Did you predict this outcome for the Chiefs? You could have made that prediction into cash on www.gamebookers.com. Then, the Chiefs pick would have at least meant something to you.

On a day where the Chiefs were expected to be smack dab in the middle of all the action, all they did was draft some dude named Jackson. I joked around about Scott Pioli napping and me hanging myself with all of my old Chiefs jerseys, but more than anything it was just a boring day for Chiefs fans. Especially after last year’s wild draft and the whirlwind offseason we’ve been through thus far. Roughly 25 minutes into the draft, the Chiefs picked Tyson Jackson. Afterward? They didn’t do jack, son.

Why were the Chiefs so inactive? My guess is that Pioli and coach Todd Haley feel this is a poor draft class. Or at least deeper than it is top heavy. They must have believed that trading up wouldn’t have been worth the cost. Look at the Broncos; they traded a 2010 first-rounder for the second coming of Mighty Mouse — 5-foot-nine-in-stripper-heels Alphonso Smith.

Sure, we could have moved up and drafted a guy like Connor Barwin, Eben Britton, Everette Brown or William Beatty in round two. But what would have been the cost of such a move? That 2010 second we got from the Falcons plus another pick. Why give up a second-rounder in a better draft plus another pick for a second-rounder in this weaker draft? Better be sure. In the end, I’m guessing the Pioli Trinity wasn’t sold enough on any particular player to move up via trade.

The one mistake that could haunt the Chiefs is not trading up to get Michael Crabtree. The player who I feel is the best player in this draft was still available at No. 10. That’s absurd. I would have sent Tyler Thigpen, next year’s first-rounder and a third to the Niners in a heartbeat in exchange for that pick. Who knows? Maybe there was just no way in hell the Niners were going to flush their good fortune down the toilet after Crabtree unexpectedly fell to them?

Other than that, I really didn’t see a “must have” prospect at any point, even though Eben Britton became very intriguing as the second round advanced and he was still available.

I’m guessing that Pioli and Co. are working the phones right now, and will be until the wee hours of the morning. Remember, Pioli and the rest of the Patriots brain trust got the big Randy Moss trade at like 4 AM between draft days one and two. At this point, teams are coming to terms with the fact that the draft will not address all of their holes. This will likely rev up the trade market one last time.

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The first thing we need to do during the Pioli Trinity era is re-establish our dominance over the Raiders. Looking at the two teams, I think the Chiefs can accomplish just that during the 2009 season. I really do.

The Raiders are bound to pick up a wide receiver, either Michael Crabtree or Jeremy Maclin, in the first round of next weekend’s draft, so quarterback JaMarcus Russell will likely have more than just Zach Miller to throw to. Additionally, I expect their running game to be decent given their stable of running backs. Center Samson Satele and tackle Khalif Bharnes were decent pick-ups as well. The big problem is that adding a target and bolstering the line might not make Russell significantly better. Half of me thinks he simply just doesn’t have the mental make-up of an NFL quarterback.

Defensively, I see a team that really hasn’t improved at all. This is where we have a big advantage over the Raiders, as we have an actual quarterback now in Matt Cassel. Our line will also be better as Branden Albert is a year older and the addition of Mike Goff gives us a good set of guards, something we’ve missed ever since Will Shields retired. As things stand pre-draft, their defense could be in trouble. They couldn’t stop Tyler Thigpen last Winter, so I don’t see them stopping Cassel and Co.

I think our defense will get a big boost from the home crowd. I can’t remember the last time we opened against the Raiders, but I expect the Sea of Red to be as amped up as its ever been. After all, this is the first home game of the Pioli Trinity era and its against the hated Silver and Black. The 12th man will give our Chiefs a huge lift, and the Chiefs will coast to a big victory.

Prediction:

34-13 Chiefs

Marquee Match-Ups:

CB Nnamdi Asomugha vs. TE Tony Gonzalez

Asomugha got eaten alive by Tony G in Oakland last season the last time these two clubs met. I doubt the NFL’s highest-paid corner can do any better in a rematch. Gonzalez is just too big.

Chiefs’ Front Seven vs. QB JaMarcus Russell

If the Chiefs can put the heat on fat boy, it will be a long day for the Silver and Black attack. With the home crowd worked into a frenzy, I expect FatMarcus to struggle mightily.

