Chiefs at Bengals - Week 16 - Record: 3-12
We have dropped so many passes this year that I think Tim Castille had to make up for all of them by making an amazing catch in the end zone while being brutally sandwiched between three Bengal defenders. I don't think Castille's had any other passes thrown his way all year. If we've needed anyone to catch any balls, why don't we just throw to Castille every play?
Anyway, our defense stepped it up big-time today after their stunningly putrid performance last week, actually containing a good Bengals team and holding the game close until the last quarter when punter Colquitt and downer Quinten Lawrence pinned them at their own 2. The Bengals even ran a play in which they lost a yard, so with 2nd and 11 from their own half-yard line, you know what happened? Of course you do...
The Chiefs couldn't finish.
Yet again.
The Bengals drove the length of the field to score the game-winning TD, burning up most of the rest of the clock.
Matt Cassel still had a full two minutes to show he's a big-time clutch performer, but after a couple of decent gains, he threw an interception to end it. Well, live and learn. Good thing he's doing that now and not when we're actual contenders and we'd really need it.
He also threw another interception that technically was an overthrow to Dwayne Bowe, but it really gnaws on me to watch a great talent like Bowe just not get up to get that one. He really could have. This is precisely one of the things that gets me about this team. It just doesn't have that whole feel of being a solid "get the job done" team. Do you feel that way?
Just make the tackle. Just catch the damn pass. No matter what. Get the job done.
The contending teams do this. They look like they'll make the play they need to make no matter what. Far too often the Chiefs look like they're just trying. That's dandy. Trying. Cool.
But how about we get the job done.
Oh, and Larry Johnson didn't hurt us, mostly because the go-to back they've had all year was doing just fine. Again, we did much better stopping their guy, and our now-solid go-to guy got another 100+ rushing.
With that in mind, I thought now is as good a time as any to share my ratings for our key players. With only one more game after this, might as well get right to it. They are classified as follows.
1. Untouchable. These guys we keep no matter what.
2. Touchable but with the right price. Should keep but if an offer comes up... Placement in this category does not mean I do not like these guys. It's just, hey, it's all about the Chiefs. If an offer comes up...
3. Okay, but if we can fill their spot, then...
4. Moderately serviceable, keep if we absolutely can't fill their spot.
5. Will not miss them.
So here goes:
Untouchables: Brandon Flowers. Yep, that's it. One guy. Pathetic, I know. But at least Flowers is here. What a phenomenal talent this guy is, and he's only just learning. Today he wrecked his shoulder big-time and was back out on the field in the next defensive series. Every Chiefs fan should love this guy.
Touchable but with the right price: Matt Cassel, Dwayne Bowe, Ryan Succop, Dustin Colquitt. Yeah, pathetic that only two regularly playing guys show up here. And even so, you'd think Cassel and Bowe would be untouchable, but damn it, Bowe just too often doesn't make the play he can make when he must, and damn it I'm just not yet convinced Cassel is going to be Super Bowl calibur. Any team that wants to actually win the Super Bowl some day must have a QB who is nothing other than a future Hall-of-Famer, or very close to it. (See this post for more.) On the other hand it is great we have both our kicking specialists very solid for a long time to come.
Okay, but if we can fill their spot, then... Chris Chambers, Brian Waters, Jamaal Charles, Mike Vrabel, Brandon Carr. Waters is a perenniel All-Pro stuck on a very weak O-line, but he's complained too much about the Chiefs. Must of it is wholly justified, but still. Chambers and Vrabel have been terrific pick-ups, and I like them both a lot, but if they're not going to be super vets in the next few years their spots will simply have to be filled. Charles needs to give me a full season before I consider him more highly.
Moderately serviceable, keep if we absolutely cannot fill that spot: Glenn Dorsey, Tyson Jackson, Branden Albert, Tamba Hali. Look at this list. All guys on the line, the most important part of the game. Don't win the line, don't win the game. And Dorsey and Jackson are only this high because they were our really really high picks the last two years and they damn well better be a billion times better than they've been.
Will not miss them: Everyone else, which sadly is way too many of our players. Exceptions to this may certainly include people like Wallace Gilberry who has actually made a few sacks this year (you mean we've actually sacked guys this year???), and Quinten Lawrence who's still young and may have decent service in him we haven't seen yet. I don't know the potential of these guys or any of the guys the Chiefs themselves are high on that I can't see from the behind the sidelines. Other exceptions include injured guys like Jarrad Page who may certainly come back and prove they should be in one of the higher categories.
