Bleacher Report - Articles by TJ Gerrity

Chiefs vs. Ravens: In-Depth Analysis and Game Plan For Week One

TJ Gerrity — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:12:23 -0400

The Ravens don’t have what you would call a “high powered offense.” If the Chiefs can put some points up on the board (17 or so), they have a shot at winning this game.

The Chiefs are really hoping Matt Cassel is going to be healthy enough to play Sunday, as that gives them a lot more options throwing the ball. If he is not ready to go, more than likely Brodie Croyle will get the start.

Even if Cassel’s leg is ready to go, the game plan will be the old cliché—“Run the ball, and stop the run.”

The left side of the offensive line (Brandon Albert, Brian Waters, Rudy Niswanger) has been together for a year now, and they have developed some chemistry with each other. Look for the Chiefs to take advantage of this and run left much more than they run right.

Running the ball effectively will keep the Baltimore defense on the field more than they want to be, and while they are very good, they are also old. Wearing them down will be easier now than in past years.

The biggest offensive key to the game for the Chiefs will be to protect the QB, and there are several ways to do this.

1. This is probably the easiest to do, while still keeping the play calling relatively simple: keep the tight ends in to block more often than they are out running routes, in an effort to help the struggling offensive line.

The Ravens also run a 3-4 defense, and are among the best at doing so; their outside linebackers are very good at getting to the quarterback, and our young tackles might need some help.

2. Get the QB out of the pocket. Calling bootleg plays, especially off of play-action, will hold the linebackers, and give Cassel (or Croyle) more time to throw the ball.

Both of them are young quarterbacks, and need that little extra time to find the open receiver.

3. No seven-step drops for the quarterback. For most passing plays, the quarterback takes either three, five, or seven steps back after the ball is snapped. Obviously, the more steps backwards, the longer it takes for the QB to throw the ball, and the easier it is for the pass rush to get in the backfield.

Limiting these long drops, and mostly having only three-step drops and quick reads will get the ball out of his hands faster, neutralizing the pass rush.

The defense has played well in the preseason, especially against the run. We will see if they are for real this weekend, as the Ravens had the fourth best rushing game in the NFL last season.

The defense should prove to be more aggressive this year than under Herm Edwards, and should result in more turnovers.

The keys to the game on the defensive side are easily thought of, but harder to execute.

1. Stop the run. Easier said than done, right? The easiest way to do this, is to call run blitzes much more often than normal.

The Ravens’ offensive line is very good, and keeping the linebackers up at the line of scrimmage will be advantageous in stopping the run. Also, keeping eight defenders in the box, that is, keeping a safety near the line of scrimmage also, will aid in stopping the run.

2. Put pressure on Joe Flacco. While Flacco played well last year (for a rookie) he still threw almost as many interceptions as he did touchdowns.

Blitzing him in passing situations will make him uncomfortable in the pocket and force him into making mistakes. Getting turnovers will greatly help out the Chiefs offense by giving them a short field.

Chiefs-Ravens: Bratwurst, Bobby Engram, and a Week One Battle in Baltimore

TJ Gerrity — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:02:16 -0400

Finally, the NFL season is officially about to begin.

The smell of bratwurst and football is in the air, and tailgating can officially begin outside of Arrowhead Stadium (well next week, anyway). This week, your Kansas City Chiefs are taking the trip up to Baltimore to face the Ravens.

B-more had a great turnaround season last year, going 11-5 after a disappointing 5-11 season in 2007. The key to this turnaround was the addition of rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. His steady play at QB, coupled with a reinvigorated running game, was just what the doctor ordered for them. This retooled offense stayed on the field, scored points, and allowed their feared defense to return to past form by keeping them fresh until the end of games.

With a full year under young QB Joe Flacco’s belt, Ravens fans this season are hoping for even bigger things than the AFC Championship game they got last year.

For the Chiefs, it is all about change this year. General manager “King” Carl Peterson is out, Scott Pioli is in; head coach Herm Edwards is out, and wide receiver genius Todd Haley is in. The biggest change in terms of personnel, however, is the offseason trade for quarterback Matt Cassel. Larry Johnson, once disgruntled, has taken a liking to the new regime and now seems primed for a return to star status.

Pioli and company have done almost everything they could to make this team competitive in 2009 and beyond—brought in a star QB, signed free agents to the offensive line, and created competition at every position.

Key Losses

The Ravens lost several key players on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. On the offensive line they lost center Jason Brown, who was one of the best young ones in the league, and tackle Willie Anderson.

On the defensive side, star linebacker Bart Scott was lost along with defensive coordinator Rex Ryan to the Jets, and cornerback Chris McAlister had his contract terminated. Long-time Ravens kicker, Matt Stover, was also lost this offseason.

The Chiefs biggest loss, by far, was the trade of future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons. Also on the offensive side of the ball, former starting right tackle Damion McIntosh was released this past Saturday. Other losses include starting safety Bernard Pollard and key reserve defensive lineman Alphonso Boone.

Key Additions

Don’t be fooled by all of the losses, the Ravens did an excellent job of reloading and replacing those players that left, just like the great teams usually do. Losing OT Willie Anderson was negated by drafting Michael Oher in the first round of the draft. Oher looks promising and the Ravens and their fans have high expectations for him starting on the right side.

Drafting defensive end/outside linebacker Paul Kruger may not take the place of Bart Scott immediately, but he will be learning a lot from Terrell Suggs this year and has a lot of talent. The Ravens also signed center Matt Birk to counter the loss of Jason Brown.

The Chiefs did a lot of adding since the end of the 2008 season, and additions were made on every level. The most important additions, besides star quarterback Matt Cassel, were Scott Pioli and Todd Haley.

Bobby Engram was brought in as a slot receiver and a leader for the WRs. Safety Mike Brown was brought in from Chicago and has taken over Bernard Pollard’s starting spot. The Chiefs also brought in two linemen from the Dolphins for an undisclosed late-round draft pick.

Andy Alleman can play both guard and center, and Ike Ndukwe can play guard and tackle. By season’s end, both Alleman and Ndukwe may end up starting at guard and tackle, respectively, on the right side. Mike Goff was signed to fill the starting right guard spot but has shown his age during the preseason games.

First-round pick Tyson Jackson will be anchoring the defensive line at the left defensive end spot. Jackson is a crucial player in the switch from the 4-3 defense to the 3-4 defense, and has been playing well thus far.

After the Cuts: Four Players the Kansas City Chiefs Need to Sign

TJ Gerrity — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:43:03 -0400

All 32 teams have pared their rosters down to 53 as of yesterday afternoon, and there were surprising cuts for every team.

For the Chiefs, it was the release of safety Bernard Pollard; for the Raiders, it was quarterback Jeff Garcia (everybody but Al Davis knows he is a better QB than JaMarcus Russell).

At this point in time, most writers for teams are making "lists" of players their own teams should look at, just like we all did when free agency started.

The biggest thing for the Chiefs is the fact that the 54th player on teams like the Steelers, Patriots, and Ravens might be better than the 35th player on our team. Because of that, this period is more important for us than a lot of teams.

We still have a lot of holes in this 53-man roster—most notably right tackle and punt returner.

**As of about 3 p.m. Sunday, KCChiefs.com is reporting the Chiefs have claimed former Patriots offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan off of waivers. To make room for O'Callaghan, the Chiefs waived former sixth-round pick Barry Richardson. As of now, it looks like he might be starting at right tackle come Monday's practice, as Richardson was listed as the starter at that position before this move.

Tony Pashos, OT

Everybody and their mother is lobbying for their team to pick up Pashos as either a backup to push for the starting job or as an outright starter. We would need him as a starter. The main reason he was cut was because he refused to receive a pay cut, so he still has starter potential in him for a few more years.

ESPN Insider rates Pashos as a 68, while last year's starter Damion McIntosh was a 61. ESPN's scouting says this about Pashos:

"Pashos has been with two teams during his seven-year career, four seasons with Baltimore and the past three with Jacksonville. He started all 16 games at right tackle for the Jaguars in 2008 and does a good job of anchoring that side of the offensive line.

"He is a massive tackle with long arms, excellent strength, and adequate athleticism. He is a powerful drive blocker that often simply engulfs opponents and uses his long arms to lock up opponents and drive them off the line.

"He is not a natural knee bender and has to work to keep his pad level down to leverage his blocks. He tends to grab wide to engulf opponents and has just enough foot agility to work his way around and seal opponents off. He has limited lateral range in pass protection and often has to turn his hips to run rushers on by the pocket. He is susceptible to counter moves but can sink his hips to hunker down versus the bull rush."

**The 49ers have signed OT Tony Pashos as of Monday, 9/7.

Shaun Smith, DT

Smith was cut by the Lions yesterday, and while normally teams want to stay away when players are cut from the Lions, Smith might be the exception. At 6'2" and 325 lbs., he is quite a load and can provide much-needed playing experience at nose tackle, formerly playing in Cleveland in a 3-4.

Neither Tank Tyler nor Rod Edwards is playing outstandingly, and Smith could come in and immediately compete for a starting job.

Not only has he played NT before, he's also nimble enough that he rotated in as a DE while in Cleveland as well, so he brings the versatility that Scot Pioli craves. Smith would more than likely take Wallace Gilberry's spot on the roster.

Joe Zelenka, TE/Long Snapper

Zelenka has been the long snapper for the Jags for the past eight seasons and has been a pretty consistent one at that. ESPN scouting says this about his snapping:

"He has excellent size for the position and is very accurate with the punt, PAT, and field goal snaps. He has good velocity on his snaps and consistently delivers a good spiral, but can be a bit inconsistent with his accuracy."

The biggest appeal of Zelenka is that he also can be the third tight end on the roster, taking Jake O'Connell's spot on the team. Having Zelenka play both third TE and long snapper opens up a spot on the 53-man roster. This roster spot can be used for a ninth offensive lineman, as we are only carrying eight at the time.

Brian Brohm, QB

From potential No. 1 overall pick to second round pick to being cut by the Packers Saturday, Brohm is still loaded with talent. This is an obvious match for the Chiefs, as other than our $60 million man Matt Cassel, our quarterbacks are pretty weak. Brohm failed to impress the Packers' coaching staff, but I have a feeling he would be an upgrade over Tyler Thigpen and probably even Brodie Croyle.

Kansas City Chiefs: Predicting the 53-Man Roster

TJ Gerrity — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:59:22 -0400

Todd Haley has said all along that players will have to "earn the Arrowhead stickers" on the sides of their helmets, and they will get them when they make the team. Up until this point, nobody has an Arrowhead on their helmet.

Does that mean that nobody is guaranteed a spot on the team? Well, that's what Haley wants everyone to think.

As of today, all teams were required to trim five players from their squads. Being released from the Chiefs includes former starters Alphonso Boone and Amani Toomer, which is surprising, but also a class act by Haley and Pioli. If they believed they weren't going to make the team anyway, cutting them today will give them a better chance to make another team.

Quarterback: 3

1. Matt Cassel

2. Brodie Croyle

3. Matt Guiterrez

Quick Hit - Thigpen may be the better playmaker than both Croyle and Guiterrez, but he doesn't fit the system. He looks awful in practice, and only looks good in games when he's running. With Chan Gailey out as Offensive Coordinator, Thigpen's chances of making this team dwindles, as the offense that let him thrive is now gone.

