FanHouse

Huddle Up! Chiefs' 2006 Season in a Nutshell

Phil Yoon — 2007-02-06T11:44:00 00:00

With the Super Bowl over, and another AFC Champion, the Chiefs look back on another season of "what could have been." There were certainly plenty of lows: the offense went down several notches, perhaps in large part due to Willie Roaf's sudden retirement; Trent Green went down in the first game of the season and never looked the same again; they lost heartbreakers in Cleveland and Miami, ruining their chances for a high seed in the playoffs; once in the playoffs, the Chiefs embarrass themselves with a forgettable offensive performance; and Lamar Hunt, their beloved owner, passes away without seeing his Chiefs raise the trophy that bears his name.

But a playoff team cannot have a season full of lows, and indeed there were many highs for the Chiefs. After barely missing the playoffs last year with a 10-6 record, they get a lot of luck this time and make the playoffs in Herm Edwards' first year; they have their most productive draft in years, with rookies Tamba Hali, Jarrad Page, and Bernard Pollard playing major roles, and Jeff Webb and Brodie Croyle looking like solid projects for the future; Larry Johnson proved to be a workhorse, seemingly carrying the ball 50 times a game without tiring; Dustin Colquitt proves that punters can be drafted in the high rounds, becoming a new weapon for the Chiefs; the defense becomes no longer a laughingstock, showing a toughness and attitude Chiefs' fans haven't seen for years; and Tony Gonzalez re-signs, guaranteeing that he will be a Chief for the foreseeable future.

Sure, the Chiefs have a lot of question marks going into next season, and the QB situation looms large, but the improving defense means that the Chiefs should at least be playoff contenders next year. The Chiefs finally had some breaks go their way this year; with a few more breaks next year, perhaps the Chiefs can actually win a playoff game for the first time in 13 years.

And with that, Jon and I bid farewell to the Fanhouse gang. We will be moving back to our original home, MVN.com. It has been an honor serving as the original Fanhouse bloggers for the Kansas City Chiefs, and we wish the revamped Fanhouse much success. We hope you have enjoyed reading our material as much as we enjoyed writing it.

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Herm Edwards Gets Defensive

Phil Yoon — 2007-02-02T11:54:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

Maybe Herm Edwards doesn't like to watch the Super Bowl, but he sure likes to talk about it. Edwards wrote a guest commentary in the Kansas City Star entitled: "The Colts Are Here Because of Defense." As always, Edwards got directly to the point:

Defenses win games. I keep telling people that, and they don't believe me.

When you look at the playoffs, that's what won it for these guys, is their defense. Both teams have played good defense in the playoffs. Both of them had shootout games, too. Lovie (Smith) and those guys had a shootout game against Seattle, and Tony had a shootout game against New England. But in the other games against us and Baltimore, they played good defense.

Edwards then goes on to, for all practical purposes, write a Colts love-fest. I know Edwards is close friends with Tony Dungy, but his commentary was basically an early Valentine's Day love note to the Colts' defense.

Edwards probably shouldn't quit his day job anytime soon, either. He concludes his commentary by saying:

Peyton is playing better. It was just a matter of time because he's that kind of quarterback. To me, a key for both teams is special teams because they both have good return guys. And then how (Rex) Grossman plays against those guys. If he doesn't turn the ball over, they'll be in the game. If he turns the ball over, that's not good.

Not exactly Pulitzer material there.

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Tribute to Ryan Sims

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-31T11:05:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

Sometimes, you just hate to see a player leave the team with whom he started his professional career. In New York, Yankees' fans are languishing over the fact that Bernie Williams is unlikely to return. In Detroit, Steve Yzerman leaves as one of the biggest legends in a city full of legends.

And then there is Ryan Sims.

Longtime Chief, yes. Bigtime bust, definitely.

Sims' whopping statistics as a Chief:
2002 thru 2006: 59 games, 64 tackles, 10 assisted tackles, 5 sacks, 1 interception.

Ryan Sims makes a rare tackle

Yup, these are the numbers of a 6th overall pick. Barely a tackle per game, one sack per season. Granted, defensive tackles rarely have sexy stats, but it's hard to put a good spin on these numbers. Especially when that player signed a $25 million contract before his rookie year. Especially when the Chiefs traded up to get him.

