Learn, discuss and debate what's going on with the teams in the NFL's AFC Western Division minus the hate, immaturity and stupidity found on the ESPN Blog or anywhere else.
Monday, August 30, 2010
O-LINE , PLEASE CHECK D-LINE AT THE POINT OF ATTACK !!
My first thought of the night is although its good too be kind too others lets not just let the defence stroll in and wreck our qbs ! We need too make a desision on our lt and center A.S.A.P ! Maybe moving veldheer to center could help out for now , what do you folks think ?? Bush broken thumb doesnt seem like the thing that would keep him out opening day ,bennett mcfadd and cartright will fill in til he gets back if there are complications ! I still say spread mcfadd out and let him catch the ball ! defence- aside from giving up another big run (49yds , gore ) 32 carries for 116 yds is less than 4 yards a carry so nice job d-line ! On a whole d- looked good , no sacks , no ints . Back on offence jcamp went 6-8 -93 yds -0-0 until he was sacked out of the game . Enter B Gradkowski , 14-22-202 YDS -2TDS -0 INT ! THAT TD TOO MURPHY IN STRIDE WAS HIGHLIGHT REEL STUFF !! I digress . Many on this blog already know i am a huge gradkowski fan and was bitter sweet with the trade for JCamp however i also realize we got campbell for cheap and he has a huge upside ! Just nice too have a starting qb as our second string (for now ), and kudos to the training camp boller is having ! so with only one more game left in preseason ( seattle at home ) i see a team that is starting to come together as a team , i see a coach (cable ) who doesnt let the media run the looker room , i see seabass nail long (57yds) field goals , i sometimes stil might see dead people , and i see the regular season just on the horison !! GO RAIDER NATION !!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Preseason Week 4: Chiefs 17 Eagles 20
This was by far the best performance the Chiefs have shown in the Preseason over the last 3 years. And we finally have a decent look at what the Chiefs might be bringing this year.
Halftime score had Philly ahead 10-7
OFFENSE: This is going to be control the clock football. Run the ball and utilize the short passing game looks to be what Todd Haley has in store this year. The ground game is looking good and the personnel seem to match up well against opposing defenses.
QB - Cassel by no means had an outstanding game. But he didn't have a terrible one either. He continued to show himself as a game manager whose focus is more on not losing the game than it is on winning it. 14-23 for 85 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. I really don't think you can get much more average than that. Brodie Croyle is still hurt but will be the team's #2. Tyler Palko must have some kind of family connection to still be on the team. Bill Stull is a non-factor as he is only on the roster because of league requirements regarding the injury to Croyle.
RB - Obviously this will be the source of the Chiefs offense. Kansas City will live and die with their run game. Fortunately, it appears to be a pretty good run game. Thomas Jones continues to get tough yards between the tackles, and even added a nice 11 yard TD run. His purpose is going to be wearing down the defense. Jammaal Charles broke a nice 20 yard run that accounted for half of his total. 40 yards on 6 carries again had him averaging over 5 ypc. Even without the 20 yarder, he still averaged 4 ypc. Jackie Battle looks to have successfully held off the youngsters Kestahn Moore and Javarris Williams for the 3rd down back position. Look for either Moore or Williams to stay on the active roster while the other is sent to the practice squad for one more year.
FB - Still a battle between Tim Castille and Mike Cox. Neither plays consistently well and it's probably a reasonable assumption that Tim Castille will be the opening day starter.
WR - Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers are exactly what the Chiefs need on the outside. Large possession receivers with big play ability. They will run the tough routes across the middle but are able to go up and get the deep ball as well. Quentin Lawrence, Jeremy Horne, Dexter McCluster, and Jerhome Urban will round out the depth chart but the order isn't clear just yet.
TE - Leonard Pope has retained his starting job for now. Tony Moeaki has flashed a lot of ability and talent, but is still raw and has injury concerns. Look for him to be involved more as a blocker this year rather than a weapon.
O-line - The improvement from last year is obvious, but it isn't consistent. Weigmann appears to simply be better all around than Niswanger who has seen some time at guard recently. Waters and Lilja appear to be solid, but the Chiefs need some depth there. Branden Albert is coming along quickly at LT but needs to sharpen his skills. There is still a hole at RT that needs to be plugged quickly.
DEFENSE: It's been almost a decade since I could say the Chiefs defense was the best unit on the field in a game. They forced turnovers, pressured (and sacked) the QB, made plays in the backfield, broke up passes, played well in coverage. They really played well for the first time in a long time.
NT - Ron Edwards has been serviceable. The same can be said about Shaun Smith and Derek Lokey. It really doesn't seem to matter who starts because they all play just ok.
DE - Glenn Dorsey has looked much improved this year. He is constantly demanding a double-team which is exactly what he's supposed to do. On the other side it looks like Tyson Jackson is going to be pushed by Alex Magee. Magee has played better, but Jackson was the #3 overall pick and it's going to be hard for the Chiefs to forget that. Both players are sub-par right now.
OLB - They got after Kolb like he shot their dog. Hali was constantly double-teamed and was STILL getting pressure on Kolb. Vrabel did exactly what you would expect him to do and played smart football, directing the defense. The star from this unit was definitely Andy Studebaker who led the way with a pair of sacks. He looked like a man possessed going after Kolb. Cameron Sheffield also played better than expected until suffering what is being described as a "neck injury" (latest report says that he is able to move and is being held for observation).
ILB - There are some guys who want to play this year. Jovan Belcher appears to have locked up one of the starting roles which isn't a surprise considering he is the strongest LB on the team. The other spot is a different matter altogether. Derrick Johnson and Demorrio Williams are locked in a position battle that could get someone killed. Both are playing hard and appear to have stepped up their game in areas they were criticized for in the past. The highlight of this battle had to come when Williams sacked Kolb hard and just a couple plays later, Johnson (not to be out done) broke up a pass with a vicious hit.
CB - Kolb's numbers through 3 qtrs - 11/25 for 103 yards, 0 TDs and 1 INT. Flowers and Carr looked very good. Arenas continued to struggle against taller receivers but was constantly in position. They need to find some depth here and soon.
S - Berry continued to be a constant presence. He's making tackles and plays which is exactly what the Chiefs want out of him. Kendrick Lewis managed to snag an INT and showed that he could be functional as a starter. He has definitely taken advantage of John McGraw being out of the lineup. McGraw and Rashard Langford appear to be the current 2nd team and have both played adequately.
SPECIAL TEAMS: This is by far the best unit out there for KC. They have played well in almost every aspect so far in the preseason.
K - Succop is still very accurate and very powerful (well, kicker powerful). He is a KC favorite and has shown they were right not to bother bringing anyone in to challenge him. He continues to boot the ball deep on KOs.
P - It's almost not even fair. Dustin Colquitt seems to be able to put the ball just wherever he wants to. That includes 4 of his 7 punts going inside the 20. Oh, and he may have sent one for 73 yards. No big deal.
KR/PR - Javier Arenas needs to settle down. He's been close to breaking one the past couple of weeks and that showed against the Eagles, in a bad way. He was fielding punts he should have let go. He was trying to make returns out of obvious fair catch situations, and was simply too impatient in waiting for his blocks to develop. There is such a thing as wanting it too much.
ST Defense - The coverage teams have been great. They fly down the field and are in position on almost every punt or kickoff.
OVERALL: The Chiefs biggest problems are in the trenches. They have to get a playmaker on the D-line and plug the hole at RT. If they can find a way to do that, then this team is definitely moving in the right direction. There is still a severe lack of depth at a lot of positions which will hurt them in the 4th qtr and later in the season. They appear to at least be on their way to being a middle of the pack team. It's probably at least another year or 2 before they see the playoffs again.
Halftime score had Philly ahead 10-7
OFFENSE: This is going to be control the clock football. Run the ball and utilize the short passing game looks to be what Todd Haley has in store this year. The ground game is looking good and the personnel seem to match up well against opposing defenses.
QB - Cassel by no means had an outstanding game. But he didn't have a terrible one either. He continued to show himself as a game manager whose focus is more on not losing the game than it is on winning it. 14-23 for 85 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. I really don't think you can get much more average than that. Brodie Croyle is still hurt but will be the team's #2. Tyler Palko must have some kind of family connection to still be on the team. Bill Stull is a non-factor as he is only on the roster because of league requirements regarding the injury to Croyle.
RB - Obviously this will be the source of the Chiefs offense. Kansas City will live and die with their run game. Fortunately, it appears to be a pretty good run game. Thomas Jones continues to get tough yards between the tackles, and even added a nice 11 yard TD run. His purpose is going to be wearing down the defense. Jammaal Charles broke a nice 20 yard run that accounted for half of his total. 40 yards on 6 carries again had him averaging over 5 ypc. Even without the 20 yarder, he still averaged 4 ypc. Jackie Battle looks to have successfully held off the youngsters Kestahn Moore and Javarris Williams for the 3rd down back position. Look for either Moore or Williams to stay on the active roster while the other is sent to the practice squad for one more year.
FB - Still a battle between Tim Castille and Mike Cox. Neither plays consistently well and it's probably a reasonable assumption that Tim Castille will be the opening day starter.
WR - Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers are exactly what the Chiefs need on the outside. Large possession receivers with big play ability. They will run the tough routes across the middle but are able to go up and get the deep ball as well. Quentin Lawrence, Jeremy Horne, Dexter McCluster, and Jerhome Urban will round out the depth chart but the order isn't clear just yet.
TE - Leonard Pope has retained his starting job for now. Tony Moeaki has flashed a lot of ability and talent, but is still raw and has injury concerns. Look for him to be involved more as a blocker this year rather than a weapon.
O-line - The improvement from last year is obvious, but it isn't consistent. Weigmann appears to simply be better all around than Niswanger who has seen some time at guard recently. Waters and Lilja appear to be solid, but the Chiefs need some depth there. Branden Albert is coming along quickly at LT but needs to sharpen his skills. There is still a hole at RT that needs to be plugged quickly.
DEFENSE: It's been almost a decade since I could say the Chiefs defense was the best unit on the field in a game. They forced turnovers, pressured (and sacked) the QB, made plays in the backfield, broke up passes, played well in coverage. They really played well for the first time in a long time.
NT - Ron Edwards has been serviceable. The same can be said about Shaun Smith and Derek Lokey. It really doesn't seem to matter who starts because they all play just ok.
