SB Nation User Blog: Chief Running Bare

Not much has changed

Chief Running Bare — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:36:14 -0000

I'm not really sure whether I'm offering anything new or not, but for me, not much has changed since last year, at least defensively.

I heard a lot of complaining last year about Herm Edwards' "Cover Two," an exotic system from planet Girlie D in the constellation Whimp E only used by the Chiefs; it was my contention, however, that regardless of how terrible a system may or may not be, if the players on the field don't even feign to execute the system, the system will fail.

I provided as evidence the sickeningly high number of times that our linebackers, whom I contended were the worst in the league, jumped three yards beyond their gaps just to watch whichever HB happened to be lucky enough to line up against the Chiefs skitter by, usually in the space they had just vacated with their...what...overaggression?

No, that's not it; the term "overagression" would imply some type of "aggression." And the way those guys were tackling provided an immediate rebuttal to anyone using any English word with the root "aggress" to describe any Chiefs linebacker.

Nonetheless, the new guard arrived and we all spent the offseason as so many fireworks spectators, oohing and aahing over the exotic new system some dude named Yancy installed which actually required MORE than the three linebackers that "played" for us last year.

And the result? Demorrio Williams jumping three yards out of his gap just to watch the HB skitter by in the space he'd just vacated.

I guess the question is this: can the Chiefs defense ever succeed with guys like Williams and Mays?

Yes, Derrick Johnson looked better in the game against Baltimore and, with his apparent athletic skill, I'm going to give him a chance as in ILB in the 3-4. And yes, Mike Vrabel is/was a heckuva player who can do nothing but help the younger guys around him. But Williams, whom I've never seen play an even adequate game, is an unbelievable liability.And however much loyalty we may wish to shower upon Corey Mays for his work ethic, he is still a guy who couldn't crack the starting line-up in Cincinnati. And however much we may love Tamba Hali's attitude, watching him try to get deep over the middle is simply painful.

Last year, the Chiefs ran a system (the Cover 2) that depended heavily on linebackers and the Chiefs failed miserably. This year, the Chiefs are running a system (the 3-4) that depends even more heavily on linebackers and 501 yards later (not to mention 10-17 on third down), the Chiefs failed yet again.

And I'm unconvinced things will be any better until there's a major overhaul of the guys in two-point stances.

CRB

Woot!

Chief Running Bare — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:14:13 -0000

"Whoops!"
~ Safety Officer, Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, 26 April 1986, 01:24 am local time

To say that I am excited about today's events is to understate my emotion so profoundly as to rival the (admittedly fake) ill-fated declarative above.

Less wordily, Scott "Freakin" Pioli is our General Manager!

Holy...frijoles...

Now, I'm not a total ninny; I realize that Freakin could very well be a product of Bill Belichick's over-sized football noggin, but there are a couple of very basic facts that give me great hope. Lest you wallow unnecessarily in thick and suffocating anticipation (yuck yuck), I present them to you below:

Freakin was the most sought-after GM prospect of the decade. This in and of itself means nothing. But contrasted with Carl Peterson's annoying penchant for over-paying scabs and treating true football players like so much icky, gooey, belly button lint, Clark Hunt's decision to aggressively pursue a candidate with--at the very least--superstar bona fides is refreshing.

The reason? Complacency.

For the past, oh, two decades or so, the Hunt family have watched as Carl Peterson's strategy of drafting poorly and making up for it with used, testosterone-impregnated BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages--now in Beach Bum Barbie® and Hello Kitty Fun Time!®--has driven our team into perpetual sub-mediocrity.

It seems to me that time is over.

For the first time in my memory, the Chiefs identified the best candidate available for a position and went after him/her/it with unwavering and stolid zeal. It is utterly apparent for whom Clark Hunt had the GM hawts and it's equally clear he was going to have his man/woman/hermaphrodite regardless of the cost.

Now, that doesn't mean I expect the Chiefs to henceforth spend like drunken sailors in free agency; nor do I want them to do so. I think Freakin's history with the Pats shows a conservative ideology with respect to finances and, besides, high-dollar free agents all to often provide little bang for the buck.