Intereting Factoid:

Al Davis made his fortune selling metals during the Bronze Age.

Addicts, sound off on the home opener against the Raiders…

So the news has hit the Intertwebs that Anquan Boldin wouldn’t mind playing for the Chiefs. The price for the Cardinals is apparently a first and a third. I wonder if the No. 3 pick and a 2010 conditional would get it done (high third, low fifth)? If so, I would pull the trigger. As much as I love Crabtree, Boldin has proven that he is a Pro Bowl player and a tough-as-nails one at that.

This would also clear the way for us to trade Tony Gonzalez if we wanted to in exchange for second-rounder, where we could snag a linebacker. After all, one fundamental belief I have is that teams overvalue their draft picks because they believe they can assess talent better than they truly can. Definitely food for thought.

Addicts, would you trade our firt-rounder and change for Anquan Boldin?

What the hell am I blabbing about?

Last season, the Chiefs set an all-time NFL record low with 13 sacks. This offseason, they hired a first-time head coach who made his  mark as an offensive coordinator who leaned heavily on his two Pro Bowl receivers. The Chiefs currently only have a borderline No. 1 WR in Dwayne Bowe, and no clear-cut solution when it comes to the No. 2 WR (Bobby Engram will play out of the slot). So, they are going to either pick a pass-rushing specialist or a WR with the No. 3 overall pick, right?

I’d like to think so, but a lot of the so-called experts project us to pick linebacker Aaron Curry out of Wake Forest.

That’s right, a linebacker who isn’t a pass rusher third overall. That kind of player has only been picked in the top five once this decade (A.J. Hawk), and before that there were flops like Kevin Hardy, LaVar Arrington and Quentin Coryatt. Sure, Jerod Mayo worked out last year, but he was picked 10th and many experts still thought he was a reach. Coverage linebackers just don’t hold that kind of value in this league.

If the Chiefs aren’t going to draft the only “can’t miss” superstar in this draft, WR Micheal Crabtree, or the pass rusher with the most potential, Brian Orakpo, I’d like to see us “pull a Minnesota” and allow teams to leapfrog us in the draft order.

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As you all know, I think Michael Crabtree is far and away the best receiver in this draft class. But not everyone agrees with me. My old man, Mizzou homer that he is, thinks Jeremy Maclin will be better. Brian over at Phin Phanatic likes Kenny Britt. I know Double D loves him some Darrius Heyward-Bey. Recently, I’ve even read some comments throwing names like Hakeem Nicks and Percy Harvin into the convo. So, we’ll let you be “the decider”…

Addicts, who’s the best receiver in the 2009 NFL Draft class?

1. Quarterback
2. Left Tackle
3. Pass-rushing Outside Linebacker
4. No. 1 Wide Receiver
5. Nose Tackle
6. Shutdown Cornerback
7. Inside Linebackers
8. No. 2 Wide Receiver
9. Right Tackle
10. Strong Safety
11. Right Defensive End
12. Left Guard
13. Tight End
14. Center
15. Right Guard
16. No. 2 Cornerback
17. Left Defensive End
18. Featured Running Back
19. Coverage Outside Linebacker
20. Free Safety
21. Slot Receiver
22. Nickel Corner
23. Third down/Change-of-pace Running Back
24. Fullback/H-Back
25. No. 4 WR
26. Dime Corner

This chart makes it obvious why I would pick Brian Orakpo (projected 3, but could also play 11) or Michael Crabtree (projected 4) over Eugene Monroe (projected 2, but would be a 9 for us) or Aaron Curry (projected 7 or 19). Pretty difficult exercise, but I am sure the Chiefs have a positional ranking system themselves. I even had inside linebacker higher than I originally wanted to rank it due to some comments from coaches about the 3-4.

Addicts, how would you rank the positions?

• Matt Stafford scored a 38. I’m not his biggest fan, but this score paired with a standout pro day has gotten even my attention. Mark Sanchez and Josh Freeman also fared pretty well, scoring 28 and 27 respectively. Matt Ryan scored a 32 last year. We at least know that if any of the three drop, it won’t be because of their Wonderlic scores.

• Andre Smith scored a 17, which raises yet another red flag for the ginormous Alabama prospect.

