Kansas City Chiefs: Week Four Report Card

Kansas City was rightfully the underdog in a Week Four battle, which pit the winless Chiefs against the undefeated New York Giants.  A win being unlikely, Chiefs fans watched in hopes of identifying some positives. 

Looking for the good in the Chiefs’ season is like looking for a needle in a haystack, but with somewhat of a fourth quarter comeback there are glimmers of potential.  Grading commences:

 

Pass Offense: C

A small improvement from last week as the team at least went over 100 yards.  This game was the second in a row that quarterback Matt Cassel threw two touchdowns with no picks.  However, Cassel also endured five sacks. 

The offensive line held well in the fourth quarter and Cassel needs to find trust in having protection as he appeared to anticipate the swarm closing in on him, a familiar theme through the first three weeks. 

This grade would be higher if it weren’t for drops by wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and the sub 50 completion percentage.

 

Running Attack: D+

While the passing game has touchdowns to redeem their underperformance the same is not true for the run game. 

There are things to like as running back Larry Johnson is running hard and appears to have an improved attitude.  Johnson showed an enthusiasm for shorter, but hard fought gains that may help invigorate this team. 

However, the yards per carry has got to get above three yards for LJ; Kansas City did average a respectable 4.2 yard gain per rush. 

It appeared the only way Kansas City could get a first down through the first three quarters was to pop a reasonable gain of seven or eight yards.  It just needs to happen more.

 

Run Defense: D+

With the thunder and lightning combo of the bruising Brandon Jacobs and the lithe Ahmad Bradshaw, the New York Giants pose an elite threat on the ground. 

Kansas City tacklers appeared to be dragged by Jacobs, and Bradshaw got a little snippy, with a hand check to Mike Vrabel and kicking at defenders as they let him up, on his way to 64 yards on only 12 carries. 

Ultimately, KC could not stop anyone with consistency as the three man rush of the 3-4 got little penetration and the linebackers filling the running lanes were either run over by Jacobs, or run by Bradshaw. 

 

Pass Defense: D

No picks and no sacks last week, Kansas City reversed this trend in Week Four.  Both starting corner backs, Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr, repeatedly made impressive plays by establishing position on short, inside routes and playing the deep ball with textbook form. 

However, holes deeper in the secondary hurt Kansas City.  Whether the safeties got caught in run support, were victimized by Eli’s dissection of zone coverage, or whether they were just late is arguable, but it appears to be a combination. 

Mike Brown did have an electrifying sack from his safety spot, so defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast isn’t afraid to have his deep guys crash the line of scrimmage. 

Tamba Hali tallied his second sack of the year while also getting a fumble.  He possesses extraordinary ability to lean on the edge rush, but it would be nice to see a wider repertoire of approaches as he can be driven out wide by good blocking.  Yet Hali’s transition to outside linebacker is one of the few bright spots for Chiefs fans. 

Despite these positives, Manning burned Kansas City for nearly 300 yards and three touchdowns.  The three man rush of the 3-4 appears insufficient.

 

Special Teams: C-

Ryan Succop, the last pick of this year’s draft, better known as Mr. Irrelevant, has made himself relevant quickly.  Showing a strong leg on kickoff duties and with a strong percentage of makes in the preseason and through four weeks, KC has found a franchise kicker…if there is such a thing (see David Akers?). 

Punter Dustin Colquit showed his usual strong form, but a fumble by kick returner Jamaal Charles on the opening kickoff put a damper on the day and the grade of the special teams.

 

Play of the Game:

On a 3rd-and-11, New York brought the house crashing down in a heavy blitz.  The attempt to deny both Cassel time to throw and the receivers an opportunity to get downfield was countered by a quick throw to Dwayne Bowe for just over 11 yards and a first down. 

A simple, unglamorous play, but what Kansas City needs to do more of to counter the pressure teams are applying defensively.

