Chiefs: A Glimpse of Potential

Chiefs: A Glimpse of Potential – Things are close to where they were in week one for the Kansas City Chiefs. I thought, after two pretty negative articles, that I’d take a look at why we should be positive. I actually think the Chiefs should win this game but… the other day I was still disturbed by the blow up in Nashville. Let it pass David… let it pass.

Here are reasons for thinking the Chiefs will win in Mexico City and beyond. However, it is also why I titled it with the word Glimpses. Errors, bad decisions and stupidity has got to be eliminated. The players must play up to their potential, not down to the opponent. My reasons, as they are supplied by this article, are a highlight of the positive nature of the roster.

I am not listing all players, just blue and red and a few others. I use Blue Chip for true play makers for the Chiefs and the NFL both. Red chip connotes indispensable component players and they too can be players tinging blue and playmakers at times. They could still be developing or they are players who have not yet reached their ceiling.

The offensive line returns to week one status save Mitch Schwartz wearing a knee brace. I think our offense is superior and that now it is time for it to totally dominate. Defense is far less certain and have yet to state that a blue chip player is playing for Toub’s special teams so the third phase of the game going to be short and down to two specialists.

I want to give kudos to the Offensive Coordinator, Eric Bieniemy. He is doing a fine job and I expect him to be given HC opportunities this off season.

Chiefs Offensive Playmakers

Chiefs Solid Red/Partially Blue Chip #1 – Eric Fisher has returned to start at Left Offensive Tackle. We have seen why he has been so sorely missed by the Offensive Left Side performing so poorly. For 3 years and more, I would hear more about Fisher and what a poor draft pick. His experience with NFL play and opposing players allowed him to gain proficiency and he performed at a Pro Bowl level. His return after injury puts a “blue” player at LOT. No, he won’t make the HoF. Yes, he is now a good offensive lineman.

Chiefs Blue Chip # 1 – Mitch Schwartz. Mitch suffered a big scare last week and that ended his streak of consecutive snaps at 7,894. He was able to return to the game and play the rest of the way. He is a “Blue” chip player, far underrated and that is a real shame. He has played at the Pro Bowl level of play for 3 straight years. He may have to wear a knee brace and he probably has a lot of soreness still but he is ready to go.

Chiefs Solid Red Chip Tinged bluish # 1- Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (LDT). LDT suffered a bad ankle sprain and has now returned to the lineup after missing two games. This is great news to add to the starting group, reassembled from week one. Remember week one?

These three players are added to LOG Andrew Wylie and OC Austin Reiter which is where we began in training camp and preseason. To this group we had added Martinas Rankin who played extremely well standing in. Next year, If these same 5 are present for the offensive line, we have six men to take care of business. Rankin deserves it but, is lost for the rest of this season.

The reason this is so important is because we need to protect our quarterback, who is, if not the top NFL QB, one of the top five Quarterbacks in the NFL–Brees, Rodgers, Brady, Wilson are my list of 4 of the top 5 without order.

Chiefs Blue (encased in Solid Gold) Chip #2 – Patrick Mahomes. PMII returned to the lineup and played so well it was like he was never hurt, first with the ankle injury and then the knee. He is a tough kid. His numbers were right back at the top and with Pat Mahomes playing like that? It’s going to be tough for even Phil Rivers to match the offensive firepower that the Chief possess with Chiefs Blue Chips 4,5 and 6.

Chiefs Blue Chip #3 – Eric Fisher. Fish took a long time to arrive but he did last year. This year we can see how much we missed him when he was injured. He is a Pro Bowl level player and deserves the recognition. Both he and Blue chip #1 keep Blue Chip #2 clean and are indispensable along with Red Chip #1 LD-T.

Chiefs Blue Chip #4 – Tyreek Hill. Recall how difficult a problem presented itself when Hill was injured. This is not to even introduce the terrible worry in the Hill saga of summer which was to think he might never be back at all after that. Hill was out but has come back strong and a total threat over the top or underneath another receiver. Last week, he had a TD & well over 100 yards receiving.

Chiefs Blue Chip #5 – Travis Kelce. Kelce has played every game and played at a high level in 7 of 8 of them. He had one game where they nearly beat him to a pulp and no flags were thrown til late. He also had drops that were totally uncharacteristic of his play. Last week, he too had more the 100 yards receiving and his threat as a playmaker or someone to just move chains is crucially important to the offense.

Chiefs Blue Chip #6 – Sammy Watkins. Our possession receiver is Sammy Watkins. When Tyreek Hill went down with the injury, Watkins stepped in and was our over top Top #1 WR. In that game and the two games following his dependable play was exactly what was needed for the Chiefs without Hill. Last week he had a drop or was it two? I count only one of them due to the pass on the other but he went on to make significant catches and to help move the chains. He is an important cog in the offensive machine.

Chiefs Blue Chip #7 – LeSean McCoy. You may not regard LeSean McCoy as blue chip but he is. He leads all running backs in yards gained, he is a good receiver and what Reid is doing with this is not something we are privy to know. We need him as our go to running back and maybe that’s why. He has not though, shown a problem with cutting, stop and start and with any sign of injury or tiredness. This is just unacceptable. Nor has he had a career of fumble-itis which the Chiefs had in another RB… one Jamaal Charles.

Chiefs turning to Red Chip WR Chip – Rookie WR Mecole Hardman has the capability that is just what the Chiefs need as a receiver. He has the speed to match Hill, very good hands, he has 5 TDs and is great at YaC. He is our #2 WR of the future. With the opportunities presented him, Hardman, as a Rookie may well win the Mac Lee Hill Award. His catches have been totally meaningful and the TD’s and yards have proved my point.