Again, the key, the key of all the keys, is whether Scott and Todd can really look at those guys and see if they will be rock-star players or just guys to replace because they won't ultimately be all about, yes, here it is again...
Wait for it--
Get the job done.
_
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Browns at Chiefs - Week 15 - Record: 3-11
How wretchedly woeful is this, as I listen to the Arrowhead fan boos reign down on the Chiefs and their loss to an equally pathetic Browns team.
Len Dawson said it best when at one point he very simply and very plainly said something he'd been saying all year. "Where was the defensive line and the linebackers?"
Here were the un-eye-popping stats for their go-to back of the game, some previously unknown guy named Jerome Harrison. 88 carries for 301 yards in 13 games. Last year he had 246 rushing yards total.
This one game: 34 carries for 286 yards, the third highest rushing total in NFL history.
There are a number of other woefully wretchedly woeful things I could mention: Our special teams finally got beat bad, letting their go-to return guy torch us for two touchdowns. The Browns had scored 158 points all year, they put 41 up against us today. A team put 40+ points against us for a third game in the last four.
And yet again yet again yet again--our dropped passes.
Last week I brought up the idea that Matt Cassel might be throwing a heavy ball. I realize I was too severe. Much of the problem is that we just have a bunch of receivers with bad hands. Even Dwayne Bowe returning after his four game suspension dropped passes. Today Cassel demonstrated he's got what it takes, nothing different than what we all know about him, and that with some time, coaching, an O-line, and receivers without butter on their fingers he can't help but get even better.
Otherwise, what's new. Just another woefully wretched woefully embarrassing experience.
Thank goodness that there is some hope. There's Cassel. There are our fine cornerback Brandons, Flowers and Carr. Our fine kicker is so young that we can count on him being around for a while, at a point when we'll actually have a pretty good team. Our fine punter was still (with the exception of one shank) booming punts again today. Jamaal Charles with his trick shoulder and all is getting us to believe he may actually be an above-average back.
And our fine industrious GM has his nine draft picks in the first six rounds in April.
Right now it is really bad, but there's every reason to believe this is the worst it will be. It can only get better. Maybe not this year, that's a given, but there is real hope.
_
How wretchedly woeful is this, as I listen to the Arrowhead fan boos reign down on the Chiefs and their loss to an equally pathetic Browns team.
Len Dawson said it best when at one point he very simply and very plainly said something he'd been saying all year. "Where was the defensive line and the linebackers?"
Here were the un-eye-popping stats for their go-to back of the game, some previously unknown guy named Jerome Harrison. 88 carries for 301 yards in 13 games. Last year he had 246 rushing yards total.
This one game: 34 carries for 286 yards, the third highest rushing total in NFL history.
There are a number of other woefully wretchedly woeful things I could mention: Our special teams finally got beat bad, letting their go-to return guy torch us for two touchdowns. The Browns had scored 158 points all year, they put 41 up against us today. A team put 40+ points against us for a third game in the last four.
And yet again yet again yet again--our dropped passes.
Last week I brought up the idea that Matt Cassel might be throwing a heavy ball. I realize I was too severe. Much of the problem is that we just have a bunch of receivers with bad hands. Even Dwayne Bowe returning after his four game suspension dropped passes. Today Cassel demonstrated he's got what it takes, nothing different than what we all know about him, and that with some time, coaching, an O-line, and receivers without butter on their fingers he can't help but get even better.
Otherwise, what's new. Just another woefully wretched woefully embarrassing experience.
Thank goodness that there is some hope. There's Cassel. There are our fine cornerback Brandons, Flowers and Carr. Our fine kicker is so young that we can count on him being around for a while, at a point when we'll actually have a pretty good team. Our fine punter was still (with the exception of one shank) booming punts again today. Jamaal Charles with his trick shoulder and all is getting us to believe he may actually be an above-average back.
And our fine industrious GM has his nine draft picks in the first six rounds in April.
Right now it is really bad, but there's every reason to believe this is the worst it will be. It can only get better. Maybe not this year, that's a given, but there is real hope.
