SB Nation - Brodie Croyle

Who Should the Kansas City Chiefs Cut, Re-sign, and Keep for 2010?

Jon Yoon — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:00:17 -0000

by Charlie Riedel - AP

It's hard not to let my frustrations get the best of me when writing about this year's lowly Chiefs. Rather than vent and curse and scream, I'm going to instead focus my frustrations on a few specific players who I believe are bringing the team down. Some have played their way off the roster and probably out of the NFL; others have played their way out of a starting job; still others have been monumental disappointments.

Let's look at this position by position, starting with the offense.

Quarterback: I've been very patient with Matt Cassel. I understand the situation he's in--his supporting cast isn't great, his receivers are dropping easy passes, and his offensive line has been shaky and inconsistent in pass protection. I get all those things.

That being said, there are a few things that scare me about Cassel. Despite improved protection over the past few games, he is still inconsistent with his downfield throws. In many cases, he's not hitting his receivers in stride and he's making far too many goofy mistakes for a player of his experience level. The excuses are over. His pass protection has gotten better and he is now surrounded by a decent running game. Yet, we're not seeing much improvement from him. All that Cassel has done this season is prove that he's a lousy quarterback for three quarters, but a pretty decent one in the fourth quarter (assuming the Chiefs are still in the game).

I'm not saying Cassel has played his way out of the job, but he certainly hasn't done anything to justify keeping it or securing his place as the QB of the Future. It would be reckless for the Chiefs to enter this offseason without bringing in another strong option at QB. Worst case, Cassel ends up playing really well and the Chiefs can trade their backup away. If the Chiefs don't bring in a strong young option now, it could set the franchise back two or more years.

Because if there is any QB who can push Cassel for a starting job, he's not currently on the roster--Brodie Croyle is too injury prone and Matt Gutierrez is as big of a longshot as you'll find in the NFL. Cassel's poor performance this season has led me to question whether Pioli's loyalties might be clouding his judgment. I like Cassel. I like his work ethic and I want him to succeed, but if he becomes the indisputable starter going into 2010 with no competition, it will really compromise Pioli's no-nonsense, high accountability environment he's building toward. If Pioli is gung-ho about sticking with Cassel next season without bringing in a competitive option, he better be right, or else it could be a decision that haunts him for the rest of his career.

Stays: Matt Cassel (#1 QB), Brodie Croyle (#3 QB)
Bring in: Strong competing #2 QB Option
Dump: Matt Gutierrez

Running back: The good news is that Jamaal Charles is a legit primary back. He's done an incredible job of doing a lot with very little help up front. The play that sticks out in my mind was the toss sweep against the Broncos where he almost made it out to the edge, but couldn't make it there. From what I recall, the guy that got in his way was weakly blocked by Mike Cox. I remember thinking to myself: "Man, if that was Tony Richardson a few years ago, that guy would have been leveled!"

With better blocking up front, Charles has the potential to be a very good "lightning back" who can take on about 15-20 carries a game. He needs to be more careful with the football, but hopefully he can do that with some better awareness and maybe a little bit of strength training. The problem is, Charles is not a primary back in the way LJ was. He shouldn't be a workhorse back nor should he be an all-purpose back. We saw that on Sunday. The Chiefs seemed scared to pound the rock on the goal line. It's because they don't have a "thunder" back to bulldoze forward on short yardage situations. The Chiefs need one of those backs--a big bowling ball that wears out defenses and can muscle a few tough yards on short yardage situations. It would provide more balance to their running game and create a great change of pace for Charles' shifty running style.

Kolby Smith has had a nice little career for the Chiefs, but I wonder if he'll ever play a full season ever again. Outside of Charles and Smith, the options at halfback are not good. Almost everyone in this spot is expendable. However, it's possible the Chiefs keep one of them on the roster, simply because they just have too many needs to fill. At fullback, Mike Cox has effectively played himself off the roster. He doesn't block well, he doesn't run well, and he's been invisible in the passing game. What is it you'd say... he does here? There isn't a shred of a doubt that he will be out of a job in 2010. The Chiefs must bring in a legit Fullback. Must, must, must. And it's not like it's that hard. You can get a top-notch Fullback in the late rounds of the draft.

Keep: Jamaal Charles (#1 HB)
Dump: Mike Cox, Kolby Smith, Tim Castille, Javarris Williams
Possibly retain: Dantrell Savage
Bring in: "Thunder" back. Fullback. Both can be found late in the draft. A "thunder" back might be found on another team's scrap pile

Wide Receiver:

Boy oh boy. You would think that a team coached by a Wide Receivers coach would have receivers that were better at catching the football. You would think that players like Mark Bradley and Bobby Wade, who are hanging on to their roster spot by a very thin thread, would be trying just a little bit harder to compete for their jobs.

Dwayne Bowe is a given, though based on the way he's played this season, I'm not convinced he's a legitimate #1 receiver. Chris Chambers has probably earned his spot on the 2010 roster, although we should prepare for a potential sophomore slump as he had in San Diego. If the Chiefs can find a younger receiver with #1 playmaking capability, they need to break the bank and bring him in (which might mean cutting ties with Chambers). I don't think that will happen, so for now, Chambers is a solid stopgap option. Apart from that, no receiver has played well enough to justify keeping their job.

Bobby Wade, on the whole, has not been terrible. He played like he didn't care to be there against the Broncos, but in most games, he's been a relatively solid slot option. I can't see a situation where Mark Bradley is on this team next season. He has dropped way too many passes in key situations. Lance Long, as it turns out, is not Wes Welker. He's not Ricky Proehl. He's just a guy---pretty good at getting open, but wildly inconsistent at making the catch.

Keep: Dwayne Bowe
Likely keep: Chris Chambers
Bring in: Either a #1 receiver to replace Chambers, or a strong rookie prospect to be groomed to replace Chambers
Very on the bubble: Bobby Wade, Lance Long
Dump: Mark Bradley

Tight End:

Based on the way Haley likes to use Tight Ends, I tend to think he wants a multi-dimensional tight end moreso than a one-dimensional one. He may not want a Tight End who is only stellar at receiving. I don't think he'd mind having a Tight End who was primarily a blocker. Ideally, though, I think he would like a Tight End who was equally good at both.

