Chiefs at Eagles - Week 3 - Record: 0-3
I'm afraid this blog is going to be pretty much like all the other blogs about this pathetic team, only worse. Actually, I should add that this is a good thing, because there won't be any of that close-game nonsense that fools us into thinking we have a team that can compete in the NFL.
Well, here's the blog entry for this week...
Them: Running, passing, catching, scoring.
Us: Fumbling, getting stuffed at the line, piling up penalties, moving backwards into 4th and 30's.
Really, do I need to say anything more?
Well, because I have to write to assuage the agony that is my team, here are a few other thoughts.
Remember four years ago when we played the Eagles? We were ahead 24-7, at home, and ended up getting clobbered. Today we were down 24-7 and, well, you know what happened this time. Whimper.
That year, by the way, was actually pretty decent--we finished 10-6 just missing the playoffs. And we missed the playoffs because we just didn't tackle when we had to--remember that awful Giants game that killed us? Funny, it looked like nothing's changed since then.
'Course, that's because for years and years we'd been laboring under the misapprehension Carl Peterson could actually get us players who could play. Well, enough of them, anyway. I've always loved all my Chiefs. I still want them to win a Super Bowl, though.
Seems like the Chiefs are now officially the worst team out there. The Lions won today. That's two wins each for the Lions and Chiefs in their last 27 games. Yeah, we're 2-25 since the middle of the '07 season.
Takes time takes time takes time. Pioli-Haley Pioli-Haley Pioli-Haley. Pant pant pant pant...
Must finish though by pointing out that one bright spot, Mark Bradley's nifty catch at the side of the endzone for one of out TD's. At least we've got some pretty decent receivers. Yay!
_
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Raiders at Chiefs - Week Two - Record: 0-2
What's funny about this game was not that we lost to the Raiders, because usually that alone is enough to steam any Chiefs fan. With this game, it just doesn't matter who it was, what's really aggravating is that we lost to a team that played so pathetically.
The Raiders just went nowhere on offense the entire game, and our defense decided to play the matador defense in the last drive where they needed to score a touchdown from deep in their own territory with little time left. This is how ridiculous it was. Their QB completed something like three passes all game up to that point. Then we let him look like John Elway at the completely wrong time.
We also lost because Cassel made several awful throwing decisions, a couple of critical interceptions and a wasted toss that cost us a FG at the end of the first half. Turned out the be the difference in the game.
Yes, there is a learning curve, and it was Cassel's first regular season game on a bum knee. But it is just frustrating that this learning curve is so steep. It is Mt. Everest steep.
I'm telling you, it is steep now making for awful losses like this one, but it'd better make for some spectacular character building that'll do us good later.
Errrrrrrrgh... the Pioli-Haley train still just starting out of the station. Okay, patience now... Takes time...
_
What's funny about this game was not that we lost to the Raiders, because usually that alone is enough to steam any Chiefs fan. With this game, it just doesn't matter who it was, what's really aggravating is that we lost to a team that played so pathetically.
The Raiders just went nowhere on offense the entire game, and our defense decided to play the matador defense in the last drive where they needed to score a touchdown from deep in their own territory with little time left. This is how ridiculous it was. Their QB completed something like three passes all game up to that point. Then we let him look like John Elway at the completely wrong time.
We also lost because Cassel made several awful throwing decisions, a couple of critical interceptions and a wasted toss that cost us a FG at the end of the first half. Turned out the be the difference in the game.
Yes, there is a learning curve, and it was Cassel's first regular season game on a bum knee. But it is just frustrating that this learning curve is so steep. It is Mt. Everest steep.
I'm telling you, it is steep now making for awful losses like this one, but it'd better make for some spectacular character building that'll do us good later.
Errrrrrrrgh... the Pioli-Haley train still just starting out of the station. Okay, patience now... Takes time...
_
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Chiefs at Ravens - Week 1 - Record: 0-1
It's true that we never even should have been in this game at all. But the best thing about this was that we actually were in it and that was only because of one thing.
We actually had some ganas.
I don't know about you, but I really did sense the impact of the new Pioli-Haley regime out there. Looking at everything about this game (such as a teeny ten first downs for us and over thirty for them) you know these Chiefs had no business being on the same field with those guys. Our offensive line continues to be thoroughly inept--same old story, no holes for our runners and no time for our passers. Our defense is just not up to stopping quality offenses no matter how tired our own offense made them.