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Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Three Key Matchups

Coaches in the NFL don’t care if a win is ugly, a win is a win. Right now the Kansas City Chiefs wouldn’t care if their win resembled a three-eyed mountain goat with a unibrow, but unfortunately the opponents don’t get any easier for KC in the immediate future.

The Philadelphia Eagles have been a mainstay among the NFC elite for the past half dozen seasons, but are amidst some turmoil given key injuries, the offseason loss of their cherished defensive coordinator Jim Johnson who lost his fight with cancer, and the hoopla surrounding the return of quarterback Michael Vick.

Kansas City will look to capitalize by pulling an upset.

Three Key Matchups in Week Three:

1) Larry Johnson vs. 4-3 Defense of the Eagles:

Partially credited to the talent of the Raven’s defense and partially credited to the effectiveness of the 3-4 scheme, Chiefs running back Larry Johnson was held to 20 yards on the ground in Week One. Against the Raiders in Week Two LJ took advantage of a little daylight and earned a hard fought 78 yards. The Ravens are the No. 1 defense in the NFL against the run after two weeks. Kansas City’s defense is improved against the run through two weeks compared to last year. What’s the common thread? Both the Ravens and the Chiefs run a 3-4. Expect LJ to have a decent showing against a strong Eagles defense that shows a 4-3 and allowed 4.6 yards per carry to the New Orleans Saints in Week Two. The Chiefs will remain committed to the run to temper the blitz-heavy Eagles defense and allow quarterback Matt Cassel time.

2) Matt Cassel vs. the Doubters:

Driven highly on speculation the Chief’s quarterback situation has been made muddy by media coverage. On Sept. 22, NFL.com provided the headline “Cassel Will Continue to Start at QB for Chiefs.” On Wednesday’s episode of Around the League on NFL Network, Jason La Canfora added more spice to the curry by citing head coach Todd Haley’s past as proof that he will bench a guy that’s paid more to play a guy with the better chance to win. With the purging of former head coach Herm Edwards’ players from the Chiefs franchise it is odd to imagine that Edwards’ proposed franchise quarterback could shoulder the load. Frankly, Cassel will be, and should be, provided more than one game to show that he is meant to be the leader of this team. Will Cassel persevere against the ball-hawking Eagles D that leads all teams with six interceptions?

3) Michael Vick vs. the World:

Plaxico Burres, Brett Favre, and Michael Vick were the three headliners to the flurry of offseason activity. In Week Three it’s Vick who reclaims the national spotlight by taking his first regular season NFL snaps since his release from prison. Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb didn’t participate in practice this week and Week Two starter Kevin Kolb will likely start against the Chiefs, but fans can expect a lot of Wildcat formations that give Vick a significant role in the offense. The three biggest playmakers on the Eagles, McNabb, running back Brian Westbrook, and wide receiver DeSean Jackson were all inactive in practice this week and in their absence on Sunday the Eagles will call on Michael Vick to be a playmaker. Has Vick shaken off the rust? Has he lost a step? In Vick’s last preseason game he threw one pick and was sacked four times. For a quarterback who has struggled finding his NFL identity perhaps the Wildcat and such does more harm than good.

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Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Radiers: Three Key Matchups

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders

Week Two Key Matchups

Chief’s 3-4 Defense vs. Oakland’s Three-Headed Monster:

Outside of the extreme (i.e. Adrian Peterson), NFL teams are shifting to a multi-back approach.  With complimentary skill sets, Oakland’s dynamic trio of running backs will be a strong test for the Chief’s newly implemented 3-4 defense. 

Darren McFadden is an explosive former top-five pick with great receiving ability, Michael Bush a bruiser, and Justin Fargas an Al Davis guy who hits the hole quickly.  This tireless rotation could be a problem for a Chief’s defense that ranks 31st in the NFL after week one in rushing yards allowed.

