2012 One Week Closer To Merciful End
Cue broken record that’s been playing since 2009:
Bowe is the entire passing game. Charles is the entire running game. With one out, it’s exceedingly easy for even the worst defense in football to shut down the other. There are no quarterbacks on this roster better than low-end backups.
Madden 2013’s automatic play picking system would be far more creative than this coaching staff. Brian Daboll has no coaching philosophy, he calls the offense like a frustrated child plays video games. He’s now switched from kicking field goals on every 4th down in enemy territory to going for it on every other 4th down, even when it is obvious to all that it won’t work.
The Chiefs last possession was a microcosm of all of this. They started at their own 29 yard line with 4:51 left, needing to score two touchdowns and a two-point conversion to tie. The drive went like this:
Note: Daboll’s thinking in italics, any sane football-watcher’s in bold.
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
1st and 10 at KC 29: Well, they’ve shut down the run and we need to be quick about it, so let’s throw a short pass. Except that’s the only kind of pass Quinn can (sometimes) complete, and the Raiders are also aware of the clock.
Result: (Shotgun) B.Quinn pass short middle to T.Moeaki to KC 38 for 9 yards (T.Branch).
2nd and 1 at KC 38: Ooo, since there’s only one yard to go, I bet they’re expecting us to run since we obviously need to get something going here and our QB is awful. I’ll show them! I’ll go no huddle and throw it deep down field! Yeah! Except there’s no benefit to using the no huddle to keep the same defensive lineup on the field for a new play because the previous play was a pass look as well, and, as for faking the run, well, lining up in shotgun isn’t the best way to do that. Also, Quinn throwing deep to Baldwin is statistically the play with the lowest success rate the Chiefs have. They’d be better off trying a fake FG here.
Result: (No Huddle, Shotgun) B.Quinn pass incomplete deep right to J.Baldwin (M.Huff).
3rd and 1 at KC 38: Ah, shucks, that didn’t work like it usually doesn’t. Well, now we really, really need to get this 1st down and keep it moving. They’ll never expect a draw play on 3rd and 1! That’s exactly what anyone would expect.
Result: J.Charles up the middle to KC 38 for no gain (T.Branch).
Unnecessarily burn a second Timeout by KC at 03:59.
4th and 1 at KC 38: Ok. Quinn has been a 56% passer so far this game and has even missed guys on screens. The offensive line is one of the few relative bright spots on this team, especially in the run game. We have a $3-million short-yardage back and could also probably get this with a QB sneak. So … yeah, let’s call another pass to a player behind the line of scrimmage. But, just to be creative, let’s not even fake the run and line up in the shotgun. Yeah! That’ll show ‘em. This call is only unpredictable in that it is easy to defend and incredibly stupid on every level.
Result: (Shotgun) B.Quinn pass short right to D.McCluster to KC 38 for no gain (J.Hanson).Turnover on downs.
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The Chiefs need to draft the best quarterback they can get their hands on. In fact, they need to draft two of the best quarterbacks they can get their hands on. Everyone was making fun of Shanahan for grabbing RGIII in the first round this year and then grabbing QB Kirk Cousins with the team’s selection in the 3rd round.
Well, those naysayers aren’t complaining after Cousins took the start this week and went 26/37 for 329 yards, 2 TD’s, 1 INT and a passer rating of 104.5 in a 38-21 win over the Browns, who beat the Chiefs 30-7 last week.
I see a lot of people in the comments section saying we need cornerback help too, but we are currently young at the position and I just don’t see it as a major need. Given the fact that the defense was on the field for more than 40 minutes Sunday against the 7th-ranked passing offense in the league and they didn’t allow a touchdown, I think we’re doing ok there. Furthermore, if you look at what Andrew Luck and RGIII have done on teams that have dreadful defenses, I think it’s clear that cornerback depth wasn’t what was keeping them from being competitive last year.
For now, I think Daboll needs to be relegated to high school football, Matt Cassel should be promoted to OC (at least give him something to do other than brood on the sidelines) and Stanzi and Tanney should be the only QB’s suiting up next Sunday. They’re probably way worse than Quinn and Cassel and so be it. I’m going to be at the game next week and all I know is that I don’t want to see Quinn every take another snap in that uniform again.