• Rey Maualuga scored a 15. Yikes! No thanks to him being the QB of our new defense. Fellow Trojan backers Clay Matthews and Brian Cushing recorded a 27 and a 23, respectively.

• Meanwhile, Michael Crabtree’s 15 isn’t a big deal, as receivers typically don’t do well or need to do well. On the other hand, Jeremy Maclin’s 25, especially considering his age, is still quite an impressive score.

• As for the big boys up front, Eugene Monroe (24) and Jason Smith (23) did fine, but it was Arizona OT Eben Britton who really turned some heads with his (31). This is why I don’t want us to draft a tackle at No. 3. Because every year a player like Britton goes in the late first (Sam Baker) or early second (Tony Ugoh), and ends up being essentially just as good as the Jake Longs and Joe Thomases of the draft. Britton’s score bodes well for a prospect who’s stock was already rising.

• No scores for Aaron Curry, Brian Orakpo or Everette Brown…yet. But since presumably all the scores leaked, no news is good news.

Fellow addicts, sound off on the Wonderlic score results…

Our good friends over at Arrowhead Pride are reporting, via KFFL, that the Lions will select Jason Smith first overall in next month’s NFL Draft. From KFFL:

Lions | To take J. Smith with first pick?
Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:38:30 -0700

KFFL has learned the Detroit Lions will take Baylor OT Jason Smith with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

If this is true, my guess is that the Lions are going the cheap route. After all, the Ford family can’t exactly throw around the cash it used to. Meanwhile, Smith probably settled on a much smaller deal than either Aaron Curry or Matt Stafford would have in order to be the No. 1 overall pick. And why not? After all, houses in Detroit are going for a used waffle maker and a bagful of Camel points.

What does this mean for the Chiefs? Curry? Maybe. It could also increase the likelihood of a trade down, as teams more than likely are going to be interested in trading up for Matt Stafford. Remember, the first quarterback went at No. 3 last year. It does look almost for certain that both Curry and Michael Crabtree will be on the board when our Chiefs pick, not to mention Brian Orakpo and Everette Brown as well. So, let the debate rage on…

If the first two picks are indeed Smith and Eugene Monroe, who should the Chiefs select third?

Torture Rack – The rack is commonly considered the most painful form of medieval torture.

This method was mostly used to extract confessions, as not confessing meant that the torturer could stretch more. Sometimes, torturers forced their victim to watch other people be tortured with this device to implant psychological fear.

Sometimes this method was limited to dislocating a few bones, but the torturer often went too far and rendered the legs or arms (sometimes both) useless. – Medievality.com

Now that the Chiefs have imported both Matt Cassel and Todd Haley, they’re married to their passing game. The Chiefs’ success now hinges on the success of their aerial attack. The good news is the NFL is increasingly becoming more and more of a passing league. Which is precisely why I think the Chiefs could go “all in” and select wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who’s the best prospect in this draft class if you ask me.

Crabtree is my option 1A when it comes to the Chiefs’ No. 3 pick in April’s draft.

My option 1B? DE/OLB Brian Orakpo.

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I’ve tried to wrap my brain around it, but…I just can’t. I can’t. It. Doesn’t. Make. Any. Sense. None whatsoever.

Look, linebackers who primarily rack up tackles and drop back into coverage just aren’t worthy of a top-three pick. Don’t believe me? Well, NFL general managers side with me. They have decided that the position isn’t as crucial as say quarterback, offensive tackle and, yes, wide receiver. That’s why the only player of this description to be picked in the past decade is LaVar Arrington. More on that from Walter Football:

The only linebacker chosen in the top three since 1998 was LaVarr Arrington in 2000. And it has to be noted that the man who took Arrington was none other than Daniel Snyder — an owner with a horrendous track record when making NFL personnel decisions…

Now, is Curry a better prospect than DeMarcus Ware, LaVarr Arrington, A.J. Hawk and Brian Urlacher? According to the Detroit-Curry speculation, some think so. Curry’s weight-40 combo rank up there with that of Arrington, Urlacher, Hawk and Ware, yet only one of those guys cracked the top three…

I’m not saying Curry is going to be a bust. I’m just pointing out that NFL front offices have since realized that linebacker isn’t one of the most valuable positions.