The Chiefs may leave themselves vulnerable in the passing game by committing to run blitzes that shoot the gaps and rely on inside linebackers making plays in the backfield.  KC’s outside linebackers will be responsible for containment on stretch and sweep plays as well as covering passes out of the backfield. 

If the linebackers drop into zone do the newly converted linebackers like former defensive end Tamba Hali have the closing speed to close on players like McFadden running to the edges or catching out of the backfield?

Kansas City Return Game vs. Oakland Special Teams:

Raider’s owner Al Davis has long put a premium on acquiring elite special teams players.  Arguably the NFL’s all-time greatest punter, Ray Guy, was an Oakland Raider.  Oakland’s current punter/kicker tandem was paired in 2000 when Davis spent a first-round draft pick on current strong-leg kicker Sebastian Janikowski and a fifth round pick on four time pro bowl punter Shane Lechler. 

In a game that could likely see both offenses struggling for much of the game field position and field goals could decide the outcome.  The return game is a problem unresolved by Kansas City as they evaluated different players through the preseason and week one.

However, with the signing of wide receiver Bobby Wade in the past week the Chiefs may have a formidable return man.  Chiefs head coach Todd Haley insists Wade will only play if he can be utilized in the offense, but after watching returners on a number of NFL teams be unable to field kicks  a savvy, sure-handed return man is appealing.

If you’re not a threat every time you touch the ball as a return man, you better be able to hold onto the ball. 

Dwayne Bowe vs. Nnamdi Asomugha:

A descendant of the Nigerian Igbo tribe, Nnamdi Asomugha also has a monstrous new contract with the Raiders and is regarded as one of the best corners in the NFL.  Kansas City’s talented receiver Dwayne Bowe continues to climb the ranks of NFL receivers and is on the cusp of being anointed an elite player. 

Bowe had a functional, but not electric week one as he put up 40 yards and a touchdown on four catches.  Enough to satiate the demands of fantasy owners, but Bowe is capable of more gaudy numbers and will have explosive weeks, but this may not be one of them. 

The Raiders and their affinity for man coverage will probably have Asomugha shadow Bowe the entire game.  Asomugha is atypically tall for a corner at 6’2, which makes him and Bowe the same height.  Bowe’s involvement in the passing game will be catches for short yardage and potential for yards after the catch.   

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Bobby Wade: Chiefs Hoping For a Return On The Investment

 

“Where everybody knows your name” doesn’t apply to the Chiefs right now.  With all of the changes surrounding the 2009 Kansas City Chiefs a familiar face is a rarity.

Recent signee wide receiver Bobby Wade entered the league in 2003 as a fifth round pick of the Chicago Bears, where current Kansas City head coach Todd Haley was then a receivers coach.  Now in his eighth season at the age of 28, Wade will again play under Haley.

Wade is one of a parade of veteran free agent receivers to march through Kansas City this year.  Also drafted by the Chicago Bears, but in 1996, the 36 year old Bobby Engram is the only recent acquisition to remain on the roster. 

Fallen by the wayside include the New York Giant’s all-time yardage leader Amani Toomer, and former first round draft pick Ashley Lelie.  Both were cut after preseason appearances in the red and gold.

What differentiates Wade from other free agents doing brief guest spots on the Chiefs team is his ability to return kicks.  Wade has fielded at least one punt in five of his eight seasons and returned 50 kickoffs in 2006 for a 23.9 average in Tennessee.

Haley has said that Wade will only play this week if he can be an asset in multiple facets of the game.  Meaning that Wade will have to prove he’s ready to run some routes if fans are to see him fielding punts at Arrowhead this Sunday. 

True, Wade’s statistics in the return game are not flashy.  However, he never returned more than 33 punts in a season.  When he did so in 2005 he did return a punt 73 yards for a touchdown. 

However, if the Chiefs get a good eight to ten yard return average this will suffice and be a significant upgrade for Kansas City who has struggled to find a worthy punt returner. 