True, the Chiefs have not officially cut Sims, but the writing is on the wall, and they just started etching the letters. With the solid play of Ron Edwards, the rise of Jimmy Wilkerson, and the likelihood of the Chiefs drafting or obtaining a defensive tackle, Sims has virtually no role left on the team. It's hard to imagine that the Chiefs will miss him very much, either. You don't really hear about what a great teammate he is, or that he sacrifices his numbers to help the others do their jobs. That's not to say he's a bad guy either; I don't recall hearing any reports about his being a bad guy (other than a fight with Eric Hicks once), and he was always a pretty solid player on the Madden NFL games. But when you're a player with huge expectations, and you play as, for lack of a better word, "mediocrally" as he did, you just cannot expect any favors, or a fond farewell, when your time is up.

So here's to you, Mr. Sims. Hopefully Jesus, and another NFL team, loves you more than you will know.

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Jay-Z Is Now in the NFL Hall of Fame

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-30T16:30:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

In what might be the only time I'll ever cite an MTV article, we find out that Jay-Z is destined for the NFL Hall of Fame.

Say what?

Oh, that clever MTV. Jay-Z himself, or any caricature of him, won't be there; instead, he's credited as one of the designers of Larry Johnson's Reebok S. Carter cleats, a pair of which Johnson is donating to the Hall to commemorate his record of most carries in a season.

Why MTV felt the need to point this out, I'm not sure (and I suppose I'm not exactly helping matters by writing about it). Firstly, why the Hall wants anything to commemorate a record of "most carries" is dubious in itself. Secondly, what's next, MTV claiming ten years from now that Paris Hilton is headed for the Hall because Peyton Manning accidentally loaded one of her songs onto his iPod before the Super Bowl?

On a more serious note, it is rather amazing what a difference a person makes. Priest Holmes, by most measures, had better individual seasons than Johnson's 2006 season, yet Holmes did not garner nearly the attention that Johnson receives. Johnson is becoming a major force in the marketing world, having become one of Roc-A-Fella's most significant spokepersons. That should mean more attention for the Chiefs, who usually grace the offseason sports wires as often as Beyonce performs in pants.

Is that good or bad for the Chiefs, who typically like things quiet? If it means that stars like Johnson will be distracted, then that's a negative. But if players won't feel hindered in garnering endorsement opportunities by going to Kansas City, then that's a positive. Either way, next time you go to Canton, when you see LJ's cleats, be sure you proudly point out that you own the album of the-guy-who-designed-the-cleats-of-the-running-back-who-broke-the-record-

for-most-carries-in-a-season.

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Dante Hall: 'Human Joystick' or 'Washed-up Chief?'

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-26T13:00:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

Over at Arrowhead Pride, Chris is running a series of his five most disappointing Chiefs in 2006. #4 on his list is Dante Hall, who only a few years ago was perhaps the biggest hero in Kansas City.

Loyal readers of this blog know that I don't put all the blame for his struggles on Hall himself. As I have maintained, Hall is someone who is at his very best running at full speed in open space. When he has to juke the initial tackler, Hall has trouble accelerating again, allowing defenders to catch up to him easily.

In many ways, the questions surrounding Hall are the same as those surrounding Trent Green. Do you gamble that Hall can be an impact player again because the circumstances surrounding his decline in 2006 can be fixed, or do you let him go and start anew? With Green, his main problems are age and the after-effects of the concussion. With Hall, his problem is his inability to adjust to the blocking scheme and personnel.

Plenty of blame has to go to the special teams unit, since kick and punt returners should not be confronted by would-be tacklers immediately after catching the ball, but Hall's style is about the worst fit for the Chiefs' current special teams unit. It is easier to replace one returner than to fix a whole unit of blockers. As much as I root for the guy, it might be time to let Dante Hall go to a team that can take full advantage of his skills.

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State of the Chiefs Address

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-24T16:26:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

Ladies and Gentleman, I realize that I am perhaps stating an unpopular sentiment when I say that the State of the Chiefs is good. Some may think that the Chiefs are headed nowhere but down. Some may think that this year's playoff appearance was pure luck. However, in the coming days, I believe that Jon and I can convince you that the Chiefs are going to be OK.