The reason a linebacker hasn’t been chosen first overall since 1988 is because NFL general managers and scouts have become wiser as the draft process has evolved.

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After discussions and debate throughout the day, Crabtree and his advisors have decided to hold off on any surgery until after his March 26 Pro Day, those close to the player said Saturday.

One reason the surgery is being delayed is because Crabtree is not feeling any pain in his foot. He still wants to run the 40-yard dash for NFL coaches and scouts next month.

But Crabtree also is aware that, if the injury is aggravated in any way during his training process, then surgery would have to be performed right away and a screw will have to be inserted into his foot. Once surgery is performed, Crabtree would be expected to be sidelined about 10 weeks.

If he is able to hold off on the surgery until after his Pro Day, Crabtree then would miss his new team’s rookie minicamps and not return to action until mid June. But those close to him expect that he will not have any issues being ready for training camp.

But for the time being, Crabtree will hold off on any surgery until after he runs two 40-yard dashes for NFL scouts and coaches. It is for Crabtree, at least for the time being, the most pressing business.

Maybe the Chiefs are back in the Crabtree derby? If they were ever in it in the first place?

Anyway, this could either be a very wise or very foolish move by Crabtree. If he runs well, he solidifies his top-five status. If he runs poorly, then he could drop, costing him millions of dollars. We’ll see how it works out.

Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli said the situation was unfortunate for Crabtree, but not devastating.

“You got a bunch of tapes to watch guys on. From our standpoint we evaluate guys on how they play football and not just on how they run,” noted Pioli.

Maybe I should put away my “jump to conclusions” mat? Or maybe Pioli is just playing things close to the chest, trying not to give anything away? Hmmm…

By now you’ve heard the news that Michael Crabtree’s foot injury will require surgery. That means he will not be running at his Pro Day. I just don’t see our Chiefs or any of the other top six teams taking a chance on Crabtree sight unseen. What does that mean? It means that the best receiver, maybe even player, in this draft likely just fell into Al Davis’ lap. GULP! From NFL.com:

Medical testing at the scouting combine here revealed that Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree, one of the top prospects in this year’s NFL draft, has a slight stress fracture in his left foot that will require surgery to insert a screw, league sources said Saturday morning.

The injury and surgery is expected to sideline Crabtree for at least 10 weeks, jeopardizing his NFL pro day, which now is expected to be canceled, and raising questions about when he will be healthy again. Doctors believe that with the precautions the All-American wide receiver is willing to take, Crabtree will be sufficiently recovered in time for training camp this summer.

After doctors found the slight stress fracture on Friday they conducted more testing on Crabtree, including a bone scan that revealed that the injury happened only recently, possibly during training for the combine. Since finding it, Crabtree has been investigating the best and smartest way to treat the injury.

I’m very, very concerned that Crabtree is going to end up wearing silver and black. JaMarcus Russell’s arm to Michael Crabtree? That’s scary stuff.

Addicts, sound off on Crabtree possibly going to  the Raiders…

More importantly, I’m worried about us picking an OT that high for four other reasons:

1. Which one do we take? Two months ago it was Michael Oher. Two weeks ago it was Andre Smith. Last week it was Eugene Monroe. Now, it’s Jason Smith. Or is it back to Monroe?What will it be after the combine?

2. Building on that last point, can’t we get nearly the same player at No. 34, and not have to feel bad about playing him at RT? Look at Joe Thomas and Tony Ugoh in 2007, Jake Long and Sam Baker in 2008. Typically, there is a lot of depth at OT, and this year is no different.

3. Do we really want to move Branden Albert to LG or RT after he played so well as a rookie at the coveted LT position? Or pay a top-five pick to play — GULP! — RT?

4. There are guys like Jordan Gross and Mark Tauscher out there in free agency.

That’s how I see it. Unless Brian Orakpo or Mark Sanchez blows away the combine, I’m pretty set on the Chiefs taking Michael Crabtree. Whether they will do it or not doesn’t matter to me. Last year I knew we wouldn’t trade up to get Matt Ryan, but I wanted to go out on a limb and say that was what I would’ve done. This is no different.

Addicts, considering these points, why should we burn the No. 3 pick on an OT?

Let’s start off by looking at the last 10 drafts and the linebackers and wide receivers who have gone in the top five. Players who made the Pro Bowl will have an asterisk by their name.