_
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Bills at Chiefs - Week 14 - Record: 3-10
Remember the days when Arrowhead was the most raucous stadium on the planet? The radio broadcast has been having promos honoring the 50 years of the AFL, and today's was about the Chiefs seminal Monday night game against the Bills back in October 1991 when they stomped them 33-6. There was the DT-led defense and the rumbling touchdowns of the Nigerian Nightmare, but the highlight was the fans who yelled so loud that the noise level reached just 14 decibels below that which is tolerable to the human ear.
Ahh, those were the days.
These days there are a smattering of encouraging cheers, God bless those fans. After our team sucks for a while, however, there are mostly just boos.
We played a Bills team that also sucked, but alas, we suck way worse. The only thing that was really anything to smile about was Jamaal Charles' zipping 76 yard touchdown. In fact he ran for a total of 143 yards, yet I just can't figure why we didn't hand him the ball more considering the Bills poor run defense.
Matt Cassel threw 43 passes when a few more of those really should have been runs.
And that leads to one of the key things I am now starting to believe is plaguing us. It is something I hadn't really been afraid of before in any way, but now I'm starting to get a bit scared. That key issue is--
Matt Cassel.
Now, here's why he should not be any concern at all. The guy looks like a quarterback, he really seems to have the tools required to be a great one. He has shown flashes of brilliance and has made some great decisions, even in situations when he needs to be clutch. He's also very tough, and does things that a leader should do out there.
But here are the things that are starting to scare me. First, and something I think is a serious problem, is that I really believe he throws a very heavy ball. We just have too many dropped passes for a pro football receiving core. Everyone is dropping passes. He is also overthrowing everyone. It makes you shake your head till it almost comes off your body to keep seeing our guys out front and then watch the ball sail beyond their reach.
He has also been making some awful pass decisions. He was picked four times today--granted one was at the end of the game on an attempted hail mary, but still. We all know last year he played for a fine New England team with better receivers and a very fine offensive line, and this year he does have an awful offensive line. I mean, I would not be surprised at all to watch Cassel at some post-game press conference very understandably say, "When we get a better offensive line we'll be able to do a bit more."
But it is starting to become very evident that there is still major stuff Cassel needs to work on. And really, this gets back to the coaching. When is Todd Haley going to get this guy to settle down and stay within himself? When is he going to really coach him on those mechanics, especially getting him to throw a much softer pass? When is he going to see what the limitations are of this team and play the best game with what he's got?
Of course we just have to wait until Pioli can build a decent team with some strong drafts so he's got people he can actually showcase. But then we don't necessarily have to wait for that-- we just need to get the right mix out there and find those gems wherever they are.
There is no question our offensive line has to be a priority, and since I tend to liken our team now to the 1990 Cowboys who were able to go from the pits and build a great team into the 90's (yes, at least I'd like to think we can do that), I looked at their stellar offensive line to see how many first round picks there were. I was amazed at what I found.
None of them were first rounders.
The highest was huge Larry Allen, plucked in the 2nd, and he still went on to a slew of Pro Bowls. Then there was stud Erik Williams, a 3rd rounder. Amazingly, the stalwart left side made up of Mark Tuinei and Nate Newton were not even drafted. They were just found, and developed into those positions. They played like madmen and made the Pro Bowl in however many years they did.
So really, any future success is in the hands of Scott Pioli. That's all it is. Will he do better than other GM's at finding talented players? If he does better, we'll do better. If he doesn't, we'll just wallow around in the muck more and more.
Already the list of needs we have is a mile long. I'm sure I'll take some time to flesh this out a bit more, but with three weeks left all I feel like doing is grouse about what we need.
We need at least two good solid offensive linemen. Maybe more. Today our great red-and-gold hope in that area, Branden Albert, was again far from spectacular and piled up more penalties. Brian Waters is the only guy who is remotely decent and everyone knows how frustrated he is with things.
We need at least two good solid defensive linemen. You'd think they'd be Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey, but Jackson was invisible yet again and Dorsey injured his knee today. Great. You remember this was the real concern with him from day one. That's just great, just great.
We still need that Ray Lewis type presence in the middle of the defense, we so so SO need that. We need a great pursuit guy to compliment him on the outside, and while Tamba Hali has been mildly serviceable, we simply have not been able to overcome the failure of Derrick Johnson to blossom.