What I think it does mean is that when the organization identifies a player/coach/mascot that it wants/needs/can't-live-without, that they'll be much more aggressive in attaining that person.

And with Freakin's much ballyhooed ability to evaluate talent, that gives me the warm and fuzzies and an unfamiliarly strong optimism. And also a bad case of athlete's foot. Don't quite understand that last one though. Hmmmmm.
The longer I watch football, the more convinced I am that offenses and defenses alike depend almost solely on the dudes playing in the trenches.

Kansas City had a top-five offense earlier in the decade. Did they do it with a super-great quarterback and a stable of other-worldly receivers? Or did they do it with two future hall-of-famers and two other Pro-Bowlers on the offensive line?

I'm sure some of you will make the argument that Trent Green was an exceptional quarterback. And given his numbers, you'd be on solid footing to do so. But let's face it: the man was just as injury-prone as Brodie Croyle. If not for those big-uglies on the line he wouldn't have lasted two seasons with the Chiefs. Same goes for Priest Holmes.

And Remember back in the "heyday?" DT and Neil Smith? Saleamua? How 'bout these names: Alt, Grunhard, Szott?

I'm not saying the other positions are unimportant; I'm saying they seem to be less important. I'm saying when the four or five guys up front are doing their jobs, the guys behind them need to worry less about making mistakes and are free to make plays.

And I think this year was a great example of that. Noone's arguing that Herm Edwards doesn't know how to draft and coach corners and safeties. I think three of the four regular starters this year and maybe even the nickleback have the opportunity to play for the Chiefs for a very long time. Hell, even the fourth starter could stick if he'd just learn how to avoid that dumbfounded look as he flies, fully horizontal, past whomever happens to be zinging by him with the football.

But the Chiefs set a record for fewest sacks in a season. And we're 2nd to last in the league, allowing an average of 5 yards per rush. And the offense didn't come along until the eighth week, which was just enough time for the line to jell. And we ended up 2 and 14. And Scott Pioli is an ex-defensive lineman. And the Pats regularly sport top-five offensive and defensive lines. And Carl Peterson can no longer draft your Ryan Simses, your Junior Siaviies, your Trezelle Jenkinses and slash or mistreat your John Taitses.

The King is dead...may he rot in the third circle of hell.

What? The man lived in Kansas City for twenty years! He should be used to a little freezing rain and hail...
The last thing that gives me hope is, I guess, more subject to ridicule because of the reason nay-sayers have already listed regarding Pioli: namely that when other Belichick subordinates have ventured from beneath his broad, leery wings, they've flopped in catastrophic ways.

We're talking The Day the Earth Stood Still kind of flops.

Flops that would embarrass Pluto Nash.

Jimmy-Carter-sized flops.

But, unlike some of you other guys, I believe football games tend to be won by the players. Although schemes are helpful, no scheme can overcome three starting linebackers that wouldn't warm the bench on any other team in the league or a secondary who's most experienced player is a veteran of 8 solid weeks.

Now, I'm not here to debate whether or not Herm should stay or go (like a blister in the sun). I'm resigned to whatever fate befalls the head coach. Don't get me wrong: I like the man and I think, given the appropriate resources, he could succeed. It's just that I don't care any more given we're 25 of our last 27.

Who knew a winning percentage lower than the approval rating of a dude who shot an old man in the face could callous one in such a way? *rolls eyes*

What I'm saying is that, at the very least, Pioli seems to have a knack for acquiring or helping to acquire football players. Your future hall of fame quarterback goes down? Meh. Plug in the seventh round draft choice who backed up one college quarterback and then was passed over and backed up another college quarterback. And, of course, miss the playoffs at am embarrassing 11-5.

Anyway, I'm done flapping my lips...er...fingers. Wait, can one flap their fingers?

I'm unsure.

Doesn't matter though. The Chiefs have, for better or worse, turned a page. Here's to the future!