Leonard Pope has been the sole bright spot at the position and that's not even saying much. Pope's role should really be more situational--a great backup, but not someone I'd like to see as an every-down starter. Sean Ryan does not belong on this roster. I have no idea why he's been here this long in the first place. He can't catch. He's a horrendous blocker. What exactly is his value to the offense? Brad Cottam isn't much better. You can't tell me there aren't better options on the street than these guys.

Keep: Leonard Pope (#2 TE)
Dump: Sean Ryan and Brad Cottam
Bring in: Anyone who isn't named Sean Ryan or Brad Cottam.

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 12/7

NJ Chiefs Fan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:43:19 -0000

via KansasCity.com

Your Kansas City Chiefs News. Got to warn you guys, it ain't pretty. Today's Arrowheadlines will be tweet free. I have to freeze my tail off on a train platform in a few minutes. At least I'll get to swing by and see the tree at 30 Rock. Happy Monday.

87-27
In the last two Sundays, the Chiefs have played the two best teams in the AFC West. They lost both games. They didn’t just lose them, they got smacked by the Chargers last Sunday and then by the Denver Broncos on this Sunday.

The Chiefs 44-13 loss was complete; all three phases of the game contributed to the 31-point beatdown. It’s the worst home loss for the Chiefs since the Chargers blasted them by 30 points (37-7) back in late October. The trip through franchise history for a worse home loss goes all the way back to 1976, when the Pittsburgh Steelers won at Arrowhead by 45 points (45-0).

The frustration meter in the Chiefs locker room was pegged after this game.

Top Of AFC West Falls On Chiefs Again; Broncos Win 44-13 from Bob Gretz

KC Star Photo Gallery: Broncos 44, Chiefs 13 | Sunday, Dec. 6

The Chiefs’ 44-13 loss to Denver at Arrowhead Stadium — the first time in 26 years the team allowed 40 points in consecutive games — hid any progress that Kansas City seemed to have made as of last month, when the Chiefs upset Pittsburgh for their second win in a row.

The locker room is a bleak place after days like this. Players shower, pack and depart without saying much. Another loss. Not many fresh ways to describe it. But there was a question that needed to be asked Sunday: Do players see progress?

Chiefs’ 44-13 loss to Broncos makes progress hard to detect from KC Star

On a day when they honored the great Derrick Thomas, the Chiefs did not live up to his memory in any fashion. If D.T. was watching, he certainly at some point had to say WTF!

Every week, Todd Haley likes to talk about the progress his team is making. He should check his eyes, because any sign of progress on Sunday against Denver was but a mirage.

"We took a big step back the last two weeks," said QB Matt Cassel, who got benched in the fourth quarter because he was having such a miserable day. "Last week against San Diego got out of hand and this week got out of hand."

The Chiefs never had any hand on this cold, cloudy day. They have played some awful football in the last three seasons, but nothing matched what they did in the second half of this 44-13 loss to the Broncos. It was an embarrassment of the highest football order as the Broncos scored 20 points in the third quarter and blew open a game that were likely to win anyway.

Column: A Difference In Approach from Bob Gretz

"He had a perfect game," Dorsey said. "He applied pressure and was in their backfield all day. I told Tamba I have to take him out to eat or something. Every time he was getting back there, I was getting a fumble (recovery)."

Thomas’ No. 58 was retired Sunday in conjunction with his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. At halftime, the Arrowhead crowd was treated to highlights of Thomas’ career, only moments after Hali replicated the way Thomas terrorized quarterbacks.

On the second play after the 2-minute warning in the second quarter, Hali roared in from behind and sacked Orton for a 7-yard loss. On the next play, Hali reached Orton again, and not satisfied with merely getting the sack, he stripped Orton of the ball — much as Thomas did in his heyday.

Hali does a good Derrick Thomas impression against Broncos from KC Star

It’s not hard to understand why Todd Haley would say yes to the fake punt play that his special teams coach Steve Hoffman drew up. The Chiefs record was 3-8 at the time and they were down 14-6 to the Broncos and had just come off a very unproductive first half.

That lack of efficiency and production continued on the first possession of the second half. RB Tim Castille ran for two yards. QB Matt Cassel threw away the second down pass because of pressure. A third-down pass to TE Leonard Pope fell incomplete.

As far as the head coach was concerned, it was time to take a chance, roll the dice, nothing to lose but another game.

Fake Failure Starts Disaster from Bob Gretz

Will Matt Cassel be the Chiefs starting quarterback next Sunday when they host the Buffalo Bills?

"Yes," said head coach Todd Haley.

How long that might continue is now something that will be debated from tap rooms, to discussion boards and talk shows.

Cassel was simply awful on Sunday against the Denver Broncos. His numbers reflected that, as he completed 10 of 29 passes for 84 yards, with two interceptions and no touchdown passes. His passer rating of 14.6 is the worst of his 26 NFL starts. His completion percentage of 34.5 percent is the worst of his 26 NFL starts. His 2.9 yards per attempt was the worst … you get the picture.

Cassel’s Season Goes From Bad To Worse from Bob Gretz

Your Whitlock Alert (though you should read it)

Cassel’s 14.6 QB rating for the afternoon wasn’t all his fault. His receivers, particularly Bobby Wade, dropped numerous passes, failed to complete routes and generally conducted themselves as if they had little interest in risking a Brian Dawkins mouth shot.

So much for the myth that this Haley-coached team never quits. His players don’t care that he yells and screams anymore, if they ever did. He’s getting tuned out. In the first quarter, Wade shouted back at his coach and had to be restrained by his teammates.

The scare-and-intimidation tactics by Haley and Pioli aren’t a viable long-term plan. This "process" is immature. You can see it in the players’ uneven performance and demeanor. Even a proud, distinguished veteran like Mike Vrabel is beginning to crack.

When the Broncos converted a fourth-and-inches into a fourth-quarter touchdown, Vrabel flipped his middle finger to the Denver bench as he walked off the field.