But we still got some fine big plays from Jon McGraw and his great punt block and scrambling touchdown, Derrick Johnson and his fine interception and run, and Ryan Succop and his 53 yard field goal. Hey, isn't it great we have a field goal kicker named "Suck up"? Okay, I'm sure every Chiefs fan has already blabbed about that to death. In fact if we want him not to suck maybe it's best we don't mention it. We so need a kicker to not suck for once.
Anyway, kudos to Pioli and Haley for actually doing things to get us to a point when we'll actually win a few games sometime soon. Since this was the first real Chiefs exposure I've had since December, I noted for the first time that Pioli picked up veterans like Mike Goff and Ikechuku Ndukwe for the O-line. Our O-line still has a reeeeeally long way to go, but at least he's looking to do something about it.
Haley is also instilling a no-nonsense business-like approach to the game, challenging some guys who should be way better to actually be the better they're supposed to be.
All of this resulted in a game we were stunningly in all the way up until the middle of the fourth quarter when our still-workin'-on-it defense was just too damn tired to do anything. Baltimore had the ball for 40 minutes of the game. Even Pittsburgh's steel curtain would melt if they had to be out there for that long.
I've always hated hated hated moral victories, but this was about as good as any. It's a fantastic first step for an inspired team and the Pioli & Haley building program.
_
It's true that we never even should have been in this game at all. But the best thing about this was that we actually were in it and that was only because of one thing.
We actually had some ganas.
I don't know about you, but I really did sense the impact of the new Pioli-Haley regime out there. Looking at everything about this game (such as a teeny ten first downs for us and over thirty for them) you know these Chiefs had no business being on the same field with those guys. Our offensive line continues to be thoroughly inept--same old story, no holes for our runners and no time for our passers. Our defense is just not up to stopping quality offenses no matter how tired our own offense made them.
But we still got some fine big plays from Jon McGraw and his great punt block and scrambling touchdown, Derrick Johnson and his fine interception and run, and Ryan Succop and his 53 yard field goal. Hey, isn't it great we have a field goal kicker named "Suck up"? Okay, I'm sure every Chiefs fan has already blabbed about that to death. In fact if we want him not to suck maybe it's best we don't mention it. We so need a kicker to not suck for once.
Anyway, kudos to Pioli and Haley for actually doing things to get us to a point when we'll actually win a few games sometime soon. Since this was the first real Chiefs exposure I've had since December, I noted for the first time that Pioli picked up veterans like Mike Goff and Ikechuku Ndukwe for the O-line. Our O-line still has a reeeeeally long way to go, but at least he's looking to do something about it.
Haley is also instilling a no-nonsense business-like approach to the game, challenging some guys who should be way better to actually be the better they're supposed to be.
All of this resulted in a game we were stunningly in all the way up until the middle of the fourth quarter when our still-workin'-on-it defense was just too damn tired to do anything. Baltimore had the ball for 40 minutes of the game. Even Pittsburgh's steel curtain would melt if they had to be out there for that long.
I've always hated hated hated moral victories, but this was about as good as any. It's a fantastic first step for an inspired team and the Pioli & Haley building program.
_
Sunday, September 06, 2009
2009 Chiefs Preview - It Isn't Pretty
Anything that really counts for anything in the NFL begins a week from today. The regular season commences and our Chiefs open at Baltimore. I'll pop in each week to offer some thoughts from an impassioned fan so devoted to his pro football team that he can't do anything but tune in to the games for three hours... and that's it.
Thing is, my Chiefs radar is always up--it is indeed impossible to draw it in--so I'll pick up things here and there. The smattering of Chiefs items I've caught leading up to next Sunday will provide a pretty good idea of why I do no Chiefs thing unless it is Sunday from 12 to 3 central time.
Item #1 - With a desperately desperate need for offensive linemen new GM Scott Pioli used his 3rd pick overall to get a not-nearly-heralded-at-No.-3 D-lineman from LSU, Tyson Jackson. Pioli had better have the greatest prescient ability not held by other experts and I am telling you flatly I would luuuuuuuv for Jackson to be the reincarnation of Bruce Smith.
But I don't think so. Cynical me. I've just seen too many of these guys we're trusting our GM to know better about turn out to be not what they should be. Jackson at No. 3? He'd better be a nuclear-powered Bruce Smith. They say his pairing with fellow LSU alum Glenn Dorsey will be a fine thing. Whoa. We're still waiting for Dorsey to be studly which he waaay wasn't last year.
Item #2 - I saw one single Chiefs play this preseason. As I was heading out the door at our hotel room during a vacation stay, my son had some sports report on and I happened to see Chiefs highlights coming on. I turned to catch the play (that radar being fully enabled) and what did I witness? Was it the fantasy in my brain--brand spankin' new QB Matt Cassell throwing a spectacular TD pass against the Seahawks?