Running Back: 4

4. Larry Johnson

5. Jackie Battle

6. Jamaal Charles

7. Mike Cox

Quick Hit - Kolby Smith was placed on injured reserve today, and Javarris Williams will more than likely be released along with Dantrell Savage, as neither can help that much on special teams. Jackie Battle lost weight this year and has impressed Haley enough to earn a spot on the depth chart behind LJ.

Wide Receiver: 6

8. Dwayne Bowe

9. Mark Bradley

10. Bobby Engram

11. Quinten Lawrence

12. Ashley Lelie

13. Terrance Copper

Quick Hit - This is probably the hardest position to predict. Devard Darling would have been on this list as a starter opposite Bowe most likely, but with his injury, he was placed in Injured Reserve for the year with his torn ACL.

Terrence Copper is starting Thursday night along side Mark Bradley, and that is the only reason I have him making the team. Most likely the starters will be Bowe and Bradley. Copper, in my opinion, has had too many drops in preseason to make this squad. But, for some reason, Haley seems to like him.

Ashley Lelie probably only makes the roster as a replacement for Darling, both of whom are considered speed guys. Lelie, in his limited playing time during the third preseason game looked good, and most importantly, didn't drop a pass. He was in sync with the offense and deserves a spot.

If Haley and Pioli happens to find a return man who is cut from another team, look for the Chiefs to cut a player from this group. In order of likely hood: Copper, Lelie, and Lawrence

Tight End: 3

14. Brad Cottam

15. Sean Ryan

16. Jake O'Connell

Quick Hit - Tony Curtis and Tom Crabtree never really had a chance to make this team. If a better blocking tight end is released from another team, O'Connell's job might be in danger, but otherwise, this position is pretty set. Also something to look for - Haley has worked out long snapper Thomas Gafford at tight end in practice. If he feels that Gafford can make a contribution in this area, O'Connell will be out on the streets, in order to create a roster spot elsewhere.

Offensive Linemen: 9

17. Branden Albert

18. Brian Waters

19. Rudy Niswanger

20. Mike Goff

21. Damion McIntosh

22. Barry Richardson

23. Andy Alleman

24. Ike Ndukwe

25. Wade Smith

Quick Hit - Most teams will carry 10 offensive linemen, but the reserve linemen the Chiefs have can all play multiple positions. Richardson will be the primary back-up at both tackle positions. Both Smith and Alleman can play guard and center, and Ndukwe can play both tackle and guard.

If one of these guys goes down for a significant period of time, look for Herb Taylor to be the first called up (if another team doesn't pluck him up first)

Defensive Linemen: 6

26. Tyson Jackson

27. Ron Edwards

28. Glenn Dorsey

29. Alex Magee

30. Tank Tyler

31. Wallace Gilberry

Quick Hit - Until Wednesday, I had Alphonso Boone on this roster as the key reserve on the defensive line. Because of this cut, Wallace Gilberry will more than likely take his spot. Gilberry, in all probability, won't make the team for long, as the Pioli will more than likely pick up somebody's leftovers after the Saturday deadline for roster cuts.

Linebackers: 9

32. Tamba Hali

33. Derrick Johnson

34. Zach Thomas

35. Mike Vrabel

36. Corey Mays

37. Jovan Belcher

38. Andy Studebaker

39. Turk McBride

40. Demarrio Williams

Quick Hit - This might be the deepest position the Chiefs have, and have some quality back-ups at all four positions. If Corey Mays keeps up his play, he might even take over Zach Thomas' starting position. The bottom two LB positions are going to be a race with three different guys.

Monty Beisel is also in the race to make the squad. Williams is the better LB, but Beisel is the better special teams player. If Haley believes that Zach Thomas can stay healthy the rest of the year, he could go with Beisel because of his special teams contributions. If not, Williams provides the better backup.

Cornerbacks: 6

41. Brandon Flowers

42. Brandon Carr

43. Maurice Leggett

44. Donald Washington

45. Travis Daniels

46. Ricardo Colclough

Quick Hit - The two starting CBs (Flowers and Carr) and nickel back (Leggett) are pretty set in stone. Washington, as a fourth round pick, will obviously make the roster with potential to be a starting cornerback some day. He's an amazing athlete who just needs a little work on technique. Daniels and Colclough are decent enough backups with excellent special teams contributions.

Safeties: 4

47. Jarrad Page

48. Bernard Pollard

49. Mike Brown

50. Jon McGraw

Quick Hit - The odd man out in this is DeJuan Morgan, who is not as good of a special teams player as Jon McGraw. Mike Brown was brought in by this regime, so his spot on this roster is pretty secure. If Thomas Gafford ends up working out as a reserve tight end, Haley might make room on this roster for Morgan as a developmental player.

Special Teams: 3

51. Dustin Colquitt - Punter

52. Ryan Succup - Place Kicker

53. Thomas Gafford - Long Snapper

2010 NFL Draft: Players Kansas City Chiefs Should Target (Day Two)

TJ Gerrity — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:54:48 -0400

A few days ago, I wrote an article about the players the KC Chiefs should look at in the first few rounds of the draft. Now I'm going to look at some players the Chiefs should target in the last half of the draft.

Even though offensive linemen should be a priority in this draft, I left them out in my list to target in the first three rounds of the draft.

I feel this can be a very high impact draft. By this, I mean players of high impact positions are plentiful this year. Because of this, NT, WR, and TE were the targeted positions in rounds one through three.

Additionally, unless drafting a franchise left tackle, the value is not there for drafting any other position on the offensive line that high in the draft. Most starting interior linemen in the NFL weren't picked in rounds one and two, rather, they were drafted in the mid rounds or free agents. Same goes for most right tackles in the league.

Chris Scott

Scott is the kind of player I love on the offensive line. First, he is massive—6'5" and 346 lbs. Second, he plays with a nasty streak. National Football Post's college scout Wes Bunting says he has a "nasty punch on contact" and "he fights and scraps for every inch and usually gets his man on the ground."

The right tackle I want on my team is exactly that—he should be a road-grader who packs a punch and can push the pile in the running game. He obviously cannot be a liability in the passing game, but should be more suited for the run.

From what I've read, Scott will need minor work with his hand placement, but when he does get good hand placement he doesn't let go, and usually wins the battle.

Scott is continuing to improve after starting 26 straight games so far, and head coach Lane Kiffen called him the most improved player this spring.

Scott can expect to be drafted between rounds three and five.

Damion McIntosh clearly is not even an average starting right tackle in the NFL, and is more suited for back-up duty. With that being said, starting in the third round, the Chiefs need to start looking for a quality RT, and Scott is just the guy we're looking for.

J.D. Walton

Another lineman that plays with a mean streak, this Baylor center learned a lot from No. 2 overall pick Jason Smith over the past few years. He was selected for honorable mention All-Big 12 last year, and is on the Rimmington Award preseason Watch List.

At 6'3" and 305 lbs., he is the prototypical height and weight for an NFL center, and while strong enough to hold his own at the point of attack, isn't so strong that he can overwhelm the big 3-4 nose tackles by himself. This isn't that big of a problem, as most NFL centers can't manhandle good 3-4NTs.

Walton has good hand placement in pass protection and can both mirror defensive linemen, and withstand a bull rush.

As a fairly athletic center, he is able to chip at the line and move up to latch onto a linebacker on run plays.

The Chiefs haven't had a good center since Casey Wiegmann, and haven't had a great one for even longer. Niswanger may be the future at the position, but he hasn't shown signs of it yet.

With another year of playing center under Niswanger's belt, the coaching staff will be able to fully evaluate him and decide whether we need to draft one this upcoming April. If they decide we need to, this is our guy.

Carl Ihenacho

While Ihenacho is not the most highly touted prospect from San Jose State this year, fellow defensive end Justin Cole is, I think he has the chance to wind up the best after he has a few years to develop in the league.

At only 6'3" and 248lbs., he is too light to play defensive end in the NFL, and is a perfect candidate to make the switch to outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. He's quick, has decent enough strait-line speed (will run around the 4.6-4.7 range) and just simply is a gifted pass rusher. Last year he had 18.5 tackles for loss on top of seven sacks.

Remember what made the defensive end from Penn State, Aaron Maybin, such an intriguing prospect? It was his killer first step. Ihenacho has the same gift, and is very adept at timing the snap count, which only aids his quick first movements.

The second thing that makes him such a good pass rusher, other than his first step, is his short area change of direction skills. He can deke and fake and dip under the offensive lineman to get around the corner.

The Chiefs currently have nobody who can rush the passer like this guy can. We will see what Tamba Hali can do this upcoming season, but Mike Vrabel will need a replacement soon anyway, and we might as well start grooming one now.

Not sure exactly when Ihenacho will be available, it will greatly depend on how he does this year, but look for him teams to start looking at him around the fourth round.

2010 Draft: Players Kansas City Chiefs Should Target (Day One)

TJ Gerrity — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:49:44 -0400

It is never too early to start looking ahead to next year's draft, especially if you've been a Kansas City Chiefs fan the past several years.

Now, this year has brought some optimism and a reason for excitement around town with the hiring of general manager Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley, but how big of a turnaround can you honestly expect after going 2-14? Miami's 10-game turnaround is a fluke and cannot be expected for most teams.

In all reality, the Chiefs will win somewhere around six games this year, and be picking in the bottom half of the top 10. With that in mind, here are some players the Chiefs should target that will not only pay dividends immediately and push for starting time as rookies, but can be stars down the road.

Terrance Cody

Cody is a massive 6'5", 365 lb. nose tackle from Alabama. The nickname "Mount Cody" was given to him at an early age, as even as a freshman in high school he was 6'2" and almost 280 lbs. In fact it was that year that his football coach called Cody's mother and said that her son would be in the NFL in eight years.

Alabama runs a 3-4 defense, so Cody is already used to playing directly over the center, and he could be just the clogger the Chiefs need in the middle of that line.

"He's a beast," said Georgia coach Mark Richt. "No one's blocked him. No one man has blocked him, and I haven't seen many double-teams block him, either. He's a problem, and probably the reason they are so outstanding against the rush. When you talk about guys who can push a pocket back in front of a quarterback, he can do it."

That is a glowing endorsement from an conference arch rival and music to Alabama fans' ears. He is a force to be reckoned with for sure, and could team with Tyson Jackson, Glenn Dorsey, and Alex Magee to form the best, young, defensive line rotation in the NFL.

Cody should be expected to be taken in the first round, if not on size and athletic ability alone.

Dezmon Briscoe

Briscoe is a Texas kid now attending Kansas University. He is a big, imposing wide receiver at 6'3", 210 lbs., and can beat press coverage with ease. He, like Dwayne Bowe, is not a burner down field, but is deceptively fast and can get over the top of coverage when given the chance.

Briscoe displays excellent body control when going up for a reception, able to contort his body which ever way is needed to make the catch. He also does a very good job of timing his jump and high-pointing the ball (pic) much in the same way Larry Fitzgerald does (pic). Last year, he set school records in both receiving yards (1407) and touchdowns (15) for a season.

