(Everybody, give our pops, old man Best, a warm A.A. welcome! He’s not around a lot because he’s a cardiologist–plus, he’s not exactly Steve Jobs when it comes to computers–but he’s a sharp guy who knows his Chiefs and his football. It was his passion for the Chiefs that fostered Zach and I into the Chiefs die-hards we are today. “This Old Chief” will be appearing on Monday nights. It’s great to have the old man on board, and I know he’ll add a long-term perspective that some of us young bucks don’t have. - Adam)
Originally, I was going to begin my first column about the good and the bad regarding yesterday’s narrow defeat. Instead I am struck again with the overwhelming issue which has kept the Chiefs out of the Super Bowl since 1969–the lack of a franchise quarterback. Seeing Tom Brady going down to an ACL injury made the once dominant Patriots become the old Pats we knew back in the 60’s and 70’s–beatable.
There were other examples this weekend including the miserable first half by Tarvaris Jackson. Yet I am struck with the notion that the Chiefs simply will not draft a quarterback in the first round since being burned by the likes of Steve Fuller and Todd Blackledge. Instead they would rather fail with Trezelle Jenkins and Ryan Sims.The Chiefs prefer the rent-a-QB strategy that was invented by King Carl. As a result, we are left with a parade of Steve DeBerg, Dave Krieg, Elvis Grbac, Steve Bono ,Trent Green and now Damon Huard.
Obviously, you can’t always depend on the draft, but how about some long-range planning like Green Bay did with Aaron Rodgers or Denver with Jay Cutler. The loss of Tom Brady and the success of Mr. Rodgers tonight only underscores that you can’t win without a franchise QB. The Chiefs have two first-rounders, a second-rounder and a third-rounder on the defensive line, all drafted in the last three years. Couldn’t we of used one of those picks to pick another QB to compete with the China Doll–Mr. Brodie Croyle.?
Why didn’t they trade up to get a shot at a QB? They have before to get Gonzalez, the aforementioned Sims and this year Brandon Albert. Furthermore, I feel that when you focus on drafting a QB early your scouts do a better job of evaluating other potential QB’s in later rounds.
Chiefs, Carl and Herm, throw away the old blueprint for mediocrity, put the China Doll on the shelf and start evaluating QB for next year’s draft.
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The Doctor is in! Good to have you, sir.
“The China Doll”.
That’s appropriate after yesterday. Just a few short days ago I would have argued with you until I was blue in the face. Now I’m tired of sticking up for the man of glass. Let’s go get us a QB that can take a hit once in a while. Sigh…
Great point about further evaluation of QB’s later in the draft.
Great post, old man. The Doc is in indeed!
Welcome aboard, Papa Chief (which is what I’m going to call you. Don’t ask me why, it’s a long story.)
I would agree, to a certain extent; but it doesn’t take a first round QB to win in this league. You pointed out Tom Brady was a franchise QB. A 6th round, franchise QB. Their successor for the year, at least until they unveil someone else, is a 7th rounder, in Matt Cassel, who managed to beat us a couple days ago. Everyone tends to agree that Belli-cheat is one of the smartest coaches in the league, and that Kraft & Co. are one of the best front offices in not just the NFL, but all professional sports. And there’s no arguing the success they’ve had.
So if they’re so good, and a franchise QB is required, how come they are succeeding without first round talent at QB? It’s because of the O-line. The best QB behind a mediocre O-line looks just that. Mediocre. The mediocre QB behind a great line, looks like just that. Great. Take Huard for example, as he is well known here, and a prototypical pocket passer.
He’s got legs of stone. They won’t scramble for 10-20 yards, as we’ve seen some QB’s do in week 1 of this season. He can’t beat you with his legs, so he relies on his accurate, pinpoint passes. Now to throw those accuracte, laser-guided missiles that he calls footballs, he needs TIME. Any QB that is rushed/hit/smacked around/hurried/harrassed/whatever you want to call it; looks bad. We saw that last year as ‘Tom Terrific’ got owned in the Super Bowl. We see that on a weekly basis as Huard/Croyle make an unbelivable throw, and then the next play, get blitzed, slammed in the ground, and looked.. for lack of a better phrase, like a deer in the headlights. They get scared of what will happen, and when you’re worrying like “Hey, can the LT protect my blind side long enough for me to see if Tony is open, and if not, then to find D-Bowe?’ instead of ‘Locate Tony. Move to Bowe. Check down to LJ.’ then you have problems. The O-line is the most important part of any team. Unless you have guys like LT or Barry Sanders, that is. And we don’t.
