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Dissecting the Kansas City Chiefs’ downward spiral

By WTOP Staff

DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — When general manager John Dorsey and coach Andy Reid walked through the glass doors at One Arrowhead Drive for the first time last year, and took over a franchise in disarray, nobody could have expected their turnaround to be so swift and so dramatic.

After winning two games in a season marked by tragedy, the Kansas City Chiefs rolled off nine straight wins. They finished 11-5 and made the playoffs for the second time in seven years. A city that had grown accustomed to failure was feeling good about itself, putting away brown paper bags that had become standard headdress on Sunday to wear jerseys and caps with pride.

Just one week into Year 2, that turnaround is starting to look like a mirage.

The Chiefs were dominated in their season-opener last Sunday by a Titans team trying to rebound from its own miserable year. Alex Smith threw three interceptions, Jamaal Charles hardly touched the ball, two defensive starters were lost to season-ending injuries and a perilous lack of depth across the roster was exposed in a humiliating 26-10 defeat.

“Certainly,” Smith said with a shake of his head, “a lot of adversity early.”

There are several reasons for what appears to be an abrupt downward spiral, many extending far beyond one player or one game. They lend credence to the possibility that last year’s magical run merely masked the fact that there is still far more rebuilding to do.

— The team Dorsey and Reid inherited was top-heavy with talent yet virtually devoid of role players. The grist that makes up a 53-man roster was sorely lacking. Eric Berry may be a Pro Bowl strong safety, but his running mates at free safety have been journeymen. Defensive tackle Dontari Poe is a budding star, but the rest of the defensive line has been a disheveled mess.

Meanwhile, many of the Chiefs’ best players just happened to play increasingly irrelevant positions. Jamaal Charles is arguably the best running back in the game, but pass-happy offenses have rendered his skillset far less valuable than it was 20 years ago.

— Two straight drafts have failed to produce impact players. The Chiefs had the No. 1 overall pick last year and chose offensive tackle Eric Fisher, who has struggled through injuries and with the transition to the NFL. Their first-round pick this year, outside linebacker Dee Ford, played three snaps in the Chiefs’ season opener.

There is also a lack of production deeper in the draft. Guys such as linebacker Nico Johnson, a fourth-round pick last year, are still toiling away on the practice squad.

— Two key players made themselves unavailable after getting into trouble with the league and the law. Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe was suspended for the season opener following an arrest last November, and right tackle Donald Stephenson will miss the first four games of the season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

“I watched it at home,” Bowe said Thursday, “and I wish I could have been out there to help my team, but things happen. You learn from them and try not to let them happen again.”

— The Chiefs’ salary cap situation. Dorsey and Reid were forced to cut Pro Bowl cornerback Brandon Flowers and allow Pro Bowl left tackle Branden Albert to depart in free agency, along with several other key players from a year ago. Meanwhile, they had little financial flexibility to plug the holes.

The few players they have given big money to have been ineffective. Bowe struggled last season, the first of a $56 million, five-year deal. Smith signed a $68 million extension, and then threw those three picks against Tennessee. And after Charles signed an $18.1 million extension before training camp, he was given just 11 touches in the season opener.

Throw in season-ending injuries to Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Johnson and starting defensive tackle Mike DeVito, things suddenly look ominous in Kansas City.

“I was shocked,” Chiefs linebacker James-Michael Johnson said, when asked to assess their season-opening performance against Tennessee. “I thought we were going to do a lot better.”

Reid vowed this week that “we’re going to get ourselves right,” but it’s a promise that won’t be easy to follow through on given what the Chiefs will see in the coming weeks.

After beating up on backup quarterbacks and cellar-dwelling teams last season, they now face the prospect of playing AFC West favorite Denver this weekend. They stay on the road against Miami before returning home for a Monday night game against New England. After that? Back on the road against playoff contenders San Francisco and San Diego.

“It’s the NFL. We just have to focus on what we need to get done,” Pro Bowl linebacker Tamba Hali said, “and go out there and all the distraction, keep it away and get that job done. Right now, that’s our guys’ mindset. We’re not too concerned with what happened in the past. We’re more concerned with what’s ahead of us, to get the job done.”

___

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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