Kansas City Chiefs
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NFL Team Column By Larry McCammon |
CHIEFS: CBA, FA, and The Draft
Free Agency is set to begin on March 5th. According to the latest newsreel, the chances for the NFL Players’ Association (NFLPA) and the teams’ owners to strike a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is miniscule. Without a new agreement in place by March, a contingency plan goes into affect. This plan re-writes some of the league standards on player free agency. The biggest, and easiest, caveat will be that the normal 4 years of NFL playing time required to become an Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA), will now mandate 6 years of veteran activity to become an UFA. This changes the landscape for the depth and value of players looking to cash in on new contracts and teams’ ability to sign players of significance to their rosters. This doesn’t mean that a 5-yr Restricted Free Agent (RFA) can’t sign with another team; it just means that teams will be less likely to spend due to the home team’s ability to counter any offers. Also, without a CBA established over the next year, the 2011 season make be forced into a work stoppage... but, that’s down the road and hopefully just a myth.
With all the debacle behind the legislative and business aspects, teams still need to prepare for the upcoming season. The Chiefs are not a team that needs that “one player” to put them over the top. And with their three top weaknesses, the field of potential FA’s to choose from will drop considerably; placing them into a bidding war should Scott Pioli deem any specific player a must-have. With Kansas City’s poor receiving corps, inability to stop the run, and weak offensive line; we were all hoping that the FA market would provide some experienced- but not too old- acquisitions.
Assuming that a CBA will not be completed, those Offensive Tackles that were to hit the market will now most likely stay at home. And if one looked at the available modified UFA Tackles rated by Scout.com, the premiere player would be Chad Clifton (GB) with 10 years in, with a 4/5 Star rating. After him, you would have to drop to the 10th ranked Tackle for a player eligible for UFA status- Mike Gandy (ARI) with 9 years and only a 3/5 Star rating. Not a great pool of potential anchors to choose from; let alone bid for.
At Wide Receiver, the Chiefs will hold onto their underachieving Dwayne Bowe and the 2009 savior, Chris Chambers. After them, all other roster spots are disposable. The FA bazaar at this position changes to Terrell Owens (BUF) being the highest ranked UFA. And I’m pretty sure his 14 years of wear on the field, and off, will keep him away. After him, one would have to think that Antonio Bryant (TB) would be worth the hassle. He’s only caught more than 4 TDs once in his career... not someone to barter for.
And KC’s inability to tackle ball carriers coming up the middle, forces them to look at the likes of Gary Brackett (IND), Larry Foote (DET), and Matt Wilhelm (SF). The Colts will not let go of Brackett (and I can’t see him wishing to leave), Larry Foote is a possibility- yet carries 8 years of mileage, and Matt Wilhelm hasn’t had a good season since ’07 and only started one game in 2009.
Free Agency may not be the route KC takes this season to improve in 2010. Some small role players may be signed and KC may surprise us by grabbing a top UFA at any position just to get one: Julius Peppers (4-3 DE from Carolina), or Dunta Robinson (Corner from Houston). But, I most likely see a major push to grab as many picks in this year’s draft for the long haul.
Hence, I will make a few changes to my original Chiefs’ 2010 Mock Draft. I tailored the first one off of Kansas City selecting Eric Berry-S-Tennessee at fifth overall (http://nfldraftdog.com/nfl-team-columns/kansas-city-chiefs.html,12JAN2010). Yet, let’s pretend that Berry is off the board before pick #5 (although Berry will stay as my favorite at number five); or that KC decides to go in a different direction- such as with Offense. Here we go with the Chiefs 2010 Draft- Adaptation 2:
Round #, Pick # (Overall Pick #):
Round 1, Pick 5 (5
Russell Okung- OT- Oklahoma State (Sr)
Round 2, Pick 4 (36)
Sean Weatherspoon- OLB- Missouri
Round 2, Pick 18 (50)
Dezmon Briscoe- WR- Kansas (Jr)
Round 3, Pick 5 (69)
Robert Johnson- S- Utah (Sr)
Round 4, Pick 4 (100)
Freddie Barnes- WR- Bowling Green (Sr)
Round 5, Pick 5 (133)
Torrell Troup- DT- UCF (Sr)
Round 5, Pick 11 (139)
Colin Peek- TE- Alabama (Sr)
Round 5, Pick 17 (145)
Brandon Carter- OG- Texas Tech (Sr)
Round 6, Pick 4 (164)
Adrian Tracy- OLB- William & Mary (Sr)
Kansas City Chiefs: 2010 Pre-Draft Preview
Well, the season is over for Kansas City. They finished 4-12 (2 more wins than last year) and with almost as many questions as when the season began. General Manager Scott Pioli and Coach Haley seem to have had a plan set for the first two seasons. The first year of their tenure did not show much action in the offseason, preseason, or during the season. The most action took place as players were either injured and replaced- or when the receiving corps became so poor that San Diego’s Chris Chambers was signed to show the crew how receptions were made.
This lack of activity translated into the new management wishing to take a solid look at what was already in place with Herm Edwards’ old team before opening the wallet for top free agents. This could be a smart move; allowing the coaches to evaluate which existing defensive players made the transition to the 3-4 defense correctly, along with observing any progress made by one of the league weakest offensive lines.
The Kansas City Chiefs finished the season as such:
OFFENSE:
Points Per Game= 18.4 (23rd)
Rushing Yards Per Game= 120.6 (11th)
Passing Yards Per Game= 182.6 (25th)
Offensive Sacks Allowed= 45 (27th)
Offensive Negative Plays= 53 (24th)
The offensive line did show vast improvement over the last 4 weeks. It propelled RB Jamal Charles to place 2nd in rushing yards during the second half of the year. QB Matt Cassel still had major issues with pressure in his face; not to mention the dropped passes in which KC led the NFL. The negative plays (all tackles made behind the line of scrimmage) kept the Chiefs in multiple 3rd & long plays.
DEFENSE:
Points Per Game= 26.5 (29th)
Rushing Yards Per Game= 156.5 (31st)
Passing Yards Per Game= 231.7 (22nd)
Defensive Sacks= 22 (31st)
Defensive Interceptions: 15 (T-16th)
The defense has left much to desire. They gave up a record of rushing yards against Cleveland and allowed multiple teams to simply throw down the field for winning drives when a stop was required. They more than doubled their sacks against opponents from last season; yet, relatively speaking, they still finished second from last overall. Excuses could be laid upon the change to a 3-4 defensive scheme and the fact that “tryouts” for last year’s squad were underway for the 2010 season.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Field Goals Made Percentage= 86% (10th)
Punt Yards Per Attempt= 40.8 (6th)
Kickoff Return Yards Per Attempt= 21.6 (25th)
Punt Return Yards Per Attempt= 6.5 (27th)
Special Teams could be the highlight... again. This is not something one wishes to boast about- unless you’re returning for touchdowns. Kansas City still maintains a solid kicking game on both sides, yet must find a return man in this year’s draft.
So, with the above numbers to chew on, here are my initial suggestions for positions of focus at each pick; along with what players could possibly be available come KC’s selection.
Round #, Pick # (Overall Pick #)
Round 1, Pick 5
Eric Berry- S- Tennessee (Jr)
Round 2, Pick 4 (36)
Daryl Washington- ILB- TCU
Round 2, Pick 18 (50)
Jordan Shipley- WR- Texas (Sr)
Round 3, Pick 5 (69)
Freddie Barnes- WR- Bowling Green (Sr)
Round 4, Pick 4 (100)
Dennis Pitta- TE- BYU (Sr)
Round 5, Pick 5 (133)
O’Brien Scholfield- OLB- Wisconsin (Sr)
Round 5, Pick 11 (139)
Selvish Capers- OT- W. Virginia (Sr)
Round 5, Pick 17 (145)
Zane Beadles- OG- Utah (Sr)
Round 6, Pick 4 (164)
Adrian Tracy-OLB – William & Mary (Sr)
*As we get closer to the Combine and Draft, I will revise and start to give more specific reasons for my choices and/or changes.
Chiefs Smash Broncos’ Hopes in Denver
As a die-hard Kansas City fan, nothing could have made such a poor season better, than to walk into Denver in Week 17 and take away the playoffs from the Broncos... KC-44, DEN-24.
This game, from the beginning to the end, was what KC had been striving for all season. Coach Todd Haley has stated that this was an “evaluation year” and the players came out to show their desire to play for him in 2010. Coach Haley, with a few exceptions, also delivered a solid offensive coordination that used the Chiefs’ strengths, along with what Denver would give them.
The Chiefs started off the game deep in their own territory, but then threw a long play-action pass on the first play of the game. Followed by two more passes, putting them into the end zone in just a couple minutes of the kickoff.
Over the first half it was back and forth between the two rivals, with Kyle Orton of the Broncos picking apart the Kansas City’s secondary; especially targeting Chiefs’ cornerback Brandon Carr. Carr was hit for two pass interference calls in the game and never really looked back for the ball over the 60 minutes. Jabar Gaffney, receiver for Denver, abused Carr along with others in the secondary; accumulating 213 yards on 14 receptions. Orton ended up with 431 yards passing, but was met by Chiefs’ Linebacker Derrick Johnson twice.
LB Derrick Johnson picked off the Denver QB on two occassions during the game... and returned BOTH for touchdowns. He was instrumental in not only putting points on the board; yet, he was critical in stopping the Broncos’ passing attack.
The lack of blitz from KC’s front seven over the first 3 quarters ended in the 4th. They got to the Denver QB twice and forced Orton to throw another pick to Brandon Flowers- the other KC cornerback. While giving up the passing yards, the Chiefs’ defense did a remarkable job of only allowing 84 total rushing yards to a team that had more than 200 during their previous meeting.
And speaking of rushing yards, Kansas City ran all over Denver for 317 total yards; with Jamal Charles setting a franchise record of 259, previously held by Larry Johnson (now employed by Cincinnati). This propels Charles into the definite starting role for the next season; and could put him into the top 10 backs for 2010. Matt Cassel was mediocre for the game and has shown his biggest weakness to be the lack of patience. Several passes from the KC quarterback looked rushed and he stared down a few receivers as well. He will need to address these details to become the franchise QB that Kansas City is paying him to be.
The punter for KC even shined; as Dustin Colquitt averaged 50 yards per punt. Mixed in this was an odd pass interference call against Denver; that was nullified with the explanation that, “there was no pass interference on the play, because there was not enough contact”. Funny... I thought ‘contact’ was the point of calling pass interference.
It was nice to see many of the cogs finally come together for this lowly team. They’ve been through a lot this season, and will need to take all the lessons and learn from them for improvement in 2010. At this point, I still believe the biggest need that can be addressed with a top 5 pick in the 2010 draft will be selection of Eric Berry- the Safety from Tennessee. Kansas City consistently gave up big run and pass plays in ’09. The position of Safety is to play “centerfield” and stop the large rushing gains or break away receptions by receivers. Berry plays fast and hard; enabling him to step right into the lineup.
My next article will evaluate each position, how the draft could address those positions, and the overall “upside” of progress made in a 4-12 season.
