Chiefs, Jaguars hold out slim hopes

K.C. needs victory, plus plenty of help, for playoff berth

? Holding out a tin cup and begging for help is something Herman Edwards hates. Jack Del Rio doesn’t seem all that thrilled about it, either.

Because their teams faded at a time when contenders stand tall and take charge, they’ll have to accept whatever good fortune fate drops into their laps in the finale today of a regular season turned frustratingly sour.

If Del Rio’s 8-7 Jacksonville Jaguars beat Edwards’ 8-7 Kansas City Chiefs, they could slip into the playoffs – but only provided that Oakland also upsets the New York Jets, Pittsburgh beats or ties Cincinnati and New England holds back Tennessee.

Equally far-fetched is Kansas City’s scenario. First, the Chiefs must beat Jacksonville. Then, in addition to Pittsburgh and New England also coming through for them, they’ll count on San Francisco pulling off an upset of the Broncos in Denver. Unlike the discontented Jaguars and Chiefs, the Broncos hold their playoff chances in their hands because all they have to do is win.

“Nobody likes this situation, and we could have easily not been in this situation. But we are,” said Edwards, who seemed all week in an uncharacteristically downbeat mood. “That’s the reality of it.”

The Chiefs and Jags are here because they’ve failed in December. The Chiefs were 7-4 and looking good before stumbling into a three-game losing streak that threatens to leave them out of the postseason for the eighth time in nine years.

The Jaguars won three of four and seemed to be riding a wave of momentum. But then they started dropping turnovers all over the field and lost their last two games.

“You get an opportunity to go out and earn your way into the postseason. And we’re at this point not quite there,” Del Rio said. “I think we’re all disappointed that it didn’t go the way we wanted.”

Quarterback David Garrard’s fumble in the final minutes sealed the loss last week to the Patriots.

“Once again, you have to bounce back again,” Garrard said. “You hate to keep saying that, but it’s true.”

Sitting out the postseason is becoming routine for the Chiefs. But it would be the first time in his 14 years as an assistant and head coach that Edwards has missed the playoffs two seasons in a row.

“I don’t like it very much at all, to be quite honest,” he said. “It’s not any fun when you’re not participating in the postseason and trying to win a championship.”

One thing the Jaguars have done well is stop the run. With an average yield of only 86 yards on the ground, they’re No. 3 in the league. It’s a skill that will no doubt be called upon today when the Chiefs unleash Larry Johnson, their workhorse running back.

Johnson broke the team record last week for carries in a season and needs 28 to snap Jamal Anderson’s NFL mark of 410. And with 1,651 yards rushing, he’s also within sight of LaDainian Tomlinson, who leads the league with 1,749 going into San Diego’s final game against Arizona.

Anderson was never the same runner after setting the record for Atlanta in 1998. But the 230-pound Johnson, an unusual combination of power and speed, says he’s not worried.

“Because you dish out the punishment, you don’t take it,” he said. “I’m not a small back, so I don’t get guys like Shawne Merriman trying to tee off on me on every snap. I usually happen to avoid tackles. Being the size that I am, a lot of times you get a lot of tacklers that shy away from you because they know it will hurt them more than it hurts me.”

A 100-yard game would also break the team rushing record Johnson set last year when he emerged as a Pro Bowler.

For Chiefs fans, this could also mark the end of one of the most distinguished careers in team history. Right guard Will Shields, a 12-time Pro Bowler, has been contemplating retirement several years.

“Right now I’m just worrying about Jacksonville,” said the former third-round draft pick. “I’ll make any other decisions later.”

Tight end Tony Gonzalez could be a free agent after this year and is going to demand a big contract. But the Chiefs have said they would slap the franchise tag on their eight-time Pro Bowler in order to keep him.