DE - Glenn Dorsey has looked much improved this year. He is constantly demanding a double-team which is exactly what he's supposed to do. On the other side it looks like Tyson Jackson is going to be pushed by Alex Magee. Magee has played better, but Jackson was the #3 overall pick and it's going to be hard for the Chiefs to forget that. Both players are sub-par right now.
OLB - They got after Kolb like he shot their dog. Hali was constantly double-teamed and was STILL getting pressure on Kolb. Vrabel did exactly what you would expect him to do and played smart football, directing the defense. The star from this unit was definitely Andy Studebaker who led the way with a pair of sacks. He looked like a man possessed going after Kolb. Cameron Sheffield also played better than expected until suffering what is being described as a "neck injury" (latest report says that he is able to move and is being held for observation).
ILB - There are some guys who want to play this year. Jovan Belcher appears to have locked up one of the starting roles which isn't a surprise considering he is the strongest LB on the team. The other spot is a different matter altogether. Derrick Johnson and Demorrio Williams are locked in a position battle that could get someone killed. Both are playing hard and appear to have stepped up their game in areas they were criticized for in the past. The highlight of this battle had to come when Williams sacked Kolb hard and just a couple plays later, Johnson (not to be out done) broke up a pass with a vicious hit.
CB - Kolb's numbers through 3 qtrs - 11/25 for 103 yards, 0 TDs and 1 INT. Flowers and Carr looked very good. Arenas continued to struggle against taller receivers but was constantly in position. They need to find some depth here and soon.
S - Berry continued to be a constant presence. He's making tackles and plays which is exactly what the Chiefs want out of him. Kendrick Lewis managed to snag an INT and showed that he could be functional as a starter. He has definitely taken advantage of John McGraw being out of the lineup. McGraw and Rashard Langford appear to be the current 2nd team and have both played adequately.
SPECIAL TEAMS: This is by far the best unit out there for KC. They have played well in almost every aspect so far in the preseason.
K - Succop is still very accurate and very powerful (well, kicker powerful). He is a KC favorite and has shown they were right not to bother bringing anyone in to challenge him. He continues to boot the ball deep on KOs.
P - It's almost not even fair. Dustin Colquitt seems to be able to put the ball just wherever he wants to. That includes 4 of his 7 punts going inside the 20. Oh, and he may have sent one for 73 yards. No big deal.
KR/PR - Javier Arenas needs to settle down. He's been close to breaking one the past couple of weeks and that showed against the Eagles, in a bad way. He was fielding punts he should have let go. He was trying to make returns out of obvious fair catch situations, and was simply too impatient in waiting for his blocks to develop. There is such a thing as wanting it too much.
ST Defense - The coverage teams have been great. They fly down the field and are in position on almost every punt or kickoff.
OVERALL: The Chiefs biggest problems are in the trenches. They have to get a playmaker on the D-line and plug the hole at RT. If they can find a way to do that, then this team is definitely moving in the right direction. There is still a severe lack of depth at a lot of positions which will hurt them in the 4th qtr and later in the season. They appear to at least be on their way to being a middle of the pack team. It's probably at least another year or 2 before they see the playoffs again.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
NO TIME FOR PANIC !!!
CHAZ IS HURT AGAIN ! ANYONE SURPRISED AT THIS POINT HASNT BEEN WATCHING RAIDER FOOTBALL AS OF LATE ! ALL THE UPSIDE HAS BEEN GIFTED THIS YOUNG MAN HOWEVER , HE MAY NOT HAVE THE BODY FOR THE NFL . THAT BEING SAID , HOPE FOR THE BEST AND IF HE DOESNT WORK OUT WE GOT OFF CHEAP ! MURPHY IS A GAMER AND I BELEIVE HE SHOULD BE 1 , DHB 2 , FORD , JHIGGI , AND N. MILLER NEED TWO STEP UP AND WHO EVER BRINGS IT GETS THE SLOT UNTIL CHAZ CAN GIVE IT ONE MORE GO ! IVE HEARD THE NOTION OF GIVING D MCFADDEN A GO IN THE SLOT !!?? T.E. Z. MILLER NEEDS TO BE THE KEY TOO THIS PASSING GAME , J CAMP LOOKED ALOT MORE COMFORTABLE HOWEVER SHOULD HAVE THROWN A TD INSTEAD OF AN INT TO MILLER ! WITH SATTELLE INJURIED MORRIS IS NEXT ON THE DEPTH HOWEVER , VELDHEER AND CAMPBELL COULD BE AN OPTION IN MY EYES ! STRENTH AND SPEED AT CENTER WOULD BE A NICE OPTION ! AS FAR AS OUR LINE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE VELDHEER AND CAMPBELL HOPEFULY COMFORTABLE AND STARTING BY WEEK 6-8 ! BUT WE WILL SEE . BENNET IS HAVING A VERY GOOD PRE-SEASON , AND IF IT CAN BLEED OVER INTO THE REG-SEASON I COULD SEE A BUSH / BENNETT COMBO IF MCFADD DOESNT PRODUCE IN THE BACKFEILD OR IF MCFADD BLOOMS AT SLOT WR ! THE D-FENCE !! OUR FRONT 7 SEEM TO BE HUNGRY FOR QBS BUT NEED TOO KEEP PUSHING FOR COHEASION SO THERE IS NOT A LET DOWN DURING THE REG-SEASON ! THE D-BACKS LOOK TOO BE GREEDY AND WANTING TOO HIT ! IF THE PRESSURE KEEPS COMING THE SAFETIES AND BACKS WILL BE PICKING OFF QUITE A FEW THIS YEAR ! SPECIAL TEAMS , SOMEBODY PLEASE STEP UP AND AT LEAST GET US AVERAGE YARDS ON THE K-P RETURN !!!!!AS WE HIT THE MIDDLE OF PRE-SEASON THING LOOK GOOD IN OAKTOWN , A LITTLE BANGED UP BUT NOT THE END OF THE WORLD . NOW WE FACE THE NINERS , JUST A PRESEASON GAME MY SLIGHTLY HAIRY HINNEY ! IF WE LOSE NOT GONNA SHAVE MY HEAD AND JOIN THE DEATH STAR CULT . BUT IF WE WIN IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO HEAR THE JUSTIFICATION ONE OR TWO NUGGETTS WILL GIVE ! NO MATTER , WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THEM TOO THE WOODSHED FOR LESSONS REGULAR SEASON ! MY THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK . PEACE TO ALL !!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Week 2 Chiefs Recap TB 20 KC 15
After Week 2 of the preseason, a few things are looking clearer, while others have become even bigger questions.
Halftime score was knotted up 10-10.
OFFENSE: They showed signs of life this week. Consistency needs to be worked on, but this was a much better showing by the unit as a whole. Cassel spread the ball around and got his top receivers involved.
QB - Cassel looked like he was out to prove something tonight. He looked much better and was made some very solid throws. 14/19 for 125 yds and a TD isn't bad for a half of football. With Brodie Croyle out, Tyler Palko got a chance to work more. He started strong but ended the night with a pair of picks to remind everyone why he is a long shot to make this team.
RB - Solid all around. Thomas Jones started and did exactly what the Chiefs are going to ask of him. He grinds out tough yards while the defense is still fresh. He did fumble on the opening drive which led to 3 points for the Bucs. Jamaal Charles then proceeded to pump up Chiefs fans by averaging over 5 ypc and having only one carry under 4 yards. He also added 23 yards receiving on 3 catches. Dexter McCluster carried the ball once on an end-around that was sniffed out by Ronde Barber for a loss. McCluster also added a 17 yard reception. Jackie Battle took advantage of Kestahn Moore being out of the lineup and had a solid night with 59 yards or 11 carries.
WR - We have a Dwayne Bowe sighting. A few of them actually. 3 receptions for 33 yards. Bowe played strong, using his body to simply keep smaller defenders away from the ball. His hands looked much improved as well. If he can continue this into the regular season, the Chiefs may have a true offensive weapon in the passing game. Chris Chambers also had 2 receptions for 20 yards. It's a good sign that the Chiefs #1 and #2 receivers averaged over 10 yards per reception.
TE - Leonard Pope continued to play well. He's doing everything he can to keep Tony Moeaki at #2 on the depth chart. Moeaki was, again, held out for precautionary reasons. This is one of the more intense position battles on the team.
O-Line - This squad played 10 times better this week. Cassel was sacked once and pressured once but both times were due to overload blitzes. The line played great in the run game as well. It's clear that running to the right will be difficult for the Chiefs. Lilja is a pass protector and O'Callaghan just isn't quick enough for the NFL. However, the left side of the line looks phenomenal. Albert and Waters were handling people last night. Weigmann is a clear upgrade over Niswanger at center.
DEFENSE: They started strong, but seemed to lose their fire as the half approached. Coach Crennel is going to have to find a way for the rest of the unit to help out a young and talented secondary.
NT - Ron Edwards didn't play well at all. He was largely ineffective the entire night. Shaun Smith showed plenty of fire, but no control. He shot past the RB and out of the play a couple of times.
DE - Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson played pretty well overall. They didn't make plays or really rush the passer. But they chewed up blockers all night. It was rare that the Bucs didn't have to double team at least one (if not both) of them. Alex Magee needs to find some drive and become much more effective as a backup.
OLB - Tamba Hali absolutely crushed Josh Johnson. Those are the kinds of plays the Chiefs need. Getting to the QB with just a 4 man rush is the key to a successful defense. It needs to happen a lot more often for the Chiefs though. Vrabel played as expected but Andy Studebaker is quickly gaining on him by putting on solid performances. More needs to be seen from Cameron Sheffield and Corey Greenwood.
ILB - Jovan Belcher may have locked up a starting spot on the defense. He is easily the strongest LB on the team and has worked hard on his tackling technique. He was matched up with a no-show Derrick Johnson last night. Expect DJ to get another shot as the starter next week, but he will have to play better if he doesn't want Demorrio Williams to get the nod. Williams had 3 1/2 tackles, but that was largely against the scrubs. Corey Mays is most likely out of contention for a starting role.
CB - The coverage was there all night. But excellent catches and throws will make it look like Flowers and Carr were getting beat. Flowers' one mistake was trying to take the ball away from a receiver instead of making the tackle. The result was a 53 yard TD. You have to know where the safety help is. That's a young player's mistake, and Flowers is smart enough to correct it. Javier Arenas is most likely the team's #3 CB now that Leggett is likely out for a long period of time.
