Chiefs Offense Improves, Defense Stays Stagnant

by Joel Thorman on Dec 29, 2008 9:27 AM CST in 2008 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign

In a microcosm of the Chiefs season, Thigpen was just short.

The Chiefs 2008 season will be remembered as one for the record books. The worst record in franchise history and an NFL record for the Chiefs' futility in sacks. In an attempt to gather some silver lining from the 2008 season, let's take a look at how the Chiefs fared pre- and post-Thigpen which for our purposes means the 1st 6 games and the last 10.

Offensive output comparison

1st 6 games of the season: 12.5 points per game scored

Last 10 games of the season: 21.6 points per game scored

How often is it that your offense actually improves by 2 scores from one half of the season to the other?

Defensive output comparison

1st 6 games of the season: 27.5 points per game given up

Last 10 games of the season: 27.5 points per game given up

It's only fitting that our defense was the most consistently inconsistent part of the team. They were terrible in the first 6 games as the Chiefs were blown out. They were terrible in the last 10 games as the Chiefs scored more points on offense. We've gone through the defense's troubles plenty so I won't rehash them here.

The points are there, where's the W?

12 teams scored more than 17 points in at least 7 of their last 10 games. The Chiefs went over 17 points 9 times in their last 10 (the Cincy game being the lone misfire). Every other team, save Green Bay, won at least 5 of those games. The Chiefs won 1 of those games. Evidence that we're close or evidence that our coach can't manage the game?

Margin of defeat

The first 6 games of the season, or pre-Thigpen if you will, showed just how awful the Chiefs could be. We lost 4 of those first 6 games by more than 7 points.

The final 10 games we lost by more than 1 touchdown just 3 times. Improvement? Slowly but surely.

Playing up and down to the competition

The first 6 games of the season we bowed out early when facing a good team (.500 or better). The Patriots, Falcons, Panthers and Titans all steam-rolled the Chiefs in the first 6 games by an average of 22 points.

The final 10 games saw the Chiefs pitted against 7 teams with records of .500 or better. The average margin of defeat there was a shade under 5 points. So, judging by the margin of defeat, the Chiefs did improve in the 2nd half and played up against competitive teams.

Same old Chiefs

The Chiefs' season was a tale of two halves (have you heard that before?). But in the end, nothing that matters changed. We won 1 game in the first 6 and 1 game in the last 10. Though we played better statistically on offense, the W's just weren't there.

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12 teams scored more than 17 points in at least 7 of their last 10 games. The Chiefs went over 17 points 9 times in their last 10 (the Cincy game being the lone misfire). Every other team, save Green Bay, won at least 5 of those games. The Chiefs won 1 of those games. Evidence that we’re close or evidence that our coach can’t manage the game?

Both, I think…

Many of our close losses were in the category of “If a young guy can just make that play, the outcome is completely different”

For example – in the first San Diego game, we gave up a TD pass in the second half because our nickelback had been sitting on his couch 10 days earlier (I don’t even remember that asshat’s name – Colcough I think it was)

If Flowers were healthy, maybe Leggett doesn’t leave that route wide open like Colcough did…or maybe Colcough decides he wants to play professional football and actually covers that receiver.

Alas, neither of those happened.

How many games did we lose by a TD or less in which we dropped an INT in the 4th quarter (here’s lookin’ at you #56 and #44)?

In how many games did we do a decent job of avoiding giving up big plays until the last 8 minutes?

Some of those types of things fall on the coaches…but remember that young players make more mistakes than older players, and in most pro football games, a mistake = TD/big play for the other team…

by PVChiefsfan on Dec 29, 2008 9:56 AM CST reply actions

I agree with most you said

But another factor that can be contributed to inexperience is talent as well. Some might not be NFL material and considering our horrific drafting on Defense (evaluated since 2004, which we’ve all discussed here), it could be possible that the talent wasn’t acquired/drafted well. We’ll see about the draft results in a couple of years for 2008 once we have some more stats.

Bill Parcell’s: "You are what your record says you are."

The Chiefs need to be playoff contenders in 2009 for me to consider improvement. Clark wanted it in 2008...I'll give them an additional year.

Thigpen WILL NOT be the Chiefs starting QB next year IMO. He can compete for the job and should be 2nd or 3rd string.

by THE_TRUTH on Dec 29, 2008 10:03 AM CST up reply actions

You forgot

How many games did we lose because the offense stayed in the locker room at half time?

Indecision is the key to flexibility

by cmpotter on Dec 29, 2008 10:20 AM CST up reply actions

any team will lose when the offense doesn't come out after half time

and the defense never showed up to the game at all.

there were several games where more than enough points were put up to win a game in the NFL, IF you have someone to prevent the other team from just walking into the end zone at will..

There were several times when an offensive error became a tragic error because there was no room for any mistakes at all left by a non existent defense.

A good defense can provide breathing room for a even half decent offense and can at least keep the game winnable. As we have seen, sometimes very good work on the defense can lead to scoring and great field position So many ways the defense helps out if it bothers to show up at all.

I don’t think this was a great offense, barely a good one, but for the most part, the defense is what cost us the season.

by bigbearomaha on Dec 29, 2008 11:16 AM CST up reply actions

Agreed

We could have had the best offense in the NFL this season and this team would have struggled to make it to .500 with this defense. It was absolutely horrible.

Herm Edwards will not be the Chiefs' head coach next season.

by UCrawford on Dec 29, 2008 11:18 AM CST up reply actions

Why did I think of the Vermeil years when I read that?

We need a future defensive leader, his name is James Laurinaitis and he can be selected in round 1 of the upcoming Draft.

"But what do I know, I’m like an empty room with a large ECHO"

by Lanier63 on Dec 29, 2008 12:54 PM CST up reply actions

When A Team Loses 14 Games In One Season

It’s no longer a matter of a few rookie mistakes…it’s an issue of the coaching staff doing a poor job preparing the team. One or two close losses can be put off to inexperience. 14 is indicative of a systemic problem that requires overhauling the system.

Herm Edwards will not be the Chiefs' head coach next season.

by UCrawford on Dec 29, 2008 11:05 AM CST up reply actions

It was both

when you have as many rookies playing as we did, and they each have their “few rookie mistakes”, what do you end up with? way more than a “few rookie mistakes”…

by PVChiefsfan on Dec 29, 2008 12:59 PM CST up reply actions