The flashiest return men do not sport long careers.  Former Chief’s X-factor Dante Hall is no longer in the league.  Devin Hester only returns kicks in a pinch and had no touchdowns in 2008 while only boasting a 6.2 yard return average on punts. 

Who remembers these guys for more than a season or two of greatness?  Tim Dwight, Desmond Howard?  The truly great returners are needed to help their team elsewhere just as Haley has said of Wade coming to the Chiefs.

Wade is in fact coming off of back to back seasons with over 50 receptions, and career highs in yardage.

Every team would like a return man who can break a game open, but most importantly is the ability to protect the ball and field it cleanly.  Corner back Maurice Leggett muffed a punt against the Ravens in week 1 and while he didn’t repeat the mistake he certainly didn’t show anything exciting. 

A team that has the punt returner thing figured out is Green Bay.  Jordy Nelson is a sure-handed receiver who isn’t likely to drop the ball and has the wherewithal to pick up some return yards when the potential is there. 

When the Chiefs brought in former return star Eddie Drummond fans saw an athlete preoccupied with his former greatness who didn’t do the best thing for the team, limit mistakes. 

It might be anticlimactic, but I will cheer when Bobby Wade raises that hand above his head and securely fields that fair catch as the defenders crowd the halo around him.    

 

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Matt Cassel’s Injury Recovery: A Rebuttal to Stating the Obvious

The sky is blue, grass is green, and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel’s injured leg looks better today than it did last week.

Of course his leg looks better.  You know what heals injuries?  Time does. 

Headlines tease fans informing us “Cassel Could Start,” only to discover an article that tells us, “He Could Not.”

We have an entire article devoted to stating the obvious.  Cassel is hurt, Cassel is healing, and Cassel will play when he’s healthy.  That’s the writer’s notes.  What does head coach Todd Haley have to say?  “I haven’t talked to the doctors. But to my eye, he was improved some from last week.” 

A sports injury does not spread like cancer, it heals like a scab.  The healing is observable without medical instruments and the improved condition of Cassel comes as no surprise. 

What would be nice is to know if he indeed will start, but for the second consecutive week fans are tormented with ambiguous articles featuring vague statements that leaves readers with only Cassel’s status as “questionable,” to appease our inquisitiveness. 

Now these weekly updates of predictable healing doesn’t bother me as much as the incessant need to repeat the terms of Cassel’s new contract every time his injury is mentioned. 

We get it!  The Chiefs paid a lot of money and now the guy is hurt.  It’s not the ideal situation, but fans learn to accept it and move on.  Allow us to move on!

It’s wise to lock up big time talent and injuries cannot be predicted.  It’s not like the Chiefs did anything wrong in this instance, so stop reminding us of just how unfortunate the situation is.   

Forbid any player face a similar demise, but players like Gale Sayers, or Terrell Davis are certainly Hall of Fame caliber football players, whose careers were cut short by injury.  Yet no team would hesitate to lock either up in a big contract as they hit their prime. 

The subtle jabs over wasted money are gratuitous and Chiefs fans will not buy into the notion of spilt milk.  With the team and the organization undergoing a reformation the true fan will not wilt under the “shame” of matters outside of anyone’s control. 

It’s not like general manager Scott Pioli took a crowbar to Cassel’s knee a la Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan (I apologize for a figure skating reference in a football article, but a part of me feels Lynn Swann might be proud…even if ballet and figure skating aren’t quite the same). 

No, Pioli did everything right, and the Chiefs are going about this the right way.  This is a team positioning itself to be highly competitive and win some games.

The slight of infusing criticism into insufficient and predictable injury updates is tiresome and uncalled for.  

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Kansas City Chiefs: Resilient Losers Begin to Form a Winning Identity

Commentators had very little positive to say about the Kansas City Chiefs prior to their matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, but after a hard fought game, which the Chiefs were in until the end, people may have to rethink what to expect of this team.

