Chiefs: Issues, Tissues, Schemes, Screams and Super Bowl Dreams
By Laddie Morse
It’s just the first season as a starter for the Kansas City Chiefs CB Marcus Cooper and he played the Denver Broncos WR Eric Decker close for much of the game this past Sunday but, it wasn’t quite enough. Eric Decker beat the “Chiefs” and not just Cooper. Why in the world Bob Sutton didn’t change coverages to give Cooper help on the back end is a mystery. Earlier in the season, the Chiefs allowed a long TD but not more than one until the first game with the Broncos. If the Chiefs were adjusting in some way then, why weren’t they making adjustments on Sunday? That’s the main reason the Manning-to-Decker connection was of a lethal dosage.
[3 Tissues]
Call me a dreamer if you will, but even though these past three weeks have been painful because of the final outcomes — the talk of the Chiefs representing the AFC — or even being mentioned in the same breath for a Super Bowl berth is exciting to the core. The Chiefs averaged 28 points per game the past three games and although the defense went weak at the knees I wouldn’t consider any of those game a complete defensive collapse. When it’s time to project the futures of franchises following the season the Chiefs most certainly will be in the mix when it comes to predicting which teams have the best chance of getting there next year, or the year after.
[Super Bowling daydream reaches a solid 1 on the Richter Scale]
Alex Smith, The Evolution Of Sling Blade
Are you seeing it? Can you visually tell that Alex Smith is improving each week? Alex Smith was whipping the ball around the neighborhood on Sunday afternoon and most of his passes were right on target and many other passes were squeezed into a tight window. If you’re down about the loss on Sunday remember that it wasn’t your quarterback’s fault. Smith was chucking fireballs and apparently some of them were too hot for his receivers to handle. If you want a reason why the Chiefs lost, on the offensive side of the ball… it was the Chiefs receivers who enslaved the day. However, you have to be excited because this weekend Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
[3 Stars for Mr. Smith]
I’m not exactly sure who the bells were tolling for… but, it’s clear that Junior Hemingway answered them. He had a whale of a game in every aspect and you can begin to see how his star could be rising in this offense. On special teams, was there a play they didn’t call his name on for positive contributions. Sometimes you wonder what goes on in the film rooms at 101 Arrowhead Way because from where I sit, Junior Hemingway has earned the right to get more reps at WR.
[Earned The Importance Of Not Being Ernest]
Lewis Ka’Blewis
It’s one giant leap in the alphabet when jumping from J to K in the Lewis family tree of names. However, any of Jerry’s many movies could also be used to describe Kendrick’s play this year: The Patsy, The King Of Comedy, The Disorderly Orderly, Scared Stiff and the list goes on. We never should have expected Lewis to be the ball hawk we hoped for with 4.57 speed coming out of college. For Eric Berry to continue to play Strong Safety the way Eric Berry plays that position, the Chiefs must have a Free Safety who can run like a deer and dissect plays with lightning quickness. While I’m certainly of the opinion that Bob Sutton missed several mid-game adjustments, there’s no way the Chiefs can leave a player on the field like Lewis who mis-reads and mis-diagnoses plays while they are happening. And I don’t want to hear one more excuse that begins with, “but Peyton is one of the best….”
[Perfect 10 in “The Sad Sack,” Paramount Pictures, 1957]
Pitty Party Twitter-Twattle
Yes, the Chiefs have lost 3 games in a row but the whoa is me theme on the internet is ridiculous;
Jon Baldwin? Really? Please!
The New England Patriots have been working for the past 13 weeks to reach 9-3 and now that they have, everyone at ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports and NFL Network seems to have a gooseberry lodged up their yin-yang because, man, their excited! The Chiefs get to 9-3 via a different route and half Chiefs nation is biting their toenails while the reporters for the above noted sites and networks are about as excited as two kids stuck indoors on a rainy day in a Dr. Seuss book.
[Two Thumbs Down- good old Siskel and Ebert style]
Jerrell and Dontari together again at last. I was disappointed when the Chiefs cut Jerrell Powe earlier this year and thought he was having a his best year yet when the ax came down. Now, the Po-Bros ride again and wouldn’t it be great to see them on the field at the same time. That would be one “hefty hunk of steaming junk” (Poe goes 346 and Powe 331)… special thanks to Sweet Baby James. Watching the Po-Bros push the pile will be like watching the mountain come to Muhammad… and smashing him flat… cuz “I’m a steamroller for you baby.” Special thanks to Sweet Baby James, part deux. Ohmmmm….
[45 RPMs]
I hope no one is going to sleep on the Seattle Seahawks. Each year, usually beginning during the Super Bowl week, we begin to talk about the “model” of success teams used to get there. I’m impressed with Seattle over the past three years and I’m asking now, “Is there anything to be learned from the way the Seahawks have been constructed?” We’ll find out more in the weeks and months to come but, in the meantime I’d like to congratulate the Seattle fans for re-setting the Guinness World record sound level for a sporting event at 137.6. Yes, it was only one-tenth more than the Chiefs recent record but they deserve it. Way to go Seattle fans.
