What has become older news in the NFL over the past few days, now that we’re dealing with roster cuts and free agent signings, is the

fact that the Kansas City Chiefs, a week away from an opening game against the Baltimore Ravens, have decided to change direction with their coaching staff. Todd Hailey, the first year head coach who held the offensive coordinator position with the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals last season, fired Chan Gailey, the man who the Chiefs had named offensive coordinator just this past offseason.

While the Chiefs seemed to think that the best answer to their problems was to eliminate rhyming last names, a coaching change this late in the preseason shouts to the rest of the league that the team is in a state of disarray, however small. A revelation such as that will allow NFL powerhouse teams to smell blood. Unfortunately, for Hailey and the Chiefs, they have to travel to Baltimore to play one of the best AFC teams to start the regular season opener. Look out, Kansas City, here come the Ravens.

For any team, the changing of the guard on the offensive side of the ball is a bit strenuous. Routines are disrupted, but, for the most part, there is enough time to get players adapted during training camp. When the change is made after the 4th game of the preseason, then the stress builds. There is a lot of responsibility that falls to the players to learn the schemes and playbook of a coach, but not nearly as much time. Each coach has his own style, but when players are asked to learn the ins and outs of a new coach, things can get tough. Add the fact that the Chiefs’ have brought in a new quarterback and are playing without veteran leader Tony Gonzalez, and you have a scenario that the Ravens must be drooling over.

No disrespect to the Chiefs’ offense, but the first year after an offseason full of changes can create kinks. While in that phase of the learning process, a team is playing, not only to try to win games, but also figure out what they are capable of, what will work, and what does not. Larry Johnson has struggled in the past year or two due to nagging injuries, there are no real threatening wide receivers, and Matt Cassel’s health is questionable. Oh yeah, and they just fired their offensive coordinator.

One can’t blame Todd Hailey for the move. For starters, Gailey was new to the NFL. He has just as many games under his belt with a professional team as he did when he was first hired by the Chiefs- zero. But it’s hard to think that Hailey didn’t have other things running through his mind.

“You can’t have two roosters in the hen house.”, says RB Larry Johnson. It couldn’t have been said any better.

Hailey undoubtedly must have been going through withdraw, wrapped up in the tedious procedures and various aspects that a head coach must endure. His focus has gone from specific to general, leaving a position at which he could truly take pride in the play of certain players to instead improve an entire NFL squad. He ran a well oiled, well trained machine while in charge of the offense in Arizona, as was put on display during the Cardinals unprecedented playoff run last winter, and his true love for offensive play-calling has been made public with his dismissal of Gailey.

But from an outside perspective, it’s hard to see where the benefits will outweigh the possible failure by firing an offensive coordinator just as the season is about to begin. His offense has spent their entire training camp and preseason learning the ins and outs of Chan Gailey’s game plan. While Hailey will probably not change much (he’d have to be close to crazy to think that would be a good idea), a new system can be hard for any player to pick up in such short notice. Hopefully Hailey will be understanding when the Chiefs look less like the Cardinals of last year and more like, well, the Chiefs.

Enter the Ravens into this situation. The first game of the season looks even more enjoyable now to a team that likes to beat up on opposing offenses. Despite the running attacks the Ravens have faced over the past two years, it’s been close to 30 games since any running back has posted 100+ yards on the Baltimore defense. Larry Johnson may be returning to old form, with the hope in K.C. that his return from injury will allow Matt Cassel to open up a passing game that has been stagnant for several seasons. But the truth of the matter is that Johnson will have a workload too heavy for one man to carry. The front line of the Ravens’ defense, from Haloti Ngata to Kelly Gregg, knows the situation. Johnson better keep one eye on Ray Lewis and Tavares Gooden at all times. Terrell Suggs is not a stupid football player either. They all know what the league knows; right now, the Kansas City Chiefs are going to be vulnerable.

Come September 13, the Ravens and Chiefs will be as prepared as they possibly can be for their showdown in Baltimore. With a little bit of surprise and a lot more luck, the Chiefs may put up a fight. Matt Cassel, injured or not, is not a quarterback that can be looked past, Dwayne Bowe is an underrated, still unproven wide receiver in the league, and Larry Johnson is healthy and ready to roll. The biggest question is whether those individuals, along with the rest of the Chiefs’ offense, can learn to function under a tweaked system, now that Todd Hailey, and not Chan Gailey, is running operations. But another question, and probably the one that Ravens’ fans should be more focused on, is how much advantage of the situation will the Baltimore defense take.