Categories: Kansas City ChiefsLaddie Morse

Chiefs: Whacha Thinkin’?

Chiefs: Whacha Thinkin’? – can you wear white after Labor Day, or not… is the earth flat, or round… is there more light in the Universe, or Black Matter… is it pronounced tomato, or tomahto… was the dress: white and gold, or blue and black… will it be Trump or Biden (please don’t answer that one!)? It’s all the biggest questions in the Universe answered here today… or maybe just the ones that matter to Chiefs fans. So, let’s get started, then find out: Whacha thinkin’?

FRANK CLARK SUCKS!

Let’s begin with the views on the Chiefs newly acquired Defensive End, Frank Clark:

If you can follow along with the view that many, many Chiefs fans are frustrated with Frank Clark and his apparent lack of production: ie; sacks and pressures… then you can begin to understand my own frustration. A little. I say that because I am not looking at a single game plan, or even four game plans (which is where we’re at right now), I’m looking at an overall seasons worth of pressures and sacks and game planning which includes using Frank Clark as a decoy, of sorts, in all pressure schemes. Will we be able to evaluate Clark’s production after 8 games? After 12 games? Not completely. In fact, we need to see what twists, stunts, and blitz packages that DL coach Brendan Daly and DC Steve Spagnuolo have planned for the playoffs. The difference between the regular season and the playoffs is somewhat like the difference between preseason games and the regular season. The Chiefs regime is not going to give away their entire playbook during the season, so, is it fair to judge a player and his production based upon 4 regular season games? Now, am I happy with what we’re getting from Clark so far. No. Clearly, no. However, I’m unwilling to judge the whole trade with Seattle for Frank Clark, based on a handful of games… whether you agree that he’s drawing double-teams and being chipped, or not.

OH WHERE, OH WHERE, HAS

THE FLEA FLICKER GONE?

Prior to Sunday’s game with the Detroit Lions I have been wondering — for the past few years really — when we might see the Flea Flicker make a return to the NFL offensive landscape. I know the Broncos tried one on the last play of the game last year, in a failed attempt, but, since the NFL game has become so pass oriented, why not design a few plays where another player is meant to be in the same area as the intended receiver (like LeSean McCoy was on Sunday) and leave it open to those players as to whether or not they will complete the lateral. After all, they would be pitching it to another sure handed player, like a Wide Receiver, right?

WATKINS CATCH IN THE END ZONE WAS NOT A TD

I’ve heard many Chiefs fans complain that the nearly completed pass to Sammy Watkins in the End Zone should have been called a TD. Right? Wrong. Sorry to come down on the side of the rules in this case, but I believe Watkins would have had to, 1) secure the ball AND, 2) make a football move… before having the ball punched out of his hands. Yes, I was disappointed but, I had to side with the officials in that case.

STEVE SPAGNUOLO EQUALS BOB SUTTON

Whoa Nelly, hold your horses just one minute (my father used to say that all the time… God, I miss him)… you can say that this year’s defense is not looking very good, but it’s not only too soon to be calling this defense a carbon copy of last year’s joke of a defense… but it’s downright unsavory to be name calling and put Bob Sutton’s in the same category as this year’s rendition. I’m as chippy as the next chappy about the Chiefs run defense — only the dreadful Dolphins have allowed more rushing yards to this point — but the way each game is being played makes the run game much more important for Chiefs opponents. Meaning, as long as Patrick Mahomes is at the helm for K.C. — hopefully for the next two decades — other teams are going to attempt to stuff the ball down the Chiefs defensive, collective, throats. While I do expect the run defense to improve, somewhat, I doubt it’s going to reach the top 20. Also, I think the Chiefs DBs are head and shoulders above last year’s boo-worthy crew.

TRAVIS KELCE IS THE TE GOAT

Well, I have to admit that Mr. Kelce is not ready for the prime time designation of the Greatest of All Time at the Tight End position… but he can see it from where he lives.

What many may be missing, with all the ancillary hubbub surrounding the Chiefs right now… and with many questioning whether or not Travis Kelce is even completely healthy at the moment… is the fact that if Kelce continues his current pace right now (369 yards in the first 4 games), he will shatter the all-time single season receiving yards record by 100 yards. If he does that, Travis Kelce would have 1,476 yards receiving while George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers had 1,377 just last year. Also, Kelce is averaging 15.4 yards per reception in 2019 and he’s on pace to become the only player in NFL history with 4 – 1,000 yard receiving seasons in a row at TE (btw… Kelce is only 2,256 yards behind supposed first ballot HoFer, Mr. Gronkoo-koo-for-kocoa-puffs).

K.C. SPECIAL TEAMS ARE 💩

Prior to the game against the Detroit Lions, I thought the Chiefs had taken care of the their horrendous penalty issues on Special Teams because they only had 4 total penalties in the game vs the Ravens at Arrowhead. Boy was I wrong. The problem has become so bad now that I am beginning to hear fans calling for Dave Toub’s head. I believe Patrick Mahomes is a transcendent athlete now playing quarterback for the Chiefs (more on that later) but… if the Special Team’s excessive penalties problems can’t be curtailed, the Chiefs may find themselves in a season deciding game with no hope of Mahomes being able to bridge the gap created by their poor performance.

WHEN A WIN IS NOT A WIN

Yes. On one hand, a win is always a win. On the other hand, if a team that wins can’t self-correct the problems they’re having, which get exposed in said game, then that win could just become a precursor to other problems going forward… which end in loss. Or losses. The last thing any Chiefs fan wants is for the Kansas City Chiefs season to prematurely come to an end… like it did last year. In Lyle Graversen’s piece at ArrowheadAddict called, “The Chiefs Must Improve These 3 Things After Lions Win” he shows that the Chiefs need to fix:

1. Their Special Teams- including Harrison Butker’s place kicking.
2. Holding onto the football (a bad case of fumblitis), and
3. The Run Defense Stinks, because… the run defense stinks.

Patrick Mahomes is LeBron James

I’m beginning to hear comparisons for Patrick Mahomes: Peyton Manning, Michael Jordan, Steph Curry, LeBron James, Babe Ruth. The analogies are interesting:

Peyton Manning – Manning was very mental about the game and played with a high football IQ, much as Mahomes does.
Michael Jordan – Jordan had unique ball skills, much like Mahomes, and was able to stare down an opponent in the final seconds, which PMII has also shown an ability to do.
Steph Curry – Curry has changed the game of basketball with his three point long distance shooting and Mahomes has also changed the way the QB position is being played with his arm strength and long distance accuracy.
LeBron James – James plays the NBA game with a great deal of physicality and mental finesse, much as Mahomes plays the NFL game: a physically and mentally gifted athlete.
Babe Ruth – Ruth came along at a time when the game of baseball was not inhabited by the most gifted athletes but the Babe set records that so many thought would never be touched… and the beginning of Mahomes career looks promising like the Babe’s early career… but we’ll have to wait and see if the some of these records that Mahomes is setting will compile and last, like Ruth’s did. He had his own candy bar… and Mahomes his own cereal… so….