We have heard your concerns, and we don't disagree with all of them. In the coming weeks, you will hear Jon discuss the Chiefs' need for a wide receiver or three, offensive line issues, what changes might be needed on defense, and of course, the most popular topic of all, the QB situation. You will hear me disagree with him on some of those issues, and also address speculation of some key Chiefs' figures considering retirement.

However, we will also discuss the positives-- what went right and will stay right, and what is immediately correctable. I would particularly like to point out a couple of special guests-- from the esteemed Pennsylvania State University, Larry Johnson and Tamba Hali, who will help to lead an infusion of youth on the team. [applause] This is a trend that will continue.

Although Coach Herm Edwards has faced some criticism this year, I stand by him. Coach Edwards has a vision for this team, a good vision, and I will give him the time he needs to see his vision come to fruition. As long as Coach Edwards is not afraid of change, and he has shown that he is not, I expect to see his enthusiasm yield results as soon as next year.

There are many problems to address, to be sure. But rest assured, this administration will diligently search for answers and address them. We look forward to the upcoming days, when we will seek to justify our opinions, as we all seek one common goal-- to see the Chiefs win a Super Bowl.

Thank you.

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The Chiefs Need Tony Richardson. Or Any Fullback.

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-19T12:56:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

In my opinion, one of the most underrated players in Chiefs' history is Tony Richardson. Fullbacks rarely get any glory, but Richardson deserved even more glory than his fellow fullbacks. Once thought to be their 1,000-yard running back of the future, Richardson became an exceptional blocker when Priest Holmes came to town. Watch tapes of Priest Holmes at his best, and you could see the enormous faith he had in Richardson. It was almost like watching a puppy following his owner. Larry Johnson also trusted Richardson immensely, though perhaps more as a mentor than lead blocker.

But not only was Richardson a terrific run blocker, he was also a fantastic pass protector. While Trent Green has been blessed with an elite offensive line, his last line of defense was often Richardson and Holmes, which was kind of like having dragons at the drawbridge if you managed to cross the moat. On top of that, Richardson was a decent receiver, usually dependable as a dump-off option to gain a few yards. The fullback's role in the Chiefs' offense may have diminished over the years, but Richardson's presence was still felt.

Richardson's importance was especially noticeable this year. With the Chiefs deciding that $2.5 million over 2 years was too expensive to keep Richardson, they started the season with Ronnie Cruz at fullback. I didn't think Cruz was all that impressive, though he had limited opportunities to show off his abilities. After Cruz was lost for the season due to injury, Kris Wilson filled the role. Wilson proved to be an effective pass-catcher, but he wasn't able to pick up blitzes that effectively. In my opinion, the overall pass blocking of the offensive line slipped because neither LJ nor Cruz or Wilson were effective at picking up the blitz.

Now Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star is speculating that Boomer Grigsby might be preparing to play fullback next year. That's right, the backup linebacker. Remember how, from 1999-2005, the Chiefs never had to worry about who was at fullback? Those were good times, weren't they? Now the Chiefs might rely on a backup linebacker to play the position. Somewhere, Daryl Johnston is cringing.

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Unfamiliar Territory-- Chiefs Have Offensive Line Issues to Address in Offseason

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-17T15:14:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

Every offseason for the past several years, Chiefs' fans have clamored for change. Changes on defense. Changes at wide receiver. Changes within the coaching staff.

But never the offensive line. Why would they have to? For years, the Chiefs boasted the best offensive line in the league, made up of veterans who were still in their primes.

Last offseason was a taste of something slightly different. There were worries that Will Shields would retire, but not many people seriously expected him to retire. It wasn't until training camp that we all of a sudden learned Willie Roaf would not return and John Welbourn purported to retire.

This offseason is completely different. The offensive line was not particularly dominant, and was downright bad at times. The only surefire starters are Brian Waters and Casey Wiegmann, and Shields' potential retirement is more realistic now.

By most accounts, left tackle is the most worrisome position. Although I felt that Jordan Black played fairly steadily for most of the year, he is certainly not Willie Roaf, and his performance in the playoffs was, shall we say, regrettable. Further, I have opined previously that the Chiefs did an awful job this year of picking up blitzes; one has to wonder if that was the case because there was more help assigned to Black, rather than in detecting blitzers. The Chiefs appeared to have been grooming Will Svitek for the job, but Svitek was extremely raw as a rookie and missed most of this year with injuries. Kyle Turley simply cannot be an option anymore.