Bare, who thinks it's a good day when he can slip an archaic reference from an archaic book into contemporary-neo-electronic-psuedo-conversation...

My Projection

Chief Running Bare — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 16:09:02 -0000

I'm not normally prone to wild bits of fancy-free prognostication but I thought I'd make an exception today considering the quarterback situation.

As weird as it may sound, I think our quarterback situation is now decided, for better or worse. At the beginning of the season, for example, we all "knew" that Brodie Croyle was going to be the starter. But we also "knew" there wasn't a snow cone's chance in the seventh level of hell that he'd finish the year. Some of us probably tried to deny this "knowledge" (COUGH! yours truly HACK!) but in the end, in that deep down, reptilian reality center, squirming in the very bowels of what passes for my...I mean our brains, we knew.

Yes...we knew.

And now we don't have to worry about it anymore. Brodie Croyle fulfilled his destiny with one short but familiar limp out of the stadium. Gone too is Dameon Huard presumably to collect his social security between trips to the VFW and episodes of Murder, She Wrote.

Whom, or more precisely what, are we left with? Apparently, some Peanuts character who is currently under investigation for blacking my poor neices eye in the third quarter of the game against the Titans.

For the record, I think he's innocent. But try telling that to my snot-nosed kid sister and her pedantic, pontificating, pretentious little offspring.

Seriously though, I think it's fairly easy to predict what we'll see today. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll yell at the television. Question is, will you be performing these little acts in anger and disgust or in outright surprise.

The Jets' current ranking against the pass gives me hope; their current ranking against the run gives me pause. It is good to know that Tyler has been told he's the starter win or lose. And I expect one of two things from him: 1) more of the Atlanta game or 2) a pleasant surprise that could just catch the Jets off guard.

Yeah, yeah...go ahead and fling your poo of hyper-optimism at me ya bunch of apes, but there is a chance, however small, that the relative calm Thigpen displayed last week will continue and that he'll be able to provide a spark via his winged wheels between, of course, lackadaisical lobs to the fans in puke-iest green.

However silly, I for one, am looking forward to the game.

GO CHIEFS!

CRB

Jezzy Chreezy!

Chief Running Bare — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:25:24 -0000

My head's spinning from all the crap going on! Economy's flipping us the super-bird. The Presidential candidates and their subordinates keep showing their asses all over national television. And now two (count 'em) quarterbacks on IR?

Anyone have the number for Calgon? 'Cause the low pressure area between my ears needs a vaca-cay :(

So, after Brodie Croyle limped out of the stadium Sunday afternoon, I was gonna come on here and be all provacative and say that Thigpen should be the starter for the rest of the season, even though I'm not a huge fan. I was gonna say that Huard isn't the future and we're not going to the playoffs anyway and the guy at least has some wheels and he's young so he should get an opportunity no matter how many incompletions he throws to my neice in the first row (and yes, her black eye is doing much better...thanks for asking). I was gonna say he deserved to get every single snap in practice and that Damon should go on holding that clipboard...on the sideline...

Now I have nothing to offer! Oh the humanity! *slinks away with bushy tail between legs*

Seriously though, Thigpen showed me a little something Sunday. I was mildly impressed. He seemed more comfortable. Beyond the one play where he confused himself with Barry Sanders, he moved well, he only overthrew a couple receivers and he showed a strong arm.

Considering that I've completely given up on Brodie Croyle ever being an option at quarterback, I think he's our only choice right now.

And I feel bad for the guy. These aren't the kind of injuries where you question a guy's heart. It's not a "thigh bruise" or a "strained pinkie," he's had real, honest-to-goodness injuries. ACL tears, cracked ribs, separated shoulders...these aren't injuries one can fake. But he's just snake-bit. And I think the organization needs to move on.

