The Plot Thickens

So wait, the Chiefs actually are a good team now?  When did this happen?  I feel like this team totally re-writes its story every few weeks.  It’s like one of those choose-your-own-adventure books.

After the Buffalo/Oakland/Denver three game stretch, I thought any delusions about us being a legit team could be safely put to rest.  I chided myself for letting this team trick me into thinking they were ready to contend.  A win over Arizona at home didn’t change anything for me.  That was a game almost every team in the NFL would’ve won.

This week was different.  Seattle may not be good, but they’re not terrible either.  I think we can safely call them average.  Beating an average team on the road doesn’t make you a Super Bowl contender, but it does mean something.  You know who scores 42 points against average teams on the road?  Good teams.  Yesterday, the Kansas City Chiefs showed they can be a good team

This was Matt Cassel’s best game of the season.  I know some of you have been clinging to your bizarre insistence that he was great against Denver, but you’re probably the same people who think Tyson Jackson is right on track.  We can all get on the same page about what we saw yesterday.  Cassel was damn-near perfect.  When he escaped from trouble and rolled out to find Dwayne Bowe on third down, I felt like I was seeing a new man.  That was the best play I’ve ever seen him make.  He looked like a pro bowl quarterback.

Before the season started I wrote that the Chiefs’ best chance of success would be to turn back the clock not to the halcyon days of the 90s, but to the early-to-mid 2000s.  I thought this team would have some similarities to the Vermeil years.  Then the season started, the defense carried a bumbling offense, and I looked like an idiot.

Redemption for your boy Big Matt after the jump

Now I look like less of an idiot…..about that prediction anyway.  In particular, my Cassel to Trent Green comparison seems to have some validity.  Cassel will never have a great deep ball or laser-like precision, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be effective.  Green was very good without either of those things.  He played smart, limited mistakes, and won the respect of his teammates.  It now appears Cassel can do all of those things.  And I’m not just singing that tired “manage the offense” song.  When you put up 42 on the road, you did a hell of a lot more than just manage the offense.

Cassel/Green isn’t the only comparison I want to make here.  Jamaal Charles runs a lot like Priest Holmes.  Yes, he is much faster and more explosive.  But what really makes him great is the way he shifts and uses blockers, much the same way Holmes did.  That’s the ability that enabled him to pick up 8 yards per carry yesterday.  Behind the same line and against the same defense, Thomas Jones looked old and bad (3.4 yards per carry).  If the Chiefs running backs were Batman, JC would be Christian Bale and Jones would be Adam West.  I heard West was a great locker-room leader.  Intangibles through the roof.

But hey, I’m not here this week to talk about Thom Jones’ low YPC or Mike Vrabel’s recently developed allergy to quarterbacks.  I’m here to talk about the players that are actually responsible for this win.  Namely, my man D-Bowe.  Another week, another explosion.  Think how good he’d be if he was actually a “#1 receiver”!

I’m not trying to go all “I told you so” here with Bowe.  I happen to love the guy.  He’s exciting, hilarious, and puts up big numbers.  Still, I understand why some of you don’t like him.  He’s made some costly drops, and he’ll probably make some more.  As far as I’m concerned, a fan’s feelings on Bowe are a matter of preference.  For some of us, the positive outweighs the negative.  For others, the drops are just too frustrating.  Neither opinion is “right” or “wrong”.  Bowe isn’t perfect; I understand that.  But ask yourselves where we’d be without him.  Or better yet, ask Matt Cassel.  In our quarterback’s best game of the year, Bowe accounted for almost 75% of his yardage.

Here’s a question: should we have tried to spread the ball around more?  Personally, I was thrilled to see Weis calling so many plays for Bowe.   I was clapping my hands, struttin’ around like Gob Bluth doing his chicken dance.  My boy Big Wing, on the other hand, wasn’t feeling quite so giddy.  His contention was that we should’ve been trying to get other players involved.  Verran Tucker, Tony Moeaki, Terry Copper, whoever.  Create more threats, or at least the appearance of more threats, for future games when we may actually need them.  I could see his point, but was too happy to care.  Instead I filed it away under “ask the Addicts.”

So what do you think, gang?  Was the Bowe show our best option, or should Weis strive for a little more balance?

More questions for the Addicts before I hit the old dusty trail:

1. It was nice to see Kendrick Lewis get his first pick, although it was a bit of a gift.  What have we seen from him so far? Is he our FS of the future?
2. Would anyone else like to see a little more of my man Perv Smith at fullback?  Silly gimmick, or a great example of thinking outside the box?
3. Who should be our nickel-back, Arenas or Daniels?
4. Which of our defensive linemen (other than specialist Wallace Gilberry) will end the season with the most sacks?  Sweet Ron is currently in the lead with two.  But he’s tired.  So very tired.
5. RT: Richardson or O’Callaghan?
6. Do we like Haley better angry, or with that new pained expression on his face?  I’m gonna go with the latter.  It looks like he’s imitating someone from a renaissance painting.

Big win, people.  I haven’t felt this good since the San Fran game.  Time to celebrate.  The McRib is still back, right?