S - Berry looked sharp. He was making tackles and was constantly around the ball. Kendrick Lewis didn't get his name called all night, but that's what you want as a defensive back. I noticed that he was out of position on a couple of plays (including the 53 yard TD pass). He may have just taken the starting job away from John McGraw. McGraw and Rashard Langford will probably be locked in as the 2s.
SPECIAL TEAMS: This unit is almost perfect. They did everything right last night. It was easy to see why the Chiefs didn't bother bringing in any competition for Ryan Succop or Dustin Colquitt.
K - Succop is a Chiefs fan's favorite. The last pick of the 2009 draft has quickly become extremely popular. He added a pair of FGs to his preseason resume and consistently put the ball deep in the end zone on KOs.
P - Colquitt has a natural advantage being left-footed. It puts a spin on the ball that most returners don't like. Add that to the incredible power and accuracy that he has, and it's hard to imagine the Chiefs letting him go any time soon.
KR/PR - Javier Arenas about broke another one. A 54 yard KR in the 1st qtr set the Chiefs up for a TD drive. This is 2 weeks in a row that Arenas has put on a return clinic. Anyone who was surprised that McCluster wasn't named the return man just needs to watch Arenas work.
ST Defense - It speaks volumes when the other team is willing to take a safety instead of giving you a chance to block the punt. That's the kind of rep this team needs to take to the defense.
OVERALL: A couple of mistakes away from a 1st half shutout. The Chiefs definitely looked better than last year. The mental mistakes are exactly why teams play preseason games, so there isn't much to worry about there. They need to generate more pressure and I expect to see a couple of blitz packages next week. The offense needs more consistency because they have shown the ability to be dominant when things are clicking. The Chiefs look like they can be competitive with average NFL teams. Things appear to be looking better in KC.
Halftime score was knotted up 10-10.
OFFENSE: They showed signs of life this week. Consistency needs to be worked on, but this was a much better showing by the unit as a whole. Cassel spread the ball around and got his top receivers involved.
QB - Cassel looked like he was out to prove something tonight. He looked much better and was made some very solid throws. 14/19 for 125 yds and a TD isn't bad for a half of football. With Brodie Croyle out, Tyler Palko got a chance to work more. He started strong but ended the night with a pair of picks to remind everyone why he is a long shot to make this team.
RB - Solid all around. Thomas Jones started and did exactly what the Chiefs are going to ask of him. He grinds out tough yards while the defense is still fresh. He did fumble on the opening drive which led to 3 points for the Bucs. Jamaal Charles then proceeded to pump up Chiefs fans by averaging over 5 ypc and having only one carry under 4 yards. He also added 23 yards receiving on 3 catches. Dexter McCluster carried the ball once on an end-around that was sniffed out by Ronde Barber for a loss. McCluster also added a 17 yard reception. Jackie Battle took advantage of Kestahn Moore being out of the lineup and had a solid night with 59 yards or 11 carries.
WR - We have a Dwayne Bowe sighting. A few of them actually. 3 receptions for 33 yards. Bowe played strong, using his body to simply keep smaller defenders away from the ball. His hands looked much improved as well. If he can continue this into the regular season, the Chiefs may have a true offensive weapon in the passing game. Chris Chambers also had 2 receptions for 20 yards. It's a good sign that the Chiefs #1 and #2 receivers averaged over 10 yards per reception.
TE - Leonard Pope continued to play well. He's doing everything he can to keep Tony Moeaki at #2 on the depth chart. Moeaki was, again, held out for precautionary reasons. This is one of the more intense position battles on the team.
O-Line - This squad played 10 times better this week. Cassel was sacked once and pressured once but both times were due to overload blitzes. The line played great in the run game as well. It's clear that running to the right will be difficult for the Chiefs. Lilja is a pass protector and O'Callaghan just isn't quick enough for the NFL. However, the left side of the line looks phenomenal. Albert and Waters were handling people last night. Weigmann is a clear upgrade over Niswanger at center.
DEFENSE: They started strong, but seemed to lose their fire as the half approached. Coach Crennel is going to have to find a way for the rest of the unit to help out a young and talented secondary.
NT - Ron Edwards didn't play well at all. He was largely ineffective the entire night. Shaun Smith showed plenty of fire, but no control. He shot past the RB and out of the play a couple of times.
DE - Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson played pretty well overall. They didn't make plays or really rush the passer. But they chewed up blockers all night. It was rare that the Bucs didn't have to double team at least one (if not both) of them. Alex Magee needs to find some drive and become much more effective as a backup.
OLB - Tamba Hali absolutely crushed Josh Johnson. Those are the kinds of plays the Chiefs need. Getting to the QB with just a 4 man rush is the key to a successful defense. It needs to happen a lot more often for the Chiefs though. Vrabel played as expected but Andy Studebaker is quickly gaining on him by putting on solid performances. More needs to be seen from Cameron Sheffield and Corey Greenwood.
ILB - Jovan Belcher may have locked up a starting spot on the defense. He is easily the strongest LB on the team and has worked hard on his tackling technique. He was matched up with a no-show Derrick Johnson last night. Expect DJ to get another shot as the starter next week, but he will have to play better if he doesn't want Demorrio Williams to get the nod. Williams had 3 1/2 tackles, but that was largely against the scrubs. Corey Mays is most likely out of contention for a starting role.
CB - The coverage was there all night. But excellent catches and throws will make it look like Flowers and Carr were getting beat. Flowers' one mistake was trying to take the ball away from a receiver instead of making the tackle. The result was a 53 yard TD. You have to know where the safety help is. That's a young player's mistake, and Flowers is smart enough to correct it. Javier Arenas is most likely the team's #3 CB now that Leggett is likely out for a long period of time.
S - Berry looked sharp. He was making tackles and was constantly around the ball. Kendrick Lewis didn't get his name called all night, but that's what you want as a defensive back. I noticed that he was out of position on a couple of plays (including the 53 yard TD pass). He may have just taken the starting job away from John McGraw. McGraw and Rashard Langford will probably be locked in as the 2s.
SPECIAL TEAMS: This unit is almost perfect. They did everything right last night. It was easy to see why the Chiefs didn't bother bringing in any competition for Ryan Succop or Dustin Colquitt.
K - Succop is a Chiefs fan's favorite. The last pick of the 2009 draft has quickly become extremely popular. He added a pair of FGs to his preseason resume and consistently put the ball deep in the end zone on KOs.
P - Colquitt has a natural advantage being left-footed. It puts a spin on the ball that most returners don't like. Add that to the incredible power and accuracy that he has, and it's hard to imagine the Chiefs letting him go any time soon.
KR/PR - Javier Arenas about broke another one. A 54 yard KR in the 1st qtr set the Chiefs up for a TD drive. This is 2 weeks in a row that Arenas has put on a return clinic. Anyone who was surprised that McCluster wasn't named the return man just needs to watch Arenas work.
ST Defense - It speaks volumes when the other team is willing to take a safety instead of giving you a chance to block the punt. That's the kind of rep this team needs to take to the defense.
OVERALL: A couple of mistakes away from a 1st half shutout. The Chiefs definitely looked better than last year. The mental mistakes are exactly why teams play preseason games, so there isn't much to worry about there. They need to generate more pressure and I expect to see a couple of blitz packages next week. The offense needs more consistency because they have shown the ability to be dominant when things are clicking. The Chiefs look like they can be competitive with average NFL teams. Things appear to be looking better in KC.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Preseason Week 1 Observations
Sure it's only Week 1 of the preseason, but that doesn't mean there aren't observations to be made. Here's a quick breakdown of what I saw from the AFC West this past weekend.
Note: I didn't get to watch much of the Oakland game, but I did catch most of the 1st half which is what I use to gauge performances this early in the season.
Denver: 24-33 L to Cincinnati -- The Good: Kyle Orton put on a passing clinic against a pretty good Bengals secondary. The short and mid range passing game was especially impressive. The Bad: Outside of Champ Bailey, Akin Ayodele, and Mario Hagan, the defense showed some holes. There is a noticeable presence missing at OLB where Robert Ayers simply is not Elvis Dumervil. The Ugly: If you take away all the positive and negative hype over Tebow and simply address his performance, he didn't play poorly. He made some solid passes and moved well. But he also made some mistakes, as all rookies do. The Tebow faithful will point out that he had a couple of nice passes dropped by receivers, one of which was a TD pass. The Tebow haters will point out that he had a couple of bad passes dropped by defenders. Both sides are right. He stood tall in the pocket and showed composure, but he also held on to the ball to long and didn't feel the pressure very well. He ran the ball well and scored his first rushing TD of his career, but he certainly learned that it's not like running over some undersized FIU linebacker. Guys in the NFL can hit.
Kansas City: 20-10 L to Atlanta -- The Good: The backfield was impressive. Jamaal Charles, Dexter McCluster, Kestahn Moore, and Javarris Williams all had good nights both rushing and receiving. The Bad: Kansas City's obvious inability to stretch the field is going to be a sore spot this year. Cassel simply doesn't have the arm strength to be an elite passer, Croyle belongs in a china shop, and Palko is officially on my hit list. The Ugly: The Chief defense was up and down. The opening drive was ugly but only resulted in a FG. The rest of the first half was a shut out as the D seemed to wake up and realize that it was football season. The backups didn't look very impressive which means this team will probably struggle late in the game as they did last year.
Oakland: 17-9 W over Dallas -- The Good: The defense is definitely the strength of this team. That is what will keep the Raiders competitive as the season goes on. The Bad: The o-line can still be confused with a revolving door. They have to buy Campbell some time and open running lanes for the backs if this offense wants to see any success. The Ugly: Campbell showed that he very well could be a leader for this team. He needs to get his receivers on the same page as him, but there is definitely some progress being made.
San Diego: 25-10 W over Chicago -- The Good: Rivers. There really isn't anything else that needs to be said about this team. This is his team and they will succeed or fail with him. If this game was any indication, then the Chargers have moved on from McNeil and Jackson. The Bad: The 1st and 2nd team defenses struggled a little. There looks to be some improvement on defense but there remains a question as to whether or not it's enough to help this team in the playoffs. The Ugly: Ryan Mathews is going to be a necessity for this team to win in the postseason. He looked strong with some decent runs against a (traditionally) tough defense. But he also showed a lot of impatience and nervousness, although that is to be expected from a rookie who is being called upon as a workhorse starting RB.