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Chiefs' 21st Century Draft Review: 7th Round

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-16T20:01:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

One reason why the Chiefs have struggled to make the playoffs in the last 10 years is because they have drafted relatively poorly. While they have uncovered some gems in the latter rounds, their overall record has been poor, both in terms of short-term and long-term returns.

With all the talk about Herm Edwards changing philosophies, one aspect that has been overlooked is the success he had with this year's draft. As I contemplated doing a series on the Chiefs' recent draft history, I read with great amusement this assessment of the 2006 draft, which basically says the Chiefs would receive no help from the draft class this year.

Oops.

The author, Scott Wright, couldn't have been more wrong in his assessment, and it all starts with the guy pictured above, Jarrad Page. In fairness, Wright had no idea that the Chiefs would sign Ty Law, but this year's draft class turned out to surprise everyone with the impact they made on the 2006 Chiefs. With that in mind, let's review the Chiefs' draft history in this millenium, starting with their 7th round picks. Following each pick is a long-term assessment and short-term grade (based on expectations versus performance).

2006: Jarrad Page

Typically, 7th round picks don't do much and aren't expected to become much. If they can make the team, it's usually as a special teamer. Thus, Page's ascent into a major contributor for the Chiefs is truly an amazing story. Going into the draft, Page was considered a physical safety without exceptional coverage skills or instincts. However, Page turned heads in training camp, and when given opportunities he took full advantage. His pass coverage skills turned out to be excellent, to the point where he was used extensively in obvious pass situations. His coming out party took place at home against Oakland, when he made a huge interception of Aaron Brooks on Oakland's last play of the game and sealed a victory for the Chiefs. Page finished the season with 35 tackles, 1 sack, and 3 interceptions, and is widely expected to displace either Greg Wesley or Sammy Knight as a starting safety next season.

Short-Term Grade: A
Long-Term Expectations: 2007 starter

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Fired: Terry Shea

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-16T12:00:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

Looks like the rumors were true, or at least half true. Terry Shea has been fired as the QB coach for the Chiefs, according to Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com.

As I indicated before, the firing is a bit of a surprise to me, because if there is a goat to scape, Shea seems to be an odd choice given his good work with Damon Huard this year. There is no indication yet as to who the new QB coach will be (as ChiefsPlanet speculated earlier, Mike Shula may be in the mix, but those rumors have died down a bit), but Pasquarelli suggests that Edwards is looking for a coach to help implement a vertical passing game and shift away from the Coryell offense.

Of course, the Chiefs thrived with the Coryell offense the last several years, so some fans may cringe at the thought of moving away from that philosophy. However, that offense not only depended upon, but actually required a stellar offensive line. Average, which was what the Chiefs' line was this year, does not suffice. Edwards and Mike Solari seem to recognize this fact, and because there is no guarantee that they will have an elite line next year, they are not only going to call plays around Larry Johnson, they are going to design plays around him.

Overall, Shea has a bit of an inconsistent resume, but I think his overall status in Chiefs' history is a positive one. He helped Trent Green become one of the top QBs in the league despite a lack of wide receivers. He helped Damon Huard achieve extraordinary success despite Huard's not starting a game for several years. I don't think you will see Shea in the unemployment line for very long.

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In Herm Who Trusts?

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-12T11:00:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

Herm Edwards must be wondering what he got himself into. Leaving the pressures of New York to go to Kansas City would seem to be ideal: less media, more privacy, less scrutiny.

Welcome to Kansas City football reality, Herm.

All Edwards did with the Jets was lead them to the playoffs in three of his five seasons, and Jets' fans said, "Good riddance," when he left for Kansas City. In his first season as the Chiefs' head coach, all he did was lead the Chiefs to their first postseason appearance since 2003, and only their 2nd appearance in the last 9 years.

Has he lucked out by taking over veteran teams? Sure. But I would argue that he has been more unlucky than lucky. It is not at all easy to take over a veteran team and make your mark immediately, especially when taking over for coaching legends like Bill Parcells and Dick Vermeil, but Edwards has done that with both the Jets and the Chiefs. Like his style or not, Edwards generally gets results.

