RW/FF: Broncos/Panthers

New feature here at Arrowhead Addict. Later in the week after I’ve got a chance to skim through the game again on my DVR, I’m going to both look back at the last game and forward to the next one…

Rewind: Week 4 – DENVER BRONCOS

5. Erik Walden – Props to Merlin for hitting on this first, but Walden is an absolute madman on special teams. The guy was simply everywhere last Sunday. If he keeps this up he’ll end up becoming one of my all-time favorite Chiefs’ special teamers, along with former ST standouts like Bennie Thompson and Gary Stills.

4. Herb Taylor – Branden Albert was fantastic before he went down, but Taylor was almost as good filling in for him. When Albert returns after the bye, I suggest that Herm Edwards finally replaces Damion McIntosh with Herb. Really, what’s taking him so long? Norv Turner remembers he has L.T. quicker than this.

3. Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf - That was simply one of the most incompetent NFL broadcasts I have ever witnessed. Gumbel was bad, but Dierdorf was unbearable. I would have rather listened to Randy Cross and Sarah Palin. Am I serious? You betcha! Can we please get either the Gus Johnson-Steve Tasker or Kevin Harlan-Rich Gannon team from here on out? (Update: the Harlan-Gannon team will call the Carolina game)

2. The AA Crew (Bernard Pollard, Dimitri Patterson, Turk McBride) – Three of my favorite unheralded (at least nationally) defenders really brought it. Why do I love this three so much? Because they bring it on every play and their motors never stop. Hustle, heavy hitting and heart. Gotta love ‘em, right? Since people were sour on the Tuskegee Tornado moniker for Patterson, what about Crash-22?

1. Damon Huard - Originally, I thought playing Huard during the early stages of a rebuilding project was idiotic. I still do to some extent, but if we aren’t going to bring in another legitimate prospect this year besides oft-injured Brodie Croyle, then let’s keep him in there whenever Brodie can’t go. Damon does just enough to allow Dwayne Bowe to be Mr. Awesome and Larry Johnson to resemble the old LJ.

Fast Forward: Week 5 – at Carolina Panthers

5. Building a lead - We have to get up early or at least hang in there. When we get behind, LJ gets taken out of the equation and our young defense wears down and becomes increasingly prone to mistakes.

4. Gross Out, Otah Doubtful - Tamba Hali and Turk need to wreak absolute havoc against what will likely be the Panthers’ second-string tackles. This will help the Brandons keep up with Muhsin Muhammad and Steve Smith.

3. Cherm Watch – A repeat performance of last week’s overly conservative playcalling will get us beat. We should have gone for it instead of kicking that second field goal last week, and during that same second drive there was a perfect opportunity to run play action to Tony Gonzalez when we had been running it down their throats. It was on second down inside the 10-yard line after a nice LJ run. Would’ve been six. Instead, we ran two of the most predictable running plays I have ever seen. Our offensive Big Three (D-Bo, LJ, Tony G) and defensive playmaking bailed Herm and Chan Gailey out. Let’s play to “win the game,” not to not lose. We had Denver down and we took our foot of their throat and almost let them come back.

2. Demorrio Williams - If Demorrio can repeat last week’s performance we will have a chance. He has the range to both bother quarterbacks and chase down running backs. He also looked good in pass coverage, and would have had a pick if it hadn’t of been for that Q–tip on his hand (Wake up, Dierdorf and Gumbel! No mention of that–are you blind?). He gave our defense an extra dimension speed-wise, one it didn’t have with Donnie Edwards.

1. Who’s No. 2? – Whether it be Will Franklin or Devard Darling or even Mark Bradley, someone needs to step up and help take some pressure off of D-Bo and Tony G. All three of those guys have the ability to stretch the field as well, which would further open things up for Iron Man. The No. 2 WR spot has plagued us forever, and it’s time for someone to step up and claim that essential role.

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