Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs came off an exciting 2010 season in which they rebounded with 10 wins and a playoff appearance against the Baltimore Ravens. The Chiefs lost that game but the fact that they won as many games in 2010 as they did the previous three years combined shows which direction this team is trending. They achieved their first playoff berth since the 2006-07 season on the strength of their running game, which lead the league.

It's that running game featuring one of the league's best backs, RB Jamaal Charles, that has people excited for the 2011 season. Charles is locked in with a contract extension and should expect to see significant action in 2011. RB Thomas Jones will return to the team for at least one more year to complement Charles in the backfield.

QB Matt Cassel will also return coming off of his first Pro Bowl berth and will enter the season with a new weapon -- 2011 first round pick WR Jonathan Baldwin. Coming out of Pittsburgh, Baldwin has the physical skill-set to turn into one of the league's best receivers. What he has going for him is the presence of head coach Todd Haley, who was previously a receivers coach working with guys like WR Larry Fitzgerald. WR Dwayne Bowe, who lead the league in touchdowns receptions last season, will also benefit from the presence of Baldwin.

The Chiefs defense was solid for much of the 2010 season and figures to be similar in 2011. LB Tamba Hali is the centerpiece as he continues to quietly crush the competition while the Chiefs young secondary featuring S Eric Berry, S Kendrick Lewis, CB Brandon Flowers and CB Brandon Flowers slows down the opposition's passing attack.

The Chiefs 2011 schedule is significantly more difficult which is part of the reason we could see this team improve yet not even win 10 games. They'll face all four teams that were in the conference championships last year as well as a rising Oakland team. The Chiefs road to the playoffs is even tougher in 2011 but with a strong core of young players they certainly have the potential to win the AFC West for the second consecutive year.