1999 NFL Draft:

NONE

2000 NFL Draft:

LBs LaVar Arrington* (2nd)

WRs: Peter Warrick (4th)

2001 NFL Draft:

NONE

2002 NFL Draft:

NONE

2003 NFL Draft:

WRs: Charles Rogers (2nd), Andre Johnson* (3rd)

2004 NFL Draft:

WRs: Larry Fitzgerald* (4th)

2005 NFL Draft:

WRs: Braylon Edwards* (3rd)

2006 NFL Draft:

LBs: A.J. Hawk (5th)

2007 NFL Draft:

WRs: Calvin Johnson (2nd)

2008 NFL Draft:

NONE

So, we have six wide receivers to two linebackers, and a whole lot to discuss…

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(Video NSFW)

Oh, there they go. There they go! Every time I start talking about Crabtree, a Chiefs fan gotta pull Matt Millen out they ass. That’s they one. That’s they one!

Rocky Marciano, Rocky Marciano, Rocky Marciano…

Matt Millen, Matt Millen, Matt Millen…

Blah, blah, blah….

At least the old Jewish man from Coming to America made some sense.

Pulling out Matt Millen in a futile attempt to discredit Michael Crabtree as a potential draft option for the Chiefs at No. 3 is a joke.

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Congrats to our new coach, Todd Haley.  This is the key hiring in Scott Pioli’s tenure, just like the key to Haley’s tenure will be his choice of coordinators. Lets hope there is no one named Clancy as our defensive coordinator. Unfortunately, due to his late hiring, many excellent choices are already gone (Mike Nolan). Hopefully, the Three Musketeers — Clark Hunt, Haley and Pioli — will have the opportunity to draft a franchise player like Carl Peterson did with Derrick Thomas in his first draft.

Stop the nonsense about Michael Crabtree. Yes, he is a great college player, but didn’t we learn anything from Matt Millen and the Lions? Receivers are available every year, but without a line or a quarterback to throw to them they are not worth the investment of a No. 3 pick. Regardless of the position, the Chiefs must find a player that will be Pro Bowl-caliber player at that position for 8-10 years. Often that is an outstanding offensive lineman — see Joe Thomas, Brown, 2007, or Jake Long, Dolphins, 2008.

Lastly, is an appeal to the Chiefs fans for PATIENCE. The Three Musketeers have taken over a mess. Arrowhead is being rebuilt and the Chiefs have the youngest team in the league.  In addition, they have several problem areas which must be rectified — like Larry Johnson. We are likely to get nothing in return for him as a result of his tirades and trade demands. Also, Brian Waters and Tony Gonzalez have mentioned that they might possibly like a change of scenery. It will take several months to assemble a staff, analyze our current roster and size up free agency and the draft. Good Luck!!

Boldin requested a trade following the 2007 season when his fellow wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald signed a four-year, $40 million contract extension with Arizona [2] and the Cardinals declined to renegotiate Boldin’s contract. He has two years with $12 million remaining on his current contract.

So, Boldin will not  be coming with Todd Haley to the Chiefs. If we want to add another elite receiver, our only two options are really either drafting Michael Crabtree or signing T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who in my opinion is a lot like Dwayne Bowe.

The Kansas City Chiefs are entering one of the most important drafts in franchise history.  After coming off a solid draft in 2008, the Chiefs must continue to build off of last year’s draft to generate a solid contending team for years to come.  The only way this can be done is to address the major needs of our beloved red and gold.   In this post, I will be ranking our major draft needs; 1 being a non-need and 10 being a desperate need.

Quarterback: -10

Sure Tyler Thigpen showed potential in 2008.  I don’t want to throw him under the bus or anything, but who knows what is going to happen when we get a new coach and if he will want to stick with this spread offense.  If our new coach does not want to go with the spread, can Tyler be an effective under-the-center type quarterback?  The Chiefs can not afford to wait if Tyler doesn’t pan out.  Damon Huard is more than likely gone and lord knows that we can’t rely on Brodie Croyle.  We must pick up a QB in this draft but none of the quarterbacks coming out of the draft seem to be worthy of a 3rd overall pick in my opinion.  I say we pick up a QB in the later rounds.  Here are some who should be available after the first round.

