The Kansas City Chiefs bounced back from having the worst record in the NFL in the 2012 season to reach the AFC playoffs in their first year under new head coach Andy Reid.
New quarterback Alex Smith kept turnovers to a minimum and led his side to an 11-5 record, which was bested in the AFC conference by only the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots.
They put up 44 points in the wildcard round against the Indianapolis Colts, but Andrew Luck's historic comeback ended their campaign
Sports Mole looks back at their 2013 season.
Pre-season expectations
After a disastrous campaign in 2012 head coach Romeo Crennel was relieved of his duties, while general manager Scott Pioli also left the club. Reid and John Dorsey were brought in to help turn the Chiefs' fortunes around. They started by trading for quarterback Smith from the San Francisco 49ers, while with the first overall pick they fortified their offensive line with tackle Eric Fisher. The Chiefs weren't short on talent as six of their players were selected to the Pro Bowl in 2012, and with Reid and his highly-competent staff on board, the club were widely tipped for a solid season.
Highlight of the season
The Chiefs had an incredible start to their season as they went 9-0 before their bye week. The highlight of these wins would have been the victory over Reid's former side the Philadelphia Eagles. Reid was head coach of the Eagles for 14 years before he was fired in the 2012 season. He took his new side into Lincoln Financial Field and saw them ease to a 10-point win over Chip Kelly's team, as running back Jamaal Charles ran for 92 yards.
Biggest disappointment
Reid's side travelled to face the Indianapolis Colts in the wildcard round of the playoffs after missing out on the AFC West divisional title. Despite losing Charles in the first series of the game, they powered into a dominating lead, which became a 28-point advantage early in the second half. However, the Chiefs kept losing key players throughout the contest and succumbed to one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history as Andrew Luck rallied his side to a 45-44 victory, ending Kansas City's season. After taking such a commanding lead Reid was at a loss to explain why his side couldn't hold out for the victory.
Player of the season
Jamaal Charles was outstanding for the Chiefs in the 2013 season. His ability to run between the tackles and catch the ball out of the backfield was one of the reasons for their success. Their ability to run effectively gave their defense time to rest up on the sidelines and kill the clock, to win so many tight games early in the campaign. The 27-year-old had the ability to take over a game single-handedly as his five-touchdown performance against the Oakland Raiders proved, as they had no answer for his power and pace. His overall statistics of 1,287 rushing yards and 683 receiving yards along with 19 total touchdowns, proved what an outstanding contribution he made to his side's success. Reid will be wondering how his side could have fared if only he hadn't have been injured in the first series of their wildcard round playoff clash.
Unsung hero
Justin Houston and Tamba Hali got a lot of the attention for the Chiefs' excellent defensive displays earlier in the season with their sack totals. But one player in the middle of their defense that really made it tick was middle linebacker Derrick Johnson. He is the quarterback of the defense and allows those players to get in the position to make those plays as well as making crucial tackles in the passing and running game. Johnson was voted to the Pro Bowl after totalling 104 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two interceptions on the season.
Off-season changes
The Chiefs will be looking to add some more firepower to their offense. The play of Jamaal Charles and occasionally Dwayne Bowe covered some holes. However, they will be hoping to snag a wide receiver in the 2014 Draft with talent aplenty at the position. They could also look to bring in a tight end, as Anthony Fasano and Sean McGrath were not quite the answer in 2013. More help in the secondary is also useful, as Dunta Robinson was recently cut while rookie cornerback Marcus Cooper was exposed at times, especially against the Denver Broncos.
2014 prospects
The Chiefs do play their football in a tough division bar the Raiders in the AFC West, and more will be expected of them this time around. However, they have enough talent at the club to make another run at the playoffs and the experience they gained this year should keep them in good stead. With a few key additions Reid's side could challenge the Broncos for supremacy.
Simon Sinclair