Note: I didn't get to watch much of the Oakland game, but I did catch most of the 1st half which is what I use to gauge performances this early in the season.
Denver: 24-33 L to Cincinnati -- The Good: Kyle Orton put on a passing clinic against a pretty good Bengals secondary. The short and mid range passing game was especially impressive. The Bad: Outside of Champ Bailey, Akin Ayodele, and Mario Hagan, the defense showed some holes. There is a noticeable presence missing at OLB where Robert Ayers simply is not Elvis Dumervil. The Ugly: If you take away all the positive and negative hype over Tebow and simply address his performance, he didn't play poorly. He made some solid passes and moved well. But he also made some mistakes, as all rookies do. The Tebow faithful will point out that he had a couple of nice passes dropped by receivers, one of which was a TD pass. The Tebow haters will point out that he had a couple of bad passes dropped by defenders. Both sides are right. He stood tall in the pocket and showed composure, but he also held on to the ball to long and didn't feel the pressure very well. He ran the ball well and scored his first rushing TD of his career, but he certainly learned that it's not like running over some undersized FIU linebacker. Guys in the NFL can hit.
Kansas City: 20-10 L to Atlanta -- The Good: The backfield was impressive. Jamaal Charles, Dexter McCluster, Kestahn Moore, and Javarris Williams all had good nights both rushing and receiving. The Bad: Kansas City's obvious inability to stretch the field is going to be a sore spot this year. Cassel simply doesn't have the arm strength to be an elite passer, Croyle belongs in a china shop, and Palko is officially on my hit list. The Ugly: The Chief defense was up and down. The opening drive was ugly but only resulted in a FG. The rest of the first half was a shut out as the D seemed to wake up and realize that it was football season. The backups didn't look very impressive which means this team will probably struggle late in the game as they did last year.
Oakland: 17-9 W over Dallas -- The Good: The defense is definitely the strength of this team. That is what will keep the Raiders competitive as the season goes on. The Bad: The o-line can still be confused with a revolving door. They have to buy Campbell some time and open running lanes for the backs if this offense wants to see any success. The Ugly: Campbell showed that he very well could be a leader for this team. He needs to get his receivers on the same page as him, but there is definitely some progress being made.
San Diego: 25-10 W over Chicago -- The Good: Rivers. There really isn't anything else that needs to be said about this team. This is his team and they will succeed or fail with him. If this game was any indication, then the Chargers have moved on from McNeil and Jackson. The Bad: The 1st and 2nd team defenses struggled a little. There looks to be some improvement on defense but there remains a question as to whether or not it's enough to help this team in the playoffs. The Ugly: Ryan Mathews is going to be a necessity for this team to win in the postseason. He looked strong with some decent runs against a (traditionally) tough defense. But he also showed a lot of impatience and nervousness, although that is to be expected from a rookie who is being called upon as a workhorse starting RB.
Monday, August 16, 2010
TAKE IT FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH
It's just a preseason game. The first one to be more accurate. Teams aren't playing at full strength. If anything, it's just a glorified practice. Usually what we see in these mid-August games is not necessarily a vision into what the September-January games will bring.
So the Chargers beat the Bears 25-10 in the preseason opener at Qualcomm. Big woop. It's meaningless... right? Well, you could say this victory is as significant as Oakland's 17-9 win over Dallas... or Denver's 33-24 loss to Cincy... or KC's 20-10 loss to Atlanta. All four contests had the same impact on the race for the division: Nothing. By this time next week things could flip-flop... The Bolts could have a poor showing against the Cowboys. The Raiders could get manhandled by the Bears. The Chiefs could bury the Bucs. Or Tebow could throw for 200 yards and 2 TD's against the Lions.
My point is, you take what you get in these preseason games. Don't read into too much. Take it for face value. Learn and adjust.
With that in mind, here are some of my humble thoughts from the Chargers game this weekend:
1. Ryan Mathews needs to slow down and be patient.
It's understandable that he is excited and his mind is racing at light speed. But he can't keep running into his blockers. What most people saw in him was his burst, balance and strength. He ran over Lance Briggs and bounced Urlacher to the turf. BUT - the confrontation with Briggs could have been avoided if he would have let Kris Dielman do his job. The rookie RB ran into Dielman and knocked his lead blocker out of the play. However, I'm sure if that were LT in there, Dielman would have been credited for the tackle... LOL. I'm not going to say the Chargers running game is better... but the signs are certainly encouraging.
2. Rivers looks like he is in mid-season form.
His passes were crisp. His ability to look off the safety was effective. And to the critics who say his receivers make him look better: Watch the video on that TD pass to Legedu Naanee... Rivers looked to one side of the field to draw the safety over, pumped to sell it even more and then came back to the other side and arced a tight spiral over Legedu's shoulder. Pretty. Very pretty.
3. The Defense looks like it is playing with a chip on its shoulder.
There has been a lot of criticism about the strength of the defensive line. Many (including myself) have said the line is the defense's weakest link. Against Chicago the D-line played well. They stuffed the line of scrimmage and the Bears only gained 28 yards on the ground in the first half... and that's with Lovie Smith keeping his 1rst string offensive line in the game until halftime. There was adequate pressure on the QB as well. Although, most of that was dialed up by some creative blitz scheme's employed by Ron Rivera. Most of the blitz packages involved a DB off the corner. The defense tallied 6 sacks and the Bears could barely muster anything with their running game. Again, I caution my optimism here... It's encouraging, but we need to see consistent play on the D-line before we can make a valid argument for their improvement.
4. Missing: Marcus McNeill and Vincent Jackson?
The issue of the holdouts was supposed to be a cloud hanging over the team going into this game. How would they respond? Would it be a distraction? Well, McNeill's replacement, Brandyn Dombrowski, showed why AJ Smith has faith in him. Dombrowski never allowed Julius Peppers to get even a whiff of Rivers' after-shave. And the two WR's expected to pick up the slack for VJ made a couple of great plays as well. Buster Davis caught a Rivers pass on 3rd and long for 22 yards and Legedu Naanee had the TD reception. The first string offense didn't miss a beat. If these guys can prove their respective performances against the Bears were no fluke, then both Marcus and Vincent could become distant memories in the minds of the fans and, unfortunately for them, AJ Smith.
5. Penalties a plenty, but no big deal.
There were several sloppy moments and a few brain farts but that can be expected. If the only blemish on the evening were a handful of false starts and holding penalties then I'll take it. And besides, the offense was still able to dig it's way out of the holes the penalties created. No harm, no... foul? Well, these things should get resolved before the start of the season and unfortunately penalties are a part of the game and nearly impossible to avoid. Just try not to make it a habit of committing 10-12 a game!
6. Big injuries avoided.
The team was fortunate enough not to suffer any major injuries. One game down, 3 more to go. Let's hope they continue to stay healthy.
So those are my early thoughts on the 2010 San Diego Chargers. Just like the preseason game itself, take them for what they are worth. I'm heading out on vacation this Friday for 9 days in Glacier National Park. Which means I will miss the next TWO preseason games... oh well. At least it's not the regular season.
Take care folks.
(photo courtesy of Chargers.com)
Friday, August 13, 2010
Falcons 20 Chiefs 10 Immediate reactions
Final score doesn't really mean much in preseason games. Especially true when almost all the points come in the second half.
Halftime score had KC and Atlanta deadlocked at 3.
KC's 1st team defense looks much better. They gave up a long opening drive but seemed to settle down and held Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense to virtually nothing. Plenty of pressure from the front 7, didn't result in any sacks or turnovers, but 3 sack opportunities resulted in an intentional grounding call, a false start (barely early and too bad because Dorsey would've killed Ryan), and a pass stopped in the backfield. Michael Turner was able to grab a couple decent runs on the opening drive, but KC's run defense tightened up and limited any further production. A couple of decent gains by Tony Gonzalez were also key for the Falcons.
Brian Waters (and his backup Darryl Harris) was out for this game and it definitely showed. Thomas Jones was only able to grab 2 yards on 2 carries. However, Jamaal Charles picked up 37 on 4 carries while Dexter McCluster grabbed 25 on 5 carries. There have been questions asked about McCluster's ability to take an NFL hit. He took several today and bounced right back up after each one. He even tucked his head and ran straight at a couple linemen on one play. Kestahn Moore flashed some ability on a couple of plays, but he also had a couple of mental errors that show why he's destined to be #3 on the depth chart. There is a problem at RT as Ryan O'Callahan appeared to be a liability against speed rushers.
The passing game wasn't really shown today. Mostly short to mid range passes and not much stretching the field, which is to be expected with Matt Cassel. Brodie Croyle came in and looked sharp early but seemed to fall apart with his later snaps. Tyler Palko has already been summed up by Charlie Weiss: "You're 0 for August, Palko!"
Dustin Colquitt looked to pick up where he left off from last year as one of the better punters in the league. Ryan Succop went 1-3 but both misses were from 53. The first one hit the upright (about 9/10 of the way up) while the second flared outside at the last second. Both would have had the distance from another 10 yards away easily. Javier Arenas got a chance to show off his skills with a great 42 yard kickoff return, and sold a fake fair catch well enough to catch the defenders queued in on him instead of the ball (rolled into the endzone for a touchback).
The questions after tonight's game are:
1. Will KC's defense play like it did on the opening drive or like it did on the following drives against the 1st and 2nd team offenses?
2. Was tonight's o-line failure because Brian Waters was out, or is there a bigger problem?
3. Will KC be able to stretch the field with Cassel at the helm?
4. Do the Chiefs have enough depth to be competitive with middle of the pack teams?
Halftime score had KC and Atlanta deadlocked at 3.
KC's 1st team defense looks much better. They gave up a long opening drive but seemed to settle down and held Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense to virtually nothing. Plenty of pressure from the front 7, didn't result in any sacks or turnovers, but 3 sack opportunities resulted in an intentional grounding call, a false start (barely early and too bad because Dorsey would've killed Ryan), and a pass stopped in the backfield. Michael Turner was able to grab a couple decent runs on the opening drive, but KC's run defense tightened up and limited any further production. A couple of decent gains by Tony Gonzalez were also key for the Falcons.