"I was frustrated," said Vrabel, the former Patriots star. "I’ve been on the other end of one of those (blowout victory) and it’s a lot of fun. Well, now I’ve been on the other side, and it’s not good."

Chiefs are going the wrong direction from KC Star

Tamba Hali wasn’t talking to the media after Sunday’s game. It’s something he’s done all year. He wants his play to speak for him.

Well, on Sunday against the Broncos, Hali’s play was shouting. In a lost season, Hali continues to play at a level far above the 3-9 record that he’s part of with the ‘09 Chiefs.

His teammates spoke up for him on Sunday after Hali had 10 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles.

"Frustrated by the game," OLB Mike Vrabel said in the Chiefs locker room. "You don’t envision it going the way that it goes. We’ve got good players. It’s sad that we couldn’t win for a guy like Tamba who played his ass off.

"We just need to try and play up to what Tamba and guys like him are doing. If we win, it’s a great story. Instead, we’re all just frustrated and upset."

Tamba, Broncos & Notes, Oh MY from Bob Gretz

"It was such a special time for all of us in the organization," said Schottenheimer, 101-58-1 in 10 seasons as Chiefs head coach. "We had some terrific people, not only just players, but people throughout the organization, and it was a terrific time."

Derrion Thomas, one of Thomas’ children, attended the ceremony even though his team, Fort Scott Community College — where he is redshirting — was playing in the junior college national championship game on Sunday.

"It was a nice experience … a little cold," Derrion said of the halftime ceremony. "But it was a pretty good turnout (despite) the weather."

Chiefs blitz | Derrick Thomas honored at halftime from KC Star

As for the Chiefs, Schottenheimer said he’s confident Todd Haley can revive a club that has lost 32 of its last 37 games.

"There are things to be done, and they’re working on them," Schottenheimer said. "I’ve known Todd Haley for years through his father, Dick, and I think they’re going to get it headed in the right direction.

"These things don’t turn around … it’s not like taking a little 26-foot deck boat and turning it around. It’s like taking an ocean liner and turning it around."

Chiefs notes | Schottenheimer to coach East-West game from KC Star

When this dismal season comes to a merciful end, the Chiefs will have plenty of misery to look back on.

None will stand out more than a 12-minute stretch to begin the third quarter of Sunday’s 44-13 loss to the Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium. Nothing the Chiefs did worked as they allowed the Broncos to outscore them 20-0 and increase their halftime lead of 14-6.

"It was a pretty rough stretch," said Chiefs backup quarterback Brodie Croyle, a prominent figure in the play that sent the quarter spiraling downward. "Once it starts, we can’t let it snowball."

It started with coach Todd Haley’s decision to order a fake punt on fourth and 8 from the Chiefs’ 28 early in the period. Croyle was sent into the game in punt formation.

Third quarter turns into nightmare for Chiefs from KC Star

Bumped and bruised after a day under intense scrutiny from the Denver Broncos, Jamaal Charles finally got the full feeling of what it’s like to be the featured back for a woeful team.

It’s no wonder that after the Chiefs were routed 44-13 on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, Charles sounded a lot like Larry Johnson might have.

"Somebody besides me," Charles said, "has got to step up and make plays."

Charles scored the Chiefs’ only touchdown on a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter. But he had little help from his teammates and was obviously frustrated by another day of his team’s offensive futility.

"This is happening a lot around here," Charles said. "It’s embarrassing."

Loss leaves Charles feeling sore from KC Star

Chiefs Coach: 'I'm very confident in Matt Cassel'

Joel Thorman — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:30:13 -0000

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

4 days ago: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel (7) is chased out of bounds by Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams (55) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Browse more photos »

As I was making my way to the Chiefs locker room after the game, a few Denver columnists wondered whether we were preparing to write any pieces on a quarterback controversy.

"No," I said. "Why would I?"

Though QB Matt Cassel did not finish the game, he was not "benched" in the traditional sense of the word. His play wasn't pretty, that's for sure, but the game was out of hand at that moment.

He's coming back next week and he'll be the starter.

"To me," Haley told reporters, "the game was at a point where it was going to be very difficult for us to even et in the game and it was a chance to get Brodie some snaps."

Just for good measure, is Cassel the starting quarterback next week?

"Yes."

Quarterback controversy? Not for a while (if ever). Cassel is Haley's guy going forward and there's no question about it.

"I'm still very confident in Matt," Haley said. "Our first series we had a chance to make a huge play on third down. I thought Matt prepared and was ready to go. The game didn't go the way he or we wanted it to go and then we let some negative things happen."

Cassel had a miserable performance. There's no question about it he was like JaMarcus Russel's clone today. But the Chiefs were down by four touchdowns when Croyle came in. The Chiefs were protecting one of their assets and seeing what they've got in another.

"We'll be alright, we'll bounce back," Croyle said after the game. "We've got two more home games so we need to get better."

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 11/4

NJ Chiefs Fan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:52:28 -0000

via media.kansascity.com

(Photo above: Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli and tight end Leonard Pope helped load some of the 30,000 pounds of protein products donated by Tyson Foods. The players, and other volunteers, transferred the food to vehicles from approximately 60 area relief organizations.)

The Chiefs continued what has been a futile search for help at wide receiver when they claimed Chris Chambers off the NFL waiver wire on Tuesday.
Released by the Chargers on Monday, Chambers is just another attempt by Pioli/Haley to add some firepower to their passing game. To this point, they’ve failed miserably.

Bobby Engram, Quinten Lawrence, Rodney Wright, C.J. Jones, Terrance Copper, Amani Toomer, Ashley Lelie, Bobby Wade and now Chambers. That group combined has provided the Chiefs offense with 27 catches for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Almost all of that belongs to Wade, with his 20 catches for 226 yards and both scores.