Chiefs Fall Short in Cincinnati
Hey, the Chiefs played well. They really did. They lost 17-10 to a very strong team, the Cincinnati Bengals- a team with a top 5 defense and the 6th ranked rushing attack. The game could be rested on the result of QB Matt Cassel throwing two timely interceptions, while the Chiefs’ defense held the Bengals out of the end zone more times than naught; or it could be said that the offense took what was given to them- rushing for 123 yards and allowing only one sack, while the defense gave up a winning 14-play, 98 yard drive to end the game. Hmm... ‘tit for tat’.
RB 
Jamaal Charles has breathtaking speed and has been one of the bright spots for the Chiefs this year.
Overall, the Chiefs displayed their weakness in stopping the running game and their weakness in coming up with the big defensive play. It seemed for the most part that the Chiefs’ receivers held onto the passes this time around, yet the 61 yards for Dwayne Bowe’s 9 receptions makes you wonder if throwing it at all was even needed.
While we wait for the last game of the season (in Denver), we fans of the Kansas City Chiefs are again focusing on the dreams of a wonderful 2010 Draft day selection. So, to continue my effort to point out the weekly weaknesses that can be addressed through the draft on April 22nd- wow, that’s a while from now- this week’s inability to make key stops on two drives, along with the two Ochocinco touchdowns- makes it apparent that maybe a dominate Safety is what Kansas City’s 1st round pick should be spent on.
The number one ranked Safety on more than one list is Eric Berry from Tennessee. Berry ways in at 203 lbs and is only 5’ 11’’, yet his ability to make a big play out of nothing is very familiar to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Troy Polamalu and his knack for turning games around. In only 3 seasons as a VOL, Eric had 14 interceptions (3 returned for touchdowns) along with 155 total tackles. His highlight reel shows a punishing hitter with the ability to force fumbles and turn a ball-carrying opportunity into multiple yards.
Safety Taylor Mays of Southern California is more of your NFL prototype Safety. He stands 6’ 3” and weighs 30 more pounds than Eric Berry. While not near the pigskin thief as Berry, Mays tends to make the big hits; always around the ball. While at USC, he accumulated almost as many tackling assists as solo tackles. This shows Taylor’s hard work on the field by being where the play needs to be made.
If the Chiefs decide to go defense with their #1 pick this coming off season, I would prefer that Eric Berry be one of two choices. He seems to carry an ability to change games. And if KC had a “game-changer” this past Sunday, maybe the Chiefs would be looking at win number four for the 2009 season.
Brownies @ Arrowhead
Please allow me a moment to get something out of the way... “This team ticks me off! Make a tackle already! Catch the darn ball already- you've had all season to practice! Smash someone in the mouth! Call the right plays for $%#@ sake! How much practice do you need by week 15 to play well against the freaking CLEVELAND BROWNS??? Quit changing the kick and punt returners! The only guy that can make a return play is Jamal Charles, so put him back there! If Chris Chambers always makes the catch- then call more plays for Chambers! Cassel, quit throwing the ball into the ground after 3 seconds! Wow, did anyone pass Football Tackling-101 in college???”
Whew. Sorry, I had to get the fan frustration out of the way first. Thanks. So, the Chiefs found another way to blow a game that was definitely in their own hands. The pass coverage was excellent, so they must have thought that they needed to make up for it by not tackling the guy with the ball. Browns-41, Chiefs-34.
So, with the exception of another display of butter hands by our wide receiver group; the Chiefs’ offense had one of their better outings of the season. Matt Cassel had a pretty good day, going 22-of-40 passing with 331 yards, 2 touchdowns, and zero interceptions. At Running Back, Jamal Charles took off for a total of 151 yards and a TD. That translates to a good performance by the Offensive Line; adding that they only allowed the Cleveland defense to get to Cassel one time for the afternoon. And the passing defense held QB Brady Quinn to only 66 total yards, along with 2 interceptions. Sounds like a winning performance to me. Of course, until you read the next paragraph...
The Chiefs’ rush defense had one of its worst outings since against the Titans last season. The Cleveland Browns, who came into Week 15 ranked 20th in yards on the ground, amassed a total of 351 yards rushing. They averaged 7.2 yards per rushing attempt. That is almost twice the average they had passing the ball. When a team allows two times the passing average per play on the ground, the outcome will not be in their favor- guaranteed. The amount of future Steve Sabol film footage for a “tackling circus” montage` was more than plenty. It continues to amaze me that professional football players will still try to tackle a ball carrier by the shoulders; instead of grabbing the legs- you know, the things that hold the body upright?
Speaking of poor tackling, I forgot to mention one small thing that happened during the game yesterday... Cleveland Kick Returner, Joshua Cribbs, returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. Now, I give Cribbs all the applause in the world. Since Chicago’s Hester and KC’s Hall, there hasn’t been someone as electric as Joshua Cribbs in that field of play. He is amazing. Yet, if you watched the sloppy arm tackling around his shoulder pads, it would only make you wonder how some of these guys got inside the stadium- let alone onto the football team.
So, with another loss towards ‘Draft Pick Heaven’, I will again point out a weakness that could be addressed through the 2010 Draft (I will refer you to last week’s article if you are interested in focusing on potential talent addressing the Chiefs’ dropped passes issue- 9 more this week). Yet, for this week I will focus on 1st Round caliber players that could help stop the running attack that plagues our defense.
Right now, the Chiefs technically sit at pick #4 in 2010. Out of Nebraska is one of the most highly touted Defensive Linemen since Warren Sapp. If Ndamukong Suh is available at number four, Kansas City better not pass him up. He has done nothing short of dominate along the front line in college. He plays against some of the best corn-fed schools in the country (Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State) and demands attention every time he is on the field. Just in his senior year, he has 16 tackles for a loss, 10 solo sacks, 50 solo tackles, 10 passes defended, 3 blocked kicks, and an interception. This is unheard of from a school that plays top-level competition. Many KC fans will point out that the Chiefs used their last two number one picks on Defensive Linemen, yet I say- along with the transition to a 3-4 defense- that you can never have enough talented defensive big men. The game is won and lost in the trenches. And even though it takes a couple years for defensive front players to mature; once Glen Dorsey, Tyson Jackson, and potentially Ndamukong Suh mature- opposing offensive lines will fear any Sunday against that lineup.
And if your looking for more of an Inside Linebacker to make the tackles- and to replace our aging corps- then Florida’s ILB Brandon Spikes can provide speed towards the ball, a nose for interceptions, and the ability to get to the quarterback. Another inside backer could be Daryl Washington from Texas Christian University. Along with his great statistics is the fact that he is a 4-year player that has led his team to an undefeated season, along with a #1 ranked defense.
Buffalo at Kansas City: Mistakes Costly for Chiefs
Kansas City kept their drive for a top draft pick in 2010 alive as the Buffalo Bills marched into Arrowhead, gave the Chiefs opportunities to come away victorious, and then KC remembered that a low 1st round pick next Spring is not as good as a top three draft pick... 18-10 Buffalo.
Poor play calling popped up a few times as the Chiefs attempted to get their second home win of the season. Coach Todd Haley delivered some questionable 4th down calls during critical times in the game. Near the end of the 1st quarter, the Chiefs had 4th down at the Bills’ 1 yard line. The score was still 0-0 and it seemed okay to kick the field goal, yet they went for the touchdown; with QB Matt Cassel getting sacked on a keeper that didn’t trick Buffalo’s defensive end. Then, as KC was attempting to make a come back with 2:20 minutes remaining, and down by six; Haley disregarded attempting a field goal from the Bills’ 21-yd line and went for it. The pass was intercepted.
This is simply poor play calling. With a high-percentage attempt by Kicker Ryan Succop, it would have given KC an opportunity to at least tie with a strong defensive stop. And using my hindsight ability, the Chiefs did stop the Buffalo offense to receive the punt with a minute left. Kansas City did drive down to the Bills’ 37 before throwing another interception; which could have at least placed Succop within a reasonable chance to tie.
All that happening after the fact, who knows what could have happened after a FG try; yet, we’ll never know how those 3 points left on the table- TWICE- would have played in the game. Coach Haley is doing his best with a rag-tag offensive line, a rag-tag receiver corps, and a team with no confidence. Yet, it’s his responsibility to put the players into action and the players’ responsibility to carry out that action. Points, Coach. Points.
Twice, big offensive plays were called back due to the lack of focus by an offensive player. Cassel threw a 22-yd pass to Chris Chambers that was brought back due to a holding penalty with 7:32 left in the game. Then, another holding penalty courtesy of the previous victim, Chris Chambers; nullified a 14-yard run by Jamal Charles with only 4:29 left. This needs to be addressed to the players. Even with only five total penalties throughout the game, those last two proved to be detrimental to the Chiefs’ chances at coming away with a win.
Chris Chambers dropped a key pass at the Bills’ 2-yard line. Now, while that potential completion could have changed the game, I won’t bash Chambers; for he has been the savior of a depleted and under-achieving receiving corps. Yet, the connection made by the two back-to-back stats given by the broadcasting color commentator: the Chiefs are worst in the league when it comes to 3rd down conversions AND are worst in the league with the most dropped passes. I don’t think I need to point out how the two relate, yet I truly hope KC addresses this issue during the 2010 offseason.
To finish bashing my beloved Kansas City football team, Matt Cassel is showing more and more why his critics might be right. He was sacked 4 times, yet when he had opportunities to make decent throws downfield he tended to float them high and long- passing by the open wide receivers. Now, he did show some improvement with getting rid of the ball vice taking a sack, yet 4 more interceptions in this game will overshadow any progress made with throwing the pig out of bounds. Settle down Matt; you don’t have to be the “knight in shining armor” this season, because you’ll be expected of that next year.
I want to start adding to my columns over the next few remaining games the talk of who may be available in 2010’s draft that could provide a fix to a current Chiefs’ deficiency.
This week, as carried over from the last two games as well, shows that without Dwayne Bowe in the lineup at wideout the Chiefs become a joke in the passing and catching part of the game. They need to take a look at players coming into the draft that possesses solid hands and explosive scoring potential. Danario Alexander, from Missouri, averages 8.92 receptions per game; along with an average of 15.36 yards per catch. He is also 6’ 5” and weighs in at 210 pounds; giving him great length and size.
Same weight, yet 5 inches shorter, could get you WR Freddie Barnes from Bowling Green. He (Barnes) may not play many big programs, yet he led all NCAA receivers with 138 catches and 16 touchdowns. If you prefer a poor man’s clutch pass receiver, then go into Lawrence, Kansas, to find converted quarterback Kerry Meier. Meier has done nothing but catch the ball when it hits his hands. He doesn’t possess the explosion of the other two listed; yet he understands the timing of his QB and could be a cheap pickup in the 3rd or 4th round.
Broncos Visit Arrowhead
44-13; Denver over Kansas City. Anyone care to hear the statistics and reasons why the Chiefs’ score is such a disparity as compared to the numbers representing the final production from the Broncos of Denver? Didn’t think so.
