First things first: my name is Steve and I love the Chiefs. Born and raised in KC, I’m currently on the east coast and gearing up for another season of God’s game: NFL football.

Let’s get to the news.

Sorry for the delay, but I’m finally up and running. As you all know, Head Coach Herm Edwards named Damon Huard the starter for opening day, guaranteeing another disappointing season of mediocrity. Clearly, Huard is our best option in terms of winning right now. He’s not going to make the stupid mistakes Brodie Croyle is prone to and is a better option in terms of “managing the game”.

Evidently Herm believes he’s got a team that can compete for a Super Bowl this year, because otherwise starting Huard is a terrible decision. Let me explain:

Huard is a known quantity, that is, the Chiefs know pretty much exactly what they are going to get when he goes out – an average quarterback who isn’t going to make a lot of mistakes (debatable, depending on whether you’re judging by his successful stint last season or his wildly unimpressive preseason) but isn’t going to make a whole lot of plays either.

His alternative, young Brodie Croyle, a stud out of Alabama who’s injury riddled career (two ACL tears, ouch) still leaves many up in the air about just how good he is. Herm has high hopes, and Croyle has the arm and mobility to provide a spark to the offense. Trouble is, his decision-making has some serious room for improvement.

Chiefs fans saw the best and worst of Croyle on consecutive series in preseason week 2 as he showed nice zip and accuracy in leading the offense to their first touchdown of the season and then followed it up with a horrific interception off his back foot.

Huard gives us the best chance of winning right now, while Brodie obviously needs some seasoning. Starting Huard makes sense for a veteran team set to make a deep playoff run, but in a loaded AFC (Pats, Colts, Chargers, Ravens, Bengals, Broncos, Jags? Steelers? Titans??) the Chiefs may not even be in the top half of the conference. Starting Huard figures to minimize turnovers, a defensive-minded coach’s worst enemy, and avoid a humiliating losing season – Manning’s Colts were 3-13 and he threw 28 picks his first year in the league.

It also delays Croyle’s development one more season.

If Croyle really is as good as Herm believes, the quarterback of the future and KC’s first chance at a homegrown starting quarterback in decades, HE NEEDS TO PLAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Yes, we’re probably going to stink his first year… or two. But this year’s squad is relatively young, especially defensively, and not in great position for a deep playoff run even with Huard at QB (how is he going to fix the gaping holes where linebackers should be on pass plays and dump-offs?)

Believe it or not the league goes in cycles. One of the top three teams in the NFL and division rival San Diego Chargers stunk before they became good. Since 1996 the Chargers have had only 3 winning seasons 2004-2006. But now they figure to be title contenders for the next several years.

Having a few bad seasons can actually be beneficial to a franchise, allowing it to stockpile young players through the draft and then have the young guys mature together. San Diego had the number one pick in the 2001 draft (Michael Vick) and traded it to the Falcons for picks that eventually became LaDainian Tomlinson and Drew Brees.

The Chargers were again the worst team in 2003, and this time traded the rights to the top pick (Eli Manning) to the Giants for their current starting quarterback Philip Rivers, young DT Luis Castillo, and the pick that would turn into Rookie of the Year Shawne Merriman. (We’ll disregard the fact that both Castillo and Merriman are both past steroid users).

The point is, two awful seasons, some shrewd trades, and great drafting allowed the Chargers to build a core of young talent that will keep them relevant for years.

Would you trade several losing seasons for a legitimate shot at winning a championship for? I know I would.

Obviously, it’s not that easy. As I said, not only did the Chargers get lucky that all their trades and picks worked out better than planned, its hard to sell out a stadium when the product on the field isn’t any good.

The difference between Huard and Croyle is probably two wins over the course of the season. Which, I admit, is significant. But the schedule is so grueling that even with Huard at his best winning 10 games would be a miracle, 9 games and playoff hopes still a dream and a more than likely 8-8 or 7-9 season what we’ll end up with.

Look at the teams we’d have to beat out in our own division to even make the playoffs, let alone win a game:

Chargers: doubtful unless Norv Turner somehow orchestrates a historic meltdown with a super-talented team

Broncos: Jay Cutler has a season under his belt, and his talent is clear, not to mention Javon Walker

You’ve got to figure the following will make the playoffs out of the AFC:

Patriots, Colts, Chargers, Ravens, Bengals. That leaves the last spot for the Chiefs, Broncos, Jags, Steelers or T