More WR Juggling … Wednesday Cup O’Chiefs from Bob Gretz

KC Star Photo Gallery: Kansas City Chiefs players join volunteers to distribute food at Arrowhead Stadium

The changes won’t be as glaring as the overhaul the Chiefs underwent in 2008, when Gailey reshaped the offense mid-season to customize the scheme to quarterback Tyler Thigpen’s strengths. Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard suffered season-ending injuries in the same game, and Thigpen was forced into a starting role. It was important to keep him healthy, and to do that meant shifting to the spread. That allowed Thigpen to expand the pocket and improvise, if necessary, and it worked. The Chiefs aren’t planning to reintroduce the spread or any kind of gimmick offense — just a more finely tuned scheme that allows Cassel to release the ball faster and get plays in quicker.

"We’re always going to play to our players’ strengths," Haley said.

Chiefs use bye week to fine-tune offense from KC Star

KMBC's Karen Kornacki reported that the district will gut Southeast high School stadium, which is about 50 years old, and build a new multi-sports complex.
It will cost $3.5 million but there is talk of increasing it to $10 million, Kornacki reported.

The stadium will be paid for with grants, sponsorships, private donations and fundraising.

Kansas City School District Athletic Director Kimble Anders said they have applied for an NFL grant and they have the support of the Chiefs team.

KC Schools Plan To Build New Stadium from KMBC.com

There's more. The NBA is exploring a fan's accusation that Dallas Mavericks player Drew Gooden mumbled a gay slur in his vicinity. Last week, Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson reportedly did the same, twice in two days.

Do any of these incidents require a congressional hearing? Nope. Do they indicate that we've become so supersensitive about what famous people say and do that nobody with more than 10 entries on Google should ever open his mouth or leave her house without first clearing it with a publicist? Probably.

But the controversies are also a sign of society's robust health. We debate these words and behaviors -- are they heinous and unforgivable or just dumb and obtuse? -- because we don't really know just how to feel about them. And sports is both mirror and lamp. The mirror shows us where we are; the lamp leads us up and out.
Chicago Blackhawks' blackface forces the issue from The Chicago Tribune

It’s gotten to the point where my favorite week of the football season is the Chiefs’ bye week. Why? Because I get a break from the constant reminder that my favorite team just isn’t that good.

During the bye week, I don’t have to worry whether GM Scott Pioli is the most overpaid, overhyped executive in the history of football. I don’t have to worry whether Matt Cassel will tear his rotator cuff after Branden Albert blows another blocking assignment. I don’t have to worry whether coach Todd Haley will pull a Tom Cable on Larry Johnson.

The Blessed Bye Week from National Football Post

There is no doubt that, particularly after 2003, there was a good amount of evidence pointing towards Chris Chambers’ becoming a star WR; since then, though, he has basically fallen off of a cliff...

...Simply put, regardless of how ugly a quarterback or how decrepit a team a WR is surrounded by, elite WRs simply catch a higher percentage of the balls thrown to them than Chris Chambers does.

Chris Chambers, the Worst WR in Football from Patriots Daily

Scouts from the Kansas City Chiefs were present at today’s Notre Dame practice in South Bend. Joining them were representatives from the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts.

There are a handful of very interesting NFL prospects playing for the Irish and the Chiefs currently hold 8 draft picks (and counting!) so it’s never too early to keep tabs on the players of note at each school Kansas City is scouting.

Chiefs Scout Notre Dame Practice from KCChiefsBlog

Player Tweets

studie32 Had a great time with @douggieboomer today. . . . Back to the grind tomorrow.

Media and Fans

ArrowheadPride RT @robmikesh Year to date, I have as many #NFL rushing touchdowns as the entire Kansas City Chiefs running back corps.

ArrowheadPride As I sift through today's news, I realize LJ is soo last week.

Adam_Schefter Bengals terminated the contract of veteran G Scott Kooistra.

Tomahawkkid88: Just launched a brand new awesome ALL POSITIVE chiefs forum. Chech it out and sign up as a member at www.barryskoolaid.com GO KC!

BillKempin: Sportscasters bashing the Chiefs for signing guys released by other teams seem to be unaware it' illegal to sign dudes playing elsewhere.

QueenJerrica: Dude on Jimmy Fallon says he is a chiefs fan lol

Tyler Thigpen: A Kansas City Chiefs Retrospective

Chris Thorman — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:16:21 -0000

Over two years ago, when QB Tyler Thigpen was claimed off of waivers by Herm Edwards and the Kansas City Chiefs, my post on the subject ended with this:

"Out of Coastal Carolina, Thigpen appears to be nothing more than a body at the no. 3 QB spot."

Eleven starts and sixteen game appearances later, I must confess I was wrong.

After the jump, I do my best to chronicle Tyler Beckham Thigpen's days as a Kansas City Chief.

The Signing

On August 3rd, 2007, the Kansas City Chiefs traveled to Mankato, MN, to scrimmage the Minnesota Vikings, as they had done in previous years.

QB Tyler Thigpen was a part of that scrimmage, on the Vikings side. He was drafted by Minnesota in the 7th round of the 2007 draft, only four months earlier.

There isn't a heck of a lot of news on that scrimmage that I can find now. Thigpen may not have even played. But him and Vikings DE Khreem Smith both caught the eye of Herm Edwards after that scrimmage.

About a month later, as NFL teams were finalizing their rosters, the Minnesota Vikings released Tyler Thigpen and the Chiefs claimed him on waivers on September 2nd, 2007. They were able to do so after releasing QB Casey Printers just a day earlier.

September 2nd came and went with quite a few transactions for KC:

Tyler Thigpen claimed
RB Derrick Ross released
WR Bobby Sippio released
VIkings DE Khreem Smith rumored to be signed to the practice squad

Back in the day, that was a huge day for Chiefs news. And I managed to squeeze a whole three paragraphs out of that! Yeah, I can forgive you guys for not reading AP earlier.

On September 18th, Ridiculous Matt may have coined the nickname Bones for Thigpen, It was related to this rather interesting picture of Thigpen with a skeleton.

The 2007 Season Cameo

Fast forward a few months. Tyler Thigpen hasn't played yet. It's been the Damon Huard v. Brodie Croyle debate that nearly drove us all mad.