Briscoe is a junior this season, so it's possible he stays in school for another year, but it is expected that he will enter the draft along with Jr. wide receivers Arrelious Benn and Dez Bryant.

Depending on how he does this year, Briscoe should be available in either the first or second rounds. If he production drops off from last year, and he run's in the mid 4.5's at the combine, look for him in the second round. Getting him there would be a steal.

Anthony McCoy

At 6'5" and 255 lbs., McCoy is a big target to hit. But he's different than Brad Cottam in that he's a much more natural pass catcher, and a great athlete on the field (pics). He came on strong at the end of last year for USC, catching 15 balls for 170 yards in his last four games.

He is also an accomplished in-line blocker, the National Football Post calls him a "coordinated blocker whose hands and feet consistently move in sync."

While it was expected that Cottam would be the starting tight end this year, it appears as though journeyman Sean Ryan is out playing him right now. Even if Cottam winds up starting by season's start, it's not a ringing endorsement for him.

The trading away of Gonzalez left a gaping hole in this offense, and McCoy won't necessarily fill that void, but he sure can help.

Stay tuned for Day Two players the Chiefs should take a close look at.

The 2-5-4 Formation, Corey Mays, and Other Preseason Week One Ramblings

TJ Gerrity — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:52:27 -0400

With the exception of Dwayne Bowe, the stars were not out on Saturday night. Judging by that game only, the Kansas City Chiefs should have a starting lineup without their newest multimillion dollar player Cassel, and instead have guys like Jovan Belcher, Rodney Wright, Brodie Croyle, and Dantrell Savage playing on a regular basis.

While its fairly well reported that Dwayne Bowe was being sent a message by being demoted to third team this past week, this message hurt more than just Bowe, it hurt his new quarterback, Matt Cassel, who clearly was being punished having to play with the likes of Terrance Copper and Devard Darling.

Matt Cassel's loss was Brodie Croyle's gain, as he had the opportunity to play with the two starting wide receiver from last season, Bowe and Mark Bradley. Croyle made the most of his fortune and went 12 for 18 for 145 yards.

While his playing time only led to one field goal, that was more due to Haley going for it on two consecutive fourth-down's than it was Croyle's inability to move the offense.

In fact, he seemed to do a very good job getting into a rhythm and threw the ball accurately to his wide receivers. He was already in the lead for the No. 2 spot behind Cassel, and if he has another game like this, he may lock it up for good.

2-5-4 Formation

For all teams, most preseason games follow the same type of mold—get the starters in just long enough to get some reps, and get them out before anyone is injured.

There is also an unwritten rule for coaches that you don't show any complex blitzes or formations before the games count for anything. You didn't see Miami running the Wildcat formation in preseason last year did you?

Because of this, I was expecting the Chiefs to run a base 3-4 defense for most of the game, and maybe show a 4-3 look every once in a while. But they didn't.

They did indeed run base 3-4 most of the game, but instead of showing the 4-3 a few times, I counted at least four times they showed a 2-5-4 formation, and a 1-5-5 formation once at the end of the game.

The Chiefs showing these formations really surprised me, and had me wondering what else they had up their sleeve scheme-wise that they are waiting for the regular season to unveil. While I'm not here to speculate exactly, it is an interesting subject nonetheless.

With the 2-5 formation, they mixed up the personnel quite a bit.

They showed it three different times on the second defensive series of the game, twice on back to back plays—first and 21 followed by second and 18. The two down linemen for these two plays were Ron Edwards and Tyson Jackson.

The third time that series they showed the 2-5, it was Edwards and Alphonso Boone as the linemen.

One the next defensive series, the third of the game, they showed the 2-5 once with Jackson and Alex Magee with their hands in the dirt.

Every time the Chiefs showed a 2-5 formation it was a passing down-and-distance for obvious reasons, and clearly with only two linemen, they both need to be stout against the run just in case the offense runs a draw play.

As far as the 1-5-5 formation goes, it was third and nine, at the end of the game, and I believe Houston had a 4WR set. I couldn't get a good look at the formation, as the camera was zoomed in, but there was one down lineman with three linebackers on the line rushing, with two more standing slightly behind them.

Seeing these formations immediately called to mind the Patriots, as Belichick is famous for running insane formations like the 2-5, 1-6, and even the 0-7 a few times. Pioli is clearly familiar with these, as Pendergast and the Cardinals did not run these formations last year.

As fans, expect to see the 2-5 on obvious passing downs, as Haley clearly believes the linebackers are a strength on this team, which is a drastic change from last year's squad.

Corey Mays

Mays is no longer just competing for a roster spot on this team, he might be in a dead heat competition with Zach Thomas the starting spot next to Derrick Johnson. Since mini-camp he has impressed the coaches, and this past Saturday he was all over the place making plays.

In the short amount of time he was in, he accumulated five tackles, and one pass deflection. It seemed as though the announcer was calling his name every play.

Mays originally signed a contract with the Chiefs expecting to compete for a roster spot as a special teams ace and a backup linebacker. He has far exceeded those expectations thus far, and continues to impress everyone involved.

In the two seasons he's been in the NFL with Cincinnati and New England, he accumulated 38 special teams tackles, and that’s exactly what he was planning on doing here.

Evidently though, there was something inside of him that neither of those coaching staffs saw, something that has come out of him since he has been here in Kansas City.

Zach Thomas can be a valuable asset for the Chiefs whether he starts or not. If Corey Mays keeps playing this well, there is no way he should not be starting at the strongside inside linebacker position next to Derrick Johnson.

The New Look for Tamba Hali and Kansas City Chiefs

TJ Gerrity — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 03:03:26 -0400

Switching to the 3-4 defense creates many problems for a team built to run a 4-3, it also makes some things easier.

By the end of the last season, it became very apparent that the team's No. 1 need was a pass rushing DE. With the switch in defensive schemes, this specific position is no longer needed. Instead, the need for a pass-rushing linebacker arose.

Lucky for the Chiefs (and the fans), Tamba Hali took the challenge head on to drop weight and work on his linebacking skills, and Mike Vrabel came in a package deal with Matt Cassel from the Patriots for our second round pick.

Hali has indeed been hard at work dropping the necessary weight to play on his feet instead with his hand in the dirt.

Hali commented back in May about losing the weight, "I don't really need to be 275 pounds. I don't even need to be 260. Maybe I can be 250 like James Harrison or Shawne Merriman. I'm more comfortable at that weight anyway. Right now, We're looking for speed."

"I went to the (weight machine) the other day," head coach Todd Haley said, "and there was a pool of sweat around it the size of a small lake and I knew Tamba had been there."

He also said Haley was "a hungry kid that wants to be really good. There isn't a time that you don't see him working."

Hopefully losing up to 25 pounds will bring a lot of speed and quickness to Hali's game, doing so could be pivotal to this season.

Another crucial part of the position switch is the mental side of the game. Hali has to learn everything anew with his new position, and Haley mentioned in a press conference something the new linebacker has done to aid in this process.

"With his own money he purchased a football station that he can watch tape. He’s doing all the things to try to be really good."

This kind of enthusiasm and initiative is exactly what we need from Tamba at this stage in his career.

After the announced switch to the 3-4, Tamba Hali was the player most worried about in dealing with the switch of positions. If he can fully acclimate to playing out of the two point stance, and return to his old ways when Jared Allen was playing opposite of him, Hali could get between 10 and 15 sacks this year.

"I think he’s starting to look like a linebacker," Haley said. "Just saying that I think is pretty positive."

If Kansas City's Depth Chart Stays, the Chiefs Are in Trouble

TJ Gerrity — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:40:09 -0400

The Chiefs released a preliminary depth chart on Monday, and there were a few surprises, even excluding Dwayne Bowe playing with the third team offense.

For this team to be successful this season, there are a few key players who need to play well. Unfortunately for Chiefs fans, most of those players don't seem to be off to a good start.

Defense

Starting with the third overall pick this year, Tyson Jackson is going to have to play up to his potential for this switch to the 3-4 defense to work out.

Even keeping in mind that defensive linemen traditionally take longer than most to adjust to the NFL, Jackson must have at least as good of a season as Glenn Dorsey did last year to be considered a good year for a rookie.

Drafting Jackson as high as the Chiefs did was solely to ease along the switch to the 3-4 defense, and if he doesn't earn a starting spot, the Chiefs organization missed badly on another high first round pick.

Tank Tyler is another defensive lineman that needs to earn a starting spot. The released unofficial depth chart currently has Ron Edwards starting at the nose tackle spot, and he would barely deserve to be a rotational guy on a team like the Steelers. If this team is going to be good, Tyler has to step up his game and take that spot.

Tyler played some nose tackle at NC State, and has said that he "likes to be over the center," which is good, because that is exactly where he needs to be for this team to succeed.

He has incredible strength, getting 42 bench press reps of 225-lbs at the combine coming out of college, his technique is a little rusty though and needs to improve in order for this d-line to be worth anything.

Offense

Starting at receiver right now, the Chiefs have Terrance Copper, and Devard Darling. Who? Terrance Copper was an undrafted free agent picked up by the Cowboys in 2004, and has played with now four different teams in the six years after. Darling was drafted in the same year by the Ravens in the third round, and came to the Chiefs in 2008.

Both Copper and Darling are speed guys, and apparently have been playing well in camp. Darling would be a good number three WR, but it seems like he might win the starting role opposite Dwayne Bowe come season's start.

While this release of the depth chart has Dwayne Bowe with the third string offense, he'll most likely be back in the starting lineup by week one's game against Baltimore regardless of whether or not he deserves it.

This demotion is head coach Todd Haley's latest attempt to send a message to Bowe. Adam Teicher, of the Kansas City Star, has reported Bowe has been dropping a lot passes in training camp so far, and has been practicing with the second and third-string offenses for the past few days.

While Bowe may start opening day, if he doesn't improve his focus and fix the drops, Chiefs fans are in for another rough season.

Glenn Dorsey: From Tradable Asset To Key To The Defense

TJ Gerrity — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:19:32 -0400

A few months ago, when Scott Pioli and the Chiefs first decided they would run the 3-4 defense this year, Glenn Dorsey seemed destined for one of two things: a trade, or failure.

Dorsey's skill set and body type just do not fit what most people think about typical 3-4 defensive lineman; he is not heavy or squat enough to play nose tackle, and he is not tall and athletic enough to play defensive end. (For an in-depth article on this, click here)

3-4 linemen are supposed to take up blocks and let the linebackers do the work, not penetrate and blow things up in the backfield, and that is exactly what Dorsey is best at doing.

We weren't the only one's who made this connection—that Dorsey's unique skill set would go to waste in the 3-4—the Chiefs realized this too, and made adjustments.

“A lot of people are thinking this is a straight 3-4 defense and it’s not,” said Dorsey. “Being at an end is a new place for me, but it’s not going to be a classic 3-4 end on every snap."

"There's a place for me on this defense."

So here's the plan, the Chiefs will be implementing some sort of 3-4/4-3 hybrid that was run in Arizona last year by defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast that was called the "4-3 Under" by the Cardinals linebacker coach, Bill Davis.