Brian Waters (and his backup Darryl Harris) was out for this game and it definitely showed. Thomas Jones was only able to grab 2 yards on 2 carries. However, Jamaal Charles picked up 37 on 4 carries while Dexter McCluster grabbed 25 on 5 carries. There have been questions asked about McCluster's ability to take an NFL hit. He took several today and bounced right back up after each one. He even tucked his head and ran straight at a couple linemen on one play. Kestahn Moore flashed some ability on a couple of plays, but he also had a couple of mental errors that show why he's destined to be #3 on the depth chart. There is a problem at RT as Ryan O'Callahan appeared to be a liability against speed rushers.
The passing game wasn't really shown today. Mostly short to mid range passes and not much stretching the field, which is to be expected with Matt Cassel. Brodie Croyle came in and looked sharp early but seemed to fall apart with his later snaps. Tyler Palko has already been summed up by Charlie Weiss: "You're 0 for August, Palko!"
Dustin Colquitt looked to pick up where he left off from last year as one of the better punters in the league. Ryan Succop went 1-3 but both misses were from 53. The first one hit the upright (about 9/10 of the way up) while the second flared outside at the last second. Both would have had the distance from another 10 yards away easily. Javier Arenas got a chance to show off his skills with a great 42 yard kickoff return, and sold a fake fair catch well enough to catch the defenders queued in on him instead of the ball (rolled into the endzone for a touchback).
The questions after tonight's game are:
1. Will KC's defense play like it did on the opening drive or like it did on the following drives against the 1st and 2nd team offenses?
2. Was tonight's o-line failure because Brian Waters was out, or is there a bigger problem?
3. Will KC be able to stretch the field with Cassel at the helm?
4. Do the Chiefs have enough depth to be competitive with middle of the pack teams?
Thursday, August 12, 2010
OAKLAND 17 DALLAS 9 PRE-SEASONS HERE !!!
L. HOUSTON ( THE NASTY) INTRODUCED HIMSELF WITH TWO SACKS , M SHAUGGHNESSY PLAYED COPYCAT WITH TWO SACKS HIMSELF ! C. COOPER ALSO HAD ONE SACK ! GREAT JOB D-LINE J. BOYD 1 PICK 48 YDS TOO THE HOUSE TD !S. BROWN HAD ONE PICK AS WELL ! SOLID OUTING SECONDARY ! CAMPBELL WAS CONSERVATIVE IN HIS DEBUT , HOWEVER BOLLER FOUND N. MILLER IN THE END ZONE FOR A RED ZONE TD ! BUSH SOLID 7-31 , BENNET 12-68 (OLD GUY SCHOOLED THE YOUNGSTERS!) SEABASS ADDED THREE ! SOLID START FOR THE SILVER AND BLACK ! EVEN THOUGH ITS ONLY PRE-SEASON IT WAS AWESOME TOO HERE OAKLAND THREW A TD IN THE RED ZONE!!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Fantasy Update
Okay guys so I edited the schedule so that everyone has the same number of bye weeks and have set the draft for this Saturday, Aug 14th, at 12:30PM. Let me know if there is any problem or any settings with rosters or schedules that I should change. Sorry it took so long!
Second Fantasy League
Hey AFC West Fans! I have a second fantasy league started over on Yahoo and need to fill some spots. It's a 2 division, 12 team league. If you are interested in joining this league, please let me know and I will send you the invite! I won't be able to add everyone, so the remaining spots will be given in order of who contacts me first: nick@nickmikesell.com - Thanks!
Oh, and just to let you guys know, someone reported me over on the ESPN boards and I got banned. Why they would report ME, I don't know? I'm one of the nicest guys cruising around that place! ;-)
I have my suspicions about who could be responsible... He's a coward and a punk for not confronting me like a man and instead choosing to resort to a low and cowardly move... I know this boy has been frustrated because I've been tearing him a new one each time he tries to whine about the Chargers. What a wimp.
At any rate, until my ban is lifted from ESPN, I hope you all will represent me well!
Ciao,
Dino
Oh, and just to let you guys know, someone reported me over on the ESPN boards and I got banned. Why they would report ME, I don't know? I'm one of the nicest guys cruising around that place! ;-)
I have my suspicions about who could be responsible... He's a coward and a punk for not confronting me like a man and instead choosing to resort to a low and cowardly move... I know this boy has been frustrated because I've been tearing him a new one each time he tries to whine about the Chargers. What a wimp.
At any rate, until my ban is lifted from ESPN, I hope you all will represent me well!
Ciao,
Dino
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
PROMOTING THE BLOG
Hey there my fellow AFC West Fans! Can you guys see that? Yup, the 2010 NFL Season is pretty much here and we need to get this blog ROLLING! But I can't do it by myself. I've been inviting people to come join the party but I need your help! I would love to build up a good following on this blog. So please invite your friends, your family, your co-workers, the Starbucks lady who takes your order in the morning, the guy who delivers your FedEx packages and hangs around for 10 minutes to discuss all the Chargers' holdouts (yes, our FedEx guy does this with me) or please feel free to invite anyone you meet who likes football! I know we all hang out at the ESPN AFC West blog... Invite some of the guys from there to come and check us out here. Also, I know some of you frequent other message boards such as Arrowhead Pride. Feel free to invite the peeps on those boards to come on over and tell us why our teams suck and their team is better!
Thanks, my friends!!! And... GO CHARGERS!!!
(Photo of Charger Girls above from my Saturday Trip to the Annual Chargers Fan Fest... more to come from that!!!)
AFC West Predictions
I'm basing off my predictions from the schedules.
Chargers: 12-4 (13-3/11-5). I think the drop off from losing VJ and McNeill will be balanced out by a younger RB and improved running game. Not to mention that Hardwick is fully back from injury. As for the defense, it is the same unit that played and contributed to finishing off the season on a 11 game winning streak. Defense does not need to be great, just need to make key stops and that they have proven they can do.
Win: @KC, JAX, @SEA, AZ, @STL, NE, TEN, DEN, OAK, KC, SF, @DEN
Lose: @OAK, @HOU, @IND, @CIN
Raiders: 8-8 (10-6/6-10). Definitely an adequate QB is already an improvement from JRuss at the helm. A more than adequate QB like Campbell, then means at least three more wins and that's where I'm putting them. Of course it's not all credited to Campbell of course, with an improved DLine the Raiders won't simply get runned on like last year. I have my spread on a peak of 10-6 and Raiders even making the Wildcard slot, but this all in lies with how well their skill players play. Mike Bush we all know can bang but can he do it with 15+ carries a game? Will DMac finally show up, because he's only had one good game his whole career. And will the young, talented, but inexperienced WRs play enough to keep the chains moving?
Win: STL, @AZ, SD, @DEN, SEA, KC, @JAX, DEN
Lose: @TEN, HOU, @SF, @PITT, MIA, @SD, @IND, @KC
Chiefs: 7-9 (8-8/6-10). Definitely a way better offense than last year. With the bruiser RB that they were missing since prime LJ added to the squad and some veteran pros added to the OLine, this squad will definitely be able to light up a scoreboard. But this was not their problem last year, it was the DLine and frankly they did not really do anything to fix this. They are banking on two former first rounders to live up to the potential that they saw but I don't see it. They might play better than last year, but not good enough to get too far. Eric Berry is a stud safety though for sure, but he doesn't play DLine.
Win: @CLE, SF, BUF, AZ, @SEA, DEN, @STL
Lose: SD, @IND, @HOU, JAX, @OAK, @DEN, @SD, TEN, @OAK
Broncos: 4-12 (6-10/2-14). If it wasn't for the Doom injury and Clady not being ready for the season then I would definitely have Broncos up there vying for second place in the AFC West, but it seems like the football gods went on and hurt the Broncos this offseason. Not only that but their top two receiving options are gone and their passing offense has pretty much become the bottom dweller of the division. With nagging injuries to their drafted WRs and top two RBs, this team might end up with the number one pick next year. Looking at the schedule, I doubt they can pull another 6-0 start this season.
Win: SEA, KC, STL, @AZ
Lose: @JAX, @IND, @TEN, @BAL, NYJ, OAK, @SF, @SD, @KC, @OAK, HOU, SD
Chargers: 12-4 (13-3/11-5). I think the drop off from losing VJ and McNeill will be balanced out by a younger RB and improved running game. Not to mention that Hardwick is fully back from injury. As for the defense, it is the same unit that played and contributed to finishing off the season on a 11 game winning streak. Defense does not need to be great, just need to make key stops and that they have proven they can do.
Win: @KC, JAX, @SEA, AZ, @STL, NE, TEN, DEN, OAK, KC, SF, @DEN
Lose: @OAK, @HOU, @IND, @CIN
Raiders: 8-8 (10-6/6-10). Definitely an adequate QB is already an improvement from JRuss at the helm. A more than adequate QB like Campbell, then means at least three more wins and that's where I'm putting them. Of course it's not all credited to Campbell of course, with an improved DLine the Raiders won't simply get runned on like last year. I have my spread on a peak of 10-6 and Raiders even making the Wildcard slot, but this all in lies with how well their skill players play. Mike Bush we all know can bang but can he do it with 15+ carries a game? Will DMac finally show up, because he's only had one good game his whole career. And will the young, talented, but inexperienced WRs play enough to keep the chains moving?
Win: STL, @AZ, SD, @DEN, SEA, KC, @JAX, DEN
Lose: @TEN, HOU, @SF, @PITT, MIA, @SD, @IND, @KC
Chiefs: 7-9 (8-8/6-10). Definitely a way better offense than last year. With the bruiser RB that they were missing since prime LJ added to the squad and some veteran pros added to the OLine, this squad will definitely be able to light up a scoreboard. But this was not their problem last year, it was the DLine and frankly they did not really do anything to fix this. They are banking on two former first rounders to live up to the potential that they saw but I don't see it. They might play better than last year, but not good enough to get too far. Eric Berry is a stud safety though for sure, but he doesn't play DLine.
Win: @CLE, SF, BUF, AZ, @SEA, DEN, @STL
Lose: SD, @IND, @HOU, JAX, @OAK, @DEN, @SD, TEN, @OAK
Broncos: 4-12 (6-10/2-14). If it wasn't for the Doom injury and Clady not being ready for the season then I would definitely have Broncos up there vying for second place in the AFC West, but it seems like the football gods went on and hurt the Broncos this offseason. Not only that but their top two receiving options are gone and their passing offense has pretty much become the bottom dweller of the division. With nagging injuries to their drafted WRs and top two RBs, this team might end up with the number one pick next year. Looking at the schedule, I doubt they can pull another 6-0 start this season.