It's December 2nd, After beating the Chargers earlier in the year, the Chiefs are getting whomped at home when Damon Huard is sacked and injured with 5:30 left in the game.

Enter Tyler Thigpen.

Well, it wasn't exactly a dramatic entrance. Thigpen went 2/6 for 41 yards and threw one INT. For the final four games of the season, the Chiefs used a mix of Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard at QB. Thigpen wouldn't play the rest of the season.

The Rebirth; The Starter

Tyler Thigpen began the 2008 season second on the Chiefs' QB depth chart. He was behind #1 starter Brodie Croyle,

The Chiefs started the season against the New England Patriots and both teams ended up losing their starting QBs for the season. Tom Brady, of course, was injured by Bernard Pollard. Brodie Croyle went down until October with a shoulder injury after a sack by Patriots LB Adalius Thomas.

Damon Huard would finish the game against the Patriots and start the next week against the Raiders.

Huard would make four pass attempts in Week 2 of the 2008 season before getting injured. Tyler Thigpen would replace him, going 14/33 for 151 yards. He added in one TD and one INT as well. Mr. Marques Hagans had one pass attempt as well and then we gladly forgot about the guy.

Turn your eyes to Week 3, as the Chiefs take on the Atlanta Falcons. It's Tyler Thigpen's first game as a starting QB in the NFL. And he was our hopes and dreams because frankly, we didn't have many other quarterbacks on the roster.

via NFL.com

Not a lot of good came out of Tyler Thigpen's first start in the NFL. He was 14/35 for 128 yards passing. He threw one TD and three INTs. He honestly looked scary as an NFL quarterback. After this Atlanta game, I was convinced this guy was a joke.

"The Tyler Thigpen led Chiefs' offense put together, for about 28 minutes to start the game, one of the worst strings of drives I've seen in a long time. And I watched all of last season!"

Oh but I also felt the Thigpen magic early on too:

"With those criticisms aside, Tyler Thigpen did lead touchdown scoring drives of 74 and 82 yards and that's no joke for this current Chiefs team. The best three drives of the season have been with Thigpen at the helm. Even going back further than this year, those two drives yesterday and his 9 play, 80-yard drive last week were some of the best drives the Chiefs have had since 2006.

For that, I will politely tip my hat to Tyler Thigpen and anxiously await the return of Brodie Croyle, or whoever our next quarterback is."

Wow. What insight I had, no?

Damon Huard was back in Week 4 against the Broncos at Arrowhead, which was one of the two Chiefs' wins last season. Thigpen did not play in quite possibly the last happy time that the Kansas City Chiefs have seen.

Next week against the Carolina Panthers was not so happy. A 34-0 route by the Panthers prompted Herm Edwards to replace a shaky Damon Huard with Thigpen.

Thigpen came into the game in the 4th quarter and ran a no-huddle/shotgun combo offense that garnered very few yards.

Bye Week then Another Croyle Injury

The Chiefs had a bye in Week 6 and Brodie Croyle was back from his separated shoulder to start against the Titans in Week 7.

14 plays in the game for Croyle, he was done for the season with a sprained knee. He limped off the field and Damon Huard jogged on. Huard went 9/16 before injuring his hand in a suspiciously minor incident.

Enter the Tyler Thigpen Era for Real This Time

It's still Week 7 against the Titans and after Croyle and Huard went down, Thigpen attempted the Chiefs final 11 passes against the Titans. Thigpen went 5/11 for 76 yards. He also rushed for 21 yards and one TD.

via NFL.com

From the Titans game on, the Kansas City Chiefs were Tyler Thigpen's team. He made the team exciting and bearable to watch, despite going 1-10 in his career as a Chief.

Week 8 @ NY Jets

Thigpen put together one of his best games ever as a Chief against Brett Favre and the Jets. Thigpen was 25/36 for 280 yards passing. He also added in two passing TDs and 20 yards rushing.

via NFL.com

The Chiefs of course lost the game as the defense completed one its many second half collapses. Here were my thoughts on Thigpen after the Jets game:

"I won't say much about Tyler Thigpen. I've never seen him throw the ball like he did yesterday- with accuracy and power behind his throws. Very few of his passes made me gasp as they have so many times before this season. He played very well, deserves to be the Chiefs starter for the rest of the 2008 season and may end up being a good backup in the NFL. For those ready to anoint him the QBOTF, ahem, let's see if he can (a) win a game and (b) play that well twice in a row. Crazy, I know."

Week 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Thigpen helped take the Chiefs into overtime against a decent Bucs team led by Jeff Garcia. KC lost but it was again the Tyler Thigpen show. The rookie QB was 14/25 passing for 164 yards. He also hit Dwayne Bowe for a TD pass.

And of course, this was the game of "The Catch."

Here's what I had to say after this game:

"I know I'm not the only one surprised with Tyler Thigpen's performance the last two weeks. I thought that those two performances, if Thigpen was even capable of them in the NFL, were years of development down the road.

I love the energy he brought yesterday. I love the TD catch from Mark Bradley. I love his much improved scrambling ability. To date, he's easily the 2008 Chiefs most exciting player."

Week 10 @ San Diego

Again, in arguably his best football game, Tyler Thigpen lost. Thigpen's two point conversion to win the game was batted down in the final seconds of the game, forcing the Chiefs to lose 20 to 19,

Still, it was incredible game for Thigpen. 27/41. 266 yards passing. 3 passing TDs. 26 yards rushing. There's a gamer for you.

I continued to be astounded by Thigpen:

"Call me crazy, but in a little over a month, I've gone from not believing for one second Tyler Thigpen is an NFL quarterback to contemplating him at a starting role in 2009. Keep up the good work, Thigpen."

Week 11 New Orleans Saints

Thigpen again put up a gallant performance in a game that many thought was going to be a complete wrought. The Chiefs hung on to only lose by 10 points.

Thigpen was 19/38 for 235 yards and passed for two TDs. Since becoming a starter in Week 8, Thigpen now has 8 passing TDs.

I didn't have much to say on Thigpen after this loss:

"One thing Brodie Croyle never really did well was spread the ball to a number of different receivers. Tyler Thigpen does this very well. Thigpen hit seven different receivers yesterday."

