The Kansas City Chiefs Were Supposed to Be Super Bowl Contenders, But They Are 4-7 and Many Are Wondering . . . : WHAT WENT WRONG?

The last time this happened to the Kansas City Chiefs, Ronald Reagan was in the White House and the Royals were World Series champions.

The last time this happened to Marty Schottenheimer--well, this has never happened to Marty Schottenheimer. Not in three full seasons at Cleveland and nine in Kansas City has any Schottenheimer-coached team lost six games in a row.

Yet, the outfit that was 13-3 last year and picked by so many experts for this season’s Super Bowl has not walked off the field a winner since Oct. 4. In the ensuing seven weeks, including a bye week, they’ve been humiliated and humbled, disgraced and broken-hearted. They’ve plunged from a confident 4-1 to an unnerved 4-7.

New England and Denver blew them out. San Diego beat them by one point in the second-biggest fourth-quarter comeback in Chargers’ history.

They’ve changed quarterbacks and running backs, suspended players and waived players.

About the only things they haven’t changed are coaches and luck.

Two of the losses were in Monday night showcases, including a 30-7 whipping by the Broncos in which a couple of players, most notably Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Thomas, drew five personal fouls on Denver’s last touchdown drive.

Schottenheimer said it was a shocking display of immaturity and lack of character, “the most disappointing experience of my coaching career.”

Owner Lamar Hunt, who hardly ever says a bad word about anybody, said the Chiefs “disgraced not only the entire organization but the community as well.” The next day, linebacker Wayne Simmons was released and Thomas was suspended for a game.

Not counting the strike season of 1987, this is the longest losing streak for Kansas City since the directionless Chiefs of John Mackovic lost seven in a row in 1985.

Unless they win three of their last five, which includes a trip to unbeaten Denver, Schottenheimer is soon to suffer his first losing season as a head coach.

“This is a very uncharacteristic feeling for this football team,” said Schottenheimer, holding up remarkably well for a man who has fans jamming the airwaves every night demanding his dismissal.

So what has caused this amazing train wreck of a season?

Five games into it, they were 4-1, which made them 17-4 going back to the beginning of last season. Reasons for optimism were everywhere. After leading the NFL in 1997 in fewest points allowed, they signed four-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Chester McGlockton from Oakland, picked up former Pro Bowl defensive end Leslie O’Neal and bolstered their offense with wide receiver Derrick Alexander, who was coming off a second straight 1,000-yard season with the Ravens.

Signs of trouble were there, however. The retirement of Marcus Allen and the departure of Greg Hill left the Chiefs without a proven running back. This became a glaring weakness.

Injuries swamped the Chiefs. Lost for part or all of the season were All-Pro left guard Dave Szott, Pro Bowl cornerback Dale Carter, quarterback Elvis Grbac and McGlockton.

But perhaps most damaging problem--and most uncharacteristic of Schottenheimer teams--have been turnovers. The Chiefs lead the NFL in takeaway-giveaway differential for the decade; this year, they are just about average at plus-one.

And then there are penalties. Twice this season the Chiefs have broken their team record for penalties in a game. They will go into their next-to-last home game against the Cardinals today with a league-leading 112 infractions for almost 1,000 yards.

“Maybe,” said linebacker Donnie Edwards, a bewildered look on his face, “we aren’t as good as we thought we were.”

Nevertheless, fans calling for Schottenheimer’s scalp are almost sure to be disappointed. He and president-general manager Carl Peterson could decide on their own to move on. But both men, who have long-term contracts, retain the confidence of their owner.

“I have great confidence they’re going to get us turned around and going in the right direction,” Hunt said from his office in Dallas. “When we started the season 4-1, it tied for the best start in team history. Thinking about making a change after losing six games would be the equivalent of giving somebody a 10-year contract after a 4-1 start. Neither move would make any sense at all. I am very confident in the two of them.”

The Chiefs’ young offensive assistant feels the same way.

“He hasn’t had too many tough times like this,” Brian Schottenheimer said as his dad met with reporters after practice one day this week. “We’re being tested. Only the strong will survive. But he’s a very strong-willed individual and he’s got all the support he needs with my mom and our family.”

TODAY’S GAME

WHO: Arizona vs. Kansas City

WHERE: At Kansas City

WHEN: 10 a.m.

RECORDS: Kansas City (4-7), Arizona (6-5)