Chiefs Potpourri Thursday – and yes, we are spoiled and that’s a good thing – It’s Thursday. There will be a football game to watch. The thing I do like about TNF is that I won’t be trying to find a quality program from the major networks (I basically don’t watch any of it). I do use use Netflix and Amazon for film, that is worth spending time viewing. We have been spoiled as viewers because the Covid-19 situation has given us another night to watch football… on Tuesdays. All is swell in the NFL virus universe… or not.
I decided after finishing this, to add a subtitle about being “spoilt.” I was discussing football Fandom with my younger son Ian yesterday. He is Green Bay fanatic. We jointly had a laugh because for a good long while, the pack has enjoyed great success. With Aaron Rodgers they missed the playoffs twice in seasons where he was injured. Otherwise they are always contenders. For the Chiefs? I remember Marty Ball as a great time to be fan or even during Vermeil’s time in KC., but since 2013 the Chiefs have been in postseason play (with one exception – 2014). It’s just a great thing to be as spoiled as we have been for the past 8 seasons. The Chiefs have not had a losing season in that time.
The Chiefs Offensive Line (OL)
Okay, this is serious. We have started games with only 2 of the original 5 designated starters in the game. That’s not good. On Wednesday, we got news that the Steelers had raided the Chiefs Taxi Squad — the “Practice Squad” for you young whippersnaps — by bringing OL Danny Isidora to their roster. The Chiefs had picked up former Chiefs OG/OT Stefan Wisniewski who was released by the Steelers and this week he was elevated to the active roster. Also of import is that Mitch Schwartz who is currently on the Injured list, is eligible to come off that report. However, we still don’t know if his injury is healed, how serious it really is, or whether he will get back to the field of play any time this season… or for postseason play. That is a huge worry for me as Schwartz has been durable for the Chiefs and so dependable in protecting QB Patrick Mahomes. Standing in for Schwartz has been the job of OT Mike Remmers, who was on the injury report this week as well. Meanwhile, our Interior Offensive Line has certainly not been something to write home about.
As we go through the final three games, we need the OL to get in sync and that is a concern for those who are aware of all that’s happened for the men up front for the Chiefs. That started out with LDT taking the season off to provide medical support for Covid-19 patients. The Chiefs signed Kelechi Osemele as a free agent replacement and he played well until he himself was injured and lost for the rest of the season. Martinas Rankin who played so well for 6 games when LDT was injured last year, was himself injured and wasn’t able to get back to the active roster until last week. That is an option, and Wisniewski the other. Things aren’t dire, but they are a concern.
I like the idea of moving the Wiz back into the interior offensive line. I suppose another hope that I have is that Martinas Rankin is ready for starters snaps at the same time. Also I think that Daniel Kilgore is a better choice at center.
Wisniewski Photo from thetrib.com
What I am thinking is the same consideration that I have had for quite some time. The Chiefs need to bring forward more big, tough linemen. The philosophy has appeared to be that greater mobility of players was key. That may have shifted some with drafting Lucas Niang and signing Oseleme. We’ll see. The fact is that with the changing players on the front five has caused a cohesiveness problem on the offensive line besides having struggles from two of our weaker performers on the Interior OL.
My thoughts – Chiefs Defense
Yes, I know our defense is a worry, but not like it was in 2018 and before. It is ranked pretty low in terms of ranking, vis a vis different stats, but the thing is, it has been pretty good and until Sunday has been giving up about 17.5 PPG. Sunday was not a great performance either. Some of that problem lies on what Spagnuolo focuses upon — he states he isn’t worried about stats, just the overall outcome. Sunday, the Chiefs turnovers gave advantage to the Dolphins 3 times and two of those provided good field position from which Tua Tagovailoa could use to his advantage. That is hardly a defensive problem. You take away the two tipped INT’s and the game looks drastically different. If you add the 6 points of Xavien Howard’s Interception in the end zone, it would have been a TD. Compound that with a 30-yard sack and the game would look quite different.
My thoughts – Willie Gay, Jr. and the LB Corps
I have written about Linebackers a lot. I admit it, I am a Gay enthusiast. Sunday I came away from viewing the game with the Coaches video view and here’s my basic thinking. According to the coaching staff, they have 3 LBs who are the basic group for first and second down. Willie Gay is among the threesome. On passing downs, Spagnuolo does a lot of shifting views with players, not really using a 4-3 base. Often he has Daniel Sorensen up in the box as a hybrid LB. Ben Niemann gets a lot of snaps in the nickel. Willie Gay, is the newcomer and he is really not among the choices on passing downs, which means that Ben Niemann and Anthony Hitchens (if they are using 2 LBs and/or not in a hybrid look).
(photo from Charles Goldman, Chiefswire)
That’s the problem for me right there. Willie Gay’s speed is the best among all four LB’s. He has true Sideline-to-sideline speed. From what I have seen, he is very good at picking up covering a back out of the backfield. I see no mistakes by him in this regard. Also, he drops into zone coverage effectively. He’s a better pass defender than any of the other three LB’s and if he has to make up ground and close? He is the best choice of players to be on the field. For me? This is a problem. On Sunday v. the Dolphins, in 17 snaps he had 3 effective pass coverages and 3 tackles. Yet he only had 17 snaps (seventeen!). When Tagovailoa scrambled, Gay reacted appropriately and he looked to find a place to be to either defend the pass or close on the Dolphin QB. He wasn’t playing dumb or making mistakes, he was finding a place to defend or rush the passer. Gay was not confused, which I have seen in the other three linebackers. Again, I have to refer to my read on Dorian O’Daniel in this regard as well.
