The Chiefs And The Big “But” Season
By Laddie Morse
Every team in the league is a Super Bowl contender… but.
Each team has a chance and… each team also has a big but… or an “if”, if you will. Some teams of course have many ifs, ands or buts. However, each team has at least one big but.
The Philadelphia Eagles will make it to the Super Bowl… but… will all those personalities cooperate? The NE Pats will be right there at the end of the year… but… can they manage their problem children? The Green Bay Packers might repeat… but… will they have to endure the injury bug again? The NY Jets will make it past a conference championship game… but… will they be able to coordinate all those interchanging parts!
Every team has a… big but.
In the case of the Kansas City Chiefs, the big but, or buts, have shrunk since last season.
You can almost hear Scott Pioli telling Todd Haley, “Honey, I shrunk your but.”
And, in this case, Haley is good with it.
Let’s take a look at some of the Chiefs’ big buts…
Noooo. Not those butts.
The Chiefs could have beaten the Ravens in the playoffs last post season… but…
they couldn’t complete a pass to Dwayne Bowe because he was constantly double teamed and no one else could get open.
That was a big but for the Chiefs last year. It shouldn’t be a big but this season because of the additions of speedster WR Steve Breaston from Arizona and the 6-5 possession WR Jon Baldwin from Pitt. Plus, it looks like Jerheme Urban will be a contributor early on.
The Chiefs would have made more first downs last season… but…
there were critical 3rd down and short situations that they often failed to convert. In fact, they ranked 32nd in the league at converting on 3rd and 1.
The Chiefs should be better at 3rd and short this season with the addition of Le’Ron McClain. Also, if Dexter McCluster can stay healthy it will help.
The Chiefs could have been more efficient on pass defense… but…
they couldn’t cover tight ends down the middle of the field, to save their souls.
This season the Chiefs may be improved defending tight ends with the addition of Brandon Siler and the progression of Jovan Belcher. It’s also been suggested that the addition of a taller CB like Jalil Brown was done with the idea of covering the oppositions TEs.
The Chiefs should have beaten the Raiders last season… but…
they got physically man handled both times they played them.
The Chiefs have been getting bigger and stronger each of the past three seasons and should be able to compete with the big boys of the league. The line-up additions of players like Jon Asamoah, Le’Ron McClain, Kelly Gregg, Jerrell Powe, Allen Bailey and Jon Baldwin and their increased physical training should help. Plus, 6-8, 335 pound UDFA OT David Mims looks like he may be a keeper. Big, strong and athletic, I’m projecting him for a roster spot. Perhaps the practice squad.
The Chiefs ranked 14th overall in run defense last season… but…
there were games when it appeared that they couldn’t stop the run, especially up the middle.
The addition of Kelly Gregg at the nose and drafting Jerrell Powe is supposed to help stop the bleeding. We’ll have to see if they’re an improvement over Ron Edwards and Shaun Smith.
Matt Cassel had a Pro Bowl season last year… but…
if he doesn’t take a big step up and make quantum leaps in his accuracy (he was 26th in the league in passing pct., Alex Smith even did better) then the three B’s (Bowe, Breaston and Baldwin) may turn into three F’s on his report card.
The Chiefs won the AFC West title last season and improved to 10-6. They also look like they’ve improved over the off season… but…
they may not win as many games this year as they did last season because the schedule is much tougher.
Every team has a… big but… but… only one team can win it all. I guess you could say that every but, has a but. That makes it a doubly big but.
So, now that the off season is coming to an end…
what do you see as the Chief’s biggest but?
Come on now, show your but.