The win yesterday for the Kansas City Chiefs on the road against the Denver Broncos not only made the players and coaches feel good about closing a turbulent 2011 season on a high note, it might have also cemented Romeo Crennel as the head coach for the long-term, removing the interim tag in the process. For those who've been watching the Chiefs over these final three games of the season, the team's performance under Crennel has been strong and it shouldn't be surprising to see him earn the position.
"I wouldn’t be surprised if interim Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel is promoted to the permanent coach soon," writes Bill Williamson. "The Chiefs went 2-1 under Crennel after he took over for Todd Haley, including a win over Green Bay. It was the Packers’ only loss of the season. Players love Crennel and he fits what the Chiefs want to do."
It's that last part that might make more of a difference. Players love the coach and it's clear they respond well to him. Given an entire off-season to structure the staff and the playbook on his own, Crennel should tailor the team even more to his liking and vice versa. With high profile wins like the Packers and Broncos wins, Crennel has earned a second chance. It's not the sexy move or a fresh name that fans often want to see, but it does bring some continuity and teams like the Texans are now enjoying the fruits of letting a coaching staff stick with the program over the long haul.
As for the other coaching positions, certainly some changes will be made on offense where the Chiefs have been among the league's worst. However, having Crennel at the point position will keep players happy and the Chiefs moving forward. It's not set in stone and there are other names potentially attached to the Chiefs, but Crennel must be considered a frontrunner.