I sat through this horrible episode for what seemed an eternity. I can rattle off all the dropped passes (10), or Matt Cassel’s passer rating in the 3rd quarter (3.2, yes- THREE POINT TWO), or the ridiculous 4th & 8 play call by Haley on his own 28 yard line (fake punt gone wrong), or the inability to score a touchdown on 1st and Goal on the 1-yd line (after just driving 70 yards in 20 plays), or the attitude by defensive players in the fourth quarter (celebrating a pass deflection, down 34-13), or Running Back Jamal Charles- a single shining light for KC- fumbling again (returned for a TD), or WR Bobby Wade’s fantastic number of receptions(6 dropped passes), or Kansas City’s quarterback duo performance by Cassel and Brodie Croyle (16 of 42 passing, 2 interceptions), or the number of rushing yards giving up by the Kansas City defense (245 yards), or the inability of KC’s uber-expensive quarterback investment, Matt Cassel, to throw with any true aggressive authority (got benched)... no, I won’t talk about any of that.
I want to talk about KC’s Tamba Hali and his outstanding defensive performance. Today, at halftime, Kansas City retired the late OLB Derrick Thomas’ number. He ignited the Chiefs’ defense during the 1990’s and his number will never be worn again to respect his contributions on and off the field before his untimely death. His mother, along with former coaches and players, were presented in a ceremony with the Broncos in town; fitting being that DT had most of his quarterback sacks against QB John Elway of Denver Broncos fame (17 total).
Newly converted Defensive End-to-Outside Linebacker, Hali, led by Derrick’s example; producing a wonderful stat line in efforts to give Haley’s offense a chance: 9 tackles, 1 assist, 3 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. It seemed that only he was inspired by the spirit and emotion present today at Arrowhead; a place that Derrick Thomas rocked with his high-energy motor and knack for creating big defensive plays and turnover opportunities. Thanks Tamba for giving the Chiefs’ fans something today.
Chiefs at Chargers: Back to Earth
Last week the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the reigning Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-24... then, they remembered that they are the Chiefs from Kansas City and laid an embarrassing rotten egg at San Diego, losing 43-14.
Now, do we all accept the fact that the Chiefs are the same team that started the season- completely rebuilding and not expected to make any impact? Or do we hold them to the drive and effort they showed us in week 11? This is the question that I’ve been pondering since falling for the “perception” of competitiveness within the Chiefs organization on Sunday. I’ve decided to push for the latter. Stepping forward shows your potential- and as a professional team, they should be held to their highest.
The Chiefs didn’t have any specific problem- it was everything. They couldn’t cover the Chargers’ TE Antonio Gates; allowing him to chew up the middle of the defense all day, gathering 118 yards and two touchdowns. They couldn’t get their offense to convert on 3rd down; delivering another paltry conversion rate of only 27%. They couldn’t stretch the field for the life of them; throwing only one long ball, late into the fourth when it was already out of reach. Kansas City couldn’t get any pressure on the opposing quarter back; allowing Phillip Rivers to chuck the rock for over 300 yards without getting his uniform dirty one time.
The Chiefs couldn’t protect their own QB- producing only 5 yards per attempt; especially when it mattered most, allowing a safety when Matt Cassel needed to drop back into the end zone. The ball was poorly snapped to the Chiefs’ quarterback on two occasions- one returned for a touchdown and another recovered by San Diego that eventually turned into points. And KC’s running back, Jamal Charles, turned out a decent performance, yet fumbled again- giving the Chargers a short field in which to drive and score. And then the situational play calling put the Chiefs’ players into a... look, you know where this is all going.
It was as if the Chiefs needed this type of game in order to humble themselves following the victory over Pittsburgh. General Manager Scott Pioli needed to know that this year is a player/system evaluation year, and that his best performance will be required of him during the upcoming offseason in 2010. Coach Haley needed to know that his determination to play dual roles, both as Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator, won’t deliver consistent guidance every single week. The players needed to know that playing up to the challenge in week 11, means you also need to play up to the challenge in week 12 through 17. And the Kansas City fans needed to know that the process of destroying a losing mentality- and building a winning one- will take time... and their constant supportive fortitude.
The Chiefs ‘Steel’ Game Away From Pittsburgh
Well, as told by one of my brothers today, “The Chiefs were playing poorly when I was listening to the game on the radio- so I shut it off in OT.” So, Coach Haley, apparently that’s the fix we’ve all been waiting for... Thanks, bro!
Kansas City played hard and never gave up to produce one of the biggest upsets of the season. With the defending Super Bowl champions walking into an Arrowhead, halfway filled with Steelers’ fans, it was almost written that Big Ben would march all over KC’s defense. With exception to KC’s Jamal Charles taking the opening kickoff to the house, Roethlisberger did just about that. No matter how often a Chiefs’ defender found himself in the QB’s pocket, he would manage to scramble his way out of it and find one of his two prized possessions- TE Heath Miller or WR Hines Ward.
This win came way by two factors. The first was Pittsburgh’s inability to stop making enough mistakes; keeping Kansas City in it. First time starting linebacker, Andy Studebaker, filled in for an injured Mike Vrabel and defined ‘making an impact’. He had two interceptions and a half of a sack to contribute to the Chiefs’ victory. Good for him! It’s great to see a Division III long shot get his opportunity- and deliver.
And secondly, Matt Cassel stayed focused as KC’s quarterback, not faltering when he was needed. He is still looks nervous, floats his passes too often, and is constantly acting as if he’s about to get sacked- even if he is in no danger. The latter is just the after effect of being behind such a 
poor line. He gave newly acquired WR Chris Chambers an opportunity to put the Chiefs in field goal range, Chambers obliged for 61 yards to the Steelers’ 4-yd line, and K Ryan Succop put it in the books.
Watching the Chiefs play a team like the Steelers really puts things into perspective. They are the reigning Super Bowl Champions and have almost a perfect mold for success. Their running game is always solid. Their quarterback is big, mobile, and makes good decisions under pressure. They have a Hall of Fame wide receiver in Hines Ward and their defense- led by SS Polamalu- is always in the top 5 defensively each season. So, after watching a ‘guts and glory’ push by the weaker Chiefs today, I have come to the following conclusions as to what Kansas City management should start focusing on for 2010, in order to be as competitive as possible:
1- GET 2 OFFENSIVE LINEMEN DURING FREE AGENCY:
Building a quality offensive line is a very difficult task, let alone keeping it healthy and together for long periods of time. We have the young LT Branden Albert to educate, so lets go get a couple proven studs to teach him. Make some trades using our draft picks and/or hand out the checkbook during free agency. Quality offensive tackles and guards can be worth their weight in gold. And as KC fans can remember the dominance provided by an All-Pro line anchored by Will Shields and Willie Roaf; growing your own is rare and the total offensive profit margin significantly increases with a couple beasts up front.
2- GRAB THE BIGGEST RUNNING BACK:
Releasing disgruntled- and misbehaving- RB Larry Johnson was the right thing to do. His off the field and “me first” mentality was not good for the new recipe being created by Chefs Scott Pioli and Todd Haley. Yet, as you could see against a solid defensive front in Pittsburgh, having just a scat-back will not do. We need a back that can pound it up the middle and get those short yardage 3rd downs converted; something KC has struggled with all season. He doesn’t have to be a 1st round draft pick or a current All-Star. He just needs to be “that guy” Haley can go with when you need 1 yard and you’re playing a stout defense.
3- DRAFT A FULLBACK:
Ever since Kansas City let Hall of Fame FB Tony Richardson go- along with losing two HOF offensive linemen- the Chiefs’ running game has been average at best. Tony could not only punch a hole in the line, or take out the linebacker at the 2nd level; he could also be depended on to stay in during key 3rd down passing situations to provide the QB with an extra second or two. Any top running back in the league can point to a fullback that has leveled some defensive player’s nose in efforts to open the way for a rushing touchdown. One thing in football never changes- a team with an ‘in your face’ running game always has a chance; and a solid Full Back is part of that equation.
4- HIRE OC and NEW DC:
It has happened a couple of times each game this season. Poor play calling or a lack of time management. Todd Haley is a rookie head coach and we all know how hard it is to successfully operate that position. There are endless nights and endless media criticisms throughout the season. On game days the clock ticks away and you’re required to make the final decisions. We all understand that mistakes happen for coaches early in their career. The issue is that the coach needs to realize this as well. Not having an offensive coordinator to call the plays from the coach's assigned scheme, adds extra tension and pressure. Haley needs an OC, so he can focus on the totality of the game at hand. Coach also needs to convince his defensive coordinator buddy, Clancy Pendergast, that being aggressive throughout the entire game gives you more chances to win than being soft- or just realize this hire was a poor decision and grab another DC. I’m still not sure how the defensive coordinator from a team that was horrible in the passing game (Arizona Cardinals) got hired to revamp a rookie secondary. Two suggestions: Hire Charlie Weiss as your OC after he gets a pink slip from Norte Dame, and then give Romeo Crennel a shot at the DC job that he dominated when he held it in New England.
5- FANS: Stop complaining about your team during rebuilding if you’re only going to give your seats to visiting fans. Close games can be the difference and in both (Dallas & Steelers) the visiting fanbase was huge. I’ve discussed this mentality before and only encountered aggressive responses. This wonderful game, that we all have the opportunity to experience, play, and partake in, has an element called "home-field advantage". Like many other sports, without the fanbase there would be little in foundation. And as fans have all the right in the world to criticize or compliment, the fans are also that part of the home-field advantage recipe. If ticket holders- whom already have tickets purchased and are also local to the area- simply sell off their tickets to opposing teams’ fans, then you can’t complain.
To hear the loud shouts of fans for Pittsburgh’s Heath Miller every time he caught the ball was sickening. If I had my eyes closed, I would think they were playing in Pennsylvania. Anyone can buy a jersey and a ticket then criticize the decisions made by the coach and management. Yet, wouldn’t the spirit of the Kansas City Fan shine more true if those critics did all they could to ensure that their team was playing with the best home field advantage possible?
Chiefs Beat the Raiders
The Chiefs traveled into the Oakland Raiders Coliseum and pulled out a 16-10 win. Its become quite normal for this rivalry to have the visiting team come out victorious- Oakland, the last 3 at Arrowhead, and Kansas City, the last 7 at the Al Davis residence.
It was an ugly game. Both teams performed horribly to start, and maybe KC was able to grab their 2nd win of the season because they just played ‘less’ horribly than the Raiders. Many Chiefs’ wide receivers continued to drop balls early in the game; and RB Dantrell Savage didn’t help by dropping a key pass for a 1st down and then shortly after muffing a punt that was recovered by Oakland. The 3rd down conversion problems continued to plague the offense by only converting 1-of-15 3rd downs. Much of that issue continues to be the untimely penalties or negative run plays that place KC into long yardage on 2nd and 3rd. I still think this rests on an undisciplined O-line and their inability to open holes for the backs to carry the rock through.
With Larry Johnson on the street, the Chiefs were able to take a good look at their options at running back. Overall, the running game was good- with Jamal Charles gaining 103 yards on 18 attempts, plus a touchdown. It was very nice to see a ground game take shape and it’s probably more important to the offensive line’s confidence, than for any other facet of the Chiefs’ team.
