Chiefs Need to Let Loose the Dogs of Offense: Just When I Get It All Planned Out – Part II

Chiefs Need to Let Loose the Dogs of Offense:

Just When I Get It All Planned Out – Part II

by David Bell

Here was my Original Plan Plan for Andy’s Reid and Andy Heck:

Eric Fish on the left — he will improve even more than the past two seasons. Fisher is an extremely likable player, even tempered, not mean and he is tough. He even has a tad-smidgeon of Dog, but that’s the problem. Its just a smidgeon. That ingredient needs another full measure or two to make him one of the top linemen in the NFL. Still, he is dependable and above average. Now, the new depth chart is showing Parker Ehinger moved to LOT#2.

Opposite Fish is Mitch Schwartz, who has, at least, Pro Bowl Talent. In the middle of it all is Mitch Morse of Mizzou. He surprised every one when he took over at Center. 2017 was an injury plagued season so I expect him to return to form. I expect him to have improved in the process with oodles of time to study film, technique and the nuances of the playbook. It’s showing Andrew Wylie and Bentley Spain.

Morse, flanked on the right by the now highly touted Laurent (Larry) Duvernay-Tardif, should be strengthened in his play while LDT solidifies the offensive line to the right, facing the oppositions left side which is supposedly the strong side of defensive lines everywhere. He plays now at a potential Pro Bowl Level. Backing up Mitch? Jordan Devey and Jimmy Murray. Backing up LDT? Bryan Witzmann and Ethan Cooper. If I took the right side of the Chiefs line I would say that at the very least, they all have a bit or more of the dog, perhaps Morse as much as the other two.

To Morse’s left is where the unknown factor is. GM Brett Veach retrieved a former round 1 pick in bringing in Cameron Erving from Cleveland. Erving is finally getting his own position to own at Left Guard. This was my plan if you recall, and as you also may recall I was pretty big on Erving when he was drafted but, that was before ArrowheadOne so you may not be so familiar, as I was working articles up for KCChiefsBeat. Now, that aspect of their site is gone: unfortunately, the archive of articles was not retained.

To use that round one talent at one position in order to get him acclimated to one position only, not swinging to and fro was my goal and recently this move was made. It’s up to Erving to capitalize on the opportunity.

At the first of 2018, Erving was working at Center because Morse was not ready, come spring training time. So well and good, he can be the 2nd backup center, but I hope not the first. Then Morse returned and they positioned Erving at Left Guard. I think also, Andy’s’ Reid and Heck want to get Erving to the point where he lets his dog out of the yard. This I was counting on. I have been confident that the mess in Cleveland drastically affect Cam Erving. I believed a fresh start and a HC and coaching staff that believe in him would get him round the corner quickly. I still believe this.

In 2017, Parker Ehinger did not get back quickly enough to regain his position. Andy Reid wants to have his offensive line set as they enter preseason. I am fairly confident that left to right we will See: Eric Fisher, Cameron Erving, Mitch Morse, LDT, and Mitch Schwartz. Brian Witzmann was also in my thinking, after Ehinger and I referred the reader a coupla’ three times to Keyser’s work in his study of Witzmann’s season.

There is always a “But” right? Who will be Swing Tackle and/or Guard? Who will be the #2 Center or Backup? 

Note: If you look above you see Wylie as a #2 Backup at LOT. Wylie is what I really wanted to write about, and the best topic to come along since sliced bread — well sort of — is his play of Andrew Wylie. He had some good reviews from camp but then, suddenly, his stock went up. After the game against the Titans,  Andy Reid, when questioned, responded that he was pleasantly surprised at how well the UDFA performed in that game. Today? I stumbled on a gem of  a piece by Charles Goldman writing a piece for Chiefswire… he did a film study of Wylie’s play in the first pre-season game. By Gem, I don’t mean the writing–I am referring to the topic.

So, if we go with the above starting five, add rookie Kahlil McKenzie and Wylie we can’t go far wrong but there is more to consider.

“THIS and not THAT”

I will leave it up to you but what I see is a player whose talent was missed all around the NFL. I would like to know who among the Chiefs scouting staff brought Wylie’s potential to the attention of Brett Veach. Take the time to look at the article and film. Let me know. What I do think is that there are players who better fit the NFL that collegiate football in general and are oft miscast by their own teams. What happens is they are missed by scouts unless the scout has enough moxie to see him as “THIS” and not “THAT.”

That same category of “THIS” and not “THAT”, applies to Kahlil McKenzie who had swapped to defense for college. He is now swapped back.

There remains other decisions to be made. I cannot see Kahlil McKenzie not making the Chiefs 53-man Roster. The man looks to me like an instant fit inside at guard which is great news for the Chiefs, he has an NFL Pedigree and we can all see that he is of a descent of a Big Dog in how he presents, how he speaks, and how he practices.  If McKenzie can do serviceable work in his rookie season, the rest of his background will gel quickly into a pro-football player. Would that the time is short, the crick don’t rise and the angels are looking down on the Chiefs with favor.

We are one lineman long, if they keep eight. This would leave either Witzmann or Ehinger on the outside looking in. I would give odds that Ehinger would be the eighth player, But it could be that Wylie goes to the PS which relieves the situation. As things go? I’d say the latter could be a good thing. Let Wylie develop with good coaching. Unless the worry is he would get plucked. Then, the Occam’s razor analogy might apply.

Fools Rush in, Where Angels Fear to Tread

The ending for me is that for the offensive line, I am a believer. It will remain a WIP but I think the WIP will be quite improved than the 2017 version. First, Morse is back. Second LDT will build on what he finished with. Third, I think Cam Erving’s addition is a good move. Lastly, Call me a fan. I think the Chiefs need to continuing drafting with their top 3 picks, an offensive lineman until it is set as a true force. I hope that this work starts with 2018’s success. One thing though… they put out an unofficial depth chart and Wylie is #2 behind Fisher. That must really mean they have been highly impressed.

David Bell – ArrowHeadOne

[So: A little Excercize for fools, and I must be rushing in because I think This team is going to be surprisingly (to the NFL) good.

“Fools rush in, where angels fear to tread”– think of intellectual and social history before 1940, okay, not popular music!

Alexander Pope, 1711, a poem titled “Essay on Criticism”. Better yet was the Cary Grant Film usage, where he reversed, comically, Fools for Angels… So okay. I do recall Ricky Nelson. You’d think that I would recall Sinatra but I simply don’t… I did listen to his albums a lot, I just don’t remember it.]

Don’t miss Paul Pulley’s article called, “How Did the O-line Reserves Look in Preseason Game One” set to go LIVE at noon here on ArrowheadOne.

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