Perhaps Edwards' problem is that he creates high expectations too early. One thing that Jets' and Chiefs' fans have in common is that, despite the paucity of playoff appearances by their teams, they still demand no less than Super Bowl appearances from their head coaches. Chiefs' fans are spoiled by the Marty Schottenheimer teams which made the playoffs every year, while Jets' fans are itching for leverage over Giants' fans. So, instead of being satisfied with their team making a rare playoff appearance, they demand excellence once in the playoffs.

Which isn't a bad thing. Obviously, it would be disconcerting if fans settled for moderate success. But Edwards is perhaps taking more flak than he should. His 2-4 record in the playoffs, while not impressive, is also really not that bad in context. Six games is not enough to judge a man's playoff record. While many are wary of his intention to change the offense, Edwards is recognizing that he cannot win playoff games with this offense. Not with this personnel. Not with how he wants the Chiefs to play defense.

Herm Edwards is not indefensible. Nor is he immune from blame for the Chiefs' collapse in the first round. But he is also not the terrible coach some are making him out to be. One year does not a coach make. He has a 67% record of making the playoffs so far. If he makes it 71% next year, then we can see if he is the next Marty Schottenheimer.

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Rumor Mill: Mike Shula to Replace Terry Shea as QB Coach?

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-12T09:13:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Rumors

I generally don't like to post rumors, but this one may be worth discussing (though keep in mind that these are very unconfirmed rumors). According to some folks over at ChiefsPlanet, Terry Shea, the Chiefs' QB coach, might be on the hot seat. A name that has been bandied about as his replacement? The recently-fired-for-Nick-Saban Alabama coach Mike Shula.

The theory is that Shula coached Brodie Croyle, so he would help facilitate Croyle's transition to starting quarterback of the Chiefs. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I like Croyle as the QB of the future, but I still think it's too soon for him to take over the reins. I also like Terry Shea, and think that his firing would only mean he was the targeted scapegoat for the Chiefs' abysmal performance in the playoffs. After all, it isn't his fault the wide receivers forgot how to catch and the offensive line forgot how to protect. Nor is it his fault that Trent Green had such a severe concussion and probably hadn't fully recovered. Shea also did a nice job in getting Damon Huard established as a starting quarterback.

Shula, meanwhile, has a bit of a spotty history. I suppose, in some sense, the marriage between Shula and Herm Edwards would work out, because they were successful in Tampa Bay together under Tony Dungy. Shula also facilitated a quicker-than-expected turnaround of the Crimson Tide. However, that turnaround was short-lived. Furthermore, the Chiefs suffered from a lack of offensive creativity, something that Shula does not seem ideal for countering.

Of course, this all depends on whether Shea gets fired or not. I'd like to know how much input Shea had on the playcalling this year before deciding whether he deserves his walking papers. Earlier this year, I liked the possibility of Mike Solari and Shea working together. My impression is that Shea didn't have much input, which would very much make him a scapegoat if he is fired. If he did have input, though, then maybe Edwards really is better off having coaches with whom he has an established working relationship.

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Chiefs' Offensive Coaches Join the Goat Herd

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-07T00:14:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Playoffs

I deliberately left out the Chiefs' offensive coaches, namely Mike Solari, from my last post listing the goats of the game. I actually was not sure if they deserved goat status. It was hard to tell how effective their gameplan was because the players did not execute. Further, there is always the train of thought that you don't give up on your strengths or attacking your opponent's weaknesses just because the first few times things don't go your way.

However, after pondering it over a while, I have decided that they deserve to be on the list. Yes, the Chiefs had a couple of well-designed and well-called plays in the first half that would have resulted in first downs if the receivers had caught the ball. However, the Chiefs also knew that their offensive line was getting no push whatsoever, and that Dwight Freeney was destroying Jordan Black. Yet, they stuck to the same runs inside, made few attempts any kind of counter plays or something to sell the defenders, and did not adjust to what was obviously a rabid pass rush.

Seriously, there was no excuse for failing to call more quick strike plays in the second and third quarters. The Chiefs do not have the personnel to wait for receivers to get open downfield, so the fourth quarter was a lost cause when they had Green taking long drops. Green almost never got to finish those drops, because the pocket collapsed, and his receivers rarely got open. Of course, Green then forced some passes, got flustered with Colts' jersies surrounding him, and had a fourth quarter he would love to forget.