Glenn Dorsey won't be lining up heads up over the offensive tackle, in the five-technique, on most downs. Instead, he will be shaded slightly inside, between the guard and tackle.

Lining up in this manner will allow Dorsey to play a more typical 4-3 defensive tackle role and shoot the gap when the ball is snapped. Disrupting the offense in this way allows Dorsey to utilize his unique skill set to the fullest extent.

Playing outside of him in the DE/OLB role will most likely be Tamba Hali, who on most snaps will solely be rushing the passer. He mainly will be left one-on-one with the left tackle and is expected to be able to beat him on most snaps, especially given he will start from a two point stance most of the time.

With Hali occupying the left tackle, and nose tackle Tank Tyler most likely double teamed by the center and right guard, Dorsey will be left one on one with the left guard. Dorsey left one-on-one with a guard is a match up I will take any day of the week.

This combination of rare positions side by side will not only confuse the offenses, but will apply pressure on the quarterback's blindside from two different positions, causing even more chaos.

Getting this kind of pressure from a defensive end in a 3-4(ish) scheme is very unique, and is sure to cause confusion for the opposing offensive line. Only the Cardinals have run this scheme before, and is still very new to the NFL.

Hopefully the Chiefs will be able to exploit this new fad to the fullest, much like the "Wildcat" formation has done thus far.

2009 Breakout Player Of The Year: Dwayne Bowe

TJ Gerrity — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:17:51 -0400

I know what you are thinking: "Can he really be considered a 'breakout candidate' if he's averaged over 75 catches and 1,000 yards his first two seasons?"

Yes.

Up until this point in his career, he has just been considered "good." This year, however, he has the chance to join the "elite" category of NFL wide receivers. There are several reasons that can lead us to this conclusion, the first of which is the widely known fact that wide receivers generally reach their peak during their third season.

Quarterback

The biggest change personnel-wise for the Chiefs this offseason, other than trading away future HOF tight end Tony Gonzalez, was the addition of star quarterback Matt Cassel from the Patriots. The inclusion of Cassel into the Chiefs offense will benefit Bowe greatly.

Not only will the Chiefs have a stable quarterback for an entire year (something that has yet to happen during Bow's short career), but he will finally have a legitimate NFL-caliber QB sitting back in the pocket throwing him balls.

Cassel, while still without a great deep-ball, has the ability to hit Bowe on deep-post and fly patterns much more accurately than any other quarterback on the roster. Where Cassel really flourishes though, is in the short-to-intermediate passing game. Coincidentally, this is where Bowe works best also, and the increased accuracy and ball placement on these throws means No. 82 will have greater opportunities for yards after catch.

Throwing Opportunities

The Chiefs defense was among the league's worst last year, and for the majority of the season, looked like a college scout team out there trying to stop the opposing offense. The Chiefs were actually in most of the games last year, and lost them in the second half.

This dreadful defense will keep the Chiefs throwing early and often to keep them in games, and should average around 35 passes per game. I would assume that somewhere between a quarter and a third of these passes will make their way toward DBowe, which will put him on pace for somewhere around 11 targets per game, up from his 9.8 from last year.

Bowe had 157 total targets in 2008 (according to STATS, inc.), which put him at third in the league. Tony Gonzalez finished with 155 targets, good for fourth in the NFL, and these targets have to go somewhere. Bowe figures to get some of them, should be thrown to at least 165 times, maybe upwards of 170, and should turn those into between 100 and 110 catches.

This is of course assuming he gets rid of the case of The-Drops he had last year, but either way his numbers will go up. Bowe ended the 2008 season with 13 drops and at his yards per catch at 11.9 last year that would have given him over 150 extra yards had he quashed the stone-hands.

Dropped Weight

The most underrated change that is happening with Bowe this offseason, is the fact that new head coach Todd Haley mandated he drop weight, just like star wideout Larry Fitzgerald was told last season.

Bowe had been playing around 228, and Haley told him at the beginning of mini camp he needed to drop a "significant amount of weight." As of August 2, Bowe was down to a svelte playing weight of 210 pounds. "I just feel better," he said. "I feel like I can run faster and jump higher."

This is a very good sign for Bowe, who has not played at 210 since high school. Bowe worked out with Larry Fitzgerald this offseason, who had to drop from 229 to 213 pounds last year. That dropped weight helped Fitzgerald have his statistically best year as a pro, and rack up 96 catches for 1,431 yards and 12 touchdowns.

John Lott, the Arizona strength and conditioning coach, said because of the lost weight Fitzgerald, "gained a step in speed, increased his vertical jump and combined improved fitness with breakthrough toughness that has resulted in him fighting and gaining more yards after the catch."

Prediction

So what can we expect from Dwayne Bowe this year? Well, his stat line should look something like this:

Catches—105 Yards—1250 Touchdowns—10

Three Picks Sign, Jackson Next in Line for Chiefs

TJ Gerrity — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:22:30 -0400

It seems like everyone signed their contracts late in the day Thursday; the Chiefs inked third-round pick, Alex Magee, fourth-round pick Donald Washington, and sixth-round pick Quinten Lawrence.

Also important for the Chiefs, the St. Louis Rams signed second overall pick Jason Smith to a contract Thursday afternoon. With the first and second overall picks signed, the groundwork has been laid for Tyson Jackson and his agent to finally hammer out a deal with the Chiefs.

Jackson has expressed in the past that he wants to be at training camp when the team arrives. With the Chiefs arriving already, that will not get to happen obviously, but he still has the weekend to get the deal done before any real practicing begins.

Head coach Todd Haley said the team would be performing a conditioning test Friday, and practicing will begin Monday. Those players who do not pass the conditioning test will be held out of practice until they do so.

Until Jackson does get his contract negotiated, the Chiefs will be missing a big part of the newly installed 3-4 defense, as he was drafted to help with the defensive switch. In the meantime, third-round pick Alex Magee will be playing with the first team offense opposite Glenn Dorsey at the other defensive end spot.

A holdout can be very costly for a rookie, especially when this valuable practice time could be used learning the new defensive scheme. Former LSU teammate Glenn Dorsey, and fellow defensive end, can tell Jackson just how important it is for rookies to be in training camp.

Defensive linemen traditionally have a very rough time adjusting to the NFL quickly, and any extra snaps one can get, become very important.

How soon Jackson can get into camp may very well decide how good of a year he has, and with that, how good of a year the Chiefs can have.

KC Chiefs Draft History: Five Players Who Got Away

TJ Gerrity — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:19:36 -0400

Every Chiefs fan in the nation was glad to see Carl Peterson go this offseason. King Carl is infamous for his blunders in not only dealing with players and negotiating their contracts, but woeful drafting as well.

Looking over the Chiefs drafts from the past several years, I found the top five active players the Chiefs passed on that would have been welcome additions to this team. These players were not the sixth or seventh round players that turned out to be gems, but first day draft picks that were chosen closely after the Chiefs had their selection.

A couple of the players the Chiefs picked are, and have been, productive players for us or other teams, and some of them have been complete busts for this organization.

Honorable Mention - Bob Sanders

Player the Chiefs picked:

With the forth pick in the second round of the 2004 draft, the Kansas City Chiefs picked Junior Siavii, defensive tackle out of Oregon.

Coming out of college Siavii was a massive defensive tackle prospect who was a great run stopper. He had tons of untapped talent that the Chiefs were hoping to unlock.

Unfortunately Siavii never lived up to that potential, and is now a backup NT for the Dallas Cowboys.

Player the Chiefs should have picked:

Safety Bob Sanders was picked up by the Colts just eight picks after the Chiefs masterfully picked Siavii. Sanders has been one of the best safety's in the league since then and has been the key to the Colts defense for the past several years.

In 2006, when the Colts won the Super Bowl, Bob Sanders played in only four regular-season games because of injury. During that regular season, opponents gained almost 2800 total yards rushing, 173 yards per game, at 5.3 yards per carry.

When Sanders came back for the post-season, that number was reduced drastically. The Colts managed the second best rush defense in the playoffs and cut the rushing yards per game down to 83, and yards per carry down to 4.1. This kind of impact on defense is exactly what your looking for in a second round pick.

No. 5 - Hines Ward

Player the Chiefs picked:

With the 27th pick of the third round of the 1998 draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected running back Rashaan Shehee, out of Washington.

Rashaan "The Truth" Shehee ranks fifth all time at Washington for career rushing touchdowns, and had breakaway speed coming out of college.

He started his career off with a bang as he led the Chiefs in rushing in his first career start. He started five games that year, which ended up being the only starts of his career. He appeared in all 16 games the following year as a kick returner and reserve running back.

After his two-year stint with the Chiefs, he pursued a career in the short lived XFL as a running back for the Los Angeles Xtreme gaining a total of 242 yards on 61 carries in 2001.

Player the Chiefs should have picked:

WR Hines Ward was picked by the Steelers just four picks after the Chiefs brilliantly selected "The Truth."

Since then, Ward has gone on to catch over 800 balls and almost 10,000 yards for the Steelers, setting team career records in receptions, receiving touchdowns, and receiving yards.

Ward is known around the league as a great run blocker; he's so good at what he does, he is often called "dirty" by opposing teams, even though the league has never found any evidence of foul play.

He may be best remembered by the catch in Super Bowl XL at the end of the game thrown by fellow wide receiver Antwaan Randel El for a 43-yard touchdown that gave the Steelers a 21-10 advantage over the Seahawks. Ward was the Super Bowl MVP of the game.

No. 4 - Albert Haynesworth

Player the Chiefs picked:

With the sixth overall pick of the 2002 draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Ryan Sims, defensive tackle out of North Carolina.

Sims, like Saivii, was a pure potential pick, and is now considered one of the worst picks in Chiefs history.

Sims played in 74 games with the Chiefs, and totaled 54 tackles. When Herm Edwards took over the Chiefs in 2006, his playing time was reduced and was later traded to Tampa Bay.

Player(s) the Chiefs should have picked:

Considering players like (DT) John Henderson, (OT) Levi Jones, (DE) Dwight Freeney, (TE) Jeremy Shockey, (WR) Dante' Stallworth and Albert Haynesworth were all chosen within 10 selections after Sims, it seems like the Chiefs picked the one player that wasn't worth anything.

Adding insult to injury, future HOF safety Ed Reed was picked by Baltimore with the 24th overall pick.

Any of the above-mentioned players would have been better selections than Ryan Sims, but Haynesworth seems to be the most productive out of those selected around when Sims was, plus he plays the same position.

Ed Reed was obviously the best pick of the entire first round, but I felt it was unfair to choose someone 20 picks away from where the Chiefs selected.

No. 3 - Anquan Boldin

Player the Chiefs picked:

With the 15th pick in the second round of the 2003 draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Kawika Mitchell, linebacker out of South Florida.

It's not that Mitchell has been a bad player, as he had over 100 tackles in the last two years he was with the Chiefs. After four above average years with the Chiefs, he went on to win a Super Bowl in his first year with the Giants as their starting weakside linebacker.

Mitchell only signed a one-year deal with the Giants, so in 2008 he signed a five-year, $17.5 million contract.