QB Matt Cassel still seems nervous in the pocket. Watching the game, I could account for at least one sack being poor pocket presence; having Cassel step right into the blocked defender when he could have simply gone the other direction. He was also responsible for a poor attempt of a handoff to Jamal Charles that ended up on the turf and in the possession of Oakland. He still needs to relax and I believe this will take place with a little more time as the Chiefs’ offensive production expands and his confidence builds.
The defense did show alot of “intestinal fortitude” and shined during key moments. One example relates to the long history of the Chiefs’ defense failing to cover on fake sweeps and bootlegs. During a steady and confident rushing drive by the Raiders in the third quarter, the Chiefs were giving Oakland no reason to stop rushing. Yet, on a 2nd & 10, QB JaMarcus Russell ran a fake sweep left and commenced a bootleg right. Without falling out of step, the Chiefs defense front seven kept their eyes on the play and the nearside defensive end kept his assignment in front of Russell- causing him to throw an incomplete pass.
It was a fine example of the defense focusing on the play at hand. Another great performance by the Chiefs’ defensive squad was the box score showing that they forced 11 punts. Although they were only playing the Raiders, they need to take this as another example of progress; rolling that into next week’s game and the rest of the season.
Coach Haley, again, displayed alot of “energy” and was quick to let his players know that they were responsible for any mistakes made. I enjoy his motivation, yet he still needs to calm down in order to make non-emotional decisions. On one play the Chiefs had the ball, 4th and 1, on Oakland’s 14-yard line. In a tight game in the 3rd quarter, one would say that a field goal try would be the best choice to gain the lead and maintain dominance. Nope.
Coach figured to go for it and the pass play fell incomplete. Another questionable play call came at the beginning of the 4th quarter when Cassel was asked to throw a deep out to Chris Chambers, which fell incomplete... on a 3rd and 1 situation. These type of play calls would be considered genius if successfully completed, yet there is a reason that most folks will criticized these choices- they’re not the best and most proficient play calls for the situation at hand. And I’m sure many fans drew question marks during those plays; of which could have turned a close game in KC’s favor into the Raiders’ hands.
After a continuation of poor play by Oakland’s QB, he was pulled and replaced by Bruce Bradkowski. He attempted a comeback with little success. He was aided in his efforts by a poor pass rush of only 4 KC defensive lineman- against a raw and inexperienced backup. Also, during the Raiders’ last minute drive, WR Heyward-Bey made a spectacular sideline catch that actually wasn’t; yet was confirmed by a replay review. Luckily, he also tipped the ball into the air on his next reception attempt; having the ball fall into the hands of Safety Mike Brown for his second interception of the game. This is the same Safety that many folks- including myself- wanted ran out of town for his poor performance the last few weeks.
Overall, it was a classic battle between two teams that remain a top rivalry in all of sports. No matter what position these two teams have been in during their individual seasons over the years; they have always given fans a tough fight to the finish when they face each other. The only problem is that both teams are horrible this season and fans had to deal with inconsistency and lack of execution. I’m just glad the Raiders were more inconsistent.
KC Falls Short, Yet Shines Late
Kansas City fell just short to the Jaguars today, 24-21, after a commendable attempt at a late comeback. In the final minutes, down 24-6, Kansas City went into hurry-up mode and played their best offense of the game. Coupled with a successful onside kick recovery, the Chiefs showed that their offense can shine.
The loss is in the books, yet if a few things are noticed and if changed for future games Kansas City may turn out more competitive during the second half of the season. The team fell down during the first 55 minutes due to a horrible secondary that continues to give up big plays, a knack for the offense not liking to convert on third downs, and Coach Haley’s lack of offensive aggressiveness until late in the game.
More than once, the Chiefs’ secondary allowed receivers to get open while the defense front applied pressure. The play of Mike Brown at safety has become a joke and with Page now out for the season due to injury, Pioli’s decision to cut Pollard (now at Houston) seems to be poor contingency planning. The defense all together played very aggressive from the players’ ability. They did pursue the ball carriers well, but many times did not simply wrap up the legs; allowing the Jags to get multiple yards after the catch or first contact. Tamba Hali gave a great performance, constantly in Garrad’s face, yet needing to get a tighter grip when attempting to complete his sacks.
A few times the defensive scheme, especially during the opponents 3rd down conversion attempts, was weak. Several times the defense only rushed 3 or 4, forcing an already weak secondary to have to cover for longer periods. This resulted in Jacksonville’s wide receivers getting open for the first down. Clancy Pendergast, KC’s defensive coordinator, needs to recognize that his defensive backs lack the talent to cause coverage sacks. He needs to send 5 or 6 rushers during key third down stops.
On offense, Matt Cassel performed well with 262 yards in the air and 2 touchdowns; both to newly acquired wideout Chris Chambers. With Larry Johnson out due to his suspension, Kolby Smith and Jamal Charles showed some sparks, yet never really got into a running game rhythm. More hand-offs earlier could have brought the Jags defense forward- creating chances for the deep ball.
And speaking of, why is it that Haley only seems to go long when the game is out of hand? The Jaguars were clearly not playing prevent with five minutes to go; yet the Chiefs were able to have success throwing the ball down the field. This needs to be coupled with the success the Chiefs’ offense seems to have while running the hurry-up. If this “run & gun” scheme gives KC the advantage, then it needs to be implemented more often.
Another positive from the Chiefs’ game today was the scorecard showing only one penalty. This has to be the most glaring sign of improvement for the team. Discipline gave the Chiefs a chance to make a comeback. And the kicking game still continues to be the prize of this organization. Without Colquitt’s ability to blast punts and Succop’s power to kick touchbacks, the field position element of the game would easily side with our opponents.
Overall, a crappy game for the first 90%, yet once Haley allowed his boys to play some schoolyard football the Chiefs showed that they have some bright spots. Success is built through confidence, and once the players feel that they can manhandle a defense we’ll all see some success for the Kansas City Chiefs. So, Haley... scrap the dink and dunk playbook and open it up!
Chargers Zap the Chiefs
The Chiefs lost. They’re a lucky 1-6 now and they only seem to look worse. Their defense showed promise last week at Washington, but after watching the San Diego Chargers hold scrimmage at Arrowhead, maybe it was just more about how poor a team the Redskins are. So to avoid boring readers by discussing the horrible stats or play-by-play from Sunday; here’s a major observation about why the Chiefs can’t do anything on either side of the ball.
The offensive line is again to blame for the poor production- both offensive and defensive. Sure, Coach Haley is still calling bad plays, yet he’s a rookie and should get some flex during his first season. The offensive line’s inability to keep Cassel upright, running backs going forward, and yellow flags off the field is Kansas City’s number one issue.
Let’s take a look at what I consider the three biggest signs of a failing offensive line: sacks allowed, rushing yards per attempt, and penalties. I know the last category is the sum of penalties in all facets of the games, both offensively and defensively; yet, teams will generally commit a similar number of overall penalties- with the more efficient and successful teams having a significant fewer number due to disciplined offensive lines.
Kansas City ranks dead last in sacks allowed; putting Matt Cassel on his back 26 times this season. Top offenses like Indianapolis, New England, and New Orleans have allowed 2, 8, and 9 total sacks respectively during the first seven weeks. At the current rate, the Chiefs will allow a projected total of 59 quarterback sacks for the 2009 season. When Kansas City’s offense line consisted of perennial Pro Bowlers Will Shields and Willie Roaf a few years ago (between 2002-05), their offense only al1owed an average of 27.75 sacks per season... total. No wonder Cassel is throwing poorly as of late; he’s waiting to be crushed, because that’s what seems to happen every game. One second more, or even a half-a-second more, in the pocket would allow receivers to get open more often, our QB to make better throws without pressure, and overall confidence through out the game.
The rushing statistics show an overall performance: no matter if the ball carrier is the big-mouthed Larry Johnson or the greasy-fingered Jamal Charles. During the 2002-2005 seasons, the Chiefs averaged 4.9 yards per rush attempt; no matter who the ball carrier was. This year’s paltry 3.5 yards per carry places them at a non-surprising 28th ranking in the league. One extra yard rushing can change an offense’s overall production and efficiency by miles. Having a line that can be trusted to go for it on 4th & 1 gives everyone confidence in their coach’s play-calling; not criticisms about Haley’s rookie mistakes in an attempt to light a fire under this team. And that extra 1.4 yard per carry difference does always come at the end of every attempt. Sometimes it’s the totality of a big run through a hole that isn’t there now. Those extra 1.4 yards over 25 rushing attempts could actually be a 35-yard touchdown scramble.
And with the last factor into determining the effectiveness of an offensive line, the number of false starts and holding penalties severely contribute to a team’s overall success. The Chiefs are about to commit 107 penalties this season. During the compared four seasons of team proficiency, KC averaged 96.5 penalties per season. This may not show to be that significant, yet in two of those seasons the Chiefs had penalty totals of only 79 and 75. A decrease in holding calls, and more importantly false starts, by the offensive line gives the quarterback more opportunities to make shorter throws and the running backs shorter runs; all in order to create during the next set of downs the complete scheme and game plan necessary to achieve victory at the end of 60 minutes.
A solid offensive line produces a solid offensive performance. And a solid offensive performance provides the KC defense, and coordinator, the proper rest needed in order to best stop an opposing offense-that already knows what they’re going to do. Its a little early to bring this up now, yet come draft time let’s hope that Scott Pioli and Todd Haley grab a couple of the top offensive line prospects in order to give this team the best chance.
*Side note: RB Larry Johnson’s recent tirade after the Charger game towards Coach Haley and the media is my nail in his coffin. Having class and respect towards others in this game is what constitutes true teamwork and eventually success; and LJ has shown- again- that he’ll never have either.
Chiefs Get Their First Win
YES!!! It’s been done. A win against the Washington Redskins in D.C. has given Kansas City their first win under Coach Todd Haley and their first since November 30th, 2008. Whew... I almost thought our old Todd Collins was going to get a win as their QB replacement, just to make 0-6 worse than... say... 0-6.
So, congrats to the team and congrats to a defensive performance that stood out amongst the five previous debacles. The defense held the Redskins to a total of 265 yards of offense. The defense held their opponent to a paltry 14% 3rd down conversion rate. The stout Kansas City defense sacked the Skins’ quarterbacks three times, had an interception, produced a safety, and forced a bad punt. And overall, they kept their opponents to 6 points as the visiting team. Many fans have waited quite a while for a strong defensive outing, and today they got one.
The offense wasn’t impressive, yet did create a slight running game by gaining 110 yards on the ground; with Larry Johnson having a season high 83 yards. Sounds weird, huh? LJ has a season high of only 83 yards after six games. This is either due to Johnson’s decreasing ability to turn corners with speed, or more likely, the offensive line’s ongoing story about opening holes for the wrong team. Matt Cassel was sacked 5 times, two running plays went for a loss, the average rushing play was only 3.1 yards, and Washington’s Albert Haynesworth was in Cassel’s face all day.
