Podcast: Dee Ford, Alex Smith and the Chiefs’ offensive line
On this episode of the Roughing the Kicker Chiefs podcast, Joshua Brisco recaps the Chiefs’ preseason victory over the Seattle Seahawks, focusing on the production of Dee Ford, the play of Alex Smith and the debacle of an offensive line without Eric Fisher. Plus, a look at Football Outsiders’ biggest concern for the Chiefs and the latest news and injury updates from the Chiefs Kingdom.
Preseason victories are essentially meaningless, but the plays seen in them are often quite valuable. In their second preseason game, the Chiefs had bright spots and dark spots, but they all seem to have a silver lining.
The starting offensive line was abysmal. The good news is that between two and four of the linemen that started on Friday won’t be starting in week one.
Dee Ford got all of the first-team reps and left with a rib injury, but he looked like a real budding NFL pass rusher before he was hurt. (He got past and through linemen with speed, spins and pure power.)
Alex Smith had back-to-back miserable passes, one ending in a pick-six, but that drive came just after a surgical series that ended with a touchdown pass to (WIDE RECEIVER) Jeremy Maclin.
With those storylines and so many more, this upcoming Chiefs season could be so many things. I want to be blindly optimistic, but history says that’s foolish. I’d be blisteringly pessimistic, but it’s a game and I actually believe in a lot of what the Chiefs are doing. I guess, in the end, I’m sitting with nervous anticipation for what will happen in week one when the Chiefs face a dominant pass rush and the games truly matter.
Mentioned on today’s show: the superb Football Outsiders piece that highlights one of the largest flaws in Alex Smith’s game.
Have ideas or questions for next week’s episode? Tweet @jbbrisco or comment here on AA and tell me what you want to talk about. Subscribe to RTK on iTunes and never miss an episode.
Roughing the Kicker is a Kansas City Chiefs podcast on Arrowhead Addict Radio. RTK is about the Chiefs and the NFL through the eyes of Chiefs fans.
Click here for last week’s episode covering the Chiefs’ victory over the Arizona Cardinals.