Yes, I've already posted on Sunday's game. Yes, I generally only do one post per game, and will most likely not violate that rule too often. But I can't help but think about two key things -- indeed names of Chiefs players -- who've just come up in my mind a lot since Sunday. I just feel like writing a bit about them, and come back with a bit more than my very discouraged post from Sunday.
Please, I'm not apologizing for the post on Sunday. It didn't have much substance, I know, and it was written with a great deal of frustration, I know. But hey, you know. It was quite justified.
In that vein I would like to add that the frustration is not so much about our team per se, because Sunday we did show that we have the talent. We did show that we can play well. We did show that we can mix it up on offense and make things happen. There were just so many things we did well, but what killed us was the incredibly stupid things that happen that keep us from winning these kinds of games.
And the reason I'm so convinced somewhere somehow we've been hexed is it just seems to happen to us so often. Yes yes yes I know stupid things happen to every team, I know.
But sorry, it just seems to afflict the Chiefs more. Wait until playoff time, wait until we get into the grand history of utterly contemptible Chiefs playoff stupidness that has always occured at that time. Just wait, you'll see, I'll be posting about some of it. You remember it.
Some will also say that as much as it was stupid things, it was Peyton Manning. I agree, which leads to that first Chiefs name I want to mention.
Marcus Cooper.
There is no question Manning was playing with him like he was a toddler toy. But ya know? I'm writing to give Cooper credit. The guy is a physically gifted corner, anyone can see that. I believe much of what afflicted us in the Manning-Cooper mismatch was just that Manning had such a sensational game. No, he doesn't always have sensational games. He does lose sometimes. It's just, against us, like Philip Rivers, he's Superman.
I agree he's Superman against most teams, but I think with some hard work, some textbook learning, and some defensive adjustments to help him out, Cooper can help in stunting the effectiveness of a quarterback like Manning. Yes, our entire defensive backfield has certain liabilities that are troubling, but we're not terrible and it isn't all Cooper's fault. Remember, considered by number of scores, in the first Broncos game we only lost 5-3. In this one we lost 5-4.
The other guy who keeps popping up in my brain is a guy I mentioned at the very end of my first post on this game, and I brought up his name in conjunction with the frustration I had about our abject failure to ever draft and develop our own Peyton Manning. I've realized I need to forthwith stop bringing that up for the entirety of the time we have this guy.
Alex Smith.
I said almost in passing that I do like him, but I simply must add that his contribution cannot be a mere mention. It must be proclaimed a bit more boldly.
Sure I can use all the splendid adjectives to describe him, and we already have. The point I want to make here is that I'd rather have him than Peyton Manning. I really would.
Yes, you heard me right. I'm not kidding there. I'd rather have Smith than Manning.
I could mention Manning is way older and won't last much longer, while the Chiefs are going to get at least four or five really good years from Smith. But that's obvious. There are a number of other much more significant, much more practical on-the-field reasons I really like Smith.
One, he is very athletic. He uses his mobility in the pocket brilliantly, and he can use his speed to jet up the field for terrific gains out of broken plays. He did that a number of times on Sunday. I'd actually like to see him run a few more times -- not a lot -- but a few more times on designed plays to take advantage of that.
Two, he is very versatile. It isn't just that he can make something from nothing and run every once in a while, but there is so much you can do with him. In the game on Sunday when we were trying to get back into the game he started shooting misdirection pitches out to his backs and they went for big gains. When play action is called for or we need a rolling pocket, Smith does it wonderfully.
Three, Smith really helps out this receiving corps. One of the things giving a Peyton Manning such a huge advantage is his receivers are tremendous. I've even said on occasion that I think it's more the receivers than Manning. The Chiefs receivers? I've been quite critical of them, but let's look at them to be perfectly honest.
Dwayne Bowe. Again, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. When he's Dr. Jekyll he's a sluggish route-runner and a droopy ball-grabber-atter. When he's Mr. Hyde he's a beast of a receiver, blocker, game-breaker. Watching Bowe your arms are up in the air no matter what -- with your hands either high-fiving others like crazy or pulling out large chunks of your hair.
Dexter McCluster. He can really be a fantastic receiver and runner, but then his size often keeps him from getting untracked at critical times. Smith has said he really likes the way he runs routes, and if we can keep getting the ball to him we'll be good.
Donnie Avery. Two awful drops right in a row on Sunday at the most critical moments could not have endeared him to many Chiefs fans. In the Eagles game he was the key offensive component. But he's just not been much since. He has such potential, but compared to what someone like Peyton Manning has, ouch.
A.J. Jenkins and Junior Hemingway. How about we give these guys a chance? They've both shown so much eagerness to be out there and show that they can play, and each have indeed shown some flashes of effectiveness. But they're both very young and inexperienced.
Point to all this is that the Broncos may have Super-Peyton and Super-Receivers, but we've got an extraordinarily resourceful Alex Smith who is so instrumental at making these Chiefs receivers -- in my mind -- better than they really are.
This is not even mentioning the passing to our tight ends, which is Smith's bread and butter, as well as our screen pass package with people like Jamaal Charles which is actually going very well.
My point to all of this? My reasoning behind all this additional stuff I should have included on Sunday?
It is that I do truly see the potential of this team. It is very encouraging. When I watch these guys I am blown away at how well we can, and yes, do play. There is a reason we're 9-3.
Yes yes yes, I still can't deny my aggravation at the stupid things, so many times those ridiculously stupid things that never seem to stop happening. I get nervous about those things, and around playoff time -- you know it, for good reason -- I'll get more nervous.
But hey, at least we have guys on a team who are talented and playing their hearts out every down.
Hey, maybe, just maybe, it'll make any stupid stuff less likely to hurt us.
For once.
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