Despite losing to Baltimore 38-24, Kansas City established some identity as a resilient team with grit and a competitive drive. 

Many believe that coaches in the NFL must take a “hands off” approach as professional athletes are defiant in regards to being teachable.  Head coach Todd Haley has been criticized at times for his hard-nosed approach to coaching, but he has molded a unit that will remain competitive despite lacking depth and extensive talent. 

How does a team with limited talent win games?  The answer: discipline, eliminating mistakes and big plays on special teams.  Week One saw all three of these things happen for Kansas City.

The Chiefs had only three penalties for 15 yards and didn’t commit a turnover against a ball-hawking, physical defense in the Ravens. 

With some apprehension regarding a rookie kicker in Ryan Succop and punter Dustin Colquit coming off of injury, the kicking game appears to be a strong point for Kansas City.  Succop hit a 53-yard field goal in a windy stadium. Despite shanking one punt Colquit averaged almost 50 yards per punt, including pushing the Ravens offense inside their own 20 twice. 

The special teams’ performance was topped with a blocked punt by safety Jon McGraw who also recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown and Kansas City’s first points of the season.

A few other things jump out from the Chiefs’ first game:

1)      Todd Haley was not nearly as pass-happy as many expected.  Kansas City’s offense looked like it was still under the regime of former head coach Herm Edwards as they consistently ran the ball on first down in the first three quarters.  When the playbook opened up in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs finally found success with a scoring drive that went 80 yards, primarily through the air. They threw on every first down and the drive preceding had a 50-yard pass that set up Succop’s long field goal. 

2)      Backup quarterback Brodie Croyle played well.  Croyle complete 16 of 24 throws for 177 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers.  He did face pressure as he was sacked three times on limited pass attempts, but this was an uplifting performance for fans who watched the offense struggle all preseason.  In the highly unfortunate circumstance that starter Matt Cassel underperforms, Croyle is a suitable alternative.

3)      Veteran additions made an immediate impact.  Safety Mike Brown and outside line backer Mike Vrabel were two of the team’s three leading tacklers and were involved in a number of key plays.  In addition to the statistics, both bring a leadership quality and an attitude that contributes to playmaking.

The Chiefs will benefit greatly from the return of injured cornerback Brandon Flowers as his replacement, Maurice Leggett, was picked on all day by Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco. 

Leggett did defend the deep ball well, twice breaking up potential big gains with excellent one-on-one coverage, but he gave receivers a huge cushion all game. All that, along with a lack of a consistent pass rush, allowed Flacco his first NFL game with over 300 yards passing.          

Most importantly, viewers of this game saw a team carving an identity common to winning programs.  Despite a dormant first-half offense, this team found a way to stay in the game.  Great teams win games even when the victory isn’t pretty.  Eight of Kansas City’s losses a year ago were by seven points or less. 

Haley is instilling a mentality that will cause a few more of those games to fall the way of the Chiefs.  

 

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The Glass Half Full: An Optimists Look at Week 1 For Kansas City

 

“Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.”

-Former Czechoslovakian President Vaclav Havel.

After any game there are obvious things to point to that clearly illustrate why the game’s outcome makes sense.

Chiefs fans must endure commentators’ incessant predictions that a Ravens’ victory opening week “makes sense.”  However, there are reasons why a Chiefs’ win is possible as well. 

More importantly, there is reason for a Chiefs fan to possess (what many consider misplaced) optimism.

As painful as it may be, a fan must maintain some semblance of optimism.  It’s an emotional investment in a team that can transcend the monstrous paychecks of the NFL and helps inspire a team to fight with a competitive drive that makes fans proud.

“Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A world of optimism and hope. A “you can do it” when things are tough.”

-Author and businessman Richard M. Devos.

This article is by no means a prediction that the Kansas City Chiefs will emerge victorious in week one.  Rather, this is a declaration that such an outcome is not an impossibility.

To the rebellious, loyal Chiefs fan, behold!