Willie Gay is my guy and I am sticking with it. Here you can read about how Tyrann Mathieu sees Gay.
Not long ago, maybe 3 weeks or so, I had an exchange with Ryan Tracy about it (RGR Football) and I queried him about why Gay was not getting more snaps and his response was: “Beats me.” To that I have to add our illustrious and fearless leader, Ladner Morse to the list.
Hearing Negatives – Charvarius Ward & Cornerback in General
Lately, I have heard critiques of Ward’s play outside as cornerback, but when I look at film I don’t see him out of place or misreading the plays. One observation that I would make: the Chiefs don’t match up CB’s to opponents. Ward is far better against the taller WR’s. After he worried about his downturn with the broken hand, he’s playing good football. If there is a CB that I see as often the weakness, it’s not Ward or the other young player in the slot, Rashad Fenton. I am more apt to see a mistake by veteran Bashaud Breeland. Even then, with the way the NFL has gone aerial happy, it’s difficult to judge any of the three of them as playing bad football. It seems to me that we are too quick to bash our guys and their play. It’s not perfect and we have seen miscommunication problems. My solution? We continue to use our CB’s as we have and then I think it’s time to bring Deandre Baker forward to the active roster. I am not stating that he is the solution for this year, but getting him a few snaps is going to get him ready for 2021 — and I think that is important.
I am also aware that the Chiefs made CB Chris Lammons active last week. I have seen him play well in pre-season, 2019 and maybe he brings something to the table as well. Whatever it is that needs doing it begins with Ward, Breeland and Fenton. We go from there.
I Blinked Twice
This is a restatement of disbelief about Patrick Mahomes first two picks. I saw the ball tipped twice. I then blinked each time. The next thing I know, the Chiefs had turned the ball over to the Dolphins twice on first quarter interceptions.
Interception 1, 1st Quarter: Did you blink? See this tipped finesse pass of Mahomes intended for TE Travis Kelce here:
Interception 2, 1st Quarter: The second was another fluky INT – also a tipped ball on a pass that was intended for RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire at the end of the first Quarter. It’s just one of those things that can happen. I was still a bit stunned. This type of stuff just doesn’t happen to our future GOAT and hero:
Huge Sack of Mahomes – 30 yard loss: On top of that, also in the first quarter and sandwiched in between the two interceptions, Patrick gives up a 30 yard sack as mentioned:
The third INT was a deep ball and a magnificent play by Xavien Howard in the end zone. That Interception is an NFL highlight film entry as far as I am concerned. Great play by Howard, the type of play that turns games around. Just didn’t work out for the Dolphins who played a darned good game against the 2019 World Champs. Howard has had pick in 5 straight games. This one was a one-handed masterpiece — It’s Mr. Howard in this case.
Here is a view of the Interception that I am sure was a ball that Ty Hill would have hauled in for another TD otherwise. Take a peek:
The first Quarter had to be the worst quarter of football Patrick Mahomes has ever played… and yet… the Chiefs still won the game on the road at South Beach.
But, But, But, the Chiefs are 12-1
We fans, I think, are totally spoiled. The team is 12-1. They won the division for the 5th season in a row. They secured a playoff role and with their win Sunday vs the Dolphins, coupled with the Steelers loss, the Chiefs took over the run for the AFL pennant, so to speak. They will be the #1 seed if: they don’t lose an in-conference game and if they win 2 of the last 3, then it’s a lock.
Let’s get some realism into our outlook and this observation goes to me, and many others. I watched the coaches view of the game against the Dolphins 3 times. Errors were made as they are each game played. Yeah, I blinked and one fan was up yelling at his TV — that I know about — I think his wife is about to ban him to a TV in the garage. Me too. The thing that got me about this particular contest was the situational errors that were made which involved 3 Patrick Mahomes INTs and a drop back scramble that cost them a chance to move the chains giving every advantage to the Dolphins after the punt with a short field from which to score again. When you think about just this fact… and find that the Chiefs lost the ball 3 times with turnovers… and you can put that onus on the head of our QB… and we still won the game, it’s amazing. Plus, Patrick still came up with a 300+ yards game and 90+ rating by PFF. Which, is a somewhat remarkable feat in itself.
One thing to note about the play on 4th-&-1 with just over 2 minutes left to play, Andy Reid did not go to the ground game! He kept the ball in Patrick’s hands and he hit Hill on an extremely quick out route which, functionally ended the football game, in the Chiefs favor. It was a great play and went for far more yards than just the one yard needed. The result was a win on the road with the Chiefs making headway towards being the top team in the AFC.
Three games remain of the 2020 season. It’s hard to believe that the slate will be completed shortly. It seems that it was just yesterday that I was writing how sweet it was to play your final game in February with a scant month to wait for the next season to begin. Everything’s up to date in Kansas City. Boy! Howdy!
David Bell — ArrowheadOne
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