Loss To Colts Was A Win For KC’s Future
The Kansas City Chiefs are a HORRIBLE football team. They have some true talent on their roster, their defense is pretty good, but as a team they are far and away the worst group I have ever watched. They say that good teams find a way to win and bad teams find a way to lose. If that’s true then the 2012 Kansas City Chiefs are the badest of the bad, because they manage to find new ways to lose each and every week. Just when we think we’ve seen every possible way for them to embarrass themselves they go out and waste a solid defensive performance and an amazing 352 yard rushing performance led by Jamaal Charles who rushed for 226 yards. Brady Quinn was horrific and the coaching staff was a complete embarrassment.
That is why this loss will be a long term win. With New England just barely hanging on to beat Jacksonville, the Chiefs needed to lose in order to keep the number one overall draft pick. They did, and now the only way for KC to lose it would be to upset the 12-3 Denver Broncos, on the road, when they are playing for home field advantage in the playoffs. In other words, the Chiefs are almost a lock for the number overall pick and with it the franchise quarterback that they so desperately need. The pathetic performance by the coaching staff (a Peyton Hillis draw on 3rd and 8 inside your own 20, down a TD, late in the game, really?) further solidifies the eminent firing of head coach Romeo Crennel and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and hopefully the start of a whole new regime in KC.
Performances like the one against the Colts give this KC fan hope that a new GM that can find the right QB and right coach could get KC back in the playoff hunt sooner rather then later. With a solid rushing attack and overall defense the Chiefs simply need to get a passing game and a coaching staff to put the pieces all together.
Now finding a great coach and QB isn’t easy. There’s a reason that every team doesn’t have them. That is why getting the first overall pick is so crucial. The Chiefs MUST get the best QB available in the NFL draft. I don’t care where Mel Kiper or Todd McShay think that QB is “valued” the Chiefs MUST make sure the best QB in this draft is wearing a Chiefs uniform next season. I personally think that Geno Smith is the man for the job, but a lot can change during the lead up to the draft.
I’ve watched a lot of Geno Smith footage lately. The thing that was striking to me as I watched the KC game today was the difference in ball placement. Watching Geno he almost never makes throws like Quinn did on all three of his interceptions (yes, I know he officially only had two, but he should have had three, that PI call was bogus). When Smith misses, he misses in the right places, if that makes sense. Also, while Quinn can physically throw a ball deep, it’s just a heave in a general direction. There is no accuracy, touch, or timing. Smith has fantastic touch on his deep ball and it would add a whole new dimension to the KC offense. If you aren’t personally 100% sold on Smith yet, read this piece on why KC should take Smith, the author illustrates some great points and further sold me on Geno in KC.
I believe that with a good offensive coaching staff and some upgrades to the WR corps that Geno Smith could be a big success in KC. While on the topic of WRs, I liked what I saw from Devon Wylie at WR today. The first catch he made early in the game he made a great crisp cut and created separation from his DB. It’s something that we see done against KC every week, but rarely see our own WRs do. He also made a nice jumping catch later in the game. My dream scenario would be Dexter McCluster and Wylie lining up as the 3rd and 4th WRs in a Chip Kelly offense with Geno Smith as the QB and a re-signed D-Bowe and the Chiefs 2nd round draft pick (DeAndre Hopkins of Clemson?) at the starting spots. I’ve already done a piece on my Pro-Geno/Chip beliefs, that you can read HERE.
Last week I stated that the time for change in KC was running out. The idea being that if Clark Hunt is going to fire AND hire a new GM before we move on our coaching staff we had better get moving or all the top coaching candidates will be gone before our new GM even takes office. I still believe that 100% and would be thrilled if Pioli’s firing was announced today.
Former KC radio host Nick Wright tweeted last week that both Pioli and Crennel have already been told that they will not be coming back. Many national NFL reporters refuted this claim. However, despite Wright’s over the top personality he did prove to have some solid sources in the Chiefs organization. It wouldn’t surprise me if this was true and the Chiefs are of course denying it. I hope Wright is correct and that the decision has already been made and Clark Hunt is already lining up Pioli’s replacement as we speak. The rumor mill has Bill Polian as the leader in the clubhouse to land the GM spot. I personally have some real hesitations about that move, but it would still be a clear upgrade over Pioli.
Regardless, the Chiefs MUST find the right coaching staff to support their new franchise QB. Let’s hope that a week from today when the Chiefs season is officially over that these changes start happening right away. Hopefully a week from today the Chiefs will officially have the number one draft pick and Scott Pioli and Romeo Crennel will be on their way out the door. Then today’s loss really will be a long term win for the Kansas City Chiefs.
As usual, thanks for reading and GO CHIEFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!