With so much attention being paid to the dilapidated offensive line, the injury to starting quarterback Matt Cassel, and the inability to get into the end zone, it is easy to overlook the improvements the team has made on defense.

The transition to the 3-4 defense already shows benefits.  The run defense has been stout. 

The team totals for Chiefs’ opponents in the preseason for rushing yards are as follows:

Texans 107 yards, 3.6 avg.  Vikings 93 yards, 3.4 avg. Seahawks 112 yards, 2.9 avg. Rams 76 yards, 2.4 avg.

With an all time NFL low of 10 sacks last season, the defense showed a more impressive pass rush blitzing out of the 3-4 this preseason. 

In four games of “vanilla” defense, the Chiefs accumulated seven sacks.  This would put the team on pace for 28 sacks in a 16-game season.  Hardly monstrous, but it moves them from 32nd ranked to tied for the 22 spot among team sack totals. 

Cornerback Brandon Flowers and safety DaJuan Morgan add an interception apiece to the defensive stats. 

What does any of this matter? 

The Baltimore Ravens are a rushing team.  Former Rutgers stand out running back Ray Rice is expected to have a breakout season, beginning with a monstrous game against the Chiefs.  Rice splits carries with last year’s starter Willis McGahee and with bruising fullback Le’ron McClain getting a few touches as well.

Should the Chiefs be able to stifle the run early, they will have a chance to win this game.

Why?

Quite simply, Joe Flacco is not a great quarterback.  Not to say he won’t be, but 14 touchdowns to 12 interceptions while throwing for under 3,000 yards are not scary numbers. 

If the running game is held in check and Baltimore forced into 2nd- and 3rd-and-long, then the blitz packages should rattle the young quarterback and force some bad decisions and stir up some key turnovers. 

The struggles of the Kansas City offense are impossible to ignore.  However, the team has shown competency in moving the ball, but have simply been unable to go in for six. 

Head coach and offensive coordinator Todd Haley will find a few red zone plays catered to this matchup.

Should the team be able to force some key turnovers on the Ravens’ side of the field and capitalize, an upset could be in the works.      

If the Chiefs do pull a week one upset, these are a few likely reasons that the outcome would “make sense.”

 

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Righting The Ship: Norman And Walker Can Fill Key Holes On O-Line

If a ship’s sinking it’s probably because of a hole in the hull. 

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that if there’s a hole in the ship, you plug it. 

If there’s a hole in the offensive line, you fill it.

There is some relative stability on the left side of the Chief’s offensive line with second year player Branden Albert playing tackle beside a familiar face to the Pro Bowl in guard Brian Waters. 

However, anyone watching Kansas City preseason games has seen the right side of our line overpowered through the middle and run around on the outside.

Starting right tackle Damion McIntosh was cut by the Chiefs when they named their 53 man roster. 

His inability to kick his leg out and move with the snap of the ball to seal the edge rusher off and create a pocket led to multiple quarterback sacks. 

The new man listed as starter at right tackle is Ikechuku Ndukwe, acquired via a trade with the Miami Dolphins.

The Chiefs will be Ndukwe’s fifth team since entering the league in 2005, but he has also started 15 of the 21 games he’s played. 

Playing guard for much of his career, there will be a transition to tackle, but the Northwestern education he received implies he may have the mental capacity to pick up the new position swiftly. 

Veteran Mike Goff, who spent recent seasons with the Chargers is facing the effects of age at 33, but can fill in at right guard in the short term.

Center Rudy Niswanger returns to the starting lineup after replacing Casey Wiegman last year, but he hasn’t proven the anchor one hopes for in a center.

There was limited potential for immediate improvement after the Saturday cuts to reduce rosters to 53. 

Of greatest interest was Tony Pashos, a starting tackle for the Jaguars a year ago who was moved inside to guard and was released after refusing to renegotiate his contract. 