Player the Chiefs should have picked:

Anquan Boldin was picked just seven picks after Mitchell was selected by the Chiefs, and would have been a welcome addition to the already powerful Chiefs offense lead by Trent Green. Having Boldin, Kennison, and Gonzalez to throw to, with Priest Holmes running the ball would have been unimaginable.

Would Boldin have helped the Chiefs win a playoff game? That we will never know, but Trent Green was already throwing for 4,000+ yards per season in 2003-05, can you think of the numbers he would have put up with a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver to throw to?

Despite being the No. 2 guy in Arizona, he has been selected to the Pro Bowl three different times, including 2003, when he was named offensive rookie of the year. He is also the fastest in NFL history to record 300, and 400 receptions.

Boldin's incredible work ethic and attitude was on display last year when he missed only two games after fracturing his sinuses in a helmet-to-helmet collision in the end zone. This combination of talent and attitude would be a welcome addition to the Chiefs.

No. 2 - Brian Dawkins

Player the Chiefs picked:

With the 28th pick in the second round of the 1996 draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Reggie Tongue, defensive back out of Oregon State.

Tongue had a long, productive career for a second round pick in the NFL, albeit with several different teams. He was drafted as a free safety by the Chiefs and appeared in all 16 games as a rookie. He went on to start every game but one the following three years before being picked up by Seattle.

He totaled 52 starts over four years with the Seahawks, then had short one-year stints with the Jets, and Raiders.

He became more of a ball-hawk in his later years, as between 2001 and 2004 he totaled 13 interceptions, returning two of those for touchdowns.

Player the Chiefs should have picked:

Brian Dawkins, along with Ed Reed, has been one of the most feared safety's in the league for a long time. Not only will he knock the lights out of an opposing offensive player, but he's been a ball-hawk his entire career. Only in the two years he has had injuries has he had less than three created turnovers.

He had three interceptions his rookie year in which he started 13 games, and has totaled 34 INT's in his career. Picking the ball off isn't the only way Dawkins gets turnovers, he also has 33 forced fumbles in his career. His production in forced fumbles hasn't dropped off in the later stages of his career, as he tied his career high with 6 in 2008, and had 5 in 2006.

Dawkins is almost a sure-fire future Hall of Famer, and would really have helped out the KC defense for quite some time now. Imagine how much better the defense would have been in the early 2000's when he was in his prime, and how much that would have helped our high-powered offense with Trent Green and Priest Holmes.

No. 1 - Aaron Rodgers

Player the Chiefs picked:

With the 15th overall pick in the 2005 draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Derrick Johnson, linebacker out of Texas.

Don't get me wrong, I like Derrick Johnson, and he's been a good player for the Chiefs since he was drafted. But every year since then has been dubbed "his breakout year" and we have yet to see it.

For being picked in the middle of the first round, one expects these players to be spectacular, to be the stars on the team. Derrick Johnson's talent has not yet come to fruition, and he has yet to be that star.

Player the Chiefs should have picked:

Sure, the Chiefs had Trent Green at the time, but the Packers had Brett Favre. That didn't stop them from picking up Aaron Rodgers, who was assumed to go No. 1 overall to the 49ers.

The golden rule of quarterbacks is this: "Unless you have a franchise quarterback, you don't pass on one." Trent Green was not that franchise quarterback, and he was 35 years old at the time.

This pick alone (and maybe some coaching decisions) is the reason Green Bay was competing for the division last year, and the Chiefs were struggling to win two games.

Rodgers is still not a proven player in this league, but you would be hard pressed to find a QB that has thrown for 4,000 yards as a first year starter and went on to be a bust.

The trade for Matt Cassel may have quelled the storm for now, but we will see how he reacts to his new surroundings here in KC.

The point is, of all the good young quarterbacks around the league, Aaron Rodgers is near the top of that list, and the Chiefs passed on that for a slightly-above-average linebacker.

Top Five College Quarterbacks

TJ Gerrity — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:01:56 -0400

College football has transformed from a running game to a throwing game. It's all about the quarterbacks now. The Championship game last year featured two of the best quarterbacks in the nation, and it turned out to be a great game. The Big 12 Conference was known for the quarterback play last year, and the best in that Conference have returned for another year, which will surely lead to some exciting football being played this year. If you like offense, follow these quarterback's teams next year; you won't be disappointed.

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Matt Cassel: The Next Trent Green

TJ Gerrity — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:37:45 -0400

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli thinks Matt Cassel is a franchise quarterback.

Josh McDaniels, head coach of the Denver Broncos, seems to think Cassel is enough of a franchise quarterback to drive away the one he already had.

So what exactly can we expect from Cassel?

Even with all of the similarities to Tom Brady—he was drafted late, has been allowed to sit and develop, and was taught by a very good QB (Brady by Drew Bledsoe)—Cassel will almost certainly not become another three-time Super Bowl winning quarterback.

I think the best comparison for Matt Cassel is another former late-round draft pick well known to Kansas City Chiefs fans, Trent Green.

I mean no disrespect by this, as Green was a great quarterback in Kansas City for quite some time. In fact, no QB, not even Peyton Manning, threw for more yards than Green between 2003 and 2005.

The key to Green's success will be the same as Cassel's—the system. For the coach, it’s all about putting the players in a position to succeed. For the quarterback, it’s about making the right reads and making accurate throws.

The similarities between Cassel and Green are striking actually, both statistically and in style of play.

Last year Cassel threw for 3,693 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions; Green, in his first year as a starter, threw for 3,441 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Cassel completed about 63 percent of his passes last year, while Green completed about 62 percent of his passes during his time in KC.

Neither Cassel nor Green have a particularly strong arm, and throwing the deep ball is a little iffy sometimes, but it was the short to mid-range throws where Green, like Cassel, excelled.

Green worked very hard in the film room before games, and Cassel is the same type of player.

"When [Matt] is done working out, he's upstairs bugging us," head coach Todd Haley said. "He's making drawings, coming up with ideas, wanting to talk football all the time."

This is the kind of hard worker I want at quarterback; he is a very heady player who puts in his due diligence in the film room. Being prepared maximizes your team's chances of winning a game, and Matt Cassel clearly will be doing just that.

Putting in the overtime hours with an offensive guru like Todd Haley can only improve his game and understanding of his new offense.

He has already shown the necessary leadership in New England last year and displayed his natural passing ability as well, becoming only the fifth QB in NFL history to throw for 400 yards in back-to-back games.

For Cassel to be successful in Kansas City, he doesn't need to be the next Len Dawson, or Tom Brady, and he doesn't need to be a "franchise quarterback."

All he needs to do is work hard and play smart; that's the recipe for being a good quarterback in this league.

Todd Haley's Demanding Workouts Will Make KC Chiefs a Better Team

TJ Gerrity — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:26:50 -0400

By now, most people have heard that Todd Haley is a no-nonsense guy. We saw this last year during the Cardinals Super Bowl run when Haley was arguing with star wide receiver Anquan Boldin on the sideline.

We heard about his combative nature from the media when he was hired as head coach in February, and we saw this again when Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters had a bumpy first meeting with his new head coach.

Brandon Albert saw Haley's no-nonsense approach as soon as he got to Kansas City this year.

"The first day I got here," Albert said on Sunday, "when I weighed in, he said, 'Oh, no, no, no, no.' "

Albert weighed in at 341 pounds that day in March, about 25 pounds heavier than his listed weight last year during an impressive rookie season in which he made the switch from guard to tackle, and did it quite well.

Haley made his presence felt right away for Albert when his new head coach gave him another big goal and asked him to drop more than 35 pounds to a playing weight of 305 for the upcoming season.

The now svelte left tackle has dropped almost 30 pounds since then and is working hard with his newly hired nutritionist to drop even more.

Albert's not the only player who hit the buffet line too many times in the offseason.

"Dwayne's another one who probably let himself go too far in the offseason," Todd Haley said during an interview, "so it's been a long road back when you're trying to lose 20-25 pounds."

The Chiefs are already looking like a new team.

"Physically, conditionally, strength-wise, we look like a different group of players for the most part," Haley says. "We've lost 338 pounds, which is a significant amount of weight."

Haley figures the average weight loss for an NFL team during offseason workouts is between 125 and 150 pounds.

Maintaining proper weight can be crucial to a successful season. Brandon Albert says he knows the extra weight he was carrying around last year may have contributed to his nagging injuries last year, and maybe even the team's appalling record of 2-14.

The lack of conditioning could have led to many of the team's losses last year. The Chiefs had a lead in the fourth quarter in numerous games, only to fall apart and give up the lead late in the game.

Ten Minutes With Kansas City's Mark Bradley

TJ Gerrity — Wed, 27 May 2009 05:52:53 -0400

Mark Bradley joined this Kansas City team in September last year, and made his first appearance in week seven against the Titans. He made an immediate and impressive impact on the offense, as he caught a touchdown in three of his first six games before suffering from injuries to both calf muscles.

If given the chance to interview him, I would have several questions to ask him about both his NFL and college playing experience.

(1) How do you think Todd Haley's background in wide receivers will help you this year? Do you think he can help you reach that next level as a player?

(2) What can you gain from an experienced wide receiver like Bobby Engram being here in Kansas City?

(3) How does this team replace the offensive leadership lost with the trade of Tony Gonzalez?

(4) What do you think the acquisition of Matt Cassel brings to this team?

(5) The pass you threw last year to Tyler Thigpen against the Buccaneers was the most memorable play of the entire season for Chiefs fans, what was going through your mind when Jamaal Charles tossed you that ball?

(6) You had a unique path in becoming a Sooner, playing two years at Arkansas-Pine Bluff before walking on at Oklahoma, and eventually earning a scholarship. How has that route changed the way you play the game?

(7) You and your father both played in the Orange Bowl while attending the University of Oklahoma. What was it like playing in that game and experiencing what your father did 20 years prior?

(8) You were called the "best athlete on the team" by coach Bob Stoops while at Oklahoma, and you played quarterback, cornerback, and wide receiver in high school. How did you come to decide your future in football was at wide receiver?

(9) As a former Oklahoma Sooner, how heartbreaking was it to watch the NCAA Championship game against Florida this past year?

(10) You played against teammate Derrick Johnson in college while he was playing for your rival, Texas. You got the the better of him in the red river rivalry both years you attended Oklahoma, have you given him a hard time about that?

Kansas City Chiefs: Defining a Season in Five Plays

TJ Gerrity — Sun, 24 May 2009 07:01:18 -0400

For every team, there are plays that define a season. For Chiefs fans, those plays were all we had to hang on to last year, as we would more than likely choose to forget the outcome of most of those games. After a disappointing 2-14 season, this is a review of the most successful plays. Some of these plays were memorable, others have been forgotten, but the common thread is they worked, and worked well.

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Training Camp Battles: KC Chiefs Style

TJ Gerrity — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:47:18 -0400

For any team with a new regime, change is bound to happen. Add to that a 2-14 record the previous season, and it is safe to reason that no incumbent player is safe from a demotion.

“We want competition,” head coach Todd Haley said, “in as many positions as we can.”

Aside from QB Matt Cassel, whom GM Scott Pioli and Todd Haley personally brought in, every position is up for review.

