I'm sure most folks will disagree, but on the surface, I like the way our team has been built offensively.  If we keep Chambers, I like him and Bowe.  I like Long and Wade as the 4 and 5.  I'm not completely sold on Bradley though.  He's been good, and really bad with some of his drops.  We might be able to pick up a free agent WR, as well as re-sign Chambers.

In Charles, we finally have a game changing player.  I'm not so sure about his durability.  If he adds size, he may take away some of his speed.  In Cottam, I love the 6'7 target.  And, I like the way Haley has been using him and Pope.  Our line is coming around.  Cassel has had some time to throw.  And, he's making some plays too.  Some of his passes are short, long, and behind the receivers. I think with a full year under his belt, with the same players, he'll be better.

In closing, with a good draft, some free agents, and possibly a coordinator, I think we'll be ok, or at least average at best.

There are usually a few plays within a game, that define the game.  Today's game, there were a lot of them.

1. Cassel's INT off of a DL.  Why was he throwing the ball that low?
2. Charles going for the extra yards.  Can't fault him that much.  He's broken more yards than he's fumbled.  That was a great drive that stalled right after that play.  We would have gotten at least 3.
3. The fumble over Cassel's head.  Why did Cassel take so long in scrambling the play before?  He had the first down easily.  He stopped to look backwards.  Then he slides and gives up the first down.  If he had gotten the first down, we would not have been in a shotgun.
4. Can Mark Bradley catch the ball anymore?  He dropped a sure fire first down.  He could have backed in the final few yards for it, but dropped the ball.  Next play I think we lost the ball again.

I honestly think we were playing an ok game in the first half.  Sure, we can't cover Gates.  And we couldn't defend the long pass.  But, I thought our running game and passing "attack" were better than they've been.

And lastly, where oh where did our blitzing go?  Did we even touch Rivers today?  How many times did you see their receiver in the middle of our soft zone?

Forget about the score, and passing yards allowed.  This defensive effort may have been one of our biggest efforts in the past few years.  The way the D lined up and attacked Pittsburgh reminded me of years gone by.  I know the Pittsburgh line was banged up, but we finally kept sending everyone.  Derrick Johnson made plays.  Did you see him jump over Mendenhall, and hold onto Big Ben?  Magee, Dorsey, and TJ took up blockers.  We brought it.  Big Ben was feeling it before he hit DJ's knee.

After watching Hines Ward do the chop after his TD, I wanted to see how the Chiefs protected their house.  In my mind, they responded with their best game of the year.  All of this without LJ and DBowe. 

Again, incredible effort.  Pittsburgh had some key possessions late in the fourth, and in OT, and we, the D stopped 'em!

We should have lost that game.  As bad as Oakland was, we allowed them to march down the field, make a few plays.  If not for their latest first round bust, they would have had the ball at our 8 with less than a minute to go.

Previous to that, I was happy they went for it on 4th and 1, when Charles got that earlier TD.  I was also happy they went for it later in the game (on another 4th down).  But that play that they ran was horrendous.  They rolled Cassel out, Bowe ran his own route in the other direction, and the only option was a TE Ryan, who was trying to block for Cassel if he was going to run.  Then later in the game, on 1st and 10 (goal), their first play was a fumbled snap, the second, a bad handoff, and their third, a QB sneak?  Are you kidding me?  Is this how you finish the game?  With Bowe Chambers, and Bradley, why couldn't you spread out the field, and hit a quick slant?  Going up by 6 helps, but going up by 10 would have ended the game.

I really don't get a lot of Haley's play calls.  One of the reasons that we were 1 for 15 on third downs, was because the play called only got us 75% of the way.  On another particular 3rd and 2, they ran a play down the sidelines for Bowe.  That was an easy play to defend for Oakland, 4th down.  Why not a quick slant?  How about a screen?  Where are the high percentage, sure fire plays?  I really think the play calling on Offense and Defense has been quite vanilla.

The only reason that we won, was because Russel, Bey, and the Raider organization is worse than ours.  And, we still should have last today's game!

Is it just me, or does every game seem like a preseason game?  It seems like our plays are vanilla.  On offense, it doesn't seem like we even think about stretching the field.  I don't see much imagination.  I don't see Cassel even try to make any plays through the air.  You could almost see him hold the ball too long.  On Defense, where are the blitzes?  I understand that we can't cover, but it just doesn't seem like we're doing anything outside of the norm.  I still don't agree with the lack of playing time for DJ.  once again, he made the play on Torry Holt.  We sign Wade, then de-activate him. 

It just seems like every week is an audition for the future.  As each weeks goes on, I'm starting to not get as involved emotionally.  If only my DirecTV bill would reciprocate.

For a few weeks now, I've been paying attention to what the game announcers, NFL Network, and ESPN media outlets have been saying about the Chiefs.  I have to say that I think the media is more positive about our team, than we are.

Take for example Rich Gannon yesterday.  I heard him say that he liked Haley, and thought the Chiefs were doing a good job.  Without posting everything that I've heard, I think Gannon's statements are similar across the board (from the media).  While I sit home, and get frustrated that they don't move the pocket to avoid the rush, that they don't throw down field more, etc.  The media seems to think the Chiefs are one of the best "worst" teams in the league.  And they think we are going to build a winner, eventually.

I know we've joked about "In Pioli we Trust"..., but I was hoping for more success this year.  Don't get me wrong, I'm wearing my Chief's jersey at work today.  But, for example, I wanted the team to WIN yesterday's game.  I was a tad disappointed that we couldn't punch in that last TD to seal the game on a high note.

All this being said, I have to keep reminding myself, either there's a love fest with Haley and Pioli, or the media may be right.  We'll just have to wait until next year to see the fruit of their labor.

Like any loyal fan, I'm still glued to my set on Sundays (we won't get a prime time game for a while).  You can pick so many plays that led to us losing, again.  I'm going to start backwards from the last few plays. 

• Leggett going for the pick, again.  Austin breaking that tackle attempt, taking it to the house.
  
• Safety not being in position to make the tackle
• Colquitt hitting his worst punt of the year.  He should have pinned them inside the 5.  Instead, they had it at the 20, and ran with Choice.
• We have the ball at midfield, 2 and 10, run another play up the middle to LJ.  Need to have Charles run to the outside to slow down Ware.
• Cassel needs to roll out, and move the pocket.  He stands in there too long.  Dallas defenders knew where to find him every time.
• The Giant announcers talked about the deep snapper (Gafford) putting his head down on the FG attempts.  This week, Dallas did their homework, and blocked that FG.  Teams will continue to take advantage of that.  I hope our staff recognizes it.  If not, hire me, and I'll point it out to them.

On to play Washington.  It has to get easier, doesn't it?  Dallas handed us that game.  We are still not ready to take it.