However, just recently additional cuts were made by the Jaguars and Bills that provide more intrigue.

The Buffalo Bills parted ways with 30 year old Langston Walker. 

The Bill’s starting right tackle of a year ago was expected to start at left tackle with the trade of two-time Pro Bowler Jason Peters to the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Walker’s release seems rather abrupt and could provide immediate improvement on the offensive line for the Chiefs. 

At 30 years of age he is not a long term solution, and is not the temporary force that Willie Roaf provided a few years back, but Walker can be an asset.

The Jaguars parted ways with Dennis Norman a guard/center who has 24 starts in 64 games split between the Seattle Seahawks, and most recently the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Dennis Norman is a Princeton grad, which appeals in terms of character and ability to handle a steep learning curve. 

Norman, who is 29, started 14 games last year and could provide competition for Niswanger at center, Goff at guard, or provide a strong backup should some offensive line rotation be required.

There may be too many holes to fill, but the Chiefs still have a chance to right the ship, keep their quarterbacks upright, and take on water a little more slowly.

 

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Kansas City Chiefs in the Dark After Winless Preseason: What Can a Fan Look To?

There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s a long, dark tunnel.

Preseason records hardly provide a Nostradamus like prediction of a team’s potential success in the regular season.  However, the performance of a team in preseason contests, regardless of final scores, reveals a lot about that team’s talent as well as its character.

Finding the positives in a winless preseason is a little like looking for a needle in a haystack.  It’s not easy to find, but by golly you hope it’s actually there.  For the Kansas City Chiefs the most positive thing appears to be that there’s room for growth. 

To call a 17-9 loss a disappointing team performance is an understatement and there are a number of reasons the Chiefs were unable to get into the end zone in their final preseason matchup with the St. Louis Rams. 

The miscues, shortcoming, and weaknesses of this team are pretty obvious to anyone glancing at the box score.  Quarterback Tyler Thigpen throws as many completions as he does interceptions (two). 

A touchdown is called back due to a holding penalty.  No Chief’s quarterback completes more than 50 percent of his passes.  Kansas City converts only 3 of 16, third down conversions and the list continues.

This game was not the outing head coach Todd Haley was looking for in his first game since assuming the play calling duties as offensive coordinator after the release of Chan Gailey. 

Now let’s sift through that haystack. 

Running backs Larry Johnson and Dantrell Savage both tallied gaudy amounts of yards on the ground on limited carries.  However, this is largely attributed to each breaking a long run.  Johnson hit an open hole for 41 yards, and Savage broke a number of tackles before breaking free down the sideline for 70. 

If we remove these runs from their stats, Savage averages 1 yard per carry with LJ averaging 3.4.  With this analysis it is Jackie Battle who had the best day among the three backs.  Battle’s 28 yards on eight carries comes out to 3.5 yards per carry.  Not excellent, but the best of the three.

A counterpoint is that any 2,000 yard rushing season was sprinkled with long runs and NFL teams covet breakaway speed and stick to the run game in hopes of having such runs.  So Savage and Johnson are not to be discredited, but the inconsistency is concerning.

The most encouraging thing about the yards racked up in the run game are the key blocks that helped to break them.  Haley has taken a very stiff-necked approach with his insistence that wide receivers be active in blocking. 

It is often true that good blocking on the outside is what creates long runs.  Mark Bradley laid a vicious block on Savage’s tear. Also encouraging was the interior blocking of fullback Mike Cox who sealed the hole for Johnson on his rumble.   

Defensively there is much to be optimistic about.  The Chiefs’ run game, even with the long runs removed, still looks better than the Rams’ 2.4 yards per rush average.  The effectiveness of the 3-4 defense must be noted.  It must also be noted that Ram’s star running back Steven Jackson did not have a single carry. 

In addition to keeping the Ram run game in check, the Chief’s defense totaled 3 sacks.  Not bad for a team that set an NFL single-season record for fewest sacks in a season with 10 in all of the 2008 season. 