Win: SEA, KC, STL, @AZ
Lose: @JAX, @IND, @TEN, @BAL, NYJ, OAK, @SF, @SD, @KC, @OAK, HOU, SD
Monday, August 9, 2010
WHAT I SEE !
I SEE THE BOLTS GOING 9-7 , I SEE OAKLAND GOING 8-8 (MAYBE 9-7) I SEE THE CHEIFS GOING 8-8 (7-9) I SEE THE BRONCOS HOLDING UP THE REAR AT 6-10(5-11) , I MAY HAVE SEEN DEAD PEOPLE , AND SAW UFOS IN AZ AND CA . ! MY POINT IS THESE ARE JUST PREDICTIONS , HOWEVER S.D. HOLDOUT AND QUESTIONABLE D- PARLAID WITH OAK AND KC STEPPING UP COULD SURRENDER FIRST PLACE THIS YEAR !WITH KC - DRAFT COACHING AND CONTINUITY ON O- WILL WIN THEM SOME GAMES ! OAKLAND- DRAFT AND FA (CAMPBELL) I BELEIVE WILL AUTOMATICLY UPGRADE QB , DT/DE LB , AND OL WILL SHOW INSTANT IMPROVEMENT ALTHOUGH WE ARE A DRAFT AND FA OR TWO FROM SERIOUS CONTENTION ! BUT HAVE FAITH OAKLAND THE WINDS HAVE CHANGED ITS TIME TOO CLIMB BACK ON TOP ! I CLOSE WITH THIS OPENING DAY TENN -13 OAK-20 ON THE LEG OF SEABASS! PEACE ALL!
Let's Get This Blog Active
So with my Preseason Predictions on the board, I've decided that I'm going to follow up on it. I'll provide an updated prediction post before the season opener with more to follow in Week 4, Week 8, Week 12, and Week 16. I'll top it off with a Week 17 look back at what I got right and wrong. So I'll either be gloating with the theme from Rocky in the background, or I'll be trying to pry my foot out of my mouth.
With that said, I'd like to suggest that a few of you guys take on your own regular columns. I think each team should have it's own preview/recap guy (and they can work it out between them in the division games). Also, I'd like to see somebody rank positions or coaches or teams pretty regularly. And finally, a recap on the past week's fantasy football could be pretty entertaining (I like the idea of somebody talking about each of us as though we had something to do with what happened on the field).
Throw out some other ideas if you've got them. I figure it's a good way to really generate some good arguments/discussions. I think we've done a pretty good job of assembling some pretty knowledgeable and passionate fans so far. I'd really like to see what some of you guys can come up with. I usually enjoy the posts and comments that we're putting up.
With that said, I'd like to suggest that a few of you guys take on your own regular columns. I think each team should have it's own preview/recap guy (and they can work it out between them in the division games). Also, I'd like to see somebody rank positions or coaches or teams pretty regularly. And finally, a recap on the past week's fantasy football could be pretty entertaining (I like the idea of somebody talking about each of us as though we had something to do with what happened on the field).
Throw out some other ideas if you've got them. I figure it's a good way to really generate some good arguments/discussions. I think we've done a pretty good job of assembling some pretty knowledgeable and passionate fans so far. I'd really like to see what some of you guys can come up with. I usually enjoy the posts and comments that we're putting up.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Preseason Predictions
So I'm going to get this started. With the HOF Game this weekend, we need to get the preseason predictions on the board so we can see just how right or wrong we all were in February. I'll give my predictions and a spread in parenthesis, and then explain the reasoning.
San Diego Chargers: 10-6 (11-5/9-7) AFC West Champions (lose in first round of the playoffs) - The Good: This is still a team led by Phillip Rivers and Antonio Gates. They have solid talent and leadership on offense and should remain the class of the division. The Bad: There doesn't appear to be a significant improvement of talent on defense. And there is now a gaping hole at LT where the team was once very solid. The Ugly: The contract disputes going on in SD could be a serious cause of concern. Replacements have been named but are not of the same caliber as the players they are replacing. This team will also need solid production from rookies Ryan Mathews and Cam Thomas.
Oakland Raiders: 8-8 (9-7/7-9) 2nd Place AFC West (miss the playoffs) - The Good: For the first time in a while the Raiders have had a good offseason. Adding a serviceable QB and DT in free agency makes them stronger on either side of the ball. Drafting Rolando McClain may be the beginning of a truly effective defensive unit. The Bad: Though the Raiders drafted a pair of linemen in the draft, they did nothing to address their immediate concerns. Jason Campbell will need time if he is to be an effective leader on this team. There are also some holes in the secondary that could haunt the Raiders. They will need a solid pass rush if they want their DBs (besides Nnamdi) to be effective. The Ugly: The RBs on this team need to show up and prove something this year. Michael Bush needs to prove that he can be an every down back while Darren McFadden just needs to prove he even has a pulse. If they can't run the ball, this team won't be able to make any significant strides.
Kansas City Chiefs: 8-8 (7-9/9-7) 3rd Place AFC West (miss the playoffs) - The Good: The Chiefs have had a great offseason. Adding veterans and a rookie to the line should help both immediately and long term. Adding Thomas Jones will help preserve Jamaal Charles and provide a two-headed attack that teams will struggle to defend. Eric Berry is a key addition on defense as he could contend with McClain for DROY. The Bad: The defense is almost the exact same as it was last season. There was no true upgrade in talent at NT, ILB, or S. The middle of the field appears to be the weakness of this defensive unit. There is also very little depth at WR. 5 of the Chiefs 7 draft picks figure to start or see significant playing time this season. The Ugly: Matt Cassel has to prove that he was worth the money. There are no excuses this year. Coach Haley is banking on a lot of self improvement from players such as Dwayne Bowe, Derrick Johnson, Ron Edwards, Tyson Jackson, and Glenn Dorsey. There are also high expectations for rookies Eric Berry, Kendrick Lewis, Dexter McCluster, Javier Arenas, and Tony Moeaki. If this team wants to improve, they will have to find a fire that has not existed in KC (outside of the BBQ pits) since Dick Vermeil left.
Denver Broncos: 5-11 (6-10/4-12) 4th Place AFC West (miss the playoffs) - The Good: Denver's roster features some marquee names that provide both talent and leadership. Josh McDaniels has a vision for this team and is surrounding himself with the players he wants. The Bad: It seems that if you are a leader or talented player on this roster, you are going to get hurt. The current injured list includes Elvis Dumervil, Knowshon Moreno, Correll Buckhalter, Chris Kuper, Ryan Clady, and (rumored) Lendale White. This is not a good situation for the Broncos to have facing them as they look to rebuild. There also doesn't appear to be any significant improvement to a defense that fell apart in the second half of last season. And serious questions remain about the talent at WR. The Ugly: The Broncos are in makeover status so an immediate improvement wasn't expected. Their success will probably revolve around the injured players. How fast they recover and whether or not the play at the same level as before the injuries will be key. McDaniels also made a couple of possible career depending decisions on draft day. He did a lot of moving to get what many felt were reaches with Demaryius Thomas and Tim Tebow. At least one of them will have to see early success if McDaniels doesn't want to be written off by a majority of the media and NFL fans. There will be some obvious questions now at RB with (possibly) three players injured and the Broncos having jettisoned three others. The other major question is at QB. Clearly McDaniels doesn't feel that Kyle Orton is the right guy for the job. There is no other explanation for grabbing Brady Quinn in free agency and then drafting Tim Tebow in the first round.
San Diego Chargers: 10-6 (11-5/9-7) AFC West Champions (lose in first round of the playoffs) - The Good: This is still a team led by Phillip Rivers and Antonio Gates. They have solid talent and leadership on offense and should remain the class of the division. The Bad: There doesn't appear to be a significant improvement of talent on defense. And there is now a gaping hole at LT where the team was once very solid. The Ugly: The contract disputes going on in SD could be a serious cause of concern. Replacements have been named but are not of the same caliber as the players they are replacing. This team will also need solid production from rookies Ryan Mathews and Cam Thomas.
Oakland Raiders: 8-8 (9-7/7-9) 2nd Place AFC West (miss the playoffs) - The Good: For the first time in a while the Raiders have had a good offseason. Adding a serviceable QB and DT in free agency makes them stronger on either side of the ball. Drafting Rolando McClain may be the beginning of a truly effective defensive unit. The Bad: Though the Raiders drafted a pair of linemen in the draft, they did nothing to address their immediate concerns. Jason Campbell will need time if he is to be an effective leader on this team. There are also some holes in the secondary that could haunt the Raiders. They will need a solid pass rush if they want their DBs (besides Nnamdi) to be effective. The Ugly: The RBs on this team need to show up and prove something this year. Michael Bush needs to prove that he can be an every down back while Darren McFadden just needs to prove he even has a pulse. If they can't run the ball, this team won't be able to make any significant strides.
Kansas City Chiefs: 8-8 (7-9/9-7) 3rd Place AFC West (miss the playoffs) - The Good: The Chiefs have had a great offseason. Adding veterans and a rookie to the line should help both immediately and long term. Adding Thomas Jones will help preserve Jamaal Charles and provide a two-headed attack that teams will struggle to defend. Eric Berry is a key addition on defense as he could contend with McClain for DROY. The Bad: The defense is almost the exact same as it was last season. There was no true upgrade in talent at NT, ILB, or S. The middle of the field appears to be the weakness of this defensive unit. There is also very little depth at WR. 5 of the Chiefs 7 draft picks figure to start or see significant playing time this season. The Ugly: Matt Cassel has to prove that he was worth the money. There are no excuses this year. Coach Haley is banking on a lot of self improvement from players such as Dwayne Bowe, Derrick Johnson, Ron Edwards, Tyson Jackson, and Glenn Dorsey. There are also high expectations for rookies Eric Berry, Kendrick Lewis, Dexter McCluster, Javier Arenas, and Tony Moeaki. If this team wants to improve, they will have to find a fire that has not existed in KC (outside of the BBQ pits) since Dick Vermeil left.
