Kansas City Chiefs Laddie Morse

Chiefs: It’s Berry Juice Time

LadnerMorse November 26, 2018 No Comments

 

 

 

Chiefs: It’s Berry Juice Time

 

by Laddie Morse | November 22, 2018

 

Kansas City Chiefs fans should not let a huge game like the one last Monday night obscure the fact that their star Safety, Eric Berry, is getting ready to take the field for the first time since early August. More importantly, what should not be lost on fans of the Chiefs is the impact Berry has, the juice he can give through his play plus the positive effect he can have on his teammates. In other words, it’s Berry Juice Time.

 

As a long time Chiefs fan I can look back over the decades and tell you about my favorite players: Bobby Bell, Art Still, Gary Spani, Dan Saleaumua, Christian Okoye and of course who could forget Derrick Thomas or Lenny? Most of those players had long and impactful careers as Chiefs and that’s one of the reasons I love them so much: their staying power. Outside of Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali, when I look back over the past two decades, most of the stellar Chiefs have been good, but either for a short amount of time or sporadically. That’s where Eric Berry fits in. However, even though he’s not consistently been on the field like many Chiefs of decades past, he is right up there with DT, Len Dawson and Lamar Hunt in my book. 

 

So, Mr. Day-to-Day is about to make an about-face and get back on the playing field. In his, day after a game, media talk last week Andy Reid said this about Eric Berry: “If he feels comfortable and the doctors are good with it, he’s good with it, we’ll start easing him in, but I’m going to just wait and see how that goes.”  So those words actually came out of Reid’s mouth… “we’ll start easing him in” and that should signal the fact that Berry is about to put it on: his jersey… for the first time in a long, long time. In fact, Berry hasn’t played a regular season game since the Chiefs faced the Patriots in New England in the first game of the 2017 season.

 

Berry’s Return and Mixed Emotions

There have been wildly differing views by Chiefs fans on the possible return of Eric Berry. It’s hard ot sort out whether or not they’d actually like to see him back, or not. Here’s a sampling of some of the things that fans and pundits have said:

 

 

  • “Highest paid coach in the NFL.”
  • “Despite how well Mahomes has been playing Eric Berry is still the best player on the team.”
  • “When he plays I will believe it. Till he does I dont even view him on team.”
  • “I’m gonna think about Eric Berry’s return to get me through this blizzard.”
  • “Eric berry is like Michael Myers no matter what happens to him he’s always coming back killin it.”
  • “The Chiefs would be undefeated with Eric Berry.”
  • “I can’t see Eric Berry returning to the team unless he is the All Pro caliber safety we knew before. He wouldn’t risk embarrassing himself or hurting the team.”
  • “Eric Berry could be difference for Chiefs in Super Bowl pursuit.”
  • “So do y’all actually believe Eric Berry is coming back this season?”

 

 

 

 

 

How Berry’s Return… Could Be Massive

So, when we say Eric Berry will provide “juice” to the defense, what are we talking about? While the first quote mentioned above — “Highest paid coach in he NFL” was meant as a negative comment, it is also the most telling of quotes about who Berry is, and what he provides for the defense WITHOUT actually being on the field.

 

Berry and Play Recognition

Eric Berry is said to watch as much tape as a quarterback… which… is a good thing since he’s basically the QB of the defense. Imagine the Chiefs offense playing without the QB… like running a WIldcat Offense 100% of the time. That may be a good metaphor for how the defense has been functioning (or not functioning, depending upon how you look at it) for the past year and a half. Consequently, when Eric Berry is on the field, he sets the scheme up and moves players around based on his vast knowledge of what the offense is showing, pre-snap. Think back to the interception Berry made on the Falcons Matt Ryan who was trying to complete a pass for a two point conversion only to have Berry jump in front of the receiver and take it 102 yards for a 2-point conversion… and a 29-to-28 victory for the Chiefs. That was all for one reason… Berry said watched tape on Ryan and had seen him use that play before so he jumped the route based on that knowledge. Even the way Berry watches tape is amazing.

 

Berry and Making His Teammates Better

So much of what you hear about great teams is based upon good communication. So, what is meant by that? It means that Eric Berry is so respected that when he speaks, people listen. You may recall an old commercial: “When EF Hutton Talks, People Listen.” Same thing but is actually true here. The result is that this young team gets better in “real time.” Which means, as the plays are happening… as opposed to in the classroom a day later.

 

Berry and His Performance

Most people think about Eric Berry and his timely stops or big hits. Assuming that Berry will return to his former self, we should be able to expect the same level of production… according to Dee Ford, who says Berry still works out hard every day. Ford revealed,

 

“I just did a very groundbreaking core-workout with EB yesterday, me him and Steven Nelson… and we break bread every day and we make each other better, as players and as friends.”

 

While some will say that 75% of Eric Berry is better than anyone else, the Chiefs need Berry to be an impact player and I’d be surprised to see Berry coming back unless he can be just that: a high impact player. Personally, I wouldn’t doubt Eric Berry. Especially when you consider everything that man has already been through in life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eric Berry: the Inspiration

When Eric Berry steps onto the field, it will be an inspiration to not only his teammates, but all of Chiefs Kingdom, and many around the country. It’s hard to measure the effect of the human spirit when it is uplifted by someone as especially gifted and personally dedicated… one who has conquered Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and an Achilles tendon injury to get back to where he can even walk normally… much less run out onto a field and play NFL level football… for the love of the game and his teammates. When you see someone next to you playing with such high level confidence, you play with more confidence too. When you see that guy next to you have great success, it rubs off. You could say Eric Berry has been the heart of this team. Getting him back is huge and as big for the defense as installing Patrick Mahomes was for the offense.

 

 

Berry’s Projected Return Date

While Eric Berry is expected to return to practice this week, he may not get into a game until the Chiefs return to Arrowhead in 13 days vs the Baltimore Ravens on December, 9.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Berry Bringing the Juice

Eric Berry is 29 years old and will be 30 next month but when he came into the league he had some growing to do. His coverage skills needed work. However, now, he is the Chiefs best bet against tight ends, like Rob Gronkowski, whom Berry now owns most of the time. Berry is elite against the run and when he comes up to tackle ball carriers in the flat… that’s what happens… they get more flat than they bargained for. Eric Berry is also a skilled blitzer and although he is rarely called upon to get after the QB, when he does, it always rocks our world. Welcome Back Berry!

 

 

 

What time is it… it’s Berry Juice Time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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