Even with the team’s success today, there were still questionable play calls. There was an opportunity early on for Ryan Succop to attempt a 54-yard field goal. KC’s kicker is 9/10 this season and has hit every extra point. He is a beast and can launch the ball. Haley should have given him a shot in such a low scoring game. Also, with four minutes remaining in the game, with the ball at the Redskins’ 27-yard line, Coach Haley decided to hand the ball off to Jamal Charles on 3rd & 10. Why so conservative escapes me. Isn’t Haley from the high-flying Cardinals’ offense? And even if you thought a field goal was most probable, why not take a shot to the end zone before kicking it? Oh, well... it’s not like we haven’t seen this type of game play all season.
And to wrap things up in Kansas City’s first win of the season, the ongoing Most Valuable Player for the Chiefs’ remains between the two foot specialists. As stated before, Succop is hitting everything and one has to give GM Scott Pioli credit for finding a solid kicker with the last pick of the draft. And punter Dustin Colquitt is second in the league with 16 punts inside opponents’ 20-yard line and is fifth with a net average of 42 yards per punt. Today was a cold and wet day that required solid defense, along with a MVP-type special teams’ performance; and that’s what the Chiefs gave us.
KC vs Dallas: No Tackling, No Fans
0-5. That’s huge. Kansas City hasn’t started a season by 
losing their first five games since 1977. So, without further ado- and along with the fact that they haven’t shown any real promise of turning the season around- we shall call this season finished. Many of us did not think of playoff hopes in ’09, yet it seems to be even worse than predicted. All that can come of this season is the hope of progress, valuable experience, and quality evaluation towards the efforts of free agency, the draft, and the 2010 season concerning all players and coaching staff.
The Chiefs did show a reduction in penalties, committing only 7 the entire game. And although the offensive line is still league’s worst, they did pull together at the end of regulation in order to score the tying touchdown. Both big positives for this football club. That said... let’s take a look at two observations that management needs to investigate:
1. In no shape or form can a team- at home- allow an opposing wide receiver, whom got his first ever start, rack up 250 yards.
This game was a big-play highlight reel. Kansas City had all the opportunities to take this game from the Cowboys, yet could simply not tackle #19. Miles Austin averaged 25 yards per catch. Yet, a big stat from the game is that the worst receiver from Dallas averaged 9.4 yards per catch; compared to KC’s 5.2. So, although Austin was the Achilles Heal on Sunday, it was more about the Chiefs’ secondary not being able to stop opposing wideouts from running free. And after looking at the highlights, it becomes very clear that many do not tackle properly.
Maurice Leggett, who was awesome during the preseason and nailed a roster spot due to his play, did not approach the Dallas game with the same fervor. He was the goat on both of Miles’ big touchdown plays, including the game winner in OT. But, if you look carefully at those plays- along with the passing game all day- Kansas City never seemed to challenge the Cowboy receivers at the line. Space was always given; which should have changed after it was apparent that Tony Romo’s passing would be the do or die for the Chiefs. Secondly, Leggett wasn’t the only one missing tackles.
Many others of the Chiefs’ defensive backs could not bring down opposing receivers on the initial contact; and there were many poor angles of attack to attribute to that problem as well. Either the team needs to spend this whole week hitting tackling dummies (which seems pointless since they are already professionals), and/or start bumping opponents at the line of scrimmage in hopes that it diverts the timing enough for an incompletion or sack. Might as well... they averaged 9.4 yards per catch anyways.
2. In no shape or form can a team- at home- allow half of the crowd in attendance to represent the visiting team... ever.
For most of the game, one could not differentiate during contrasting possessions as to whose home stadium it was. And with Chiefs’ fans that attended the game as testimony, it was apparent that about 50% of the crowd was Dallas fans; contributing to one or more offensive false start or delay of game penalties. This is simply uncalled for. I cannot attend games due to where I live now, yet I have brothers whom are season ticket holders and attend every game. They stated that they were “sickened” at the sight of a full stadium with half in Cowboys garb. Again, this is completely unwarranted. And in watching the game-winning TD by Austin in overtime, one could be confused as to the crowd celebration being so loud since the game was actually taking place in Kansas City- not Dallas, Texas.
So, this means a couple things. The Chiefs attempt at curtailing visiting fans from buying tickets by forcing the Dallas and Pittsburgh games to couple with a preseason ticket purchase was a failure. AND, the actual Kansas City fanbase that either holds season tickets or single-game tickets gave their seats away. The fans that complain about the production of this organization sold their tickets to Cowboy fans. The same fans that scream of the Hunt’s and Pioli’s wanting to save cash as opposed to spending on big free agents during the offseason thought it would be wiser to try to make a profit by selling their tickets to Dallas fans.
The same fanbase that claims to be supporting the firing of Carl Peterson and Herm Edwards, in efforts to turn around this franchise- for the fans- allowed the Arrowhead experience to fall into the hands of Dallas Cowboy fans. And on the day that Kansas City was to represent their heritage by wearing the uniforms of the Dallas Texans, while competing against their initial rivals, let the team down by cleaning off their seats so opposing fans could walk right into 1 Arrowhead Drive and claim a win not only on the field, but in the stands as well. I wonder what Lamar Hunt would have thought of that type of support.
I bleed Red & Gold like all of you and unfortunately can’t be in the Kansas City area to support my team at the home games; yet, the awesome home field advantage that many have labeled Arrowhead to possess rest not in the players’ hands, but the fans. If that title disappears, it will be because of you. You can’t have it both ways. You must be there for the hard years in efforts to celebrate as a real Kansas City Chiefs’ fan during our glory years. We have a part to do as well... not just Hunt, Pioli, and Haley.
Giants in KC: Just Play Football, Coach!
Coach Todd Haley better take the blame on this one. Kansas City lost a game they had no right to be in and it wasn’t because of his players. Bad play calling and poor schemes lost this game. Now, many Chiefs did commit foolish penalties and lost focus, yet the coach’s job is to set the pieces and the players to exhibit their ability to carry out the play. If the wrong play, or scheme, is called then the players won’t have a chance anyways- unless they’re already Super Bowl contenders... and that they are not.
What was Coach Haley thinking going into the ‘Wild-Cat’? Kansas City has neither the personnel nor the usual dominance to start attempting the trendy scheme. Miami uses it because they have the proper players and its still not that great. And later in the game the Giants used it once and got a 1st down- due to their ability to be dominate in all other areas. Bad choice, Coach.
It would seem that looking at the first 3 games on tape that the Chiefs’ defense would be best suited to send more than the front three after opposing QBs. Anytime the Chiefs have sent 5 or more in a blitz, it has caused the quarterback to at least hurry his throws. So, as Manning pushed the Giants into the endzone for the first time Sunday, the Chiefs sent three on the touchdown pass. Eli had all day and made the correct throw. Not good, Coach.
Coming out of half-time, after keeping the score close (17-3), Coach thought the best thing to do- especially after losing the initial kickoff on Charles’ fumble- was to attempt an onside kick it. Didn’t work. Giants are good. Decision was bad... Coach.
And there were multiple times this team was getting back into the groove- to at least make it competitive- and Coach Haley decided to try some illogical. KC stretched the field by throwing the ball more than 20 yards on only two plays. We had the ball inside the Giants 5 yard line and got cute by calling ‘shotgun screens’ and ‘shotgun draws’.
If you can’t hand the ball off to Larry Johnson four times straight from inside the 5 and score, then you need to pack the team up and move to Los Angeles. And when KC finally looked like they may be able to give themselves a mathematical shot at coming back, check out this scenario: Cassel and Bobby Wade just saved the day with a score, due to poor play calling, with 4:54 left in the game.
The score is now 15-27, so you go for two, right? Because you need two touchdowns to catch up if you just kick the extra point. And a two-point conversion would help your offense by only needing them to score one TD and a field goal to tie. So, what do you do? Well, Todd Haley thinks its better to kick the extra point. Bad math, Coach.
And it goes on and on. Lots of false starts, again. Branden Albert looks lost, again. Cassel has no time, again. And wideouts keep dropping balls, again. Only 13% 3rd down conversion rate on offense. No focus on a team that could be so much better with just a little more focus.
There were some highlights for the Chiefs... or some may say fewer low lights. Kansas City finished with fewer penalties than their opponents. There was a horrible personal foul called on Safety Jarrad Page’s hard hit; setting up the Giants for a TD on the next play.
The Chiefs averaged over 4 yards per rush. They had one interception and two sacks. And they only lost 1-of-5 fumbles. Yeay. Maybe the Coach will step up and create the biggest highlight this week by taking blame for a poorly coached game.
*Item to note: Last season Kansas City had to go into a ‘Spread’ offense with Tyler Thigpen at QB to give themselves any type of competitive shot. The offensive line is just as bad this year as last. During the late minutes of the game, Kansas City went into a ‘Spread’ with Matt Cassel and was relatively successful. The only thing that has changed since last season is Cassel in at quarterback; and he carried a higher passing completion percentage than Tyler did in 2008.
If Kansas City cares to be a viable offense during the season, they need to switch to a 3 or 4 wideout formation. Otherwise, we may continue to feel the pain of poor line execution and possibly crushing our $60M quarterback in the process.
Chiefs Need An Identity
The Chiefs lost again today. I predicted that they would only go 2-6 during the first half of the season, so I need to get used to the losses I should be expecting- yet, as a fan, that’s easier said than done.
As the re-shuffle is applied to Kansas City by GM Scott Pioli and Head Coach Haley; this team desperately needs not just a win, yet an identity as well. Having an idea of what your strengths and weaknesses are helps the team understand who they are; and that in turn builds confidence, helping you define the work needed on flaws, establishing production, and then the wins will come. The issue in the Chiefs’ organization is the lack of factors that could give anyone within a 50-mile radius of Arrowhead an idea of what those positives characteristics are.
The Chiefs are putting up numbers... just not the type of numbers you want as a team trying to find an identity. These five stats are just from the latest whooping held at the hands of Philadelphia:
- Larry Johnson rushed 19 times for 38 yards. Jamal Charles was 6 rushes for 36.
- The Chiefs were 0-for-11 on 3rd down conversions.
- Matt Cassel threw for 90 yards... all game. And was sacked 3 times.
- Dustin Colquitt punted 9 times.
- Kansas City committed 10 penalties for 90 yards.
What could one, as myself or the reader, equate as an identity for Kansas City’s football team for the above numbers? Well, I’ll tell you what we don’t have as an identity...
LJ is done. He averaged 2 yards per carry. And he had actual holes on occasion. Charles averaged 6 yards per carry and is 4.4 yards per carry for the season. He should start next week; he’s much faster and KC needs quickness in an offense with a poor line. Trade Johnson away for anything you can possibly get for him.
The 3rd down conversion problem is something coming from the preseason and is infecting the games that now count. The inability to convert is the collective of poor line play, poor player execution, and poor offensive play calling. Eagle QB Kevin Kolb, although graced by an actual passing pocket, did convert several third downs where he had little time. The success is passing to quick slant routes, which apparently Cassel did not have with the one-on-one coverage given to him by the defense. The assumption on my part is poor situational play calling.