Denver Broncos: 5-11 (6-10/4-12) 4th Place AFC West (miss the playoffs) - The Good: Denver's roster features some marquee names that provide both talent and leadership. Josh McDaniels has a vision for this team and is surrounding himself with the players he wants. The Bad: It seems that if you are a leader or talented player on this roster, you are going to get hurt. The current injured list includes Elvis Dumervil, Knowshon Moreno, Correll Buckhalter, Chris Kuper, Ryan Clady, and (rumored) Lendale White. This is not a good situation for the Broncos to have facing them as they look to rebuild. There also doesn't appear to be any significant improvement to a defense that fell apart in the second half of last season. And serious questions remain about the talent at WR. The Ugly: The Broncos are in makeover status so an immediate improvement wasn't expected. Their success will probably revolve around the injured players. How fast they recover and whether or not the play at the same level as before the injuries will be key. McDaniels also made a couple of possible career depending decisions on draft day. He did a lot of moving to get what many felt were reaches with Demaryius Thomas and Tim Tebow. At least one of them will have to see early success if McDaniels doesn't want to be written off by a majority of the media and NFL fans. There will be some obvious questions now at RB with (possibly) three players injured and the Broncos having jettisoned three others. The other major question is at QB. Clearly McDaniels doesn't feel that Kyle Orton is the right guy for the job. There is no other explanation for grabbing Brady Quinn in free agency and then drafting Tim Tebow in the first round.
Jarad Page Situation Goes South
Any hope of Jarad Page returning to the Chiefs this season probably just walked right out the door. On Friday, Page's agent (and brother) released a statement to the Kansas City area media.
Things have gotten bad with this situation. Page has moved out of his Kansas City area home and returned to his native Los Angeles.
The Chiefs may have their hands tied now. It's hard to imagine they can hold on to Page, who has the option of signing his tender at his discretion. And it is doubtful that they can get value for him in a trade now that teams will know that he won't be suiting up for the Chiefs. It would appear that Pioli's tough stance in player contracts will come back to bite him in this case. Page has received open interest from the Detroit Lions, and it is hard to imagine that teams such as the Raiders, Rams, or Chargers wouldn't be interested in a veteran safety with his ability.
It appears that the situation will run a similar course as that of Bernard Pollard's last season. Pollard didn't fit into the Pioli/Haley plan and was cut from the roster. He was immediately acquired by the Houston Texans and was one of the key performers for the team and was arguably among the top 10 safeties in the league. There will be a lot of bad press for the Chiefs if a similar outcome were to happen with Jarad Page.
Another outcome of this situation will be the hole it leaves opposite Eric Berry. The Chiefs are apparently ready to go ahead with a rotation of Kendrick Lewis and John McGraw. Lewis and McGraw bring similar skill sets with Lewis having the edge in terms of athleticism and McGraw having an edge in terms of football knowledge. Many of the KC faithful are excited about Lewis whose only drawback appears to be his speed (similar situation with McGraw). However, there are a lot of reservations about starting two rookies in a secondary that already features two young starting cornerbacks (The Brandons: Flowers and Carr).
"That was after the 3rd preseason game last year, the Seattle Seahawks," John Page began. "He was injured and wasn't able to play. Before the game, the coach basically approached the player in an intimidating manner, in language not fit for a sailor, and tried to humiliate the player in front of others to force him to play.
"He was in no condition to be playing. The player didn't return any argument and didn't say anything to the coach and just left the room when the coach asked him to because he wasn't able to play in that game. He actually put on his pads and tried to go out but wasn't able to do it.
"That experience was so disheartening, was so offensive and so outlandish, that he said this is not the place for me anymore."
Things have gotten bad with this situation. Page has moved out of his Kansas City area home and returned to his native Los Angeles.
The Chiefs may have their hands tied now. It's hard to imagine they can hold on to Page, who has the option of signing his tender at his discretion. And it is doubtful that they can get value for him in a trade now that teams will know that he won't be suiting up for the Chiefs. It would appear that Pioli's tough stance in player contracts will come back to bite him in this case. Page has received open interest from the Detroit Lions, and it is hard to imagine that teams such as the Raiders, Rams, or Chargers wouldn't be interested in a veteran safety with his ability.
It appears that the situation will run a similar course as that of Bernard Pollard's last season. Pollard didn't fit into the Pioli/Haley plan and was cut from the roster. He was immediately acquired by the Houston Texans and was one of the key performers for the team and was arguably among the top 10 safeties in the league. There will be a lot of bad press for the Chiefs if a similar outcome were to happen with Jarad Page.
Another outcome of this situation will be the hole it leaves opposite Eric Berry. The Chiefs are apparently ready to go ahead with a rotation of Kendrick Lewis and John McGraw. Lewis and McGraw bring similar skill sets with Lewis having the edge in terms of athleticism and McGraw having an edge in terms of football knowledge. Many of the KC faithful are excited about Lewis whose only drawback appears to be his speed (similar situation with McGraw). However, there are a lot of reservations about starting two rookies in a secondary that already features two young starting cornerbacks (The Brandons: Flowers and Carr).
Friday, August 6, 2010
CHARGERS FAN FEST TOMORROW
Hey guys, I will be attending the annual Chargers Fan Fest tomorrow at Qualcomm stadium and will be reporting later in the afternoon about what I see on the practice field.
The anticipation is high to observe the young Ryan Mathews in person as well as all the new and old faces on this year's squad.
On a lighter note, I am also looking forward to observing the new faces on the hottest dance team in the NFL, the Charger Girls... :-) Nothing finer than a So Cal girl... IMHO. Hahahahaha...
I'll have TONS of photos to post from the event as well.
Have a good evening my friends!
~Dino
The anticipation is high to observe the young Ryan Mathews in person as well as all the new and old faces on this year's squad.
On a lighter note, I am also looking forward to observing the new faces on the hottest dance team in the NFL, the Charger Girls... :-) Nothing finer than a So Cal girl... IMHO. Hahahahaha...
I'll have TONS of photos to post from the event as well.
Have a good evening my friends!
~Dino
HOOK A BROTHER UP !!
WOULD LIKE SOME ADVICE AS TOO WHERE I CAN GO ONLINE TO GET ACURATE FACTS ON PLAYERS , RECORDS , HISTORICAL AND MODERN DAY FACTS FOR AND ABOUT THE NFL ! THX ! JEDUNK3
Thursday, August 5, 2010
"Doom" May Be Done in 2010
Elvis Dumervil suffered a torn pectoral muscle during a Wednesday evening practice and will be out about four months. This will greatly impact Denver's defensive scheme. Dumervil had a league leading 17 sacks in 2009. The initial reports have him returning in four months.
Your heart and soul of the defense is out possibly for the year. Do you save a roster spot for him or do you put him on the injured reserves and end his season? This is one tough decision for the Denver organization to made, that is for sure. With all of the previous injuries to the team, this one truly hits at a bad time.
What do you all think?
Your heart and soul of the defense is out possibly for the year. Do you save a roster spot for him or do you put him on the injured reserves and end his season? This is one tough decision for the Denver organization to made, that is for sure. With all of the previous injuries to the team, this one truly hits at a bad time.
What do you all think?
A "Mile High" Pickup?
Some like the move, others are puzzled by it. With the signing of LenDale White to a two-year contract, the Denver Broncos take an interesting route to increase their depth at running back after Correll Buckhalter (back) and Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) were injured on the first day of training camp. Judging from the photo, LenDale (No. 26) looks to be in shape. Ironically, White will miss the first 4 games of the season after violating the NFL's substance- abuse policy. Additionally, LenDale is a native of Denver, so he coming back home to play for his hometown team.
This move comes as odd to many after Coach Josh McDaniels has made it his mission to bring in players with high character, it seems that he's willing to offer second chances. "We're going to judge him and make our judgments on LenDale White going forward as a Denver Bronco. Everybody makes mistakes," said McDaniels after practice on Wednesday evening. So, is this a marriage of situation or desperation?
I say it is situation, not desperation. Coach McDaniels is looking for individuals who are ready work and put team first. LenDale has gone through some serious adversity in recent months and found out it can be taken away from you as quickly as you get it. McDaniels described him as "humble person now." That is key to understanding the reason for the move. LenDale has the talent and skills to give Denver a solid rushing game. When Buckhalter and Moreno come back, this trio could truly balance out Denver's offense play calling. Injuries are a part of the game and you can not depend solely on your starters to have a success season.
LenDale is coming back home after walking through the valley of trouble and confusion. He like a "Prodigal Son" and hopefully with the Denver Broncos, he can find a place to enjoy being a part of the NFL in his hometown. Time will truly tell if this "Mile High" pickup pays off.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Well, it's a little late and everyone already knows.Ryan Mathews is officially a San Diego Charger.
Sorry for pulling a DHB and dropping the ball by posting this a little late (;-) @ Raiders fans, couldn't help myself). But unlike Bill Williamson, I actually work for a living and couldn't break away to do the things I wanted to this past weekend.
At any rate, I'm sure I speak for all Charger fans when I say I'm glad to have Mathews finally under contract and practicing with his team. The price to obtain his services? Well... Does it really matter? It's a lot more than what most of us will see in our lifetimes even if we were to combine our total earnings! And at this point everyone knows what the particulars are concerning his contract. I think now that the formalities are out of the way the fans just want to see what the kid can do.
No doubt, there is a lot of pressure on this young kid. He is replacing his childhood idol and an iconic NFL legend. The anticipation is that he will restore some potency to what has been a relatively ineffective running game the past couple of seasons. Early thoughts from camp have been glowing. Coaches, teammates and the beat writers are all impressed with not only his game but his attitude.
Kevin Acee, a writer from the San Diego Union Tribune had this to say about Mathews: "Mathews showed vision, speed and an ability to get outside that has been missing for a couple years."
Personally, one of the things I love about this kid is how humble he is. He is very much aware of where he has come from (his mom, Trish, at one point raised him while working 3 or 4 jobs at a time while living in the back of their car). He understands it's a privilege to play in the NFL. He doesn't consider himself bigger than the game.
If you don't know Ryan Mathews then maybe you will get a better sense for him after reading this quote he made regarding the time he took to sign autographs following his first day of training camp practice: “It’s crazy. I feel bad for all the people I didn’t get to,” Mathews said. “It kind of sucks that you have people calling your name and you can’t get to every single one, but it’s amazing to see how many people recognize you and look up to you.”
I'll be going to the annual Chargers Fan Fest this coming Saturday to observe this young man in person. I'll be taking photos and making notes and posting them here next week.
(photo courtesy: San Diego Chargers, Chargers.com)
Monday, August 2, 2010
Kansas City Training Camp Battles
I've been following the word from Missouri Western State University pretty closely. It seem like camp has been pretty exciting from just about every point of view. So here's a position by position run down of the current battles.