Other stuff that needs a discussin':

I stand by my first post on this site with a few exceptions. Niswanger has taken a serious step backward in my eyes. And I still think Carr is the superior of the two corners (at least at this point). And don't bother arguing that "Flowers is a prototypical Cover 2 corner" unless you're gonna actually explain why you think that's so. Carr is big, fast, strong and tackles well. Flowers is showing good coverage skill but has missed several key tackles which is a real no-no in the Cover 2.
The other youngsters are holding their own respective to their levels of experience, I think, including Herb Taylor. Anyone else notice how pass protection improved when he replaced McIntosh for two series? When he and Albert were out there, most of the pressure was coming from the center-right of the line where we continue to lead the league in "starts by a fat chick."
Hali has sooooooooooooooooo peaked.
We have the worst linebacking corps in the league. And it's not even close. The only one I'd even consider keeping next year is Johnson and that's only if he's the weakest link in a strong unit. Again, I know we all like the guy, but just lease that DVR your wife won't let you have and watch him play. The vast majority of the time he's just as badly out of position as the rest of the bunch. And spare me the "it's the system" argument. The Cover 2 isn't some exotic, far-out, rarely used system. It's a very simple system that relies on linebackers who are able to maintain their gaps and get deep when they need to. None of our linebackers appear to be capable of either of those things.
Staying on the linebacker subject, did anyone else want to tear their eyes out and feed them to a pack of ravenous wolf-people watching Demorrio Williams against the Titans? Twice I watched him push "It's" Pat Thomas farther to the right just to watch the Titans run to the defense's left. Of course, after Mr. Williams' helpful adjustement, all three linebackers were overly committed before the ball was even snapped which is something they certainly don't need any help doing. And if I have to watch either Thomas or Williams (or both) run headlong into a mountain of sweaty man-meat on one side of the line or the other as the opposing half back scitters up the middle with that dazed look of shocked surprise one...more...time...I think I'll scream.
As an aside, those first two defensive series in the second half were an example of how to play linebacker in this system. All three of them stayed in their gaps and made plays. It looked like a different team. Too bad they can't remember to do that all game long.
Cut Bernard Pollard. Cut him now. Scores 3-0 in the first. It's 3rd and 8 at the Titan 49. THIRD AND EIGHT! Titans call a draw and Chris Johnson makes Pollard his ever-loving bitch. Bernie didn't even touch him! The result? 13 yards and a first down. In my eyes, that was the play where the Titans started to take over. It just broke the defense's back. BTW, another guy missed a tackle on that play too. I'll let you guess who this "protypical" player might be. ;)
Erik Walden has moved into my "keeper" category. In fact, the whole of special teams is a keeper. Savage is playing well. And the Chiefs are quietly ranked tenth in kickoff returns, twelfth in kickoff coverage and fourth in punt coverage. This gives me hope for the future.
Did I mention our linebackers are really...just terrible. Really.
Cut...Bernard...Pollard.
That is all XD

CRB

Caw! Caw! Caw? WTF!?!?

Chief Running Bare — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:21:08 -0000

Caw Caw! No! Caw! CrunchCrunchCrunch...caaaaaaaw! Gulp.

Okay, I'm eating a little crow. DJ played lights out. LJ was a man. And, at least for this week, I won't refer to Adrian Jones as a fat chick.

Herm pulled Hali;
Taylor was awesome at LT;
Niswanger was overmatched at times;
Brandon Carr played very well and was a finger tip away from stopping the Bronco's only touchdown;
The special teams have turned a corner. They hit, they block, and, if B. J. Sams starts again for this team, I'll be VERY disappointed;
Why couldn't we have tried one more freakin pass to Tony G? Now he's gonna get the record on the road;
Demorrio Williams was surprisingly effective at linebacker. Maybe he should get a chance. Williams/Edwards/Johnson? Might be worth a try;
Dorsey and the other linemen were very effective against the run early (and pretty much all game) but faded terribly late in the pass rush.

I think today's win was another example of just how young this team is. I think we'll continue to see mistakes but I think it's pretty obvious they took a step forward today.

Question is, do we go back to Croyle now? I love his physical tools but he's a China doll out there.

Should They Stay Or Should They Go Now?

