Chiefs Post-Christmas: Let Us Not Play “Down” to the Blues – by David Bell – The Kansas City Chiefs will, in all likelihood, finish the 2020 season 15-1. They will clinch the AFC Bye by beating the Falcons who are 4-10 and the Chargers are 5-9 as the weekend schedule has already begun. Essentially, I am not going to do anything but predict two victories to close out 2020. That would make the team 15-1. That is how it should be – as long as the Chiefs don’t play down to the level of the teams they are facing: the Falcons and Chargers. That said, I am aware of how difficult it is to get a win against opponents as Super Bowl Champs. Every other team in the NFL is trying to knock the Chiefs off their pedestal. So, as the saying exists about playing football in the NFL: Do not play down to the competition and remember that, “On Any Given Sunday….”
Things Which Caught My Attention
Pete Sweeney of the Chiefs media staff had an article on Dustin Colquitt. The Chiefs parted ways with the punter before the season began. They had brought in two punters to give it a shot and Pete Townsend won the honors. The team later hired his brother who is on the PS, also a punter.
Colquitt was at the end of a long and great career with the Chiefs and will at least go to the Chiefs HoF. Pete’s brief discussed Colquitt being retained by the Buccaneers and Steelers. He was released by both teams and just signed with the Jaguars to their PS. If you want to read about it you can find Pete’s article here:
Dustin Colquitt’s career with Chiefs featured not only good distance when required, but the skill at putting his punts inside the 10-yard line. Chiefs fans love the man for this.
Patrick Mahomes – The Implacable Enemy
I comment here, and try not to smirk and laugh uproariously: our Quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, appears to be able to call deep inside himself and figure out how to get that last moment drive, to make plays when other QB’s would fail and do it while confounding the defense of the team he is facing. This season he has done this time and again. All one must do is to review the season and the games, the games won from behind or the close games where something had to occur in order to get or retain the advantage and somehow Patrick makes it happen. The only case thus far where the Chiefs failed to put a W in the book; that game was a “wasn’t to be” contest in which the Chiefs lost to the Vegas Raiders and that game was still a one possession loss.
Writing for Arrowhead Pride, Tom Childs put the emphasis on Patrick Mahomes 2020 thus far. He wrote:
“The best time to really evaluate great players is when they play against great teams, and Mahomes stayed patient and rode the rave against the Saints’ stout defense. Despite being sacked a season-high four times Sunday, his short memory and ability to hyperfocus in critical situations allowed the Chiefs to battle in the second half and ultimately come out victorious for their 22nd win in 23 games (including playoffs).”
I think this statement captures the essence of who Patrick Mahomes is. A leader, and that foe who seems to figure a way to beat the opponent despite a game in which adversity comes to fore, knocking on the door to defeat the Chiefs. Kansas City is so blessed that the Chiefs traded up to draft Patrick Mahomes. The future book of Recording Game Records, Championships and Statistics, remains mostly unwritten.
L’Jarius Sneed
Sneed is a CB I believed that the Chiefs should draft, and Brett Veach did so as well. Rookie 4th round draft pick is proving the point that Brett Veach and the scouting crew have great acumen when spotting talent for the Chiefs draft. I believed that Sneed was going to be a smart pick if the Chiefs could make the pick. As late as it was, the 4th round, the Chiefs secured Sneed who had a few issues in his background. Sneed came on board and proved his worth right away, making two picks, one in each of his first two games. In the 3rd, I think he would have made his third INT, but for how he landed in his effort. He suffered a broken Collarbone (Clavicle fracture) and missed the next several games. Upon his return, he chalked up his third INT. Brett Veach can add another feather to his cap. I can’t say how far Sneed will go in his career — record and reputation — but he is unselfish, a good run support defender and versatile to boot. Sneed is well beyond a “keeper.”