QB - Cassel is the starter. You know it, I know it, the American people know it. But it seems like Brodie Croyle hasn't gotten the memo. Of course this is nothing new for KC. Training Camp Brodie belongs in the HOF while game time Brodie usually ends up in the trainer's room. Tyler Palko is a distant third and there are thoughts that he might not even make the team.
RB - It's like watching a couple of titans go at it. Oh, and Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles are there too. That's right, the guys turning heads right now aren't the ones you'd expect. Keshtahn Moore and Jackie Battle know they have an uphill battle, and so far they've performed well. McCluster has taken a few snaps in the Wildcat and performed about as expected, but I doubt he lines up very often in a traditional RB position.
WR - BOWE!!! He's catching everything. He's running crisp routes. He's beating every defender thrown at him. He's even taking time to do a little posing for the crowd. The only thing he isn't doing is talking. It looks like Larry Fitzgerald's receiver camp was exactly what he needed. Chris Chambers is picking up where he left off from last year. He looks solid and is showing some athleticism you wouldn't expect from a guy his age. McCluster might just be unstoppable. He's embarrassed every defender on the roster. Well, not every one. He got some alligator arms on a crossing route when he heard footsteps. The rest of the receiver corps has been pretty average with flashes of talent here and there.
TE - With Cottam's injuries, Leonard Pope looks to be the #1 TE for the Chiefs to start the season. Moeaki has looked good so far and this battle could heat up once the Chiefs get to preseason.
T - Branden Albert is the starting LT and looks to be playing with some confidence. He's leaner than he was last year and has handled the role well so far. Ryan O'Callahan looks to be the starter on the right side but still has some learning to do. Barry Richardson would appear to be the #3 tackle and has seen time rotating in on both sides of the line.
G - With Brian Waters on the sidelines with what is rumored to be an inflamed calf, Daryl Harris and Jon Asamoah have gotten plenty of time on the field. Neither projects to start this year, but this is a valuable opportunity for both players. Ryan Lilja looks set on the right side and is the probable starter.
C - Rudy Niswanger is currently edging out Casey Weigmann for the starting role. You can tell that Coach Haley doesn't want to start Weigmann because of his age, but it's getting harder and harder to ignore the facts. Niswanger is playing hard, but Weigmann is playing better.
DE - Glenn Dorsey is continuing to show improvement. It's hard to measure DEs in the 3-4, but he has continuously chewed up double teams to free up pass rushers. Tyson Jackson remains the starter and seems to have improved. He's being pushed by Alex Magee and Wallace Gilberry. This could become one of the better battles as camp goes on.
DT - Ron Edwards will likely retain his role as the starter. But with Derek Lokey and Shaun Smith continuing to earn praise from the staff on the field, I would expect all three to see about equal time this season. There is no clear cut leader in the group, but they all seem to be playing solid.
ILB - This is the battle that's got everyone talking. It seems clear that the Chiefs are going to go with a tag team mentality here. Demorrio Williams and Corey Mays were the starters coming into camp and are constantly lined up next to each other. But Derrick Johnson and Jovan Belcher have recently started seeing more time with the first team. Both sets are playing well together and clearly they are able to pump each other up. It looks like the Chiefs will go with the best tandem and not necessarily the best individual players. An interesting idea.
OLB - Tamba Hali is going to kill somebody. The only player to continuously give every lineman a hard time. He looks to pick up where he left off as the Chiefs leading sack man. On the other side there could be a real competition between Mike Vrabel and Andy Studebaker. So much so that the Chiefs have lined Vrabel up on the inside in certain formations to get Studebaker more time on the field.
CB - Flowers and Carr have been playing some tight coverage. And fortunately for them, they've been getting a chance to deal with some great passes and catches. That's the kind of thing that will help them in the upcoming season. Arenas has gotten his nose around the ball consistently when he's on the field. And Maurice Leggett has been aggressive and tough against everyone he's lined up against. He'll need that attitude if he wants to see the field this year.
S - If you didn't know any better, you'd think Eric Berry was an 8 year veteran. The kid carries himself like a professional both on and off the field. John McGraw started camp as the other first team safety, but Kendrick Lewis has started to get some time in. Rashard Langford seems to be penciled in on the second team.
K - No competition. Ryan "Mr. Irrelevant" Succop continues to outplay his draft status.
P - Again no competition. Dustin Colquitt is pretty much locked in as the team's punter. If ain't broke, don't fix it.
Coaches - The word is you can hear Charlie Weiss and Todd Haley really rip into people followed by a roar of approval from the crowd. Weiss is apparently toughing out a leg injury and has a cart that drives him around the field. Romeo Crennel seems excited about what the front-7 are doing. He looks happy to be back doing what he's good at.
Overall it's the defense that is shining. The front-7 look much improved, but it's the secondary that is above and beyond the best group on the field. The RB battle could be even more exciting than we had originally anticipated. And the top 3 WRs (Bowe, Chambers, McCluster) seem to be able to impose their will on just about anyone.
They're probably still a year or two from making a serious playoffs run, but this team is headed in the right direction.
QB - Cassel is the starter. You know it, I know it, the American people know it. But it seems like Brodie Croyle hasn't gotten the memo. Of course this is nothing new for KC. Training Camp Brodie belongs in the HOF while game time Brodie usually ends up in the trainer's room. Tyler Palko is a distant third and there are thoughts that he might not even make the team.
RB - It's like watching a couple of titans go at it. Oh, and Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles are there too. That's right, the guys turning heads right now aren't the ones you'd expect. Keshtahn Moore and Jackie Battle know they have an uphill battle, and so far they've performed well. McCluster has taken a few snaps in the Wildcat and performed about as expected, but I doubt he lines up very often in a traditional RB position.
WR - BOWE!!! He's catching everything. He's running crisp routes. He's beating every defender thrown at him. He's even taking time to do a little posing for the crowd. The only thing he isn't doing is talking. It looks like Larry Fitzgerald's receiver camp was exactly what he needed. Chris Chambers is picking up where he left off from last year. He looks solid and is showing some athleticism you wouldn't expect from a guy his age. McCluster might just be unstoppable. He's embarrassed every defender on the roster. Well, not every one. He got some alligator arms on a crossing route when he heard footsteps. The rest of the receiver corps has been pretty average with flashes of talent here and there.
TE - With Cottam's injuries, Leonard Pope looks to be the #1 TE for the Chiefs to start the season. Moeaki has looked good so far and this battle could heat up once the Chiefs get to preseason.
T - Branden Albert is the starting LT and looks to be playing with some confidence. He's leaner than he was last year and has handled the role well so far. Ryan O'Callahan looks to be the starter on the right side but still has some learning to do. Barry Richardson would appear to be the #3 tackle and has seen time rotating in on both sides of the line.
G - With Brian Waters on the sidelines with what is rumored to be an inflamed calf, Daryl Harris and Jon Asamoah have gotten plenty of time on the field. Neither projects to start this year, but this is a valuable opportunity for both players. Ryan Lilja looks set on the right side and is the probable starter.
C - Rudy Niswanger is currently edging out Casey Weigmann for the starting role. You can tell that Coach Haley doesn't want to start Weigmann because of his age, but it's getting harder and harder to ignore the facts. Niswanger is playing hard, but Weigmann is playing better.
DE - Glenn Dorsey is continuing to show improvement. It's hard to measure DEs in the 3-4, but he has continuously chewed up double teams to free up pass rushers. Tyson Jackson remains the starter and seems to have improved. He's being pushed by Alex Magee and Wallace Gilberry. This could become one of the better battles as camp goes on.
DT - Ron Edwards will likely retain his role as the starter. But with Derek Lokey and Shaun Smith continuing to earn praise from the staff on the field, I would expect all three to see about equal time this season. There is no clear cut leader in the group, but they all seem to be playing solid.
ILB - This is the battle that's got everyone talking. It seems clear that the Chiefs are going to go with a tag team mentality here. Demorrio Williams and Corey Mays were the starters coming into camp and are constantly lined up next to each other. But Derrick Johnson and Jovan Belcher have recently started seeing more time with the first team. Both sets are playing well together and clearly they are able to pump each other up. It looks like the Chiefs will go with the best tandem and not necessarily the best individual players. An interesting idea.
OLB - Tamba Hali is going to kill somebody. The only player to continuously give every lineman a hard time. He looks to pick up where he left off as the Chiefs leading sack man. On the other side there could be a real competition between Mike Vrabel and Andy Studebaker. So much so that the Chiefs have lined Vrabel up on the inside in certain formations to get Studebaker more time on the field.
CB - Flowers and Carr have been playing some tight coverage. And fortunately for them, they've been getting a chance to deal with some great passes and catches. That's the kind of thing that will help them in the upcoming season. Arenas has gotten his nose around the ball consistently when he's on the field. And Maurice Leggett has been aggressive and tough against everyone he's lined up against. He'll need that attitude if he wants to see the field this year.
S - If you didn't know any better, you'd think Eric Berry was an 8 year veteran. The kid carries himself like a professional both on and off the field. John McGraw started camp as the other first team safety, but Kendrick Lewis has started to get some time in. Rashard Langford seems to be penciled in on the second team.
K - No competition. Ryan "Mr. Irrelevant" Succop continues to outplay his draft status.
P - Again no competition. Dustin Colquitt is pretty much locked in as the team's punter. If ain't broke, don't fix it.
Coaches - The word is you can hear Charlie Weiss and Todd Haley really rip into people followed by a roar of approval from the crowd. Weiss is apparently toughing out a leg injury and has a cart that drives him around the field. Romeo Crennel seems excited about what the front-7 are doing. He looks happy to be back doing what he's good at.
Overall it's the defense that is shining. The front-7 look much improved, but it's the secondary that is above and beyond the best group on the field. The RB battle could be even more exciting than we had originally anticipated. And the top 3 WRs (Bowe, Chambers, McCluster) seem to be able to impose their will on just about anyone.
They're probably still a year or two from making a serious playoffs run, but this team is headed in the right direction.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Fantasy League Update
Hey everyone. I haven't been around recently because I was on vacation, did some sea fishing and went camping! But I am back now, and it looks like the league has pretty much filled up (I can add some more spots if necessary. I am assuming that everyone wants to do a live online draft, so hopefully we can all find a day and time that works, so leave comments so we can all figure it out. Also, let me know if you want me to change anything, like if you want to be drafting defensive players or want more roster spots or something. Okay well that is it, good luck to everyone.
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