LJ is a beast, if he can build up a head of steam for a couple yards, and get his ass into second or third gear. When he gets slammed at the line, or one-two yards behind, of course he isn’t going to look as good. Same with Brodie and Damon. They’ve looked plain brilliant at times since the start of pre-season this year. Other times, especially as the backup linemen came in, they looked horrid. If we do indeed pick in the top 10 next year, which is a clear possibility, I’m going to still say we trade that for Arizona’s 2nd rounder and Anquan Boldin. We can pick up a QB and a Tackle, a DT, or an LB in the second round, and still come out smelling like roses. And seriously, Boldin, and Bowe? We’d go from having the WORST WR corps in the league a few years ago, to having one of the best tandems in the league. If Tony is still around, if he’t not disgusted after this year, then really, who are you going to double cover? Tony, Anquan, or Dwayne? And don’t forget about LJ out of the backfield. With that many weapons, the QB doesn’t need to be ‘great’. Just needs to have a good enough line for him to do what he needs to, a running game that can support him should he falter, and reliable targets that will make some spectacular catches, should he throw imperfect balls, which he will. Check, check, and check. We’ve got those. At least after D-Bowe gets over his case of Butter-finger-itis. Now I want a freakin’ candy bar. Damnit.
You forgot about Joe Montana! Perhaps it was our failure to draft offensive lineman during the Vermeil era that put us in this situation. It starts in the trenches. Don’t forget the Patriots still have a great defense and Chan was protecting Croyle against that defense.
All I know is that this china doll’s unavailability is certainly hurting our rebuilding process.
However, it is early in the season, and Damon has been a winner for us before. Let’s hope and pray.
Great to have you aboard Doc. Like me, you’re probably one of the few around here who can remember a time when the only BBQ one would smell at a Chiefs game was that which wafted up the hill from Arthur Bryants. In an age of video games and instant gratification, I appreciate the opportunity to read the perspective of someone that possesses a little longer, more patient view.
That said, my initial response to your complaint is coulda, woulda, shoulda. We didn’t and so we have to play the hand we have. The wild card in that hand is Brodie Croyle.
It’s impossible to assess assess him after only 6 starts with no running game, no playcalling, no audibles, and no mobility all behind what surely ranks high among the worst offensive lines in all of NFL history. I’m sure a lot of people will be quick to point out that he’s actually seen 7 unsuccessful starts. Those however are the same people who said the Chiefs had zero chance of beating the Patriots but nevertheless insist on using this latest loss as yet more fuel for their ongoing effigy of Croyle. I say you can’t have it both ways.
You and others claim Croyle is made of glass. I say susceptability to injury is a poor criteria for determining whether you have a star QB. Don’t believe me? Consider Dawson, Namath, and Roethlisberger just to name three.
A much better criteria for the issue of durability is how quickly can the guy return to the field and whether that last injury in any way impaired his physical effectiveness or mental toughness. Croyle has past that test many times with flying colors – he’s a tough, fearless kid and that’s something you want in your QB. Huard, on the other hand, has come away from his most recent injuries in a little more gun shy.
Just because guys like Manning and Favre have escaped the injury bug doesn’t mean that’s the norm much less what should be expected for every quarterback. QB injuries are and will continue to be a big part of the game. Last year 64 different QBs started in the NFL. Most of those substitutions were not the result of a predecessor’s poor play.
Great QBs get hurt. It happens, it’s part of the game. Just because a guy has worse luck with injuries than his piers is a pretty weak criteria for determining whether or not he can take you to promised land. Bottom line, NFL football is a brutal environment where guys get injured through no fault or flaw of their own – all the time. However, history shows that short-duration injuries are indeed manageable in the course of a long season and are not necessarily a total impediment to QB and/or team success.
It’s only week one guys. Like it or not, when Croyle is once again healthy, he will be our starting QB this season. I say let’s all hope he proves himself worthy of retaining that job not just this year but for many years to come.
Doc, it’s easy to say to we should take a QB in the first round, but I think in any given draft you have to pick the best player available in the first. If Croyle can’t get healthy, stay healthy, and develop over the course of the season at this point, I’m all for drafting a QB. But the QB position is such a hard one to scout and we can probably get decent competition in a second or third round, or possibly even later. In light of Jay Cutler’s performance, its easy to say we drafted the wrong QB from Croyle’s class. But what about Vince Young or Matt Leinart? Two early first round busts at the QB position so far. At least if a third rounded busts, the contract won’t kill you.
Well the good news is that our current owner recently said in an interview that he wanted to draft a quarterback and develop them. He made the statement that it was the only way we can expect to go to the superbowl….As a matter of fact our owner said that he would like to have drafted another quarterback in the past draft…Personally I think that is one reason why they have such a high amount of money in the salary cap. So good things are coming…..