Last year, the special teams was anything but special. The coverage units ranked near the bottom in both punt and kickoff returns, came in dead last in opponent's average starting point for drives, and missed the most field goals. As a result, many of the position battles found in the Chiefs training camp will be special teams positions.

Punt and Kick Returner

The Chiefs drafted wide receiver Quinten Lawrence out of McNeese State for the very reason of fixing special teams. Lawrence has game-breaking speed and is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball.

“I’ve told everyone here that if you can be a better-than-average punt and kick returner, you’ve got a very good chance to make this team," Haley said. "I don’t know if we have one right now."

At Lawrence's pro day, he ran a 4.42 40-yard dash time, even with an undisclosed injury. He also put up 21 reps of 225 lbs. on the bench press, good for fourth place for wideouts at the combine.

Lawrence could be the odds-on favorite to win the punt and kick return duties simply because he was brought in by the current regime, but several people will be in the running.

Dantrell Savage, who shared the returning duties last year, is a very quick, shifty runner who is capable of making mincemeat out of would-be tacklers. He also has good straight-line speed, running a 4.40 forty-yard dash time coming out of college.

Despite Savage’s experience returning the ball last year, my guess is that Lawrence will win out at this position; he returned one punt his senior year, and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown.

Place Kicker

Another special teams position up for grabs is that of place kicker. Connor Barth played well as a rookie last year, making 10-of-12 field goal attempts, with one from beyond 50 yards.

The Chiefs, making the Mr. Irrelevant pick of this year's draft, selected kicker Ryan Succop out of South Carolina.

Succop is a kicker with a big leg and will immediately show the coaching staff this during kickoffs. The question will be whether he can regain the accuracy he showed prior to his senior-season injury, when he was hitting close to 80 percent of his field goal attempts. Last year he hit just 20-of-30, which is the reason he dropped so far in the draft.

Even with Barth showing good promise last year, Succop will probably be the one that makes the team. He has the big leg for both long field goals and kickoffs, and has the characteristic GM Scott Pioli loves in his players—versatility. Succop also punted while in college and would be valuable should current punter Dustin Colquitt go down with an injury.

Defensive End

GM Scott Pioli hand picked the future of this position for the Chiefs with his first two draft picks—Tyson Jackson and Alex Magee. For the time being though, only Jackson has the skills to immediately start, and he probably will do just that.

It's the other defensive end spot where all the action will occur. Several candidates will be in the running, including last year's No. 5 overall pick Glenn Dorsey, Magee, and Alphonso Boone.

Glenn Dorsey is a very athletic, disruptive defensive lineman that loves to get into the backfield and bother the quarterback. This is a little bit of a problem since the gap responsibilities in the 3-4 dictate the defensive end eat up blocks and be a run stuffer. The good news is Dorsey is athletic and smart enough to pick up any scheme.

Magee played both defensive tackle and defensive end in college and should pick up the defensive end responsibilities quickly, but probably not in time for the start of this season. Look for him to start across from Jackson in a year or two.

Alphonso Boone is a natural defensive tackle who played some defensive end last year for Herm Edwards. Having played both positions, he has experience both playing in space and taking up blockers. This makes him a prime candidate for the defensive end position in the 3-4 defense.

While Alphonso Boone is probably better suited for this position with his skill set and experience, my bet is on Glenn Dorsey to win this position. He's younger and a quick learner, but more importantly, management doesn't pay a player $51 million to ride the pine.

Outside Linebacker

This will be one of the most important position battles going on in camp this year. This is the position most responsible for providing pressure on the quarterback. One of these spots will be taken by Mike Vrabel who was brought in from New England, but the other, like defensive end, is wide open.

Tamba Hali and Turk McBride are being converted into linebackers in order to compete for this position, as well as current linebackers Demarrio Williams and Monty Beisel.

Turk McBride was an athletic defensive end, but wasn't terribly quick. This might be his downfall when transitioning to linebacker, as his ability to change direction is not what it needs to be. More than likely, he will be a solid backup that can come in and make sound tackles.

Tamba Hali has been a do-it-all defensive end for the Chiefs since he was drafted, but is more of a jack-of-all-trades and master-of-none player. He is not especially quick, and switching to outside linebacker where he would have to drop back into coverage, could be a little difficult. He definitely will be an asset rushing the passer, but being an all-around linebacker might be a little dicey.

Demarrio Williams is a quick linebacker that can tackle well. He has the change of direction skills necessary to play in space, but tipping the scales at only 235 pounds, he's about 20 or 30 pounds lighter than the traditional outside linebacker in the 3-4. However, James Harrison of the Steelers weighs only slightly more than Williams, and he was the Super Bowl MVP, so not everything can be predicted by measurables.

Monty Beisel being in consideration for the starting position just shows the complete lack of depth the Chiefs have. Frankly he is too slow, and tackles too poorly to start for most teams.

Tamba Hali will at the very least come in during passing situations to solely rush the passer, but I have faith in his ability to transition to standing up fairly smoothly. He has great work ethic, and will benefit from not having to worry about offensive lineman as much. Demarrio Williams also has an outside chance to win this starting spot if he shines in camp.

The only certainty going in to camp is that competition will be prevalent. The new regime has made it extremely clear that they want players who want to be a Chief, and they want players who are going to work very hard. Scott Pioli has said several times that it's not necessarily about the best 53 players, but about the right 53 players.

Where, Oh Where is the Kansas City Pass Rush Going to Come From?

TJ Gerrity — Sun, 17 May 2009 00:55:51 -0400

It stands to reason that with a 2-14 record, the Chiefs have many holes to fill on their roster. The vast majority of these holes lie in the trenches, and with the linebackers.

Through the draft and free agency, Scott Pioli and crew filled many of the gaping holes in this team's depth chart. Well, they temporarily filled them, it was more like a cheap Bondo job you'd find at a used car dealership.

Most people acknowledge that guys like Zach Thomas and Bobby Engram can not only play some football for another year or two, but they make a valuable contribution in the locker room. There is a place on every team for veterans who have been there and done that.

Thomas and Engram will immediately challenge, and probably get, starting positions on this team, both of which were positions of need for this team.

The problem is they are well past their prime, and both have lost a step or three. By the time the season starts both players will be 36, and on the extreme downside of their careers. On the surface it sounds like they are significant improvements, but don't be surprised if one or both get injured or yanked by the end of the season.

Mike Goff was brought in from the Chargers to fill the biggest position of need on the offensive line. He will be a significant improvement over guys like Wade Smith and Adrian Jones, who shared the starting RG spot last year. Goff is also on the downside of his career, but the RG spot was so awful last year anything will be a relief.

By the end of the season last year, it was apparent that a pass rushing defensive end was atop the priority list when it came to team needs. Since Pioli announcing the defensive paradigm shift, this specific position is no longer needed. The 3-4 defense has no need for this type of player.

What it did create a need for, however, was a new breed of defensive lineman. This need was so great that Pioli and company used their top two draft picks on filling this very position.

Tyson Jackson (first round) and Alex Magee (third round) should eventually become the 5-technique defensive ends now needed in this new 3-4 defense.

It was originally thought that a new nose tackle would be needed as well, however the coaching staff now has great optimism in Tank Tyler filling that role. He will need to add 20 or so pounds to truly be effective in this role, but he has already started on this new task of his.

Tank is a very strong individual, which is the key attribute of a nose tackle. At the combine in 2007, he had 42 reps on the bench press, which was good for top performer across all positions that year, and even three more than the top performer this past year.

Tank played nose tackle at NC State, and dropped from 325 to 305 once picked up by the Chiefs. Playing a Cover-Two defense at the time, which necessitates the defensive tackles be quick and light on their feet, the Chiefs asked him to drop the excess weight.

He should make the transition to into the 3-4 very well and develop into an above average nose tackle at the NFL level.

Linebacker was one of the Chiefs' weakest positions last year. When a scrub like Pat Thomas is your starting linebacker, its pretty obvious you have problems. This problem was only worsened by the move to the 3-4 defense, and the Chiefs did little to fix it. As mentioned earlier, Zach Thomas was brought in, but he will not be very effective on the field.

Mike Vrabel was brought in with Matt Cassel as part of the trade package with the Patriots. He played outside linebacker in New England and along with Zach Thomas, will be the only player with experience in the 3-4 defense.

Vrabel, along with Engram and Thomas, will give valuable insight in the locker room, but like the others, can only be a very short term fix. He will be 34 by the time the season starts, but still will be a serviceable player for another year or two.

It's the other outside linebacker spot on this Chiefs team that is really concerning. Presumably it will be Tamba Hali, former first round defensive end from Penn State. Hali has been a do-it-all defensive end for the Chiefs since he was drafted, but he is more of a Jack of all trades, master of none type of player.

Hali is not particularly quick, and switching to outside linebacker where he would have to drop back into coverage would not be beneficial for the Chiefs. The scouting report on him coming out of college specifically mentioned this deficit in his game also.

He is a hard worker and never gives up, but his short area quickness is severely limited and does not have the speed to run with anyone in man coverage. Teams would easily be able to exploit this weakness in Hali by making him cover either the tight end or running back in man coverage.

This outside linebacker spot might be the weakest on the team. The Chiefs had a total of 10 sacks last year. DeMarcus Ware by himself doubled this sack total. Eleven individual players had more sacks last year than did the entire Chiefs organization.

Getting pressure on the quarterback is one of the easiest ways to help the defense, and the organization did nothing to help this. There were several free agents available this off season who could have rushed the passer, but none of them were brought in.

Good pass rushers were available during the draft, and Pioli and the Chiefs chose to go in a different direction. Why? We do not know. What we do know, however, is that the Chiefs defensive backs are going to be getting no help from the front seven. This may lead to another very bad year defensively for the Chiefs and another drought in sacks.

Why The Chiefs Must Trade Glenn Dorsey

TJ Gerrity — Fri, 15 May 2009 04:20:46 -0400

Scott Pioli, like Bill Belichick, chooses his words carefully. He speaks delicately to ensure his message is not misconstrued.

Pioli had a very distinct message following this year's draft: The future of the 3-4 defensive linemen for the Chiefs lies in his first two draft picks—Tyson Jackson and Alex Magee.

Jackson will start immediately at one of the DE spots, and Tank Tyler will in all likelihood start at NT, but the other DE spot is up for grabs. The main competitors will be Magee, Glenn Dorsey, and Alphonso Boone.

Jackson, at 6'4", 296 lbs., is the ideal size for playing DE in the 3-4 and was a dominating presence at LSU.

Magee, who is 6'3", 298 lbs., was known as a great run stopper at Purdue. Magee is also very versatile, as he played both defensive end and defensive tackle while in college. These attributes will translate well when learning the new 3-4 DE position, where the main concern is containing OL.

Glenn Dorsey, while at LSU, had very few two-gap responsibilities. His main focus was getting to the quarterback, which is how most tackles in a 4-3 defense operate.

Dorsey was very good at doing this—getting upfield and being a disruptor. He was a force to be reckoned with while he was on the field.

These kinds of talents are coveted by defensive coaches, especially those who play a form of the Cover 2 defense, and this is exactly why the Chiefs are paying Dorsey $51 million.