And one of the most important things, we need Todd Haley to get off his rear end and really coach this kid Cassel if we actually want to stop embarrassing ourselves out there.
_
Remember the days when Arrowhead was the most raucous stadium on the planet? The radio broadcast has been having promos honoring the 50 years of the AFL, and today's was about the Chiefs seminal Monday night game against the Bills back in October 1991 when they stomped them 33-6. There was the DT-led defense and the rumbling touchdowns of the Nigerian Nightmare, but the highlight was the fans who yelled so loud that the noise level reached just 14 decibels below that which is tolerable to the human ear.
Ahh, those were the days.
These days there are a smattering of encouraging cheers, God bless those fans. After our team sucks for a while, however, there are mostly just boos.
We played a Bills team that also sucked, but alas, we suck way worse. The only thing that was really anything to smile about was Jamaal Charles' zipping 76 yard touchdown. In fact he ran for a total of 143 yards, yet I just can't figure why we didn't hand him the ball more considering the Bills poor run defense.
Matt Cassel threw 43 passes when a few more of those really should have been runs.
And that leads to one of the key things I am now starting to believe is plaguing us. It is something I hadn't really been afraid of before in any way, but now I'm starting to get a bit scared. That key issue is--
Matt Cassel.
Now, here's why he should not be any concern at all. The guy looks like a quarterback, he really seems to have the tools required to be a great one. He has shown flashes of brilliance and has made some great decisions, even in situations when he needs to be clutch. He's also very tough, and does things that a leader should do out there.
But here are the things that are starting to scare me. First, and something I think is a serious problem, is that I really believe he throws a very heavy ball. We just have too many dropped passes for a pro football receiving core. Everyone is dropping passes. He is also overthrowing everyone. It makes you shake your head till it almost comes off your body to keep seeing our guys out front and then watch the ball sail beyond their reach.
He has also been making some awful pass decisions. He was picked four times today--granted one was at the end of the game on an attempted hail mary, but still. We all know last year he played for a fine New England team with better receivers and a very fine offensive line, and this year he does have an awful offensive line. I mean, I would not be surprised at all to watch Cassel at some post-game press conference very understandably say, "When we get a better offensive line we'll be able to do a bit more."
But it is starting to become very evident that there is still major stuff Cassel needs to work on. And really, this gets back to the coaching. When is Todd Haley going to get this guy to settle down and stay within himself? When is he going to really coach him on those mechanics, especially getting him to throw a much softer pass? When is he going to see what the limitations are of this team and play the best game with what he's got?
Of course we just have to wait until Pioli can build a decent team with some strong drafts so he's got people he can actually showcase. But then we don't necessarily have to wait for that-- we just need to get the right mix out there and find those gems wherever they are.
There is no question our offensive line has to be a priority, and since I tend to liken our team now to the 1990 Cowboys who were able to go from the pits and build a great team into the 90's (yes, at least I'd like to think we can do that), I looked at their stellar offensive line to see how many first round picks there were. I was amazed at what I found.
None of them were first rounders.
The highest was huge Larry Allen, plucked in the 2nd, and he still went on to a slew of Pro Bowls. Then there was stud Erik Williams, a 3rd rounder. Amazingly, the stalwart left side made up of Mark Tuinei and Nate Newton were not even drafted. They were just found, and developed into those positions. They played like madmen and made the Pro Bowl in however many years they did.
So really, any future success is in the hands of Scott Pioli. That's all it is. Will he do better than other GM's at finding talented players? If he does better, we'll do better. If he doesn't, we'll just wallow around in the muck more and more.
Already the list of needs we have is a mile long. I'm sure I'll take some time to flesh this out a bit more, but with three weeks left all I feel like doing is grouse about what we need.
We need at least two good solid offensive linemen. Maybe more. Today our great red-and-gold hope in that area, Branden Albert, was again far from spectacular and piled up more penalties. Brian Waters is the only guy who is remotely decent and everyone knows how frustrated he is with things.
We need at least two good solid defensive linemen. You'd think they'd be Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey, but Jackson was invisible yet again and Dorsey injured his knee today. Great. You remember this was the real concern with him from day one. That's just great, just great.