Throwing for only 90 yards over four-15 minute quarters is a lack of pass protection. The left side of the offensive line was absolutely horrible; with two defenders consistently rounding Cassel’s blindside almost untouched. And it also has to do with the fact that Coach Haley only threw down field a couple times. This lack of field stretching never gave the Eagles’ defense the idea that they shouldn’t risk blitzing so often. The Chiefs have to take what the opponents give them. If it’s an 8-Man front with blitzing, then quick snaps and passes to hot routes is the answer. And then when they back off and give our QB time, Kansas City can take more shots down field- its all circular.
Colquitt punted 9 times for a 44.7 average. He has the team’s Most Valuable Player position locked down. Sarcasm most definitely intended.
The last and seemingly most important issue facing the entire team is their excellent ability to shoot themselves after making a big play- or for not making the play at all. To quickly address the latter, the last two games have contained several opportunities on defense for a big play to be made. Opponent QBs continue to hit the hands of our defense with passes, begging for a big play or Pick-6; yet they continue to drop them as if they contain cooties. KC’s 1990’s team dominated due to big-play defense. There’s nothing wrong with that, so the players have to start helping the offense out.
To address the former, and biggest self-defeating issue, the number of penalties- along with their timing- is killing any momentum, confidence, or identity this team has been building. Offensive pass interference on a wideout drop-step pass? Twice??? If you can’t run it right the first time, don’t call it again; and if you do, the players have zero excuse for committing the same foul again. Delay of game? Inexcusable. There’s a play clock. Albert held on an 11-yard gain. Offsides on the kickoff. Veteran Brian Waters, False Start. Philly quarterback Kolb was sacked on 3rd down, yet CB Washington decided it was important to commit a Facemask penalty on a player down field. Another offensive hold on a Charles 9-yard run. Wade returned a punt 21 yards, but Brandon Carr committed an illegal block in the back. Again, Jamal Charles chewed off an 8 yard run with a teammate only holding to deny the gain.
To establish whom the Kansas City Chiefs are to become, the team cannot continue to pull an “In-game Plaxico” by shooting themselves every time progress is made. This game seemed way out of reach early, yet who knows how the Chiefs would have faired if they didn’t have a yellow flag dropped on every critical play. And right now, the Kansas City Chiefs will realize that the only identity they have is that they are now worse then the Detroit Lions; who came off a 0-16 season and are starting with a rookie QB during a major rebuilding season. The Kansas City Chiefs better start taking a good look at who they are... and who they could be.
Chiefs In On the “Joke”
Watching the Kansas City Chiefs play against the Oakland Raiders is a consistent bi-annual event. They have had a history of close, rough, and crazy games; with either team able to pull out a victory, no matter what the season has beheld. I want to focus so badly on the positives today, but I’m not wasting my time. Last week KC couldn’t manage any respectable offense against Baltimore and lost a close one. This week, the Chiefs dominated the entire sense of offensive production and lost a game they should have won by 14 points or more. Today was a joke. The score, 13-10 Raiders at Arrowhead, was the punch line. It was told in three parts; kind of like a long, agonizing, elaborate setup. Let me tell you how it went...
First, the Chiefs came out playing very well overall. Their defense created problems for the Raiders’ offense and the KC secondary was solid as Oakland attempted to go down the field. The Chiefs kept the inept JaMarcus Russell inaccurate; holding him to a horrible 7-of-24, and 109yds passing. If a defensive player blew on Russell, he couldn’t keep his composure.
Secondly, the Chiefs thought it was “Be Nice to the Raiders and Give the Game Away to Your Most Hated Opponent Day... At Home.” The Chiefs had 409 yards against the Raiders’ 166; throwing interceptions and committing stupid penalties due to a lack of focus (a personal foul against Gilberry for a late tackle during the Raiders’ winning drive and a pointless push in the back by Wade on a defender he had no shot of legitimately blocking).
Thirdly, Coach Haley must have ask to personally wrap up the joke by not paying attention to what brought his team success during the first 57 minutes of the game. Pressure on JaMarcus Russell won, or lost, this game. JaMarcus, as stated, was horrible last week versus the Chargers and continued to be horrible this week at Kansas City. So, Todd Haley, in a tight game that yielded only 6 points to the “powerful Oakland offense” all the sports media said we’d see; decided that after Dwayne Bowe’s touchdown to put KC up 10-6 with 2:45 left, to place the Chiefs’ defense in prevent mode. Because it would be hilariously funny to watch Russell, with actual time in the pocket, complete the only two passes he needed to win the game. Ha-ha.
No victory to celebrate for Cassel’s home start as a Chief. No celebration of the great ground game by the offensive line of 173 yards. And no talk of a solid secondary teaming with a decent pass rush that created two sacks, multiple tips, and a 23% 3rd down conversion rate. Nope. There will be none of that. Because we all just had the biggest laugh at what most of the NFL media will now call the Chiefs... a joke. I just hope the Kansas City Chiefs find a way to NOT take this comedy tour on the road.
KC @ BAL: Chiefs Show Highs & Lows
Well, there goes the undefeated season... not funny??? Anyways, the game I figured would be entertaining for only the first half, turned out to be a pretty good fight until the last two minutes. The Ravens defense was supposed to maim our starting quarterback and score more points on defense than KC could score on offense. Well, 38-24 is not as good as the game was; yet, is as bad as the statistics would show.
The Chiefs’ offense was horrid for most of the game. Despite a nice 2nd half drive led by Croyle, most of the day was filled with three & outs. Our running game produced a horrible 1.7 yards per carry and the line allowed 3 sacks. Kansas City totaled 188 yards on offense and only had eleven 1st downs the entire game. Much of the early offense made you sick to your stomach: with Croyle appearing to forget the play and Mark Bradley at wideout not reaching out to the 1st down marker on critical 3rd downs- twice! It was nice to see Coach Haley rip those players a new one when returning to the sidelines. Vermeil and Edwards over the last decade were way too soft on mistakes that were inexcusable. These guys are professionals and Todd Haley wants professional efforts.
Back to the running game, 10 yards was the longest run of the day and Larry Johnson looked like he had sand in his pockets. I know he has never been a speedster, yet on one sweep to the right he had a wide open field; yet, was so slow to turn the corner that he was tackled for only a 4-yard gain. Dwayne Bowe started to show up later and produced well, yet with the poor rushing performance he should have been made a target earlier.
The defense gave up 501 total yards to Baltimore, 4.8 yards per rush, 58% 3rd-down conversion rate, and 32 1st downs... that’s eight 1st downs allowed per quarter! And with a mobile QB as with Joe Flacco there was good pressure, yet the front line needs to understand that containing a player like Joe will yield the sacks- instead of over pursuing his scrambling. The KC defense showed a “bend, and bend some more” type of scheme. They seemed to do fairly well on defending 1st or 2nd down, then to only give the Ravens a 1st down. They were exceptional in the big play area: with John McGraw blocking a punt for a touchdown, along with Derrick Johnson getting a 70-yd interception return down to the Baltimore six-yard line.
Overall, the Chiefs gave up a lot on D and underachieved on O. With Matt Cassel behind center the offense will make better decisions and improve a bit. And within a few games the defense should see that they can make plays despite not being a top-5 stout squad. If the Chiefs can go into a hostile environment owned by a top defense and keep it competitive, then KC fans can look to an entertaining season. Yet, I do have one question as to a decision made by Todd Haley late in the game.
There was 1:39 left in the game and Baltimore was only up by 7. KC had the ball on its 13-yard line and it was 4th & 18, with two timeouts remaining. What to do? Punt it away towards the Ravens’ end zone and hope that your defense can step up while using your last timeouts to stop the clock??? Nope. Coach Haley decided to go for it and Baltimore got the ball back inside scoring territory; putting a nail in the coffin by scoring a rushing TD. Isn’t that a horrible decision made by Haley? I hope GM Scott Pioli and the Kansas City media questions him as much as he publicly chewed-out a couple players’ poor decisions. Lets make sure everyone falls under the new regime’s rules.
Season Prediction= Patience
Well, here we go. There will be no hopes of a Super Bowl title. There won’t even be a glimmer of a play-off game. This team, as should have been 3 years ago, is undergoing a major rebuilding. The only plus is the fact that all the pieces needed to refresh our defense have been drafted and bought- and we won’t have to go through that this season.
The offense produced a nilly 2 touchdowns in 4 pre-season games. Coach Haley then said “See ya!” to offensive coordinator Chan Gailey for lack of aggressiveness. I agree. Ever since Herm took over Dick Vermeil’s high-flying offense, there has been a lack of offensive plays that stretch the field- or even the imagination for that matter. I think Coach Haley will be fine calling the plays. He was a star offensive coordinator for Arizona and will do his best to give KC a shot at scoring with players on the roster.
The defense was stout. They did a decent job in stopping the run and showed flashes of improvement in the secondary. One of the team’s biggest cuts came by the way of safety Bernard Pollard. He did lead the team in tackles last year, but maybe that was more due to the fact that opposing players simply reached his area of the field more than desired. Apparently, he did not show Haley and GM Scott Pioli what it takes to be a member of the new “team” concept. Overall, I believe the new defensive 3-4 scheme, along with some experience in our young defense, will produce much better fruits than last season. As a note, I did, on several occasions, wonder why defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast had our CBs play so plush- especially on 3rd & short situations. He needs to use the “Brandon Brothers” athleticism more and trust their ability to stay with their assigned receivers. Tighter coverage will give our front-3 more time to get to opposing QBs.
The biggest question of course is the health of Cassel. The offensive line left us much to be desired over the passed month and Matt Cassel was the victim of too many forced scrambles. A knee sprain has left him out for the past two weeks and although he seems to be recovering just fine, I don’t believe Coach Haley will throw him in at the opener in Baltimore. The Ravens defense is simply too good and one more week of healing- along with more offensive line ‘therapy’- will give Cassel the best shot at success for the long term.
So, with my prediction for Kansas City this year I’m going to be realistic; yet, hopeful to the ideas that Cassel can provide QB stability, Larry Johnson will be better than last year, and that the experienced and veteran-infused defense will finish #15 at season’s end. With the schedule being extremely tough for the first half, KC will go 2-6 in the first 8 games; with close losses and wins at home against the Raiders and one away at Washington. They will find their identity as the season progresses and will finish the 2nd half 6-2; with the two loses coming from the home game versus the Steelers and the away game in San Diego. Finishing 8-8 will provide much satisfaction to the organization and fanbase after a disappointing few years; and will also provide hope going into the 2010 season under Scott Pioli’s new faction.
Don’t worry Kansas City fans... change and success is coming. We must be patient, supportive, and persistent. Pioli has the resume and Haley has the attitude. Once the players gel into the new concept of “team over individual” we will all see the just rewards. Let go of any high hopes for ’09, and simply have fun watching our team build and compete. GO CHIEFS!!!
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Chiefs Pre-Season: After Two...