Larry Johnson, meanwhile, had an entire game he would like to forget. I know he likes to run over defenders, but that was no excuse for Solari making no attempt to get at least one or two defenders to stay out of the box. It was clear that Brian Waters, Casey Wiegmann, and Will Shields were not dominating the defensive line like they usually do. Nothing creative was done to allow Johnson to improvise and try to cutback into a lane. They simply gave him the ball and told him to run straight ahead. Sure, that's worked for other teams in the regular season, but when you are about to go an entire half without making a first down, you do something to try and give a jolt to your team. Instead, Solari stuck straight to the script, and for that reason, he joins the goat herd.

On another note, in my original post I neglected to praise the Colts' defense in the midst of my diatribe. The Kansas City offense certainly stunk up the joint, but that in no way minimizes the stellar play of the Indianapolis defense. They played with extreme energy, stayed within their assignments, and tackled extraordinarily well. It was truly the kind of play that you would expect out of a Tony Dungy defense.

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More Goats Than Competent Players as Chiefs Lose

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-06T19:28:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Playoffs

A playoff loss, a fan, especially a Chiefs' fan, can take. When half of your team decides the playoff game is not worth playing, however... well, that's hard to take.

The Chiefs lost a 23-8 heartbreaker. I say heartbreaker not in the sense that they blew a chance of winning, but a heartbreaker because you could see no conceivable way that they could win.

There are an awful lot of goats in this game. I will name none on defense, because they played their hearts out for 3/5 of the game, until they simply got worn out. If memory serves, the lone time NBC decided to show the time of possession graphic, Indy had a 28 to 10 minute advantage. That's virtually impossible for any defense to overcome.

I generally don't like naming goats, because I do believe a loss is a team loss, but in this game, it is unavoidable. So let's get to them. First and foremost are the Chiefs' receivers. Their drops set the tone for the first half, and their drops are really what cost the Chiefs the game. Eddie Kennison dropped passes in the first two series. Tony Gonzalez dropped a first down pass, then another meaningless one late in the game. Dante Hall dropped an obvious first down pass. Maybe the receivers figured that they only needed to run to the sticks to get the first down, but I think the rule still says that you have to have the ball too. Maybe Ty Law should have played offense, because he had the best hands in the game. It is impossible to gain any momentum when your receivers cost you a chance for a fourth play in a series.

The second goat is Lawrence Tynes. I actually thought it might be a good thing that Ty Law didn't return his first interception for a touchdown, because I thought the defense needed the rest. Even when the Chiefs failed to punch in what should have been an easy touchdown, I didn't panic, because I thought a field goal is all the Chiefs needed to deflate the Colts. How Tynes missed a 23-yard field goal is, well, I honestly have no idea. None.

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Herm Edwards to Trent Green: I Love Ya, But I Just Bought a Hook

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-03T23:15:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Playoffs, NFL Rumors

Is there a quarterback controversy looming, three days before the biggest game of the Chiefs' 2007 season? Just days after stating in no uncertain terms that Trent Green is wonderful and Damon Huard basically is not, Herm Edwards hinted, in response to a question about the quarterback situation, that maybe Trent Green isn't so wonderful:

"You have to win the game," Edwards said. "There's no tomorrow. And you have to do whatever is best for the football team at that point. I'll do whatever I have to do. When you're in the playoffs, you're desperate."

Good news for a lot of Chiefs' fans. But really, it is the most logical move, and I actually had no doubt that Edwards would go this route. Although I still believe that starting Green was the right decision, it is obvious that Green has been way off since the Cleveland game. He has thrown interceptions he normally does not throw, and has not taken care of the ball. Every Chiefs' fan probably remembers that the last matchup against the Colts resulted in a loss primarily because of two things: a fumble by Priest Holmes and a missed chip-shot field goal. This game also promises to be a shootout, so the Chiefs cannot afford more than one Trent Green turnover.

Surprise move? Maybe, but Edwards had been hounded with the question so much, you kind of figured that he would succumb at some point. Besides, it may not matter, because the Chiefs may not throw more than five passes the whole game.