Weeks 12 through 17

Game #	Opp	Result	Cmp	Att	Cmp%	Yds	TD	Int	Rate	Rush att	Rush yds	TD	Pts
11	BUF	L 31-54	17	31	54.80%	240	3	2	85.4	3	29	0	0
12	OAK	W 20-13	15	22	68.20%	162	0	1	70.6	11	48	0	0
13	DEN	L 17-24	17	32	53.10%	187	1	0	81.1	6	34	0	0
14	SDG	L 21-22	19	28	67.90%	171	1	1	81.1	10	40	1	6
15	MIA	L 31-38	20	41	48.80%	320	2	3	61	6	57	1	6
16	CIN	L 6-16	19	36	52.80%	191	1	0	77.4	2	4	0	0
		Season Totals	230	420	54.80%	2608	18	12	76	62	386	3	24

In the final six games of the season, the Chiefs and Tyler Thigpen thankfully pulled out one win (against the Raiders no less).

Thigpen continued with his flashes of brilliance and periods of inconsistency. More than anything, he made this brutal final stretch of the 2008 season watchable, in a Dante Hall kick return sort of way. You watched in anticipation that something, anything entertaining and exciting might happen.

And for that, thank you Tyler Thigpen. Your time in Kansas City was brief but you made a last impression on this team's fans.

Here's one final highlight video salute for the former #4.

Goodbye Tyler Thigpen. You will be missed. Good luck to you in Miami. You made this blogger's life a lot easier last year.

Chiefs Coach's Comments Revive Talk of Quarterback Controversy

Joel Thorman — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:00:19 -0000

Greetings from somewhere in Oklahoma on my way to Austin, TX for the first official Arrowhead Pride wedding (Chris, not me). I was traveling yesterday and, wouldn't you know it, the folks in the media tell me the Chiefs quarterback controversy has been resurrected.

No, no a new starter hasn't been named. It'll be Matt Cassel vs. the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. And, just to be clear, I'm going to steal a line from Josh Looney this morning to set myself up: "If you don’t read anything else in this blog today, read this next sentence. There is not a quarterback controversy in Kansas City."

But, it wouldn't be a Kansas City Chiefs football season without a little quarterback controversy, would it? There was the Gannon vs. Grbac decision in the late '90s (Decision? Depending on who you ask, there wasn't much of a decision and Gannon was flat-out the better option.). Then there was the Green vs. Huard situation in '06 that, um, well let's just skip that.

The 2009 version of this controversy is, of course, Matt Cassel vs. Brodie Croyle. We didn't hear much of anything about Croyle legitimately pushing Cassel until Kent Babb's Tweet heard 'round the world when he wondered whether the former Alabama QB was giving the $63 million man a run for his money. That was the first time we really started to pay attention to this. Prior to this, if you were like me, the thought really hadn't entered your mind.

Fast forward about five weeks and the same questions are beginning to crop up. This question from a reporter yesterday wouldn't be asked any other time unless there was a controversy brewin':

Q: Do you feel you are generally on the same page as far as the starting quarterback with Scott Pioli?

What they're trying to get at here is whether Cassel is truly the best option or if he truly has the contract that necessitates him to be the starting quarterback. The problem is that Todd Haley has demonstrated that he will play the best player, regardless of hype and money. The examples he cited yesterday in response to reporters:

Jets: Vinnie Testaverde over Glenn Foley
Cowboys: Tony Romo over Drew Bledsoe
Cardinals: Kurt Warner over Matt Leinart

"Those are decisions you’ve got to make as a coach," Haley said. "As a head coach you take the brunt of the criticism or the accolades. You’ve got to ultimately do what you think gives your team the best chance to win. If that means another quarterback being in there other than Matt Cassel then…."

(The KCChiefs.com transcripts leaves off the last part "...then sign me up." )

He trailed off but I can help finish what he was getting at, "If that means another quarterback being in there other than Matt Cassel then...we'll make the switch because I'm fully aware that my future with the Chiefs is based off of wins and not the name on the back of the quarterback's jersey."

Personally, I love the competition being created in Kansas City. It's so simple yet makes so much sense. You're going to pushed to perform at a higher level when there's a guy behind you nipping at your heels. Hell, that's true in my job, why not in the job of a professional athlete? Ultimately, though, I'm not jumping from the Cassel ship. In the long run, he's a better option than Croyle in my estimation (and the stats back that up).

Bill Williamson of ESPN.com said that, while visiting Chiefs camp over the summer, he got the same impression.

"When I visited the Chiefs’ training camp in August, Haley praised Cassel," Williamson recalls. "He said he loves how committed to the game Cassel is and how he think he can become a special player. No matter what the talk is in Kansas City, I do not expect a change. And it does happen anytime soon, it would not be the right move for the Chiefs."

I think we've all seen and heard enough from Haley to know that he's the same guy every day. If he was asked this question in March, days after the trade for Cassel, he would say the same thing. If he was asked this question after OTAs, when Cassel was described by Babb as "the most accurate passer the Chiefs have had in a long time", he would say the same thing.

And now that we've finally got some game footage to go on, I don't expect him to change his answer.

Mining your way to fantasy gold - Sit/Start Edition Sep. 18/2009

Andrew Davidson — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:17 -0000

Just a quick reminder about the fantasy mailbag , remember to send me any comments or questions. I've received a few already, and an interesting debate could emerge. A Niners Nation member asked me "Do I start Joe Flacco vs. SD or Matt Hasselbeck vs. SF?". My initial response was start Hasselbeck, despite the strong outing the 49ers defense showed in Week 1. I've added a poll to this column, and want to know your input as well.

Flacco put up huge numbers against the Chiefs; surprising, shocking numbers (307 yards, 3 TDs). Can he repeat the feat against San Diego? The Chargers held JaMarcus Russell in check primarly (40% completion, 2 INTs) and are a much better team defensively than the Chiefs. Also, the Ravens have a carnival of running backs to throw at San Diego's front seven and should play a much more "Baltimore"-style offense in Week 2.

