"When you've won 10 games over the previous three seasons, as the Chiefs have done, it doesn't take much to prompt the feeling that the worst is finally over. The Chiefs think they've earned the right to feel that way. They point to a productive offseason that saw them rebuild coach Todd Haley's staff of assistants, sign a 1,400-yard rusher in Thomas Jones and draft one of the top safety prospects to come out of college in many years, Eric Berry. Haley dared give voice to that notion as far back as the NFL's scouting combine in February. He didn't back off last month when the Chiefs concluded their offseason practice. "I don't have any doubt in my mind we're making progress," Haley said. "We've gotten better this offseason. I know we got better as the year went on last season. The next step is training camp. "Unfortunately, they won't spot us a couple game for doing good work in the offseason. But by doing what we've done over this offseason, we've at least given ourselves a chance to be more competitive." The Chiefs begin training camp this week, having moved from their long-time summer home in River Falls, Wis., to nearby St. Joseph and the campus of Missouri Western State University. The overriding theme of camp is that the Chiefs, while far from a polished product, should be ready at long last to be competitive again. It's a feeling brought on by the sense that the many changes made by Haley in his year and a half with the Chiefs are finally taking root. His first moves of the offseason were to import new coordinators. Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and his defensive counterpart, Romeo Crennel, are Super Bowl veterans. The Chiefs also made some impact signings in the free-agent market, bringing in Jones and offensive lineman Ryan Lilja, among others. The team's draft class, which includes Berry and speedy receiver Dexter McCluster, looks more promising than last year's. Much of Haley's optimism stems from the Chiefs' season-ending 44-24 win over the Broncos in Denver, their first win in Colorado since 2000. "When you can finish in a positive fashion, it does nothing but help you," Haley said. "For these guys, seeing what they felt like, to walk off a division rival's field with a real big win did nothing but help. I know a lot of these guys are using that as a little springboard into this season." There's certainly danger in putting too much stock in one game. Even considering that Denver game, the Chiefs have a lot of ground to cover." http://www.kansascity.com/2010/07/24/2104876/as-camp-looms-chiefs-feeling-more.html