Not exactly.
Instead it was Cassell finding himself suddenly subsumed by of a phalanx of Seahawks injury-causers, disappearing until he emerged limping around. And why was he in that position, Chiefs offensive linemen? Yes, I'm talking to you, Chiefs offensive linemen. Explain yourselves.
See, that's what steams me just as much as any lasting injury effects of the Cassell incident. Even as much as the fact that exhibition play even remotely allows an NFL team's quarterback to be in such a position--is anyone planning to do anything about that?
It is most steam-making to know that we just didn't do a whole lot to build the most important part of an offense besides the QB, and that's the offensive line.
Now, maybe they did. Maybe Branden Albert is ready to take on the second most important single position on the offense, left tackle. Maybe this is the year these young kids start to blossom on the way to fine Super Bowl runs over the next several years.
Yes, yes, I'm serious about that. Maybe. We just need to give Pioli and Haley a chance. I'm fine with that. It's just when you see them use a No. 3 for someone not projected to be anywhere near there, when you see your OL utterly fail to fully protect your QB of the future, when you see stuff like this for a team that just can't afford it, it can just be very discouraging.
It sure can't seem like it can be any worse. In the last 24 games we've played, we have 2 wins. Think the Lions were worse? Not by much. The Lions have had one win over their last 24 games, but that one game: beating the Chiefs.
I guess the adventure is in just seeing what happens next. At least there's that.
Anything that really counts for anything in the NFL begins a week from today. The regular season commences and our Chiefs open at Baltimore. I'll pop in each week to offer some thoughts from an impassioned fan so devoted to his pro football team that he can't do anything but tune in to the games for three hours... and that's it.
Thing is, my Chiefs radar is always up--it is indeed impossible to draw it in--so I'll pick up things here and there. The smattering of Chiefs items I've caught leading up to next Sunday will provide a pretty good idea of why I do no Chiefs thing unless it is Sunday from 12 to 3 central time.
Item #1 - With a desperately desperate need for offensive linemen new GM Scott Pioli used his 3rd pick overall to get a not-nearly-heralded-at-No.-3 D-lineman from LSU, Tyson Jackson. Pioli had better have the greatest prescient ability not held by other experts and I am telling you flatly I would luuuuuuuv for Jackson to be the reincarnation of Bruce Smith.
But I don't think so. Cynical me. I've just seen too many of these guys we're trusting our GM to know better about turn out to be not what they should be. Jackson at No. 3? He'd better be a nuclear-powered Bruce Smith. They say his pairing with fellow LSU alum Glenn Dorsey will be a fine thing. Whoa. We're still waiting for Dorsey to be studly which he waaay wasn't last year.
Item #2 - I saw one single Chiefs play this preseason. As I was heading out the door at our hotel room during a vacation stay, my son had some sports report on and I happened to see Chiefs highlights coming on. I turned to catch the play (that radar being fully enabled) and what did I witness? Was it the fantasy in my brain--brand spankin' new QB Matt Cassell throwing a spectacular TD pass against the Seahawks?
Not exactly.
Instead it was Cassell finding himself suddenly subsumed by of a phalanx of Seahawks injury-causers, disappearing until he emerged limping around. And why was he in that position, Chiefs offensive linemen? Yes, I'm talking to you, Chiefs offensive linemen. Explain yourselves.
See, that's what steams me just as much as any lasting injury effects of the Cassell incident. Even as much as the fact that exhibition play even remotely allows an NFL team's quarterback to be in such a position--is anyone planning to do anything about that?
It is most steam-making to know that we just didn't do a whole lot to build the most important part of an offense besides the QB, and that's the offensive line.
Now, maybe they did. Maybe Branden Albert is ready to take on the second most important single position on the offense, left tackle. Maybe this is the year these young kids start to blossom on the way to fine Super Bowl runs over the next several years.
Yes, yes, I'm serious about that. Maybe. We just need to give Pioli and Haley a chance. I'm fine with that. It's just when you see them use a No. 3 for someone not projected to be anywhere near there, when you see your OL utterly fail to fully protect your QB of the future, when you see stuff like this for a team that just can't afford it, it can just be very discouraging.
It sure can't seem like it can be any worse. In the last 24 games we've played, we have 2 wins. Think the Lions were worse? Not by much. The Lions have had one win over their last 24 games, but that one game: beating the Chiefs.
I guess the adventure is in just seeing what happens next. At least there's that.
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