The Chiefs' sudden plunge into the wilderness marks a beguiling tumble for one of last year's upstarts.
The AFC West title feels like a distant dream in Kansas City after an 0-2 start in which Todd Haley's boys have been outscored 89-10.
The wreckage is amplified by a season-ending knee injury to All-Pro RB Jamaal Charles, a problem Chiefs QB Matt Cassel isn't sure how to fix.
"I'm not really sure," he told the team's official site on Wednesday when asked how Charles will be replaced. "That's probably a better question for Coach, just based on, from a personnel standpoint, who's out there and a game plan from the week-in, week-out basis."
The team's site lists Thomas Jones as the best candidate for an increase in workload, even though second-year RB/WR Dexter McCluster more closely recalls Charles' talents. Jones carried the load in Charles' absence last week with 12 carries for 40 yards for a paltry 3.3 per clip average, but it was only three seasons ago when he led the AFC in rushing, barreling through defenses for Eric Mangini's Jets.
Whether or not the Chiefs locate a ground game in Charles' absence, we have to wonder what Todd Haley is up to in Kansas City. It's rare to see a playoff team fall this far this fast.