Everyone from Adam Teicher to Jason Whitlock is talking expectations today over at the Kansas City Star. I think, and don’t get used to this, that we all three actually agree on something for once. I don’t care if the Chiefs go Wyclef Jean with playoff hopes that are “Gone By November”, in 2008 what I care about is progress. Progress, not win-loss record, will be the barometer for success this upcoming season.
I’m not even saying that the Chiefs need to necessarily have a better record during the second half of the season than the first one, because I actually think the second set of eight games is more daunting. That being said, how do I actually define progress when it comes to the Chiefs and the 2008 campaign? This is how:
1. The Eyeball Test - I want the Chiefs team that visits The Jungle up in Cincy on Week 17 to not even resemble the team that ventured into the unfriendly confines of Gilette Stadium on Week One. Win, lose or draw, come season’s end I want to see a confident, well-prepared team that executes with as few mistakes (read penalties and turnovers) as possible. I want Chiefs fans to be able to look at the way their team carries itself and say, we’re going somewhere, and going somewhere soon.
2. The Young Guns - Brodie Croyle is one obvious choice here, but I’m not really talking about him. Whether Brodie soars or sucks, I think the quarterback situation will take at least two more seasons to completely sort itself out. These are the guys we need to see make consistent progress as the season marches on: Bernard Pollard, Branden Albert, Brandon Carr, Brandon Flowers, Demorrio Williams, Derrick Johnson, Devard Darling, Dwayne Bowe, Glenn Dorsey, Jamal Charles, Jarrad Page, Rudy Niswanger, Tamba Hali, Tank Tyler, Turk McBride and Will Franklin. If that crew makes significant strides, we will be in great shape. If they don’t, our future will start disappearing quicker than that picture from Back to the Future. D-Bo and Swamp Thing will literally start fading in our header. No, not really, but it’s fun to imagine. If late-round picks like Barry Richardson, Brian Johnston and Kevin Robinson surprise, then our future will be even brighter. But I’m not putting too much stock in those guys–they were picked where they were picked for a reason.
3. Statistically Speaking – Offensively, I want our offense to be putting up more points in December than in September. I also want to see the offense, no matter who is under center, become more multi-faceted. All the passing numbers need to improve during the course of the season. Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez are premiere NFL targets, we have to be able to get them the ball with regularity. For Herm Edwards to succeed as the Chiefs head coach, his offense will need to become less one-dimensional and predictable. If that development is taking place, I think we’ll see improvement in the points-per-game and passing statistics. Another good indicator will be the drive chart. With what Chan Gailey and Herm are trying to accomplish, we are going to need to sustain long drives that eat up clock.
4. Special Teams Dreams – Yes, I’m dreaming of special teams units that aren’t completely and utterly inept. To field a competitive football team with 2009 playoff aspirations, we will have to make marked improvements in all assets of special teams play. Period. You can’t be a successful ball-control football team if you have lousy special teams units.
5. Winning the Turnover Battle – Forcing turnovers used to be a Kansas City staple, right there with bad baseball (unfortunately), BBQ and fountains. With Jared Allen now a Purple People Eater, will we be able to force turnovers? D.J., Tamba and Swamp Thing will have to step up in his absence. You can’t be a successful ball-control football team if you don’t win the turnover battle. Turnover margin will be very important. That also means that Brodie and L.J. will have to keep there turnovers to a minimum.
What are some of the areas you will be evaluating for signs of progress during the 2008 season?
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Actually, I kind of feel like Tamba Hali is better at forcing fumbles than Jared Allen. So the real question is if the secondary will be able to step up and take the ball away more.
I’m also hoping that Kevin Robinson can emerge as a good NFL kick-returner. That will solve a big part of our special teams woes. The other glaring problem area there is our kicker. I can’t even use a name, because no one even knows who our kicker is. Yeah.
i dont know if its a good thing or bad thing, doesnt really matter for us but looks like J Taylor is gonna be in a redskins uniform next yr, i cant wait till camp and preseason starts, im tired of not having much to talk about except other teams, lol
With Solari gone, I’m eager to see better play calling. How many times did we see 1 yard passes last year? Way too many. Brodie does have an arm, why don’t we use it, with our big receiver, Bowe? That sort of thing. Time-consuming offense doesn’t necessarily mean unproductive offense.
juices-flowing:
“Time-consuming offense doesn’t necessarily mean unproductive offense.”
Great point. Quite the opposite in fact. If your offense eats a lot of clock, it’s obviously doing something right because it’s making first downs and not turning the ball over. On top of this, a time-consuming offense wears opposing defenses down.
yes everyone knows I completely hate LJ… I want to see him show he can control it, while waiting for an o-line to come along (with time, another whole year)that can open holes for him. Or will he become frustrated once again? I want to see progress in Mr.Hunts brain as to finally letting Carl go… as for ball control with allot of points thats to be seen as we, NONE of us, actually know what off. we will be seeing this year….. It wont be Herms fault if this team isnt a 50 point scoring team… we should be happy if they can score in the upper twenties… thats the reality. As for Allen its just another screw up by carl… w’ell see if a tweener left tackle makes up for his departure, and the signing of LJ instead the year before was as stupid as what I and multiple others said it was at that time, (I still remember all the crybaby let him walk comments)… looking at it then tell me who would have given us more in trade…LJ or Allen… Carl signed the wrong one… as for the coming year again watch the o-line, it starts there(and common non football junkies can even tell this way) our def-fence will show that we have a long way to go…we have safties who again will be over rated by Chiefs fans…
I have a question, I have watched as not only our team but others… change Coaches, and watch as fans want it… now when we take into account that when a coach comes and goes… they change things…lol even here the last four times, each was actually a rebuild, retooling… and nothing changed for the better…if this retooling which has taken two years already, is to work we have to give it time… and that means keeping Herm, whether you like him or not, other wise the next coach under king carls leadership will find us cheering for yet another five year plan team…we shouldnt be so hasty in allowing the blame to fall on our head coaches …
nice to have you back redbeard!
Redbeard is baaaaaaacckkk! You don’t have to fib, though. We all know you love L.J.
jeezMary&joseph redbeard… please try to take a breath or two while you’re writing your posts – ya got the rest of us scared to death you’re going to fall over dead from suffocating!! Besides, when you put 500 psi of pressure behind your thoughts and then try to spray them into print thru a 1/16th inch nozzle… a lot of what you’re trying to say gets splattered and becomes a little incoherant!
redbeard furreal!?! Where’d you go man? Great to see you back.
There’s so many things with this team that are either new or needed addressing so I came up with a list of 11 (yes, 11) things that I’ll be paying close attention to throughout the season.
In order of priority:
#1 – Branden Albert – almost everything about this offense hinges on his development & success.
#2 – Whether and/or how well the new OL, FB, & TE (Cottam) create lanes and protect the QB.
#3 – Offensive playcalling + increased QB mobility (bootlegs, sneaks, scrambles, etc)
#4 – ST esp KR/PR & K because field position is king in the NFL
#5 – The entire DL, obviously.
#6 – Pollard and Page, because it’s time
#7 – Turnovers +/-
#8 – Deep threat WR
#9 – Jamaal Charles
#10 – Major wins (i.e., upsets, come from behind, & defense winning close games)
#11 – Attitude
I gotta agree with you on point number 1 Double D, Branden Albert has got to be the most important guy going in to the season. People are already talking about him starting at left tackle, but he was a guard in college, and it could be a tough transition. He hasn’t exactly won the job yet. It’s definitely a lot to ask of a rookie. If he pulls it off that is gonna make a big difference on offense.