Defensive Playmakers 

The defense has been a sore subject. It is difficult to rate players who are injured and out of the game or who are suffering nagging injuries. Many players would surely play better if not hurt or if not learning a new system under Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Still we have some very top players. A new Defense and new players are part of the problem, and mistakes have been made, including the mistakes on defense in the Titan’s game. I don’t think Spagnuolo adjusted and that is a fault. He should have given Reggie Ragland a bunch more snaps to stop the run. He didn’t. Further, he left Pennel off the Active Roster and had no one in the middle as a stump. Another mistake.

Chiefs Blue Chip #1 – Chris Jones. Since 2018’s season got under way, Jones steadily moved up in capability to the point where he was a dominating player. He is all of that and must get that contract resolved. True, he suffered an injury and was out but his return saw him make plays that should have turned the game against the Titans to a win. Like Mahomes, I want him to play his career out as a Chief.

Chiefs Blue Chip #2 – Tyrann Mathieu. Mathieu joined the Chiefs and immediately felt at home. He is solid playing up in the box or as a single high. He is also very much a leader on the defense side of the ball and a cheerleader to boot. He anchors the secondary and helps with on the field direction. Mathieu was a totally solid addition to this roster.

Chiefs Blue Chip #3 – Frank Clark. I personally think that Clark is a dominant player even playing with a constant nerve stinger that is set off from contact. He needs a full season of recovery to resolve this. At any rate, for me, he is a blue chip player and very crucial to the front four.

DL Note: Unfortunately, the past 3 games, Chris Jones has been out (but is returned with a vengeance), Emmanuel Ogbah was removed from the picture with an injury for the season which makes things tougher, and Alex Okafor has also been missing with a HAS.

Chiefs Red Chip #1 – Alex Okafor. Okafor was necessary in the 43 to compliment Clark and he has done so. I have not seen glaring problems. I want to see him in the rest of the games to see how I will look at this issue after the season ends.

Chiefs Red Chip #2 – Juan Thornhill. To tell you the truth, I saw Thornhill avoid a tackle in the TItans game. But a player running the ball right at you, whom you have to hit straight up and wrap up? I think the fear factor got in the way. Other than that and especially on pass defense short or deep, Thornhill deserves a lot of credit as a starting rookie: Tinged toward solid Red.

Chiefs Red Chip # 3 – Charvarius Ward. After watching the few games Ward started last year, I was convinced he would be a starting Cornerback in the NFL. The question was, could he continue it in his essential rookie season. I believe Ward has dispelled all doubt. In fact, he should be receiving a pro bowl nod… he is playing that well.

Chiefs Red Chip #4 – Emmanuel Ogbah. I have to say that Ogbah has surprised me. He is out for the season and that really hurts the front four. I still regard his import at this level for the 2019 season and he will be sorely missed, being sore himself from surgery.

We certainly have unknown factors, for example: I want to see more games of Derrick Nnadi playing his best. Last week was a let down for him. The same is true of LB’s Ragland, and Wilson. I can’t say that I can even put them up at the red chip level but they could be,,, by the end of the season.

The Chiefs potential Defensive Red Chippers who have not shown up consistently enough thus far:

• • Kendall Fuller
  • Reggie Ragland
  • Damien Wilson
  • Derrick Nnadi
  • Bashaud Breeland

I am a bit confused at some of the poor play that we have seen but I do think the defensive sets haven’t helped them. They should though, begin to roll in the second half and move up in recognition but have to show it the rest of the way. I really want to make Nnadi a Red Chip player… and I think he is potentially. Give him another good game or two.

As a whole, with Spagnuolo setting the defense properly — as it was for the Broncos, Packers or Vikings — I can see Spagnuolo’s defense ascending. He certainly hit a stumbling block last week. Not keeping an immovable object available for run stopping is beyond me and that was an error from last week that should not be repeated as Mike Pennel fulfills a very needed role on the Interior Defensive Line (and has been missing since Dontari Poe left). It’s good that we have chess pieces to move in and out, but they have to be available.

Any of the Red Chips could move up in rating. For example, Hardman, Thornhill and Ward will all “arrive” next season and I am very certain that this will be the case… if… they continue to play as the have this year. Fortunately, all are essentially playing in their rookie season and that bodes well for 2020.

Special Teams 

One thing that’s difficult to do is deal with specialists. The Chiefs are not really having a problem defending against run backs but S/T scoring is a problem. I will mention only two players: Dustin Colquitt and Harrison Butker.

Chiefs Blue Chip S/T’s #1 – Dustin Colquitt. I won’t say much about him, it’s all kudos. His yardage doesn’t leap out at you as a factor but that’s because he doesn’t punt often and often punts from favorable circumstances. He has had booming, long hang time kicks but he is the best at getting the ball inside the 10. The best.

Chiefs Red Chip S/T’s #1 – Harrison Butker. Butker has truly done fine work on FG’s this season. I don’t get as upset about a missed extra point now that the kicks are essentially at FG distance. Still it’s important to make each one. The kicking game is, at times, all mental. Some HC’s don’t even speak to a kicker during a game. Butker is a good kicker with a high ceiling.

I am getting too old to wait too much longer. The Chiefs have the Horses, they have to arrive with a champion’s mentality every game and that motivation is, I fear, sometimes missing. It’s up to the HC and Coordinators to get them on the same page and playing like champions that the players want to be.

David Bell — ArrowheadOne

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