I know many of you are following the press on Sneed and rightly so. DC Steve Spagnuolo discussed Sneed and his play as a rookie in the NFL. Here is a look at his season thus far in a snap count graph from John Dixon of Arrowhead Pride.
Willie Gay, Jr.
Willie Gay, Jr., if you recall, flooded my awareness on draft day 2. Since nothing was mentioned about the Chiefs visiting him, I had ruled him out of the picture. I then stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to address myself to making Gay the Chiefs #2 Draft pick. I came away believing that Veach had found another gem and believe that this is true still. Steve Spagnuolo takes a cautious approach to bringing Rookies into starting roles and apparently this is the case with Gay.
We may finally get to see Sneed with true snaps of a starter in week 16 versus the Falcons. One reason for this is Damien Wilson has not taken snaps on defense. The second reason is that Anthony Hitchens ended up on the Covid-19 role and he may be disqualified from the game. That leaves Gay, Dorian O’Daniel and Ben Niemann to take on the task.
I am one of the “Set Willie Free crowd.” If Gay is going to be more than just a role-playing contributor in the postseason, the next two games should see him gain significantly in the snap count. He deserves it anyway. Spags? Put him on the field. Below is a PFF view of Sneed v. the other Chiefs LBs for two weeks. Of course, Gay’s snap counts do not compare to Hitchens or Niemann, but this illustrates why it is that Willie Gay should be getting the #2 level of snaps. Note: Damien Wilson is not shown in this two-week view of statistics since he has been injured and unavailable to participate for the past two weeks, and likely won’t be playing for the 3rd week in a row due to a knee contusion.
PFF KC Chiefs @PFF_Chiefs
#Chiefs linebackers in the last two games in Weeks 14-15
As much as anything, Gay’s bar is far superior to the top 3 LB’s that the Chiefs field. The only LB that can match Willie’s speed is Dorian O’Daniel who essentially gets no defensive snaps at all. Both Gay and O’Daniel have 4.5 type speed. Gay also is a superior player against the pass, whether manned up on a RB out of the backfield or dropping into Zone coverage, and this is also proven, though we have to turn back the page to show it from collegiate games. From Stephan Costa:
Man! I love Spags but this where I just don’t get. The numbers reflect what we continue to see week after week. I hope this is Spags secret playoff weapon otherwise I’m lost.
FREE WILLIE
This is a man of like heart to my own: Don Julio @DonJuli00364797
Free Willie Gay Jr. Stop with the “bullfeathers” let the kid play he’s not learning anything with 17 snaps and standing on the sideline. #freewilliegayjr
Couldn’t disagree with this sentiment at all. Ryan Tracy of RGR and I chatted about why Willie was not getting more snaps. I will add to that reasoning below, but in the exchange, Ryan had a two-word Reply: “Beats Me.”
I garner a lot from reading and following players, pundits and analysts. Spagnuolo brings rookies on slow and favors veterans until proven to be overtaken. I really cannot fault that approach. As much as I am pleased about what has been accomplished by Clyde Edwards-Helaire and L’Jarius Sneed, I also understand the reasoning. On his own part, Gay has said of himself that he is patient, that his time will come.
Support from other players has been forthcoming in prior weeks. This past week, Chris Jones chimed in, saying:
“He has the potential to be really, really good in this league…just got to keep working, keep his head down. He can fly around, man he can fly around, and that’s definitely why he went in the second round. But he’s made a huge impact to this defense. We’ve been able to use him multiple ways, and we just got to keep working and keep at it.”
As noted, it’s not that Spagnuolo doesn’t know it. Here is what Steve said when queried:
“It seems to me like he’s becoming more and more comfortable in what he’s doing. As that happens, with any rookie, you hope to expand the role. We’ll just see how that goes.”
This week, versus the Falcon’s, Spagnuolo’s easy break-in methodology may be overcome by need –-> next man up.
ArrowheadOne — David Bell – Writing from Katy, Texas on Christmas Holiday with Family
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