• Graham Harrell, Texas Tech - In 2008 Harrell threw for 5,100 yards, 45 touchdowns and posted a quarterback rating of 160.04.  I know that he is definitely a product of a system but his stats are still outstanding.  Although he does not have the frame of most NFL QB’s, he has good fundamentals to become a solid NFL player.  Great arm, good accuracy, durable, shows poise in the pocket and has great football intelligence.  I see Graham Harrell more as a developmental type player but he definitely has potential.

• Josh Freeman, Kansas State - Standing at 6’5″, 238 pounds Freeman has great size for the NFL.  I personally think Josh Freeman is overrated but a lot of people like him and he is rated high on many peoples boards for QB’s in the 2009 draft, so I thought I would list him.  He has great size and a cannon arm but I question his decision making frequently, especially in clutch situations.

• Nate Davis, Ball State - I think Nate Davis would be a solid pick on the 2nd day of the draft.  He threw for 9,233 yards and 74 touchdowns in 3 years at Ball State.  He seems to be a more NFL ready quarterback and I think he wouldn’t take as long to develop as a Graham Harrell.  Davis has great smarts and plays well under pressure.  If we can get him on the second day of the draft I say we take him.

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Another thing I want to say is that when Big Ben runs all around the pocket and shakes off defenders and contorts his body and flings it up…THERE SHOULD BE NO ROUGHING THE PASSER. Unless it’s ridiculously late. He’s so hard to bring down, and it’s so hard to know when the play is over in that situation. I compare him to Shaq; when he shrugs off defenders like that, you only need to protect him from cheap shots and really late hits. Karlos Dansby’s phantom roughing the passer was a joke and a disgrace.

It looks like Kent Babb of Red Zone woke up this morning thinking the same thing I did last night:

Haley did everything right. Even the messy things, including the on-field argument two weeks ago with Anquan Boldin, caught the attention of some NFL men as a positive thing. Showed he had fire and passion. Showed he wouldn’t be intimidated or run over by players like some other coaches.

But Haley’s showing Sunday might be the deciding factor if the Chiefs make him their No. 1 target to replace Herm Edwards and name him Kansas City’s 11th head coach. He made outstanding adjustments at halftime, after Pittsburgh shut down Arizona in the first half. Haley’s play-calling on the Cardinals’ last two series was flawless; he leaned on Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald to carve up Pittsburgh’s top-ranked defense, once it moved into its dime formation.

If Arizona’s defense had done its part, which against the Steelers is no easy task, Haley would have directed a Super Bowl championship offense. Still, there’s little doubt that Haley’s name will be on the tip of the Chiefs’ tongue as they close in on their next coach.

Anyone who is blaming this loss on Haley is being utterly ridiculous. Don’t give me this crap that I’m being a hypocrite using the same argument the Chandemonium freaks are either. Chan Gailey did not show any ability to make second-half adjustments or deliver great drives under pressure this season. Haley just did both on the game’s biggest stage and in a helluva pickle. Again, I believe all he needed is another half a minute — or for his quarterback not to throw a pick six in the waning moments of the first half. I was more impressed with Haley last night than at any time during the playoffs, which is saying something.

It looks like Kurt Warner might be coming back, too. Problem is that I’m not sure the Cardinals can afford that with Matt Leinart still under contract and the disgruntled Anquan Boldin and free agent Karlos Dansby both needing new deals. Then again, they could trade Leinart to us to clear money. I guess it all depends on if Haley is indeed the Chiefs guy, and if he believes in Leinart. It’s a long shot, but something to watch. Maybe Warner could end up with the Bears? I’ve heard that rumor.

Arrowhead Pride is also contemplating hopping aboard the Case for Crabtree express. Plenty of room, gentleman. Plenty of room.

Addicts, sound off with your lingering thoughts on the Super Bowl and all the rumors…

Larry Fitzgerald also showed what an all-world talent at receiver can do, as did Santonio Holmes. Let’s not forget that he also was also a first-round pick. The Steelers designed their entire game plan to stop Fitzgerald, and if it hadn’t of been for a few costly mistakes, he would have done just that. All credit due to the Steelers, as they won the game. But the Cardinals lost it every bit as much if they won it. It’s also funny to me that with all of this talk about defense winning championships it was Holmes, an offensive player, who ultimately delivered the championship. Roethlisberger, as much as I can’t stand him, came through, too.

