It would be foolish to claim that the Chiefs won’t miss left tackle Willie Roaf. But if each team that suffers a key loss in 2006 is going to throw up its arms and declare the season hopeless, then the Super Bowl will have to be won by default.
Virtually every team in the league will face some kind of crisis by the end of the season. Two of the teams best able to overcome a crisis will be playing at the end of the postseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, defending Super Bowl champions, are led by a quarterback coming off a serious motorcycle accident. Though Ben Roethlisberger is practicing, neither he nor the Steelers know yet if his serious head injuries will allow him to tolerate a hard blow. And the Steelers have seen two important players, wide receiver Antwaan Randle-El and defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen – lost through free agency.
Rest assured, Steelers coach Bill Cowher hasn’t stayed on the job for 14 full seasons and won a Super Bowl by curling up into a ball every time he faces a significant problem.
The Cleveland Browns moved aggressively in the off-season to become a playoff contender but just saw center LeCharles Bentley, their prize free agent, suffer a season-ending knee injury in training camp. Bentley was considered the key to solidifying the Browns’ line.
Terrell Owens’ divorce from the Philadelphia Eagles has left many expecting the Eagles to remain in a 6-10 funk this year because Donovan McNabb no longer has a dominating receiver.
http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2006/08..._the_playoffs/