Chief Running Bare — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:15:49 -0000

So, if you're a Chiefs fan, you don't need me to tell you how painful it's been to watch this young team perform thus far this season. Fact is, the phrase "worst team in the league" gets thrown around a lot, but me and Herm Edwards know it's all-too-applicable to the 2008 Chiefs.

The question is, who are the worst players on the worst team in the league and are there any players worth keeping?

Keep 'Em

In the interest of not sounding like a complete homer, I'll try to keep my gushing to a minimum. But no promises! I like these players even if some of them have, thus far, very little experience.

Brandon Albert, T:
Wow, were the Chiefs right about this kid. Not only has he never played tackle before, but he was on the other side of the offensive line as a guard at UVA. And how has he performed? Well Richard Seymour got a goose egg against him in Week 1. Derrick Burgess got one against him in Week 2. How 'bout Week 3? Glad you asked! The Falcons had enough respect for Albert and so little respect for Daemon McIntosh that they moved John Abraham to LE for the game. He got 2. Those were the only 2 sacks the Chiefs allowed. Now, don't get me wrong, he's struggled at times. But Brandon is gonna be very, very good for a very long time. If you have a DVR, do yourself a favor and replay every offensive snap just to watch him. BTW, I'm not sure moving him to guard and drafting another tackle next year wouldn't be a serious waste of talent.
Brandon Carr, CB:
It's early but I sure like this youngster. He's one heckuva tackler for a cornerback and he doesn't make many mistakes in coverage either. He may turn out to be a better fit than Flowers for the Chiefs simply because of the defense Herm runs.
Jamaal Charles, HB:
Speed kills and, though I hate the 'Horns, I must admit he's got it in spades. I'm not sure he's shown the "softness" people said he had in college either.
Mike Cox, FB:
Good-not-great blocker and better than expected receiver. Hopefully he'll continue to mature in both areas.
Brodie Croyle, QB:
I'm not sure he's going to be able to keep healthy but, when he is, he's our best option...by far. That's not to say I don't hope the Chiefs draft another quarterback in '09. Because Brodie is just never available.
Glenn Dorsey, DT:
He's very raw and he's not really playing within the system yet but I like his physical tools.
Turk McBride, DE:
Boy, did it look like this guy was a bust last year or what? Then he moves to end and he shows some real flash. IMHO, he should be starting on the right.
Rudy Niswanger, C:
Rudy's another youngster with potential. Again, if you have a DVR, watch him. Let's hope he puts off med school for a couple more years at least.
Jarrad Page, S:
He was drafted 4 rounds after Pollard and yet he's twice the safety.
Dantrell Savage, HB:
Alright, I'm an Oklahoma homer. But I don't care. I ♥ Dantrell Savage. Why he's not starting in place of B. J. Sams is a mystery around which I simply can't wrap my head. Why is Herm so willing to go with youth at every position but return man? Drummond last year and now Sams? Argh!
Herb Taylor, T:
Should be starting on the right in place of Daemon. I get it: line continuity is important. So, put Herb on the right and don't take him out again. At least we know he has room to grow.
Tank Tyler, DT:
Isn't it nice to know that we may have actually fixed our tackle problem? Again, these guys are very young but, save one, they've all got worlds of potential.
From the "Duh" Column:
D-Bowe, Colquitt (who sure looked like he was out-kicking his coverage against the Falcons), Donnie Edwards, Tony G, Kolby Smith, and Brian Waters.

Take 'Em or Leave 'Em

Alfonso Boone, DE:
Needs to be playing at tackle. And even then, he should only be part of the rotation.
Ron Edwards, DT:
See Alfonso Boone.
Damon Huard, QB:
He drives me nuts when the blitz is on but he's a serviceable backup.
Patrick Surtain, CB:
Methinks his days is numbered. Still, he's not the colossal failure that Ty Law was.
Jeff Webb, WR:
He's got solid hands I guess. Shouldn't be anything other than a fourth or fifth option though.

Fagedaboutit!