To me, the game was nearly ruined by some of the most overzealous officiating I have ever seen in a big game. You can call a penalty on every freakin’ play — put away the flags, zebras. It almost evened out in the end, but the refs essentially gave the Steelers a gift field goal there when they called the three big penalties in the third quarter. It would have been a touchdown if it hadn’t of been for some inspired defense. That put the Cards in a pretty big hole. That phantom roughing-the-passer call on Dansby hurt a ton. It should have been a punt. Given the predicament, that string of calls kinda crippled the Cards.

I will give these refs credit, though. They had brass balls and weren’t scared to make any call at any time. Now, whether those were the right calls or not is a different story.

I think Whiz deferring might have cost him the game. Ultimately, it allowed the Steelers to dominate the time of possession and wear down the Cards’ D. That’s why  they couldn’t hold at the end there. They were exhausted.

Additionally, Warner is a rhythm player. We all saw what happened when he got hot in the fourth. Deferring took him out of the game. If this game goes another quarter, the Cardinals win it. I know that much. I’ve been hard on Kurt, but he did a lot of great things. That pick six was just the ultimate disaster in Super Bowl history. That’s all anybody will remember about his performance in this game.

I definitely don’t think this game can be considered a win for defense over offense. I truly don’t.

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#	Team		Pick
1		Detroit Lions (0-16)	QB Matthew Stafford Georgia
2		St. Louis Rams (2-14)	OT Andre Smith Alabama
3		Kansas City Chiefs (2-14)	WR Michael Crabtree Texas Tech
4		Seattle Seahawks (4-12)	OT Eugene Monroe Virginia
5		Cleveland Browns (4-12)	LB Aaron Curry Wake Forest
6		Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1)	OT Jason Smith Baylor
7		Oakland Raiders (5-11)	DE Brian Orakpo Texas
8		Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)	WR Jeremy Maclin Missouri
9		Green Bay Packers (5-11)	CB Malcolm Jenkins Ohio State
10		San Francisco 49ers (7-9)	QB Mark Sanchez USC
11		Buffalo Bills (7-9)	TE Brandon Pettigrew Oklahoma State
12		Denver Broncos (8-8)	RB Knowshon Moreno Georgia
13		Washington Redskins (8-8)	OT Michael Oher Ole Miss
14		New Orleans Saints (8-8)	LB Brian Cushing USC
15		Houston Texans (8-8)	DE Everette Brown Florida State
16		San Diego Chargers (8-8)	LB Rey Maualuga USC
17		New York Jets (8-8)	CB Vontae Davis Illinois
18		Chicago Bears (8-8)	QB Josh Freeman Kansas State
19		Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)	DT B.J. Raji Boston College
20		Detroit Lions (9-7, Via Cowboys)	OT Eben Britton Arizona
21		Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1)	OT Phil Loadholt Oklahoma
22		Minnesota Vikings (10-6)	CB Victor Harris Virginia Tech
23		New England Patriots (9-6)	DE Aaron Maybin Penn State
24		Atlanta Falcons (9-6)	James Laurinaitis Ohio State
25		Miami Dolphins (10-5)	G Duke Robinson Oklahoma
26		Baltimore Ravens (11-5)	WR Percy Harvin Florida
27		Indianapolis Colts (11-5)	DT Peria Jerry Ole Miss
28		Philadelphia Eagles (12-4, via Panthers)	S William Moore Missouri
29		New York Giants (12-4)	DE Michael Johnson Georgia Tech
30		Tennessee Titans (13-3)	WR Derrius Heyward Bey Maryland
31		Arizona Cardinals (9-7)	RB Chris Wells Ohio State
32		Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)	DE Tyson Jackson LSU

Check out these Mock Draft Databases:

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Step two? That’s where things have gone wrong, forcing me to wad up my previous Blueprints, toss ‘em in the trash and start on a new draft. Josh McDaniels is now coaching the Broncos, Steve Spagnuolo the Rams. Maybe it’s for the best, as a new candidate has emerged that I’m sweeter on than either of my previous preferred head coaching choices.

That being said, let’s get this show on the road…

The Blueprint 2K9 V3: Raiding Arizona

Step 1: Pioli hires Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley as the Kansas City Chiefs’ new head coach.

