Chiefs things I think: 2015 1st quarter edition
By Ryan Tracy
Oct 4, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Chris Conley (17) against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 36-21. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
7. The development of Chris Conley needs to speed up
Conley has had typical rookie growing pains, but he has also shown flashes of exactly the traits the Kansas City Offense needs. Conley got his first start out of the way against the Cincinnati Bengals in week 4. The game was up and down for Conley. He caught two passes on six targets. The reception percentage of only 33% together with a drop, is not the kind of start you want to see from a 6’2” receiver.
Outside of those pains, Conley has also made his presence known. His average sits at 23.0 yard per catch. That is the best yards per catch on the roster, surpassing both Kelce and Maclin. A six-target outing was a good start, but Conley warrants more opportunities, especially at home in Arrowhead. He’s a big target that had success in jump ball situations in college and Reid/Smith should be looking for him to spark the redzone offense.
8. Dorsey should be working his contacts
The NFL Trade deadline is less than four weeks away and Dorsey has work to do. The Chiefs need a nickel cornerback and right guard. There are teams actively moving players, including two trades in the last five days.
The Chiefs’ Week 5 opponent is in disarray. The Chicago Bears leadership has pulled off multiple trades in recent weeks to move players out and secure more selections for next year’s draft. There are players multiple positions that the chiefs could acquire for mid-to-late round picks including guards and cornerbacks. Dorsey should be wearing out Ryan Pace’s phone battery.
9. Jeff Allen cannot get healthy fast enough
Aug 15, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Jeff Allen (71) is taken off the field on a medical cart with a trainer after suffering an injury against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL football game at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
There been speculation about Allen’s lack of playing time since he began suiting up in week 3. Some speculate that for unknown reasons Allen has been unable to beat out Duvernay-Tardif and Fulton at right guard. The more likely explanation is that, despite dressing for games, Allen is not back to 100% as of yet.
Allen is one of the five best offensive linemen on this roster. IF healthy, he should slide into the lineup between Eric Fisher and Mitch Morse. That would be the best case scenario because a healthy Allen is the best choice for right guard. However, If the team feels they need to move Fisher back to left tackle, Allen could very well move into the right tackle slot instead. The Chiefs need to get him back on the field either way.
That’s how I see where the Chiefs stand after one quarter of the season. I expect a rebound in the second quarter and the team to get a few wins. Winning goes a long way in solidifying a team’s performance. They’ll need some to try and claw their way back into contention.
Enjoy a well-deserved home game at Arrowhead.
I’ll have more next week.