Kansas City Chiefs

2005 Stats

2005 Season Summary

After a 13-3 AFC West Division championship season in 2003 that was cut short by a humiliating 31-38 home playoff loss to Indianapolis, the Kansas City Chiefs fired defensive coordinator Greg Robinson and replaced him with their former head coach from 1999-2000, Gunther Cunningham, who coordinated some powerful Chief defenses before that under Marty Schottenheimer.

Conventional “wisdom” again proved to be unwise

Conventional “wisdom” was that Cunningham's homecoming was all that was needed to get the Chiefs back into the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1969 season. Instead, conventional “wisdom” again proved to be most unwise as Kansas City dropped to 7-9 straight up and 6-10 against the spread while finishing 1 st in the NFL on offense, only to have it wasted by a 31 st place ranking on defense.

The 2004 disaster exposed the fact that Kansas City 's real problem was not the defensive coordinator but the players that were being coordinated. General manager Carl Peterson was finally convinced to make some personnel changes on the field to bolster his defense for a Super Bowl run in what was expected to be Dick Vermeil's final season as head coach.

The Chiefs blew off preseason again

Kansas City had posted just one winning preseason in the previous five exhibition campaigns entering 2005. With a proven veteran offense the Chiefs figured to want to try and protect their star players for when the games actually counted. Kansas City had their share of legal embarrassments as players were in trouble with the law all throughout summer camp as the Chiefs blew off preseason again by going 0-4 both straight up and against the spread, but avoiding injuries in the process.

The Chiefs gave back conquered territory

Kansas City was a notoriously strong home team, playing in one of sports' most hostile venues at Arrowhead Stadium. In addition, the Chiefs had a long history of playing well on opening day. Kansas City hosted the New York Jets in the opener and was a bargain 3-point chalk. The opening day angle worked again as the Chiefs dominated the Jets in a 27-7 decision that easily went under. Kansas City had played at a well over 65% over clip in the previous three seasons and the under loomed as a potential bargain for over/under players in Chiefs games for 2005.

Next was a trip to Oakland for a Sunday Night showdown against the rival Raiders. The Chiefs prevailed 23-17 as 1-point chalks, posting another under. This was followed by an all too typical 10-30 embarrassment at Denver as 3-point dogs as the Chiefs went under for the third straight time, as the sports betting market was in a correction from all of those over seasons with KC.

The Chiefs next game would end up being the costliest of all, however, as they hosted the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles. The 1.5-point favorite Chiefs bolted out to a 24-6 lead and seemingly had the Eagles dead to rights, only to let them off the hook in an incredible 31-37 loss as the Chiefs gave back conquered territory both in this game and on their season that they would never quite recover from. KC entered the bye at 2-2 both straight up and against the spread.

The Chiefs recovered nicely after their bye

The Chiefs next hosted Washington after the bye week and scored a 28-21 win as 6.5-point chalks, posting their second straight over. Next was a Friday Night game at Miami which was rescheduled to beat the incoming hurricanes due to hit on Sunday. KC prevailed 30-20 as 1-point chalks for their third straight over. The Chiefs were now an even 3-3 split on totals for 2005 and once again the under would become a bargain.

KC next lost a tough 20-28 game at San Diego as 6-point dogs going under the high-posted number of 51.5. This was followed by a 27-23 home win over rival Oakland as 3-point chalks, sneaking under the total of 50.5 by a half-point! The Chiefs recovered nicely after their bye with a 3-1 mark both straight up and against the spread to stand overall at 5-3 at the half way point of 2005.

The Chiefs suffered another expensive defeat

Kansas City next traveled to reeling 3-5 Buffalo and was a bizarre 2.5-point dog. This was another case of a line looking so weird that there must have been something to it. Buffalo had lost two straight and five of their previous seven and yet was favored? A classic trap if there ever was one as the Bills prevailed 14-3 as the Chiefs suffered another expensive defeat while going under for the third straight week.

Another nice recovery

Kansas City next went to Houston to play the hapless Texans as 7-point road chalks, scoring a 45-17 win that went over the total.

Next came a nice spot for gamblers as the Chiefs hosted the Patriots as 3-point chalks. It was figured Arrowhead would be pumped for this one, which it was, and the Chiefs prevailed 26-16 while going under the number.

An even better spot/angle came the next week against Denver as the Broncos were installed as a 1-point chalk against the revenge seeking Chiefs and their hostile fans. Kansas City has proven to be one of the more profitable and dangerous home dogs in all of sports and came through again with a 31-27 win that soared over the total. The three game stretch was another nice recovery by the Chiefs who climbed back into the playoff race with a mark of 8-4 both straight up and against the spread with 7 unders in those 12 games.

Two losses followed by too little, too late

Kansas City began the stretch drive with a game at owner Lamar Hunt's hometown of Dallas as 3-point dogs against the Cowboys. The Chiefs missed a late game tying field goal attempt in a 28-31 loss that soared over the total. This was followed by a Saturday national television game at the New York Giants, where the Chiefs lost 17-27 in a weak effort that went under.

KC came home for their final two games in which they defeated San Diego 20-7 in a pick'em. KC was a 10-point chalk in a 37-3 pasting of Cincinnati , who was playing their scrubs after having clinched home field in the playoffs. Both games went under. It was a case of the two losses followed by too little, too late efforts. Kansas City could only pine back over those losses to Philadelphia and Buffalo .