Following two pre-season games against the Texans and Vikings I’m not sure a whole lot can be deciphered from the new regime. And rightfully so, many will say one can’t make a lot out of preseason play. Multiple players are auditioning for the final 53 roster, coaches are trying new schemes on both sides of the ball, and after the first ten minutes most of the team on the field is a fruit salad array of veterans and 6th round rookies.
So, I won’t lift up or hammer the Chiefs too much. They are evaluating new QB acquisition Matt Cassel and are also testing to see if Larry Johnson still belongs at running back in Kansas City. Therefore, I will analyze some individual stats with the pre-season situational aspects involved; and when I post the team statistics, I’ll be comparing the entirety of Chiefs’ team roster at this point versus the total value presented so far by other teams in the league. It’s no the most scientific data, yet its something for us to look at until the real games start.
OFFENSE
Total Points per Game: 29th (11.9ppg)
Total Yards per Game: T-17th (302.5ypg)
3rd Down Conversion: T-16th (39%)
Turnover Ratio: 31st (-5)
Penalties: 14th Fewest (13)
Notable Individuals on Offense
Matt Cassel (QB): 92.7 Passer Rating, Zero Interceptions, Sacked 3 Times
Larry Johnson (RB): 12 Carries, 2.8 Yards per Carry, 0 TDs
Dwayne Bowe (WR): 8 Receptions, 13.4 Yards per Catch, and 1 TD
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
Total Points per Game: 17th (16.5ppg)
Total Yards per Game: 17th (320ypg)
3rd Down Conversion: T- 2nd (25%)
Penalties: 32nd Most (25 total)
Big Play Abilities: Sacks 2, INTs 0, FF 2
Kickoffs: 17.9 Yards per Return, 28.0 Yards Allowed per Return
Punts: 9.0 Yards per Return, 5.5 Yards Allowed per Return
Notable Individuals on Defense/Special Teams
Javon Belcher (LB): 13 Tackles, Maurice Leggett (CB): 10 Tackles & 1 Sack
Ryan Succop (K): 3-for-3 Field Goals, Only 1 Touchback
Dustin Colquitt (P): 47 Yards per Punt, 3/10 Inside the 20yd line
Overall, it’s still too early to jump the gun: new General Manager, new Head Coach, new scheme, and multiple new players. Yet, the overall offense is having a hard time finding the scoreboard. This can be contributed to the multiple dropped passes- in which Bowe now seems cured. And the poor offensive production can be attributed to the inability to hold onto the ball. The offensive line has left much to be desired, as shown by the trade for guard/tackle Ike Ndukwe and guard/center Andy Alleman from Miami today. The QBs are also running for their lives, which is killing the time needed for the long ball.
Also, after watching the Minnesota game for the second time Larry Johnson looks to be in slow motion- either compared to the other RBs on the roster and/or the lack of time the O-line seems to be able to keep holes open. Either way, LJ needs to show some burst from the handoff and more speed on the edge- he looks way too unhurried. On the good side, Cassel is finding his groove with Dwayne Bowe. I think Dwayne has taken Coach Haley’s critique seriously and is now catching everything his way. Yet, some other wide receivers definitely need to step up or opposing secondaries won’t be bothered double-teaming him.
The defense has made a decent stride overall. They are sitting in the middle of the pack on points allowed and are tied for #2 with only allowing 25% of 3rd downs to be converted. The big glaring bad spot is the penalties. Leading the league in the most penalties given will not create success- only opportunities for opposing offenses. This is a total lack of focus that needs to be fixed quickly. Javon Belcher and Maurice Leggett have shone by being wherever the ball is; and newcomer Corey Mays is getting in the face of the opposing passers as well. Special teams play is solid for the most part. The new kicker, Succop from South Carolina, has been perfect and Colquitt at punter is still delivering solid kicks. Our return teams for kickoffs are horrible, while the punting teams are pretty solid. And many of the auditioning returners seem uncomfortable. This seems to be a key problem haunting Kansas City since Dante Hall was released two seasons ago.
Hopefully, this gives fans something to chew on while we wait. I’ll update the total pre-season performances, along with my seasonal prediction in the next article. Until then, continue to stay awake for the first 30 minutes of the games... then snooze away.
Remembering Derrick Thomas
As he summed up himself, the last and fleeting 8th sack left on the field against the Seahawks in 1990 defines Derrick Thomas’s legacy- and as he left early from life, leaving his best on the field and more to be craved in his game truly defined Derrick Thomas (DT).
Many Kansas City fans, and football fans alike, have been waiting patiently for the Hall of Fame induction of one of football’s most explosive players. He wanted so much to become the next Lawrence Taylor, and if you wanted to break down his stats, they would rival that of his role model. Derrick Thomas (DT) had the stats to get him onto the Hall. I won’t go into a stat line, drum on about why it took so long to induct him, or write out his ‘history’, as can be found on multiple websites. I want to keep it short and sweet- like the punishment he brought down upon opposing offenses.
I will say that watching a Chiefs’ game growing up and through the 90’s in Kansas City left me yearning for the big play ability of DT. Yet, the biggest impact Thomas had was in the game, in the most crucial moment... during the most critical plays. That’s when Arrowhead Stadium would become shrouded in a vapor. A suffocating feeling that DT was about to make a game-changing play...
You could feel the build up to the snap. You were seeing Derrick shred the Left Tackle’s block. And you could feel the opposing QB vying for just another half-second; as he too knew what was coming. And then in a rapid succession of 3 short pulsating seconds, Derrick Thomas would blast around the quarterback’s blindside- with his arms extended- knocking down the signal caller and jarring loose the pigskin. And the stadium would erupt in the loudest roar ever heard on the planet. It was a beautiful thing to see as a Chiefs’ fan.
And that’s what DT, #58, left on the field. Thank you and congratulations. It’s about time- and KC still misses you.
The AFC West: Predictions
While we wait “patiently” for the teams’ training camps to begin, many pundits are already using their crystals balls in hopes of being the first to say, “I got it right”. Well, I know that one can’t just take a blind and baseless guess on what a season will bring over 17 battle-intrigue weeks, that won’t even being for two more months; with surprise injuries, dark horse rookies, and shocking feats for the halls of sports’ history... so, here’s my try.
This article will be in two parts: I will give a pre-training camp prediction for the AFC West and then I will do a final after we’ve taken a look at how teams have faired after the preseason. The AFC West will not be one of the stronger divisions. Just like 2008, the winner of the division will not be a true force to be reckoned with. A little shuffling will take place within, yet no team resides here that can compete with the likes of New England, the Giants, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, or even Atlanta. Sorry Chiefs’ fans- I had to be honest...
AFC WEST
SAN DIEGO (10-6): And this record is at best. The reason will be for the overall weakness within the West. LT will be back from his turf toe problem, and Darren Sproles was resigned to give them the best “1-2” punch in the league. Phillip Rivers will continue to be a solid starter, yet he always seems to give his team a few random terrible games. The defensive line will continue to be solid (especially with the drafting of Larry English at DE), and their weakness will continue in the secondary. They’ve established a decent home-field advantage lately and seem to play well towards the end of the season. They will be the only representatives from the West during the post-season, and it will be the last year before the competition starts to get hairy at the top.
KANSAS CITY (8-8): I know... 2-14. Yet, no one saw the Dolphins turn around last season either. I’m not predicting a worst-to-first type of year; I’m just thinking of a solid and more focused team that dealt with way too many rookies for any high expectations in 2008. The signing of Matt Cassel is a great thing. He doesn’t have a proven team in KC like he did in Boston, yet he will need to push himself against Tyler Thigpen; and I think he’ll win out the job due to his higher accuracy percentage. Tony G has flown to Atlanta, so Dwayne Bowe has no excuses. He is a good WR that needs to prove he’s great; and entering year 3 will give him zero wiggle room. The committee of running backs- along with the silent of late, Larry Johnson- may yield the biggest offensive surprise for 2009. And the defense was full of talented rookies whom needed a year of blood on their lip to see what it will take during training camp to truly compete this coming season. Haley’s “no BS” approach, along with Scott Pioli’s winning experience, will start to build a franchise to be recognized... for 2010.
OAKLAND (5-11): This club is a mess... yet not as bad as they could be. They seem to never get the draft right; they selected Heyward-Bey with pick #7- and he wasn’t even a top 3 ranked WR. Yet, their talent has grown slowly and it looks like JaMarcus Russell may finally be a decent starter... because the ‘never say die’ Jeff Garcia will be nipping at his heals to take the helm. McFadden showed a lot of promise on limited work, yet should get the starting nod- more than doubling his 2008 production. They will have a couple good games against each divisional team (as they always do), yet until Al Davis figures out a way to relinquish his control- or poor definition of- this team will always struggle with uncertainty. The coach will never know if his card will be punched; and Oakland simply needs to stop being the end-all for ‘has beens’ and delinquents.
DENVER (3-13): Wow. Let’s see: Good coach- gone. Good QB- gone. Good (yet abusive) wideout- almost gone. What is going on in the high altitudes of Denver? Their defense was 30th in points allowed in 2008, so they dismantled the offensive side of the ball by firing Shanahan and hired a defensive-minded... no, wait... an offensive coordinator. Okay. Let’s also bring in a mediocre (at best) QB and sign every broken RB floating around the league. I’m sorry. Their defense will not be improved by drafting one small DE (Ayers- PennSt) and their offense in a strained and changing environment. They better hope that Marshall stops beating his girlfriend, and starts thinking about staying around to beat his AFC West rivals instead.
Kansas City Chiefs: 5 Fantasy Football Factors
Going into the 2009 season, the realm of Fantasy Football will not look to Kansas City for their golden goose:
QB= Tyler Thigpen (18.5ppg)/Matt Cassel (19.2ppg)
League Best: DREW BREES (24.3ppg)
RB= Larry Johnson (10.4ppg)
League Best: DEANGELO WILLIAMS (17.4ppg)
WR= Dwayne Bowe (9.0ppg)
League Best: LARRY FITZGERALD (13.5ppg)
K= Connor Barth (5.4ppg)
League Best: JOHN CARNEY (9.5ppg)
DEF/ST= INTs, Sacks, TDs, Points Allowed (3.6ppg)
League Best: PHI EAGLES (7.9ppg)
The best possibility for putting up decent numbers in 2009 wasn’t even on the Chiefs’ team last season. Matt Cassel at quarterback for New England, prior to being traded to KC this offseason, scored 21% fewer points per game (PPG) than the league leader. Tyler Thigpen at QB in 2008 was the highlight in KC, putting up only .7 fewer PPG than the 2009 challenger, Cassel. So, if a challenge for starting QB reveals the best the Chiefs can field this season, you should consider Cassel or Thigpen a mid-level QB on your starting team.
At running back, Kansas City did not have a dominant back; and with the troubles Larry Johnson experienced off the field- it showed as a lack of focus on the field. His 10.4PPG was a whopping 40% worse than the number one RB in the NFL. That simply won’t do. Still considered to possess the talent, LJ’s only possible return to his dominant years will be a change of mind in his personal life- for a positive transition into his professional. Drafting him as a dark horse- and bench RB- would be the smart choice this season.