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Note to Peter King: Bernard Pollard is AFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-03T15:34:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Awards

In what was probably the easiest pick of the season, Bernard Pollard was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Pollard, of course, was rewarded not only for his spectacular punt block, but for recovering it in the end zone for a big touchdown, and also for making two tackles on special teams. As special-teams legend Steve Tasker said after the punt block, Bernard Pollard may be my new favorite player.

Of note in that same link: Larry Johnson was a runner-up for AFC Offensive Player of the Week, and Sammy Knight was a runner-up for AFC Defensive Player of the Week. I haven't done the research, but I would bet that is the first time in a very long time, or perhaps the first time ever, that the Chiefs had a nominee in each category for the same week.

But back to Pollard: maybe the pick wasn't so obvious. Or at least it wasn't to Peter King, who didn't even mention Pollard. Pacman Jones, perhaps I can understand, but Mike Furrey? King seriously thinks that downing a punt at the 1-yard line merits the award over an acrobatic punt block returned for a touchdown, in a game with far more meaning than Detroit (far out of the playoff hunt) vs. Dallas (playoff spot already secured)? Call me biased, but I will need more evidence before putting Furrey ahead of Pollard. (And not to embarrass Mr. King, but he may be interested in knowing that a Detroit special teamer did win the NFC award, but it wasn't Furrey).

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The Matchup People Forgot: Ty Law vs. Marvin Harrison

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-02T23:07:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West, NFL Playoffs

The Chiefs are a popular pick as the "upset special" of next week, based on Larry Johnson facing what is purported to be the Colts' run defense. As the popular saying goes, the best defense against quarterbacks like Peyton Manning is to keep him off the field, so the Chiefs' defense all of a sudden looks stellar solely because of Number 27.

But hold your horses. As I always like to respond to that cliche, the other team still gets the ball at some point. And when they do, Peyton Manning will be facing the 18th-ranked pass defense in the NFL. That doesn't sound too bad, except when you consider that the Chiefs averaged only two sacks per game. That is bad news when preparing to face Manning, who thrives on staying on the pocket and finding receivers nobody knew even existed.

The key matchup will be Marvin Harrison against Ty Law. In years past, this matchup would have been no contest... for the Chiefs. Law dominated these playoff matchups (some say unfairly), and with his favorite receiver as a complete non-factor, Manning got rattled. But Law has not been quite the same this year. Perhaps because his safeties are still a little unfamiliar with the Cover 2 defense, Law has not been able to take as many gambles this year and has played off the line of scrimmage more. Law has also typically thrived with good pass rushes, and the Chiefs' pass rush has been inconsistent. That does not figure to change against the Colts' stellar offensive line.

Law and Patrick Surtain are two high-priced free agents who have been vitally important, yet still quite disappointing, to the Chiefs. If the Chiefs are to pull off a big upset, they need not only for Larry Johnson to run wild, but also for Law and Surtain to play their best games of the season. If not, we may see another no-punt repeat of 2003.

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Arrowhead Awards for 12/31/06: Four Winners!

Phil Yoon — 2007-01-01T11:50:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

A lot of Firsts with the last Arrowhead Awards of the 2006 regular season. For the first time, we have four winners. For the first time, we have winners from another team (indeed, they weren't even the Chiefs' opponents). And for the first time, we have a deceased winner.

The first winner is blatantly obvious. Bernard Pollard has officially overtaken Dante Hall as the most feared special teamer on the Chiefs. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out now (link here, then go to the Video Features tab, and it's Top Play 2), because it was an amazing combination of speed, strength, agility, and awareness. Not only that, but to have the wherewithal to block out Montell Owens (who he just dominated for the punt block) and recover the ball in the end zone was perhaps more electrifying than any of Dante Hall's TD returns from a few years back. More importantly, Pollard's TD gave the Chiefs life and the all-important first score of the game.

The second winner is Shayne Graham of the Cincinnati Bengals. I have to admit, I flipped the channel when Jeff Reed's FG sailed through to tie the game. I figured that I would catch overtime in a few minutes. What I missed, and caught only via a highlight clip during overtime, was Graham missing what should have been an easy FG. Once I saw that, I knew Pittsburgh would win.

The third winner is also obvious. Joe Nedney kicked the biggest FG of the Chiefs' 2006 season. Barely.

