Chiefs don’t have talent to pull off upset of Cowboys

It was weird and sad, Kansas City’s 26-20 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys.The Chiefs wore throwback Dallas Texans uniforms in tribute to their AFL heritage.Cowboys fans filled half of Arrowhead Stadium, long considered one of the toughest places for an opposing team to play.The Cowboys committed every conceivable error in what appeared to be an intentional attempt to give the Chiefs the game and force owner Jerry Jones to fire embattled head coach Wade Phillips.At no point Sunday, even when the Chiefs held a double-digit lead in the second half or after they won the overtime coin flip, did I believe the Chiefs would upset the Cowboys.The thought never seriously crossed my mind.That’s where we are with our Chiefs. The thought of them beating a team with marginal talent seems farfetched — regardless of the number of opposition penalties (13), turnovers (two) and playmakers left at home (receiver Roy Williams and running back Felix Jones).We’ve seen Sunday’s game numerous times the last three years. In losing 28 of 30 games, the Chiefs have demonstrated a unique ability to rack up a loss when the opponent shows no real interest in winning.Sunday’s game reminded me of last year’s loss to the Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium. Remember many of Norv Turner’s Chargers came into Arrowhead worn out and tired from a night of hanging at Power & Light and Bazooka’s Showgirls, fell behind big and then scored 19 straight points in winning 22-21?I have no inside information that the Cowboys kicked it Saturday night, but they were far from sharp.The Cowboys dropped touchdown passes, fumbled punts and jumped offside every third play. All that was missing was JaMarcus Russell, and you would’ve sworn the Oakland Raiders were back in town.It’s sad. You knew the Chiefs wouldn’t take advantage.That’s not a statement made in anger. It’s resignation. The Chiefs do not have the necessary personnel to compete against the top 24 teams in the league. This season is futile. When it was over, I couldn’t think of a question to ask head coach Todd Haley. His decision to kick an extra point rather than go for a two-point conversion and the victory at the end of regulation did not bother me.“I thought we had played well enough to feel like whether we won the (overtime) coin toss or not we had a chance to win the game,” Haley responded to a reporter’s question.Cornerback Maurice Leggett’s two botched pass-breakup attempts that led to Miles Austin’s 59-yard and 60-yard game-changing and game-deciding TDs didn’t upset me either. He’s a kid trying to make a big play.“I take full responsibility for those two plays,” Leggett said. “I was trying too hard. Can’t go for the ball every time.”It’s not as if the Chiefs have a pass rush to bail out the secondary. Leggett is not a goat. I didn’t see any goats on the field Sunday. I saw tiny glimpses of progress.Defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey made several good plays. He just missed recording a safety. He’s playing out of position as a 3-4 defensive end, but at least he’s active. If he continues to make progress, he might have some offseason trade value.I like the way no-name middle linebacker Corey Mays plays run defense. He started the season slowly and has played relatively well the last three weeks. He shows up. He’s a sure tackler. He had nine tackles Sunday.Most impressive on Sunday, Matt Cassel led a 2-minute drive that tied the game. He did it with backup Wade Smith playing left tackle in place of Branden Albert, who suffered an ankle or knee injury. Down 20-13 after Austin’s 59-yard score, Cassel marched his offense 74 yards in 10 plays. He hit Dwayne Bowe with a perfect post pass for a 16-yard score that tied the game with 24 seconds left in regulation.Before and after the 2-minute drive, Cassel was average at best. I’m not going to focus on that. I know it’s relevant. But I’m looking for reasons to find meaning and purpose in this season. Cassel showed us a little something. Maybe he’s developing some chemistry with Bowe.“I’m pretty proud of our offense,” Haley said. “They took the ball down the field and scored a touchdown in a 2-minute situation. I’d say that’s a pretty big positive.”Yep. Let’s start there. Let’s hope that drive is a building block for the Chiefs’ offense. Let’s hope Leggett has the courage to dive for a pass breakup in the clutch. And let’s hope Haley goes for two the next time he’s 3 yards from victory.