KC Chiefs Quarter Season Review
Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE
The Kansas City Chiefs have staggered out of the gate and have begun the season 1-3.
Things are bad in KC. Fans are flying banners around the stadium calling for the QB to be benched and for the GM to be fired. The local paper has taken up a vendetta so vicious against the current front office that it appears they won’t stop until the owner sells the team and every last memory of Scott Pioli is scrubbed from modern recorded history. Local talk radio are flipping out live on the air, reflecting the rage and anger their listeners are likely feeling every Sunday at about 12:05 PM.
And we haven’t even started talking about what is happening on the field yet.
We all know the Chiefs stink and, barring some miracle, we’re probably looking at yet another losing season.
Thankfully, we’re at the quarter point of the 2012 NFL season. Only three more of these to go and we can start looking forward to spring training and optimism about the Royals…ah hell. Never mind.
The draft. We’ll have the draft!
Anyway, let’s go inside the numbers with Pro Football Focus and determine just how bad (and good) the individual effort from KC players has been thus far.
Offense:
Pulling their weight:
Branden Albert +8.9
Ryan Lilja +7.7
Jon Asamoah +6.2
Dwayne Bowe +5.8
Rodney Hudson +4.6
Eric Winston +3.4
Kevin Boss +1.8
Nate Echus +1.8
Terry Copper +1.4 (17 total snaps)
Jamaal Charles +1.2
Meh!:
Jon Baldwin +0.5
Steve Maneri +0.2
Dexter McCluster -0.4
Steve Breaston -0.7
Dead Weight:
Peyton Hillis -1.5
Matt Cassel -2.0
Shaun Draughn -2.0
Cyrus Gray (-2.1) (only 11 snaps)
Tony Moeaki -3.9
Worst Player Award:
Jeff Allen -6.5 (124 snaps)
Summary:
Despite getting a lot of their production in garbage time, the offense isn’t terrible. The offensive line is grading quite well. Bowe and Boss were the team’s best receiving options through four games. Unfortunately, Boss is finished.
Those complaining that he doesn’t have time in the pocket are wrong. Those saying Eric Winston and Ryan Lilja stink, are wrong. Lilja has given up two sacks through four games and just two hurries in 317 snaps. These grades are based on a snap by snap basis and Lilja is one of the best lineman on the team right now.
The problem here is Cassel and his receivers. Other than Bowe, nobody else has been productive. Baldwin is grading out very average right now. Either he isn’t getting open or Cassel isn’t getting him the ball. My guess is that it is a combination of both. Still, I’d wager that, with a better QB, Baldwin would be having a much better season.
The fact that the line is grading out so well when defenses know that the QB is no threat is actually darn impressive.
Lastly, the loss of Rodney Hudson is more crushing than we could have imagined. The kid was having a solid season. Now Lilja is covering for him and Jeff Allen is covering for Lilja. As you can see, Allen is not ready for prime time. He’s the worst player on the offense so far.
Defense:
Pulling their weight:
Justin Houston +6.7
Jovan Belcher +4.6
Glenn Dorsey +1.7
Brandon Flowers: +1.4
Meh!:
Stanford Routt +0.8
Abe Elam -0.2
Tamba Hali -0.5
Derrick Johnson -0.7
Andy Studebaker -0.8
Dead Weight:
Corey Greenwood -1.4 (12 snaps)
Edgar Jones -1.8
Allen Bailey -2.3
Jac Reeves -2.4
Jerrell Powe -2.7
Javier Arenas -2.8
Tyson Jackson -2.9
Ropati Pitoitua -3.1
Donatari Poe -3.3
Travis Daniels -5.0
Worst Player Award:
Eric Berry -7.2
Summary:
The truth hurts and so far the truth is that the Chiefs defense sucks. Eric Berry is the team’s worst player. Not just on D but on the entire squad. This doesn’t mean he is the least talented player on the team. Just that through four games, he has played worse than anybody else.
Other defensive stars are also letting down their teammates. Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali have been non-factors. That is bad news. These guys are supposed to set the standard.For those wondering why the defense is so bad, look no farther than Berry, Johnson and Hali. Their poor play and the loss of Kendrick Lewis means a bad defense.
Not to mention the fact that the defensive line is also awful. Other than Glenn Dorsey, no lineman is making an impact. Tyson Jackson is once again getting horrible pass rushing grades. His vaulted run defense has been in the “meh” category this season at just +1.0.
The team has missed 13 tackles through four games. Five of those belong to Eric Berry. They have eight sacks, four of which belong to Justin Houston.
Standford Routt has done an admirable job on the outside. He has been targeted 18 times and has allowed 12 receptions for 171 yards. He has one pick and has allowed no TDs. QB’s throwing at him have an average rating of 74.1.
Brandon Flowers is quietly having a terrific season thus far. He’s been targeted 14 times, allowing only seven receptions for 82 yards, 36 of which came on one throw from Drew Brees.He’s given up one TD and has one pick in three games.
Special Teams:
Pulling their weight:
Ryan Succop +7.7
Javier Arenas +3.9
Dustin Colquitt +3.6
Meh!:
Mostly everyone else, except…
Dead Weight:
Shaun Draughn -1.2
Donald Stephenson -1.5
Worst Player Award:
Terry Copper -2.0 (special teams captain)
Tysyn Hartman -2.0
Summary:
Not much mystery here. The kickers are pretty good. Despite never breaking one, Arenas is a solid returner and the coverage isn’t good.