Unfortunately, there is no place for a one-gap, disrupting defensive lineman in a 3-4 defense. The responsibilities for these players are completely changed, and Dorsey doesn't have the body-type, or skill-set for this.

Just as a reference:

Dallas DEs

Igor Olshansky: 6'6", 310 lbs.
Marcus Spears: 6'4", 305 lbs.

Pittsburgh DEs

Aaron Smith: 6'5", 300 lbs.
Brett Keisel: 6'5", 285 lbs.

New England DEs

Richard Seymour: 6'6", 310 lbs.
Ty Warren: 6'5", 300 lbs.

Glenn Dorsey: 6'1", 300 lbs.

Just doesn't look right, does it?

Jackson and Magee fit in perfectly at 6'4" and 6'3" respectively, with both weighing in at 300 lbs. Not only this, but they were both proficient at stopping the run in college, while Dorsey didn't shoulder much of that responsibility in his time at Louisiana State.

Now, you know why Dorsey won't fit in a 3-4 scheme, but finding a trade partner is the hard part.

In Kansas City's defense last year, he was lined up directly over the offensive guard and asked to try to control him, which didn't allow him to use his lightning-quick first step to try to fly into the backfield. This was much of the reason he didn't perform to expectations.

People around the league saw this bad coaching and still have a lot of faith in Dorsey's ability to be a star in this league. Reports from April were that Atlanta was offering a first and fourth round picks for Dorsey.

The Falcons ended up selecting Peria Jerry, DT from Mississippi, who does a lot of what Dorsey does—disrupt the quarterback. Because of this, they are most likely out of the running for Dorsey.

There are several teams that would be interested, and when trade talks surfaced before the draft, these teams no doubt came out of the woodwork and showed themselves.

Tampa Bay is probably the most likely candidate, as a Cover 2 scheme, which they run, relies heavily on DTs that rush the passer.

Carolina is another possibility—Julius Peppers wants out and wants to play in a 3-4. They already have a huge run-stuffing DT in Maake Kemoeatu, who is 6'5" and tips the scales at around 350 lbs., and Dorsey would compliment him nicely.

This would be a great trade for both teams, as this would fill the void in pass rushers the Chiefs have as well. Player-player trades rarely happen in the NFL, though, so I'm not getting my hopes up on this one.

The point isn't where Dorsey will go though; it's that he needs to go. He has no place in a 3-4 defense, he is eating away at the salary cap, and he may be riding the pine come week one this year.

Pioli, before the draft, started the rumors about moving Dorsey, and after the draft started them again with his choice in draft picks.

The question in Kansas City is not if Dorsey is traded, but when.

Kansas City Chiefs: Tempering Expectations for 2009

TJ Gerrity — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:45:07 -0400

The Trade

The Chiefs' offseason began with a big bang. No, they didn't sign any big-name free agents; instead they traded for the hottest name on the trade market, Matt Cassel.

By now, everybody reading this already knows that Cassel, despite not starting a football game since high school somehow led the Brady-less Patriots to a 11-5 record.

Now the expectation is that he will do that for the Kansas City Chiefs. No, he won't have Randy Moss to throw to, but he will have a group of talented young receivers led by Dwayne Bowe and added a veteran presence with Bobby Engram.

The Free Agents

The Chiefs signed a number of veteran free agents this year, led by widely known LB Zach Thomas, WR Bobby Engram, and OG Mike Goff.

Rookie GM, Scott Pioli, thought he would help this very young team out by injecting it with veteran players who have been there and done that.

Thomas will step in as an immediate starter as an inside linebacker in the newly forming 3-4 defense. Engram will start at WR, most likely in the slot, in new Head Coach Todd Haley's wide-open offense.

Mike Goff will fill the huge void the Chiefs had last year at RG, where Goff, the consummate pro, has played for the last 12 seasons.

The Draft

Bill Belichick could not be more proud of the way the Chiefs' draft went. The only thing that was missing were the trade-downs on draft day. There was nothing flashy, but positions that needed to be filled were filled with quality players. Not only this, but all the players drafted can do multiple things for the team.

Some of the "experts" think Tyson Jackson was a reach, but Pioli knows how important the lineman are in a 3-4 defense: All three starters on the Patriots' defensive line were first-round picks.

The Chiefs desperately needed 3-4 defensive linemen, and Jackson will step in to start from day one. He will play all three downs in the 3-4, and in the 4-3 will play on the outside on first and second down, and move inside to tackle on third down.

Magee was a known run-stuffer in college, and played both inside and outside on the defensive line at Purdue, which will give the Chiefs the same freedom with Magee they have with Jackson.

Donald Washington, out of Ohio State, not only has a chance to play in the nickel immediately this year, but he also is a very good special teams player.

Colin Brown, from Missouri, was drafted as a right tackle, but also has the ability to play guard if needed. He is a 6'5", 330-pound behemoth with quick feet.

The '09 Season

Everything from the offseason seems like the Chiefs are primed for a run in 2009—especially since they play in the AFC West, one of the NFL's weakest divisions. The Chargers won the division last year with a record of 8-8.

Two main things will hold the Chiefs back this year. The first is their new, young defense. The second, and the one probably overlooked by most, is their schedule.

The Chiefs play one of the hardest schedules this upcoming year, including an opening week game at Baltimore. Other tough road games will be at Philadelphia and Jacksonville, and they will have the Giants and Cowboys at home.

All of this is going to lead to a 6-10 record for the Chiefs this year. This will equal the previous two season's win totals, but still will be a disappointing season for Chiefs fans, many of whom are hoping the team will finish .500 or better.

Brian Orakpo Vs. Everette Brown: The Debate for the Best DE/OLB

TJ Gerrity — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:44:46 -0500

The 3-4 defense is the "in" thing in the NFL again; it's chic right now. And with this revolution, comes the need for a very specific type of player, that is not needed, and has no use, in a 4-3 defense.

This position is the Outside Rushing Linebacker. The OLBs in a 3-4 have to be big (6'2+), strong (260+ lbs.), and fast. Shawne Merriman is a perfect example—he is 6'4, 270 lbs. People who are 260 lbs. and super-athletic are just a rare breed; they are few and far between.

Everette Brown is a speed rusher off the end. He has an excellent first step and as a result often gets a leg-up immediately on the OT. He also tends to anticipate the snap very well, which adds to his already quick first movement.

Brown also has a very powerful lower body. He drives his legs when locked on and can push the pocket sometimes as a result. His upper body isn't as strong and cannot rip off of blocks as a result. He doesn't use his hands very well at all and this adds to him not being able to come off of blocks.

If he gets stacked, he does not show the ability to shed in order to make the tackle.

Has very good secondary moves when rushing the passer. After starting wide and getting the OT off balance, he can simply redirect or spin back to the inside very effectively.

Brian Orakpo is also known for his speed rush, although he does not appear to be quite as quick bending the corner as Brown is. His snap anticipation is good, but not elite.

Orakpo has an outstandingly strong upper body, and uses very good hand placement in order to keep blockers off of his pads. This allows him to stack and shed to make the tackle. He can stand to bulk up his lower body, as he cannot generate a bull rush all that well.

Like Brown, Orakpo gets most of his sack production from redirecting and twisting back inside after getting the OT off balance with the speed rush to the outside. He is very good at this, and finds the football quickly after getting past the OT.

Stats: Well just by looking at the game tape and scouting reports above, they are very similar players, and essentially even. To decide who actually is the winner, I had to delve a little deeper and do some statistical research.

When looking at consistency, Both Brown and Orakpo each averaged exactly one sack per game last year. Of Brown's 13 games, he only had sacks in six of them, 46 percent. Orakpo had sacks in 70 percent of the games he played in. Brown also only had one game away from home last year in which he recorded a sack, while Orakpo had sacks in 50 percent of his road games.

You also look at when the player stepped up to the plate when his team needed him. Brown didn't record a sack in a single game last year that was decided by seven points or less. Orakpo, however, recorded sacks in all but one of these games.

This tells you that when the pressure is on, when it counts the most, Orakpo will step up and make the play. These sacks in close games are often times what turns the game in your favor so you can win. These are huge stats that don't necessarily garner a whole lot of attention, and they should.

If we extend these stats out a little bit (to get more information, which makes the statistics more accurate) to games which were decided by 10 points or less:

Of the six games that were decided by 10 or less that Brown played in, he had one game with a sack—17 percent.

Of the 4 games that were decided by 10 or less that Orakpo played in, he had three games with sacks—75 percent.

Conclusion: Statistics do not lie folks, and they are telling the story right now. Orakpo wins out on these hands down.

In the NFL, when everybody is big, strong, and fast, its the intangibles that make great players. Orakpo clearly has these intangibles and is the winner in this one.

Kansas City Chiefs: Looking Ahead to the Draft

TJ Gerrity — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 04:06:24 -0500

The Chiefs, as one could guess with a 2-14 record, have many holes to fill on their roster. Most of these, however, lie on defense; the front-seven played horrendous last year. We have exactly one starting caliber linebacker, and at times it seemed like zero starting caliber Defensive Lineman.

Now I know that the D-line is young. And I still believe Glenn Dorsey can be an absolute star in the NFL, if given proper coaching and the correct system for him to play in.

I would say our Team Needs look something like this:

Defensive End
Outside Linebacker
Offensive Lineman - C, RG, RT
Wide Receiver
Defensive Tackle

The problem for the Chiefs is there are no DE's worth taking at No. 3. Orakpo might be close, however, after the combine, with the ability to play DE in a 4-3 or OLB in a 3-4.

The silver lining is the best player in the draft may be available at this No. 3 pick. Aaron Curry is an absolute stud. 6'2", 250lbs, 4.56 40-yard dash.

A tackling machine, he was also far and away the best defensive player that worked out at the Combine. He's very versatile also, he could play either inside or outside, and he can play in the 3-4 should the Chiefs decide to go in that direction.

After obtaining Matt Cassel, we no longer need to debate whether to select a QB with our first round pick.

The Chiefs have new leaders in the front office, and need a new identity. We need to get meaner. Scott Pioli is all about having a great defense, and that starts with intensity. This new Identity has begun with bringing a grizzled vet in her like Mike Vrabel, and he would be a great mentor to guys like Curry and DJ.

If the Chiefs get Curry in the first, he will immediately bring that hard-hitting intensity our defense needs, and would fill out our LB corp. This pick, along with Vrabel, would instantly transform one of the weakest linebacking groups into one of the best.

I think, unless a truly spectacular player falls to us in the third round, I think we should go after the best OL available. Whether that be a C, or a RG, or RT, we need to protect our new investment in Matt Cassel.