Now that Kansas City fans have had their first shot, I think we can outdo the North-westerners, again, by more than a mere “nth” of a percentage point. When the Colts visit Arrowhead on December 22nd, let’s give them a Christmas Eve, Eve, Eve present they won’t soon forget.
[137.6 to 137.5, say what?]
Chiefs-pocolype Now
It’s hysterical how many Chiefs fans in the blogosphere want to blow the team up either on one side of the ball or the other, depending on how the team has done that week. I must say I’ve changed my opinion on what types of players the Chiefs will be needing to target this coming offseason. During the first nine games of the year I would have said — no, I should say, I did say — Offensive Linemen first and Wide Receivers second, but those two positions definitely sitting at the top of the wish list. Now, following the past three games, I would say Defensive Backs first and Tight Ends & Wide Receivers second. Sanders Commings may be an answer but I feel like so many coaches such as Bill Parcells because when it comes to Commings — it’s hard to comment on players not on the field. Someone we can comment on is the multi-talented, 4.35/40, Jr. CB/FS/KR/WR Loucheiz Purifoy out of Florida who announced Monday that he’s leaving Florida and making himself available for the NFL draft next April. ESPN’s Todd McShay has Purifoy ranked #26 on his big board but many other publications have him listed as a 2nd or 3rd rounder. Since the Chiefs are going to be drafting late in first round (doesn’t that sound great!) they’re in a position to move backwards, perhaps pick up two second rounders, and make Purifoy one of their selections.
[Rate him in INTs]
The Jerk (1979)
In my quasi-illustrious career as a sports writer I have often been critical of my colleagues who neglect to take responsibility for their previous comments, errant opinions, unforgivable toe stubs and alas, draft pick boo-boos. So, today is the day of reckoning. The day when I expose myself — well not like that — and the error of my ways. Now, since it would be too, too humiliating to simply throw my worst suggestions out there I will also give you one that looks to be working out. The two draft picks I have, in recent years, suggested would be good picks for the Chiefs include (in no particular order): Geno Smith and Nick Foles. While some will say it’s too early to tell if Geno Smith will be a complete failure, which is looking pretty likely, you have to admit he can’t get the New York Jets off the tarmac. It’s embarrassing how many articles I wrote calling for the first pick in the draft to be QB Geno Smith. Here’s one such article called, “Geno Smith: QBeast?” However, as I have so often stated, writers should take responsibility for their goofs and gaffes… and believe me I can see now that suggesting Geno had epic-goof written all over it. On the other hand, Nick Foles seems to be working out nicely in Philly. In fact, a lot better than nicely. Foles QB rating is 128.0. Peyton Manning is second at 118.3. Foles has thrown 16 straight TDs without an INT to start the season. If he throws five more he’ll break the NFL record set by Peyton Manning earlier this season. If you’d like to read my old piece about Foles it’s called, “K.C. Chiefs Prospect: QB Nick Foles.”
[⭑⭑✫✫]
Back To The Future
I’ve often touted that the off season is more fun than during the season and that’s because of all the wheeling and dealing that goes on. You get to speculate and follow the action and last off
season was perhaps the best off season I can recall in Chiefs history. While the Chiefs made a move what seemed like every other minute I don’t expect the new regime to make the volume of moves they made last year, never the less, it’s always fun to project. We do know the Chiefs will be picking in the lower half of the first round and will have no second round pick, as of this moment. If the GM John Dorsey does as I’m suggesting above (at the end of Chiefs-pocolypse Now) then the Chiefs could come away with two top talents in the second round. I think there’s a good chance someone like Loucheiz Purifoy could be had in the third and with a few question marks you can understand why Ried and Dorsey would have him rated there. Consequently, that leaves a bunch of talented second rounders we should take a a minute to look at.
1. If the Chief can get one of the top TE talents in this draft, the offense will be helped immeasurably. The Chiefs have had big trouble in little china because they can’t seem to find a top tier TE who can stay healthy. 6-5, 257, Jace Amaro out of Texas Tech would fit the bill. Amaro has 98 catches this year. You heard that right — ninety-eight catches to go along with 1240 receiving yards.
2. If the Chiefs can snag a top WR who can come in and be their number one right away, Dwayne Bowe and every other receiver on the Chiefs roster gets better right away too. Bowe would be a better number two. Avery would be a much better rotational number three. One such receiver who may fall into their laps is USC’s 6-0, 195, WR Marqise Lee who possesses 4.37 speed which shows up in games on the field every time he steps on the field. A Junior, Lee hasn’t committed to the 2014 draft yet and might only be rated the third or fourth best wide out but, his sticky hands skills and speed make him NFL game day ready now and would help to shake up the balance of power for the Chiefs in the AFC West.
3. If by some miracle the Chiefs do trade back out of the first round and by some other miracle 6-5, 314lb, Stanford OG David Yankey drops there, the Chiefs would have a huge steal and at the same time solidify their OL interior for the next decade. Take a look at a Yankey highlight reel and then you’ll be a believer too.
[I rank it – “3 Biffs” because it took 3 Biffs in 3 different eras for you to learn your lesson]
Alright Chiefs fans, if you have your own, issues, tissues, schemes, screams or Super Bowl dreams you’d like to share by all means go for it!