Former first round pick and converted defensive end Tamba Hali recorded his first sack in his new position as a 3-4 outside linebacker.  Preseason standout middle linebacker Corey Mays continued to make an argument to take the field as one of the Chief’s two starting middle linebackers recording a sack of his own. 

Finally, it’s hard times for a team when the kicking game is pointed to as a positive.  Rookie kicker Ryan Succop rebounded from a one for three performance against the Seattle Seahawks to go three for three in scoring all nine on Kansas City’s points versus the Rams.       

What does any of this mean? 

Haley must stay committed to the run game.  This team does not have the down-the-field talent to summon the passing game for monster performances. 

The 3-4 defense should create some nice pressure on the quarterback and fill holes in the run game well.  However, teams will be much less vanilla in their play calling come regular season.  Over aggressiveness was the downfall of former defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham’s game planning. 

For years, the Denver Broncos beat the Chiefs on play action bootlegs, and by tailbacks exploiting cutback lanes.  With the profusion of blitzes common to the 3-4 there is some concern that players may not adjust when they need to react and not simply execute. 

Lastly, the team will need its kicker as Kansas City has struggle in the red zone.  The Chiefs will continue to phase in large bodies like Ashley Lelie as an end zone target, but the offensive line is losing the battle in the trenches when it matters the most.  With a chance to beat the Houston Texans, Kansas City was handed a full set of downs at the Houston one-yard line and were unable to get the touchdown for the win.

So while a total turnaround from a 2-14 season ala the Miami Dolphins improvement from 1-15 to 11-5 with a playoff appearance is unlikely there are rays of hope for the loyal fan to eye.

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Scott Pioli Gives Todd Haley New Tools…Anquan Boldin a Chief?

 

Trade rumors elicit similar sentiments to smoke-filled backroom politics.  Both may have only a fraction of truth, but like a brutal train wreck, it’s nearly impossible to look away.

The train wreck that has been the Kansas City Chiefs, without a playoff victory since 1994 and coming of a 2-14 record last season, may draw even more shocked gazes in the upcoming week. 

Trades themselves are fairly uncommon in the NFL and multi-team deals are nearly unheard of.  However, in a three-team trade more akin to an NBA deal, the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, and Kansas City Chiefs are primed to send shockwaves through the NFL.

Today on the Petros and Money Show on KLAC –AM (AM 570), the duo referenced sources including scout.com and our very own bleacherreport.com regarding a three-team trade.

The trade in question would send Matt Leinart to the quarterback deprived Broncos in exchange for discontented, nearly hostile Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall and deliver iron-man receiver Anquan Boldin to the Chiefs. 

Not only does this change the rosters of the three teams involved, but it leaves fantasy owners scrambling to make the appropriate adjustments.  Information currently available did not disclose what the Chiefs would have to give up to acquire Boldin, but future draft picks have been thrown around as a possibility.

Kansas City head coach Todd Haley, last year’s offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals, would be delighted to obtain one of “his guys.”  Admittedly, such a monster deal appears surprising so close to the start of the season, but the Chiefs appear to be anything but stable and a trade of this magnitude is not an impossibility.

Within the past week, Kansas City lost their starting quarterback to injury for 2-4 weeks and fired offensive coordinator Chan Gailey.  Head coach Haley now assuming the play calling duties on offense, a change to the team’s roster would simply be another ingredient in this already shaken drink.  Chief’s upper management may also provide encouragement for fans that Boldin may be suiting up in a slightly different shade of red.

New Chiefs general Manager Scott Pioli is regarded as a bit of a wizard for his work in New England and prior.  A trade for both, quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel, for only a second round pick acted to further reinforce this notion.  Perhaps there is more Pioli magic to be performed prior to the regular season kickoff. 

Should the trade come to fruition, Lance Burton may have some stiff competition for magician of the year. 

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