After round two it gets a little dicey predicting who's going to be available, but an ideal draft for the Chiefs would look something like this:

Round 1 - Aaron Curry - OLB
Round 3 - Antoine Caldwell - OC - Leader of Alabama's very good OL last year. Has started 34 games at Center, Guard, and Tackle.
Round 4 - Trevor Canfield - OG - Not the biggest or strongest, but plays mean and is nimble for his size - 6'5 310)
Round 5 - Pannel Egboh - DE - has excellent size (6'6 276 lbs.) and smarts (has a Stanford education). Four-year starter, and is quick enough to play DE in a 4-3, or put on 15-20 lbs and play DE in a 3-4 scheme
Round 6 - Sammie Lee Hill - DT - This guy is the un-hyped version of BJ Raji. 6'4, 330 lbs. and nimble, can put pressure on the QB by pushing the pocket. Has the quickness to even play DE in a 3-4 scheme.
Round 7 - Jeremy Gilchrist - WR - Is 5'9, 171 lbs, and is extremely shifty and hard to tackle. It will be our own version of Wes Welker for Matt Cassel to throw to.

Last year's draft was a great one for this team. But winning teams are not built upon one draft. We must continue to have good drafts if this team is to go anywhere in the future.

Free Agents the Kansas City Chiefs Need To Look At (updated)

TJ Gerrity — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:53:33 -0500

I wrote an article on Thursday about some under-the-radar free agents I thought the Chiefs should go after. Of the five I mentioned—Bart Scott, Channing Crowder, Michael Boley, Igor Olshansky, and Jason Brown—only one of them, Olshansky, is still available.

As the weekend has passed, and the Chiefs have yet to sign any free agents, I figured I would update my wish list for free agents.

Igor Olshansky DE/DT - 6'6" 310 lbs. This I think should be our No. 1 target to get as of now. He played DE in San Diegao's 3-4 defense, but he's obviously big enough to play in the middle here in KC if we stay with the 4-3.

If we do indeed go 3-4, we have another piece to the puzzle of finding the proper personnel to fit that scheme.

Olshansky is a powerful guy capable of pushing the pocket back, and was probably San Diego's best run stuffer, which is something we desperately need.

Khalif Barnes OT - 6'5" 325 lbs. OT isn't our most pressing need, but Damion McIntosh could certainly be upgraded.

Barnes has played LT for the Jags the past four years and has done a pretty decent job there. His pass protection is above average, which would be greatly welcomed by new Chiefs Quarterback Matt Cassel, and is big enough at 325 lbs. to be that mauling RT that we need.

Richie Incognito OC/OG - 6'3" 318 lbs. These two positions, especially after acquiring Mike Vrabel, are some of our greatest needs as of now, and Incognito can play both.

He's one of these guys that really plays with a mean streak. He's a powerful guy and is a great run blocker. A powerful Center is crucial when playing teams running a 3-4 defense, because they are playing heads up on a massive NT.

The only thing about Incognito is he's a restricted free agent, and his tender offer dictates we would have to give up a third round pick for him. Is he worth it? I don't know, but we might draft a Center with that third-round pick anyway.

Demetric Evans DE - 6'4" 287 lbs. Defensive End might be our biggest position of need right now. Evans is a bigger End that uses power moves to push the pocket back. He has effective counter moves to work back into the inside also.

He is not known for his pass rushing however, and is a very effective run stopper at his position. If we switch to the 3-4 he could probably put on 10-15 lbs and transition nicely.

Leigh Bodden CB - 6'1" 195 lbs. I know what you are thinking, "What? CB? We're set at that position with Flowers, Carr, and Leggett!" But that was when we were playing a Cover-Two defense. Flowers I think can transition nicely to more of a pure man-to-man defense, but I have questions about Carr, as he is more of a pure zone guy.

But with Carr as our nickelback, we will for sure have the best CB corp in the league.

One of the lone bright spots for Detroit last year, Bodden is an upper echelon cornerback in this league. He is at his best when playing bump and run, man-to-man defense. (He didn't perform that well last year because Detroit tried to play tons of zone with him.)

He is a very physical corner that can jam you at the line, yet still has the speed to turn and run deep with you. He would be a very welcome addition to KC.

Under-the-Radar Free Agents for Kansas City Chiefs

TJ Gerrity — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:36:09 -0500

Free Agency is starting Friday, and with it, I suspect, will come big changes to the Chiefs. I hear people talking about signing huge free agents like T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Ray Lewis, but let's get real, what big-name guy wants to come to KC? We were 2-14 last year.

Yes, we now have Scott Pioli and Todd Haley in charge, instead of King Carl and the Herminator, but that only slightly increases our attractiveness. Instead of going after a few big-name guys, I suspect Pioli will go after lots of lesser known guys. He won't be bringing in scrubs, but middle-of-the-pack guys to come in and compete for jobs.

New England was known, especially in their secondary, to be able to just plug in the next guy on the depth chart and continue on like nothing happened. Pioli will want to be able to do that here, ideally at every position. Look for us to sign between 10 and 20 free agents, especially considering the cap room we have.

Here are a few guys I suspect, and hope, we go after:

Bart Scott MLB - 6'2 240 lbs. Not necessarily lesser known, but less expensive than many of the guys out there. I would be on him being one of our top priorities, but I don't expect we sign him.

Channing Crowder MLB - 6'2 250 lbs. Has been the starting MLB for the Dolphins, and finished last season with 113 tackles, and six passes defended. He's only 25, and he's going to get better.

I put him at No. 1 in terms of attainable UFA's. With him, DJ, and maybe Aaron Curry (if we draft him) we would go from one of the worst group of LB's to one of the best, young groups.

Michael Boley OLB - 6'3 225 lbs. 26 years old, started every game for the Falcons since he was drafted. He's a little undersized (like Donnie Edwards) but is fast and is a good tackler. He's not a perfect fit with KC, as he is best suited to play the Will, which is Derrick Johnson's position, but Johnson showed last year he could play MLB if needed.

Igor Olshansky DT/DE - 6'6 310 lbs. He played DE in San Diego's 3-4 defense, but he's obviously big enough to play in the middle here in KC if we stay with the 4-3. If we do indeed go 3-4, we have another piece to the puzzle of finding the proper personnel to fit that scheme.

Olshansky is a powerful guy capable of pushing the pocket back, and was probably San Diego's best run stuffer, which is something we desperately need.

Jason Brown OC/OG - 6'3 320 lbs. Not exactly "Under the Radar" either, as he will be one of the more highly sought-after OL this year, but he played both Guard and Center in college, and has played both so far in the NFL with the Ravens. He's a very strong OL and is good holding up to massive NTs (good since now two of the teams in our division are running that).

We may have to pay top-dollar for Brown, but he will be well worth the $5-6 million per year he might demand, especially since he's only 25.

Kansas City Chiefs' Drafting Needs

TJ Gerrity — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:26:35 -0500

The Chiefs, like most teams picking in the top five, have many holes to fill. Most of these however lie on defense. The front-seven played horrendous last year. We have exactly one starting caliber linebacker, and at times it seemed like zero starting caliber Defensive Lineman.

Now I know that the D-line is young. And I still believe Glenn Dorsey can be an absolute star in the NFL, if given proper coaching and the correct system for him to play in.

I would say our Team Needs look something like this:

Defensive End
Linebackers - Both MLB and OLB
Offensive Lineman - C, RG, RT
Wide Receiver
Quarterback

The problem for the Chiefs is there are no DE's worth taking at No. 3. The silver lining is the best player in the draft may be. Aaron Curry is an absolute stud. 6'2, 250 lbs 4.56 forty yard dash.

A tackling machine, he was also far and away the best DL/LB that worked out Monday at the Combine. He's very versatile also, he could play either inside or outside, and he can play in the 3-4 should the Chiefs decide to go in that direction.

The Chiefs have new leaders in the front office, and need a new identity. We need to get meaner. Scott Pioli is all about having a great defense, and that starts with intensity.

If the Chiefs get Curry in the first, he will immediately bring that hard-hitting intensity our defense needs.

Unless a truly spectacular player falls to us in the second round, we have to get the best DE on the board at that point. Pass-rushing specialist Michael Johnson may still be there, but he's not an every down player right now.

Robert Ayers has been climbing up the draft boards recently, and is atop many's boards for pure DE's. He can do it all—rush the passer and stop the run.

After round two it gets a little dicey predicting who's going to be available, but an ideal draft for the Chiefs would look something like this:

Round 1 - Aaron Curry - OLB
Round 2 - Robert Ayers - DE
Round 3 - Darry Beckwith - MLB (The leader on that scary LSU defense)
Round 4 - Trevor Canfield - OG (Not the biggest or strongest, but plays mean and is nimble for his size - 6'5 310)
Round 5 - Pat White (Man without a position right now, but a great guy to have on your team. May not make it this far after his combine performance, but if he does, we have to grab him)
Round 6 - Sammie Lee Hill - DT (This guy is the un-hyped version of BJ Raji. 330 lbs and nimble, can put pressure on the QB by pushing the pocket)
Round 7 - Ian Campbell - DE (He has been underrated since high school. Great football player who always just finds a way to make a play)

Last year's draft was a great one for this team. But winning teams are not built upon one draft. We must continue to have good drafts if this team is to go anywhere in the future.

3-4 Is a No-No for the KC Chiefs

TJ Gerrity — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 06:45:26 -0500

The 3-4 Defense is chic again in the NFL. It's all the rage. The Packers and Broncos both are reportedly switching to the 3-4 this offseason. The majority of the best defenses right now are running the 3-4: Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New England, San Diego.

So why not join them? Well, it's not that simple; you have to have the proper personnel to change.

On the surface, It seems really easy—just subtract a down lineman and add a linebacker, right?

Wrong. The size of almost everyone on the front seven has to be bigger. The DTs that generally weigh around 300 lbs. in a 4-3 now have to weigh closer to 330 because they now have to take on two linemen. The DEs now have to weigh upwards of 300 lbs.

Even the LBs have to be bigger and stronger, because they now have to take on more offensive linemen.

Just as a reference:

Dallas DEs:
Chris Canty - 6'7, 305
Marcus Spears - 6'4 305

Pittsburgh DEs:
Aaron Smith - 6'5 300
Brett Keisel - 6'5 285

New England DEs:
Richard Seymour - 6'6 310
Ty Warren - 6'5 300

Glenn Dorsey - 6'1 300

Doesn't really fit, huh?

Don't get me wrong, though, if the Chiefs switched to a 3-4 tomorrow, Dorsey would have to play DE, and would do OK. But the Chiefs are paying him $51 million to get in the backfield and be a one-gap, disruptive force, not a two-gap run-stuffer that simply takes on blockers. That's just not the kind of player he is.

Dorsey finding a spot to play is only half of the problem; finding LBs to play in the system is the other. As is, the Chiefs have exactly one starting LB worthy in the 3-4. Derrick Johnson could move inside and play one of the ILB spots.

The other three spots would have to be filled. Finding the other ILB would not be too hard, most LBs can play in that spot. It's finding the guys who can play on the outside that is really hard.

The OLBs in a 3-4 have to be big (6'2+), strong (260+ lbs.), and fast. Shawne Merriman is a perfect example—he is 6'4, 270 lbs. People who are 260 lbs. and super-athletic are just a rare breed. They are few and far between, like true NTs. The Chiefs have none of these guys on the roster and would have to work hard to find some suitable before the season started.

The best, and smartest, thing for the Chiefs to do is take it slow and acquire 3-4 talent when they can. Do what the Cardinals did this past year and mix in a few 3-4 looks during a game. Be deliberate and make the switch when it is best for the football team.