Every NFL team must have its own identity in order to be successful. Last year, the Chiefs didn’t have one. Well, a positive one anyway. No, I don’t consider “gimmick offense” a positive one. C’mon folks, that’s what the Arrowspread was. Don’t even get me started on the defense. That’s why it didn’t work in the second halves of games all season long. Still, the Chiefs are much, much closer to being an offensive powerhouse than they are to being a defensive one. And that is precisely why hiring Haley makes so much sense.

Haley is the hottest offensive coordinator in the game. He’s devised a deadly pass-first offense that has carried the Cardinals all the way to the Super Bowl. He has the temperament of a head coach. Like I recently stated in a comment thread, we need a boss — not a buddy. We need a Bill Parcells or a Mike Tomlin — not a Herm Edwards or Wade Phillips. This guy has shown that he can deal with the egomaniacs of the NFL; he didn’t take any lip from T.O. as an assistant coach with the Cowboys, and he put Anquan Boldin in his place last week while calling the NFC Championship-winning drive. That proved that he could not only handle the players and the pressure, but thrive in the hectic environment in which a head coach must operate. The Tuna made Haley one of his disciples for a reason.

Lastly, we want a young, hungry coach with lots to prove. Why? Because we want someone who can allow us to forge a coach-G.M.-owner triumvirate that can grow and win together over the course of the next decade or so. Something that lasts. That’s what we are trying to build here. With Hunt and Pioli both 43, and Haley 41, they have nothing but time. Hell, the Hunts kept Carl Peterson around for 20 years — Clark is going to want that same stability with this new regime. With a Haley-Pioli pairing — the two have known each other for a long time and reportedly have a good relationship — that kind of front office stability would be a real possibility.

The critics will have their gripes. They’ll say that he’s not proven. Um, leading an offensive-minded team to the Super Bowl as its offensive coordinator isn’t proving yourself? Then they’ll say why are we hiring an O.C. when our defense was so atrocious last year? Because Haley can mold an offense featuring some serious talent into something special. Because Haley, a Parcells disciple, won’t neglect the defensive side of the ball. Because Pioli, a Belichick disciple, won’t neglect the defensive side of the ball either. Because that’s why you hire the right defensive coordinator.

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Not only does Kiper have our Chiefs taking Mark Sanchez — one of Adam’s Draft Apple fo sho — but Brian Orakpo barely cracks the top 15 and Michael Oher doesn’t. It also very well looks like Andre Smith and Matt Stafford could be off the board when our Red and Gold make their selection at No. 3. Our choice could come down to Aaaron Curry, Michael Crabtree and Sanchez, which is what most of us here at the Addict have been thinking for a little while now. Drafting a defensive end there is out of the question, but offensive tackle could still be a possibility. We’re going to have to keep an eye on Eugene Monroe and Jason Smith. Any Big 12ers see Smith play this season?

Congrats to the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers (yuck!) and both teams’ fans. For all your Super Bowl coverage head on over to our sister sites Nice Pick, Cowher and Raising Zona.

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The good news?

Step 1. Lure Scott Pioli away from the New England Patriots to run the Chiefs football operations.

That was a success as Pioli is now officially the Kansas City Chiefs Head of Football Operations.

That bad news?

Step 2. Pioli hires Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to be our head coach.

Not going to happen. Those dispicable Denver Broncos beat us to the punch. Then again, with the lack of haste to get Pioli in office, maybe McD was never the guy.

Regardless, the old Blueprint hit masterfully on No. 1, but careened of the tracks on No. 2. That being said, to quote Jay-Z, “The Blueprint 2, baby, on the way…”

The Blueprint 2K9 V2: New York State of Mind

Step 1: Pioli hires New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo as the Kansas City Chiefs’ new head coach.

(Again, Herm Edwards getting canned is a no-brainer. No need to waste keystrokes.)

With McD off the board, we turn our attention to the best available candidate, and one who has a more extensive portfolio. As most of our talent lies on the offensive side of the ball, a defensive-minded coach could work out perfectly. Just look at what Tony Dungy did up in Naptown. I like everything about Spagnuolo, from his intensity to his communication skills. He would be a great fit for the next chapter of Chiefs football.

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