We still need that Ray Lewis type presence in the middle of the defense, we so so SO need that. We need a great pursuit guy to compliment him on the outside, and while Tamba Hali has been mildly serviceable, we simply have not been able to overcome the failure of Derrick Johnson to blossom.
And one of the most important things, we need Todd Haley to get off his rear end and really coach this kid Cassel if we actually want to stop embarrassing ourselves out there.
_
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Broncos at Chiefs - Week 13 - Record: 3-9
Well, at least they weren't wearing those old AFL uniforms today. I really thought they would, the game being Denver-KC, but they didn't. Actually, that's really too bad because right now, we really could use another team's uniform to hide behind.
We stink. What's new. Our offense stinks--I don't really know if I've ever seen any pro team in any single game flat-out drop as many passes as our guys did in this one. Our defense stinks--I don't really know if I've ever seen any pro team allow the opponent to just run over a defense like we let Denver do to us today.
Thank you Carl Peterson.
But instead of ragging all over this team like I get sick of doing every stinkin' week of the season, it is really time to just reflect on something that, ironically, Carl Peterson did do that was really great.
He drafted Derrick Thomas.
Today was Derrick Thomas day at Arrowhead, and at least there was that. And how great is that. Got his number retired and all kinds of other things happening to honor one of the greatest Chiefs ever, indeed one of the greatest players in all of NFL history.
As much as I abhor what Peterson did to our current team, I could not help but be blown away when watching his presentation speech for Thomas' Hall-of-Fame entrance back in August. Peterson not only did great, lauding Thomas with the deepest respect, but regaled the audience with a narrative about a career that I never knew was as stratospheric as it was.
Really, as much as credit as should justifiably be awarded all the Chiefs players of the 90's, Peterson minced no words: the wonderful success of the Chiefs during that time was due more to Thomas than any other player.
I remember it all myself. I think I just sort of took it for granted that we got turnover after turnover after turnover, and that we did so with a designed Thomas-led lightning attack. Back then it was not like today's Chiefs, who only get a turnover to keep a 44-13 score from being 51-10.
Thomas did it so we could win football games.
It was indeed crushing when he passed away in 2000, as if he was destined to play just during those 90's. You couldn't help but wonder why the good ones have to go like that, and go so soon.
So in a season that's just one great big miserable practice session for our beloved team, how great is it to see all the accolades go to a Chief among Chiefs.
_
Well, at least they weren't wearing those old AFL uniforms today. I really thought they would, the game being Denver-KC, but they didn't. Actually, that's really too bad because right now, we really could use another team's uniform to hide behind.
We stink. What's new. Our offense stinks--I don't really know if I've ever seen any pro team in any single game flat-out drop as many passes as our guys did in this one. Our defense stinks--I don't really know if I've ever seen any pro team allow the opponent to just run over a defense like we let Denver do to us today.
Thank you Carl Peterson.
But instead of ragging all over this team like I get sick of doing every stinkin' week of the season, it is really time to just reflect on something that, ironically, Carl Peterson did do that was really great.
He drafted Derrick Thomas.
Today was Derrick Thomas day at Arrowhead, and at least there was that. And how great is that. Got his number retired and all kinds of other things happening to honor one of the greatest Chiefs ever, indeed one of the greatest players in all of NFL history.
As much as I abhor what Peterson did to our current team, I could not help but be blown away when watching his presentation speech for Thomas' Hall-of-Fame entrance back in August. Peterson not only did great, lauding Thomas with the deepest respect, but regaled the audience with a narrative about a career that I never knew was as stratospheric as it was.
Really, as much as credit as should justifiably be awarded all the Chiefs players of the 90's, Peterson minced no words: the wonderful success of the Chiefs during that time was due more to Thomas than any other player.
I remember it all myself. I think I just sort of took it for granted that we got turnover after turnover after turnover, and that we did so with a designed Thomas-led lightning attack. Back then it was not like today's Chiefs, who only get a turnover to keep a 44-13 score from being 51-10.
Thomas did it so we could win football games.
It was indeed crushing when he passed away in 2000, as if he was destined to play just during those 90's. You couldn't help but wonder why the good ones have to go like that, and go so soon.
So in a season that's just one great big miserable practice session for our beloved team, how great is it to see all the accolades go to a Chief among Chiefs.
_
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