Hasselbeck on the other hand looked awful in the first half against St. Louis, throwing two interceptions. However, he later regained composure (that and the Rams were the opponent) and threw 3 TDs and went for over 200 yards passing. San Francisco pressured Kurt Warner all day long, but Warner still managed 288 yards passing (with 2 INTs). When the 49ers defense shuts down Seattle's run game, Hasselbeck will be forced to go to the air. While the 49ers will win the game, Matt Hasselbeck will keep the Seahawks close.

Sit

Joe Flacco QB BAL @ SD - Week 2 Forecast: 175 pass yards, 1 INTs, 1 TD

Start

Matt Hasselbeck SEA @ SF - Week 2 Forecast: 250 pass yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs

After the jump, the rest of my sit/start suggestions...

Sit

Carnell Williams RB TB @ BUF - The Buffalo Defense played a pretty good game against New England. I expect the Bills to be able to make the Bucs one dimensional, and shut down the run in the process. Williams went for 97 yards and 1 TD (on 13 touches); if he gets that few touches this week, expect much smaller numbers. Week 2 Forecast: 50 total yards, 0 TDs

Start

Darren Sproles RB SD vs. BAL - Am I crazy or what? I'm suggesting your start a RB versue the Ravens defense, after the Ravens held Larry Johnson to 20 yards rushing and Jamaal Charles 8. Well, LaDanian Tomlinson is facing a nagging injury (Fooch Note: LDT ruled out), and Philip Rivers will keep Baltimore much more honest against the pass than Brodie Croyle could ever dream of. Sproles is shifty, and if you can hit him, it doesn't matter how punishing the front seven is. Week 2 Forecast: 100 total yards, 1 TD

Sit

Devery Henderson WR NO @ PHI - Fact: Henderson has had back to back 100 yards game once in his career. You can date that back to November 2006. Drew Brees may find success against the Eagles, but it will be his primary targets, not Henderson. It seemed the Lions forgot about Henderson in Week 1, and I don't expect the Eagles to make that mistake. It will be wise for the Saints to run the ball against Philly, and I expect them to do so, limiting Henderson's chances. Week 2 Forecast: 40 total yards, 0 TDs

Start

Vernon Davis TE SF vs. SEA - Homer alert! Yep, it's true, I have sentiment involved in this one. Remember the last time Vernon Davis played Seattle in San Francisco? I bet you do, he was sent to the showers early by interim Head Coach Mike Singletary. Well, in 2009, things have change greatly; Singletary is completely in charge and Vernon Davis is a team captain. I expect Vernon to send a message to Seattle, and San Francisco: "I'm here." Week 2 Forecast: 85 total yards, 1 TD

Sit

Philadelphia Team DEF vs. NO - Drew Brees was sacked the least amount of times in 2008 in the entire league. Philly's defense destroyed Jake Delhomme, getting 5 sacks and 5 INTs on the day while also scoring a TD. You can bet they won't near the sack total versus New Orleans, but they may be able to intercept Brees (just not 4 times like they did Delhomme). Overall, it will be wise to look elsewhere, but if you're like me, you only hang with one team defense. Definitely don't drop Philly in order to have a favourable match-up for one week. Week 2 Forecast: 28 pts allowed; 1 sack, 2 INTs

Start

New England Team DEF @ NYJ - The Patriots sacked Trent Edwards 4 times on Monday, but failed to cause an interception. The team only forced one turnover, but I expect the unit to rattle Mark Sanchez' cage all Sunday long. They should be able to create pressure and force the rookie into a few mistakes, while keeping the Jets in check and making up for Week 1's poor effort vs. BUF. Week 2 Forecast: 17 pts allowed; 5 sacks, 2 INTs, 1 TD

That wraps up my fantasy "analysis" for week 2, I'll see you guys next week with more "advice". Cheers, and may the 49ers win the ~~pennant~~ Super Bowl (well let's hope they start by beating Seattle this week).

Poll

Which QB would you start in Week 2 of these two choices?

Joe Flacco

246 votes

Matt Hasselbeck

107 votes

353 votes | Poll has closed

Thigpen on Chiefs Four QBs: 'We understand how the business works'

Joel Thorman — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:19:57 -0000

More photos » by Reed Hoffmann - AP

Chiefs quarterback Tyler Thigpen talks to Nick Wright of 610 Sports. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Tyler Thigpen talked with Nick Wright of 610 Sports after practice yesterday.

Wright asked him about the Chiefs decision to keep four quarterbacks when most teams usually keep only three. The thinking is that the Chiefs will, at some point, trim down to three quarterbacks. The odd man out will be between Thigpen, Matt Gutierrez and Brodie Croyle.

I talked about that this morning and pointed out that head coach Todd Haley seemed content with Croyle's performance last Sunday so he's probably staying put. Probably.

You gotta hand it to Thigpen. He doesn't really back away from many questions. When talking about the Chiefs quarterback situation, he said, "We understand the way the business works." While he does give the backup quarterback cliches of always being ready, he understands the situation.

Whether he's done enough to merit consideration for the 53 man roster once/if the Chiefs go to three quarterbacks is debatable.

Thigpen touched on that topic as well as a few others. Check out the What's Wright website for the audio. Below are some notes I took.

How does being a backup when the starter is injured affect your preparation throughout the week?

"It really doesn't affect it at all. You just gotta be, as a backup quarterback, be ready at any time no matter what the situation is. I think that goes for any backup quarterback. You've always gotta be prepared."

What's it like working with the other three quarterbacks when you know teams usually don't keep quarterbacks?

"I think the biggest thing is that we understand the way the business works. Right now, we're all good friends, but we understand, at the end of the day, not normally do they keep quarterbacks but right now we're keeping four quarterbacks.

"That's the decision that's not up to us. Right now we're just we're just competing for a job and going out there and trying to make our team better."

Why is there a belief that you can't be a traditional drop-back passer?

"That's those people jobs. To be out there and be critics and judge. I feel like I've come a long way from where I've been at. I feel like I've developed and settled down into being an under center quarterback."