Tamba Hali, DE:
This hurts. It really does. I like Tamba. I like his enthusiasm, his work ethic, his history. But he is not a viable RE. He needs to be on the other side and he needs his partner on the right to be very, very good.
Napoleon Harris, LB:
I'd seriously take Napoleon I over this guy. And it doesn't even have to be Mr. The First, Excellent Adventure Edition. I'd take the dead version...seriously.
Derrick Johnson, LB:
Great athlete...not much goin on upstairs though. I think he'd be fine if he was playing in a system where consistently jumping three yards beyond his gap was desirable. Unfortunately, not so much.
Lawrence Johnson, HB:
Is anyone surprised that we're having so much trouble with LJ? Dude makes Wade Walker look stoic. And when he's on the field he reminds me of Donnell Bennett. Who? Exactly. There were three plays last Sunday that reminded me of LJ-circa-2005. The rest of the time he was running headlong into a mountain of OL man-meat. Look, I get that the right side of the offensive line consists of Urkel's hyperthyrodic baby sister and a safety-orange traffic cone; I do...really. But I don't care about that. The vast majority of the time, watching Larry run just makes me hyperbolically apathetic, which just happens to be a pretty apt description of his running style.
Adrienne Jones, G:
It's really awesome that Clark Hunt is liberal enough to start a fat chick on the offensive line. But, if this is the cost of progress, I say repeal the 19th Amendment and bring back the bustle. We can start by throwing one on Adrienne; I'm sure it would really accentuate her figure.
Daemon McIntosh, T:
I used to be agnostic, but watching this guy provides no doubt about the existence of incubi. It's scary, you know. I was under the apparently mistaken impression that these evil bastards only screwed sleeping women. But I think it's pretty obvious they've evolved to cornhole entire offensive game-plans as well.
Bernie Pollard, S:
I honestly think Bernie Lomax would be a more consistent tackler.
B. J. Sams, KR:
Obvious fellatiotic humor aside, Mr. Sams is not the answer at kick returner. He just sucks (I couldn't resist).
"It's" Pat Thomas, LB:
Clearly the worst of a bad lot, Pat Thomas wouldn't know a gap if one bitch-slapped him right between the peepers. All humor aside, he blew more against the Falcons than a rolling Linda Lovelace at a drunken frat rush. Anyone have Adam Sandler's celly?
Demorrio Williams, LB:
Really, he's not that bad an option on 3rd-and-long. Beyond that, he should be wearing a ball cap and fetching Gatorade.

Jury's Still Out

Brad Cottam, TE: does look gangly in pads;
Jean-Philippe Darche, LS: isn't an action star;
Devard Darling, WR: can be caught from behind;
De La Puente, Brian, G: will translate his name for you;
Brandon Flowers, CB: couldn't tackle a blow-up doll;
John Paul Foschi, TE: will never take your confession;
Will Franklin, WR: has forgotten how turf looks;
Marques Hagans, WR: won't ever be known as "Slash";
T. J. Jackson, DT: did drink "Jesus Juice";
Brian Johnston, DE: does remind me of Jimmy Wilkerson;
Maurice Leggett, CB: can't ride this ride;
Martin Ingle, QB: can hold a mean clipboard;
DaJuan Morgan, S: would start ahead of Bernie Lomax;
Nick Novak, K: isn't a douchebag of liberty;
Dimitri Patterson, CB: won't be starring in a Comedy Central special;
Barry Richardson, T: could take a grizzly bear in a death match;
Wade Smith, C: is no relation;
Tyler Thigpen, QB: didn't actually start did he?;
Erik Walden, LB: doesn't know Henry David Thoreau.

Poll

Valentine's Day is just around the corner! What should I buy Adrienne Jones?

Chocolates...More Cushion for the Pushin'!;

2 votes

A Sexy Quick-Access Bustier;

3 votes

A 12-Course Dinner and a Ride in a Super-Size Gondola;

1 votes

An Extra-Large Bag of Flour.

2 votes

8 votes | Poll has closed