Which brings me to the fourth winner: Lamar Hunt. It seems pretty obvious that his fingerprints were all over Week 17, doesn't it? That Graham missed FG was, well, eerie. It looked awfully good, then veered right. That Nedney FG was, well, eerie. It looked like it would veer too far right, then stayed just within the upright. You don't think Lamar Hunt saved two big breaths and blew, first to the right for Graham, and then to the left for Nedney? If the Chiefs could not do it themselves, you just knew Lamar Hunt would do something about it.

Note: Because of the holidays, I neglected to publish the Arrowhead Award winner for 12/24/06. That winner was Jarrad Page because of another stellar effort against the Raiders.

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Chiefs vs. Jaguars: Chiefs' Offensive Preview

Phil Yoon — 2006-12-31T12:45:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

You would think this game is the kind the NFL wants. Two teams fighting for one of the last playoff spots available, playing in one of the great venues in all of sports. Two teams with well-respected head coaches. Two teams that, at one point in the season, many thought would make some noise in the playoffs.

It almost seems like the NFL is giving the Chiefs and Jaguars a bit of a short shrift, doesn't it? There isn't much hoopla surrounding this game, but it should be a really good one. Neither team is going to let up, both teams will be scoreboard-watching, and both teams will be playing with a sense of desperation.

When the Chiefs run the ball

We have all heard it. Larry Johnson is about to set the attempts record for running backs, and no, he is not terribly happy about it. Nonetheless, he will have to do it if the Chiefs are going to score some points. The problem is that it will not be easy. The Jaguars boast one of the finest defensive lines in the league, and the defense goes as the line goes. I am not going to mince words-- the Jaguars' defensive tackles are awesome. They make me jealous. If the Chiefs' defensive tackles could make half the impact that Marcus Stroud and John Henderson make, the Chiefs' defense could be a top 10 defense.

Thus, we have the makings of a terrific matchup. The strength of the Chiefs' offensive line is up the middle. The strength of the Jaguars' defensive line is up the middle. This will be a battle of 300-pound titans, and Johnson will have to win a couple of those battles for the Chiefs to have a chance.

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Two Chiefs Will Be Chasing Records

Phil Yoon — 2006-12-30T22:00:00 00:00

by Phil Yoon

Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

Does anyone know that a couple of Chiefs are perhaps on the verge of setting new records? Obviously, one of those Chiefs is Larry Johnson, but Jon has already written about his pursuit. How many people know that Dustin Colquitt will be chasing one also? Fortunately, the record is not for most punts in a season, which would have a potential negative connotation similar to Johnson's potential most-carries record.

Currently, Colquitt has a 39.9 yard net punting average. Why is this number important? Because, according to several reports, including this one from the Buffalo News website, no punter has ever had a 40.0 net punting average ever since the NFL began keeping track 30 years ago. In fact, the Dallas Morning News goes an extra step and lists the top net punting averages, and Colquitt could easily exceed the top number of 39.6, achieved by Detroit's Jim Arnold in 1988. There is a bit of a catch-- according to the Chiefs' official news release (PDF), Colquitt would actually still be chasing the team record of 40.0 by Jerrel Wilson way back in 1968. Also according to the release, the best net punting average of the Super Bowl era is 42.1, set in 1972 by Dave Chapple (yes, that is spelled correctly, one of our favorite comedians was not a stud punter before he was born).

But that was before the NFL actually took net punting averages seriously. In fact, the NFL still does not consider the best net punting average to be an official record. But the fact of the matter is that Colquitt has a chance to do something that the NFL has never officially recorded, and something that can at least be confirmed has not been accomplished in over 30 years.

Technically, according to my calculations, Colquitt's net average is actually 39.85, so he has a bit more work than it initially appears. Here is what I calculate. For the no-cheapie record (meaning 40.0 exactly, no rounding up), Colquitt must have: 5 punts, 42.0 net; 4 punts, 42.5 net; 3 punts, 43.3 net; 2 punts, 45.0 net; 1 punt, 50.0 net. If we are rounding up (39.95), Colquitt needs the following: 5 punts, 41.28 net; 4 punts, 41.61 net; 3 punts, 42.17 net; 2 punts, 43.28 net; 1 punt, 46.60 net.

So certainly, Colquitt has a good chance at the unofficial record. I would, of course, be very happy if Colquitt has zero punts and falls just short, but that is unlikely to happen. Pretty impressive stuff for a second-year player.

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