Is the traditional drop-back passer something you can do or do you just prefer a different offense?

"I think any quarterback wants an offense that fits their physical abilities but, as a quarterback, you have to be able to play in every style of offense.

"Not every team is going to ble able to perform to a quarterback and their abilities so you gotta be ready to play in any sort of offense."

Do you feel you've already proven your critics wrong or is this just a new round of criticism?

"There's always going to be criticism. Like I said, that's their job and that's what'll keep them writing the papers and internet blogs or whatever, but my job is to go out there and make this team better and not worry about the other stuff."

Kansas City Chiefs Still Carrying Four Quarterbacks

Joel Thorman — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:14:17 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

Matt Gutierrez is one of the four quarterbacks the Chiefs are carrying on their active roster. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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The Kansas City Chiefs continue to carry four quarterbacks on the active roster heading into this weekend's game against the Oakland Raiders.

My thinking on this, along with quite a few others, is that the Chiefs will go down to three quarterbacks once they're assured that Matt Cassel is fully healed from his MCL sprain. Most of us expect him to play this weekend but we also expected that last weekend and he was listed as inactive about 90 minutes before the game.

Brodie Croyle started in Cassel's absence last week so I would imagine if/when the Chiefs chop the depth chart, it will be Tyler Thigpen or Matt Gutierrez getting the boot.

Haley seemed content with Croyle's performance last week.

"I thought that Brodie Croyle gave us a chance to win today and that’s all I ever ask of my quarterback to do," Haley told reporters following the game. "I don’t know what his numbers were and I know that at some point there it was not pretty. But he was completing the ball where he had to and most importantly he was not turning it over.

In last week's game against the Baltimore Ravens, Thigpen saw one series that included two handoffs and a quarterback draw.

"I told him to be ready – there were situations where I had a play for him," Haley said. "But I only got to put him in there once but it’s just the way the game went. There were a lot of different variables in the plan for him that I don’t necessarily want to get into. The game really dictated it."

That leaves Matt Gutierrez who was the emergency third quarterback. He only saw mop-up duty in the preseason games.

It sounds to me as if Haley might have specific plans for putting Thigpen onto the field. I'm not sure if that means he doesn't intend to keep him as a true backup quarterback or not.

It appears they'll keep four quarterbacks for the time being. If the Chiefs are intent on signing another player, we'll continue to monitor the quarterback status.

Chiefs Sitting in the Basement of the NFL After Week 1

Chris Thorman — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:00:36 -0000

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

2 months ago: Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Ricardo Colclough pulls down Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Kelley Washington during the third quarter of the NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

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Yes, I know it's early to be talking about where the Kansas City Chiefs rank relative to the rest of the NFL. But, I'm going to track these stats and we'll have some nice line graphs later in the season, sort of like what Joel did this morning.

The results are in and they are not good. As I'm sure you can imagine, the Chiefs rank at the bottom or near the bottom of many offensive and defensive categories.

Our lone bright spot? Tied for first in Red Zone conversion percentage! Yes!

After the jump, I put down some various stats and where the Chiefs rank, plus a little blurb from me on that stat.

Offense

Yards/Game (30th)

The Chiefs' 188 yards of offense against the Ravens only beat out the Texans (183 yards) and the Panthers (169).

Yards per play (26th)

Some good teams are behind the Chiefs in this category, which makes me discount it's importance. Philly, Green Bay for example rank below the Chiefs and we know they're better than we are. The Chiefs' 4.27 yards per play is less than half of the #1 ranking Dallas' 8.88 yard per play average.

Rushing yards (31st)

Yep, no hiding this one. Somehow, the 49ers only rushed for 21 yards, sparing the Chiefs the embarrassment of yet again sitting in the basement for rushing yards.

Passing yards (26th)

Despite a 116 QB rating, Brodie Croyle wasn't able to produce a relatively high amount of passing yards. And you're never going to get a lot of yards from Croyle. His career high in passing yards is 217.

First Downs/Game (30th)

Yeah, keep an eye on this one. The Chiefs had trouble making first downs last year, along with converting third downs. Those are definitely two stats that go hand in hand. Only the Broncos have fewer first downs than the Chiefs' 11. The first down leader? Baltimore of course with 32!

3rd Down % (30th)

The Chiefs converted 2/10 3rd downs last week. That's good enough to put you in company with the Lions, Panthers and Rams.

Red Zone % (T-1st)

Six teams including the Chiefs have scored on all of their trips to the Red Zone. To show you how wacky this stat can be, the Chiefs and Ravens have both scored on 100% of their Red Zone trips on Sunday.

Points/Game (T-10th)

Despite these crappy offensive numbers, we really should be rejoicing that the Chiefs were able to score 24 points on Sunday.

Defense

Yards allowed (31st)

How do you give up 501 yards on defense and not be ranked last in the league? The Lions. The Detroit Lions. As a Chiefs fan, I definitely want to thank the Lions for being so terrible right when we are.

Rushing yards allowed (31st)

The Chiefs gave up 198 yards on the ground last week. Cleveland gave up 225 rushing yards to Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings' opponent each week may end up being the worst run defense of the league that week.

Passing yards allowed (28th)

Giving up 303 passing yards isn't terrible - when you don't give up nearly 200 yards on the ground.

Sacks per pass attempt (27th)

We're definitely watching sacks closely this year. 2.33% of the time the Chiefs sacked Joe Flacco, which I know sound weird after only one game.

First downs/game (32nd)

32 first downs allowed on Sunday. 32nd in the rankings. Man, the more I look back at the Raven game the worse I think it was for the Chiefs.

3rd down % allowed (30th)

You see that stat above with 32 first downs? That's because the Ravens converted nearly 60% of their third downs. Convert third downs, move the ball down the field, score points....You gotta be good at 3rd down conversion.

Points allowed (T-30th)

I know we've beaten this to death over the weekend and this week but one more time: As much as you want to think the Chiefs have improved on defense, they still gave up 38 points and 501 yards to the Ravens. I know stats don't tell the entire story but spin those numbers for me please.