for 82 yards and a touchdown), steady quarterback Matt Cassel has a strong receiving trio in Dwayne Bowe, Steve Breaston and Baldwin.

Despite the losses of Charles, Berry and Moeaki, this team has the same look of an up-and-coming contender it had last year.

“We made some mistakes, everybody, coaches and players alike, but we were able to overcome it by sticking together and not giving up,” Haley said of the win over San Diego, but really talking about the season. “I think it will continue to serve us well going forward.”