Dwayne Bowe is in his “breakout” year. He will have had enough time- QB or not- to prove his value as a top wide receiver in fantasy leagues. Bowe only put up 67% of the per game points Fitzgerald did in 2008. Seeing that only one guy can be Fitzgerald, it’s not that bad; yet it’s not that good either. Not only to become a presence on the field in the Win/Loss column, Dwayne will have to show more consistency and explosiveness to raise his fantasy value. Tony Gonzalez at tight end is gone, so he has to.
Everyone waits until the last rounds to draft a kicker. Yet, the best at the position can produce enough solid points every game to make an impact. Connor Barth should not be considered that “impact”. Barth put up 43% fewer PPG than Carney. That’s a substantial deviation. I understand that competition will present itself at the position with the selection of Ryan Succop (SC) in the recent draft, but don’t get your hopes up for a major dose of field goals from either.
That leaves us with the low-point of Kansas City’s 2008 campaign. The defense and special teams were of the worst in franchise history. 10 total sacks for an entire season will not impress any draft boards. And the fact that KC can’t get into the endzone even once on special teams, over 16 games, is simply sad. The total fantasy production per game for the Chiefs’ DST was more the half of the production the Eagles generated (54% fewer). Now, while I believe this young defensive squad will make leaps in ’09, I would just keep an eye on them for the first few weeks before picking them off the waiver wire- trust me, they’ll be there to grab.
Overall, not a lot of hope for the Chiefs’ squad in the 2009 Fantasy Football Season. Much will depend on the new GM and Head Coach creating the best method of proficiency for the members on the roster. The year of experience under the belt of the defense, the competition between two young QBs, and the possibility that Larry Johnson sees the light will determine how important any player can be for your squad.
Quarterback Dilema in KC
While the world of football fans wait- in particular, Chiefs’ fans- for something of value during the early Summer months, the topic around many a water cooler in Shawnee Mission, Westport, or Independence is the possible competition at the position of quarterback. Matt Cassel was acquired from the New England Patriots this off-season for KC’s 2nd round pick in this year’s draft; and Tyler Thigpen played the very limited role of “bright spot” during Kansas City’s 2-14 season in 2008.
Many fans-as discussion boards imply- assume that the acquisition of Cassel has automatically set the QB competition to only include the roles of backup and clipboard holder. While I hope that Cassel at least performs at the level of his first complete season last year, I also hope that Thigpen gets the opportunity to tell Chiefs Country that he deserves a shot at #1 as well- if not more.
While Kansas City flopped around last season like a gutted trout, the only significant aspect of the team was the play of Tyler. And when the Achilles of modern day football- Tom Brady- got put down in the 2008 opener by Kansas City (insert irony here), Matt Cassel stepped up to even prove some of his own Patriot fans wrong when he led the team to an 11-5 record. Both men deserve a shot at the starting spot and both should be given the opportunity to compete- as all players should- for the most glorified position in all sports. Thigpen mentioned to Coach Haley about having no qualms in supporting Cassel as the starter, yet was met by Haley’s unyielding expectation that Tyler would, and should, be in the running as KC’s signal caller.
The stats from both players- on completely different teams- are eerily similar; supporting a push for fair competition- more for Thigpen’s case, then for Cassel. The Chiefs’ offense ranked 26th in points per game with 18.2... I don’t do total offense in yards- since no one ever wins a game for having the most. And with the Patriots, Cassel’s team ranked 8th with 25.6 per game. That’s a huge difference and it has nothing to do with the quarterbacks. Matt had 3,693 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He also had 270 yards rushing with 2 TDs. Tyler Thigpen put up 2,608 yards, 18 TDs, 12 INTs; and had 3TDS on 386 yards rushing. Those numbers represent similar patterns of play, yet Thigpen only had 11 games to Cassel’s 16. So, for the sake of hypothetical arguments, let’s call it even.... with an edge to Tyler.
And this is why...
The rushing game in KC put up 113.1 yards per game for a rank of 16th in the league. The Patriots were 6th with 142.4. Total points per game allowed placed KC at 29th with 27.5 points per game given, versus the Patriots with 19.3 (8th overall). So, you have a quarterback putting up equal numbers on a team with an overall offense at 26th and defense at 29th, and your comparing his numbers to a QB that sat behind a ranking of 8th in both points scored and least points allowed. How can Tyler Thigpen even be considered not in the running? The man had nothing.
The KC defense gave Thig no hope of holding any leads and the special teams ensured that any break an opponent needed would be granted. All Cassel had to do was take the wheel of the Ferrari from Brady, while he got a little shuteye. Why do you think the pre-season ranking don’t have Cassel’s new team going anywhere, while Tom Brady’s presumed comeback is already written?
Many will say that Kansas City’s adjustment to a “spread offense” was the reason Thigpen was able to perform well; since it was the same offensive scheme he had success with in college. Well, I don’t care what type of scheme is run. If the QB does well, then I see no issue. And numbers show that this “spread” offense is simply the QB in shotgun. Great. Now, QBs apparently can only perform in the shotgun or under center? I don’t buy it. A strong offensive line and brickhouse defense wins you the Super Bowl. Just ask Trent Dilfer, Brad Johnson, Ben Roethlisberger, and Eli Manning; let alone the other QBs that made it recently to the big game as average QBs: Kerry Collins, Jake Delhomme, and Rex Grossman.
The Joe Montana’s, Tom Brady’s, and Peyton Manning’s of the world are very few and far between. Most teams make it with a simply solid and dependable QB at the helm. To me, Cassel has more to prove than Thigpen. That Ferrari in Boston just got traded in for a rusted 1972 Chevy pickup. Tyler’s ability to put up decent numbers and lead his team with only the effort of a supporting cast of rookies is more than enough to entitle him a fair challenge. It would be irresponsible for a head coach to do anything less.
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2009 NFL Post Draft Analysis
As a Kansas City Chiefs’ fan, I’m a little disappointed- needless to say. We all knew whom Detroit was selecting at #1. And we all had it in the bag on the Rams pick at #2. So, when Aaron Curry (LB-Wake Forest) was still available- and mind you the unanimous top ranked defensive player in this year’s draft- there was a weird “sickness” felt when Scott Pioli didn’t choose him. It had nothing to do with the substitute selection made at the number three overall pick; it was had to do with who wasn’t selected.
Curry could have come to KC and will most likely become a solid football player at Seattle. Yet, we are changing our defense to a 3-4, have acquired some stop gaps at LB in free agency, and set a record for least sacks last season. We needed a solid DE to lock up the strong side. No defensive end or outside-linebacker truly came across as the premiere sack specialist this year. So, maybe Pioli didn’t bite into anyone’s ranking system. Numbers were ignored and it seemed that it was a combination of stats, physical build, system impact, great personality, and even the fact that Jackson played alongside KC’s #5 overall pick from 2008, Glenn Dorsey-DT. I mean, they DID win a national championship together. Yet, after dwelling on this I think that it’s a good pick. I'm sure Pioli would have traded down if the offers were there, but I just don't think many teams were threatened of KC's spot at #3. So, we had to pick someone...
Round 1, Pick 3 (3)
Tyson Jackson-DE-LSU {6’4”, 295lbs}
I heard very little, comparatively, of T-Jack (we have enough LJs and DJs now) at the position with all the talk of Brian Orakpo-TEX and Everette Brown-FLSt. His size and ability are being compared to Richard Seymour of New England. Seymour never had ridiculous numbers out of college, yet was taken by the Patriots in the first round of 2001 and is now the staple on their 3-time Super Bowl defensive line.
Round 3, Pick 3 (67)
Alex Magee-DT-Purdue {6’3”, 298lbs}
This pick was confusing. Got a defensive lineman already and with no 2nd rounder we didn’t address WR, OL, or LB.
Round 4, Pick 2 (102)
Donald Washington-CB-Ohio St. {6’0”, 197}
KC grabbed two potential stars for this position last draft (Flowers and Carr); and has another in newly found talent, Maurice Leggett. No need in my eyes.
Round 5, Pick 3 (139)
Colin Brown-OT-Missouri {6’7”, 335lbs}
Here’s need pick that could have been used in the previous round for a better player. I don’t know squat about Mr. Brown- and that’s the problem... yet, he is huge.
Round 6, Pick 2 (175)
Quinten Lawrence-WR-McNeese St. {6’0”, 184}
A prospect from a lower level Division-I school. Other WRs with better resumes were available.
Round 7, Pick 3 (212)
Javarris Williams-RB-Tennessee St. {5’10”, 223lbs}
This guy has been productive since he started playing at Tennessee State. Every season he put up numbers. That’s called consistency. Nice find.
Round 7, Pick 28 (237)
Jake O'Connell-TE-Miami (Ohio) {6’4”, 255lbs}
Tony Gonzalez will be missed. And when KC had a chance to grab another promising “new-age” replacement, they didn’t. Fans are going to have Tony G withdrawals.
Round 7, Pick 47 (256)
Ryan Succop-K-South Carolina {6’2”, 218lbs}
Mr. Irrelevant. That doesn’t mean he should be irrelevant. And that also means that unless you have some softhearted ideal to give a local small college stud a shot with this pick (as would I, were I the GM), then you should still use the pick for at least the “best” kicker available.
Pioli could have done the NE thing by accumulating 1,000 picks, yet the Patriots didn't really seem to do much with all those picks they accumulated this weekend anyways. So, maybe the secret between Belichick and Pioli when he was in Boston was the fact they were a team. And many teams- Raiders excluded- passed on "prospected players" for more specific team players. Mock drafts the world over were destroyed with many teams not going the projected route. I'm fine with the T-Jack pick and it creates a solid front 7 for KC's defense. I know that Pioli has a history of slightly "reaching" for players to fill a role, but this became a theme Saturday and Sunday. Tyson Jackson, on Scouts.com, had the DE ranked #17 overall and #3 at his position. While in New England, the personnel department always did a great job of finding players that contributed and caused little fuss. Team came first in the players Pioli help select- whether highly acclaimed draft prospects or no names. He also was involved in grabbing the necessary free agents that fit the system for undisputed success. We may have "reached” according to popular mockers Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, but those guys don't run the Kansas City Chiefs- or any other professional team for that matter.
Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley will now be under a microscope for their decisions. Fans are tired of losing. So, with the Hunt family taking charge and revamping the team managers; we should allow some patience to fill the gap between now, training camp, and the start of the 2009 season. We asked for this. So, now the Chiefs organization has shown us a little piece of the plan they have in mind. They drafted nobody exceptional. No flash. No big-time playmakers. No highly sought & fought for players. No big trades. No collection of picks. So, at this time, I will give this draft a Grade: C (as in, we’ll have to just ‘see’ what happens in order to truly grade the 2009 draft for Kansas City). Pioli may have very well defined his legacy- long or short- with this year's draft.
*The upcoming article will dive deeper into the who’s and what’s of each draft choice; and may include any undrafted prospects KC may pick up in the meantime. I will also attempt to take a look at the eight new Chiefs and their “Reach-Value” as compared to other teams in the league. Maybe a little time to simmer will afford my readers and I a better- and more true- focus on how the Chiefs actually executed in this year’s draft.