Chiefs' Albert Still Out, McGraw Still on First Team

by Joel Thorman on Oct 22, 2009 2:07 PM CDT in 2009 Campaign Comment 41 comments

As Ryan over at KC Chiefs Blog pointed out, there's a chance of rain on Sunday so Chiefs head coach Todd Haley kept the team outdoors today during a drizzle.

These updates are coming from Josh Looney and Bob Gretz.

Left tackle Branden Albert did not fully participate in practice today. Like we said yesterday, he is off his walking boot. During practice he walked and jogged and didn't participate in any team drills.

Haley said he was "night and day" from where he was when the injury occurred.

Wade Smith is taking first team reps in Albert's absence.

Safety Jon McGraw continues to play on the first team defense ahead of Jarrad Page. McGraw has been solid in his time on the field. Page was injured last week, which caused him to miss the Redskins game. He was not on the injury report so we assume he's completely healthy.

Guard Mike Goff returned to practice after missing yesterday due to some personal reasons.

Guard Brian Waters appeared on the injury report yesterday and practiced today with a heavily taped left ankle. He went down for a bit in the Redskins game but came back.

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What's it going to take?

What has to happen before Goff is benched in favor of Ndukwe or Alleman?

* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season

by stagdsp on Oct 22, 2009 2:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Man, I have been wondering the same thing.

If Goff was just out for one game, I think there would be such a huge difference that there is no way Haley could go back to Goff. Ndukwe is a much better player in my mind. He was SOLID at RG last year in Miami.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Oct 22, 2009 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

hey! it;s a PLAN! it's a PROCESS!!! you don't question THE PROCESS ...

obviously WE aren’t intended or meant to UNDERSTAND what’s going on or who starts – WE don’t know EVERYTHING and WE are just “fans” – it’s all part of THE PLAN and THE PROCESS and making sure we have The Right 53 that give us The Best Chance To Win

you MUST have faith in THE PROCESS – Big Brother is WATCHING – do NOT question THE PROCESS – BELIEVE in THE PLAN and TRUST THE PROCESS

(ok, taking my tongue out of my cheek now)

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisiton!

by upamtn on Oct 22, 2009 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL!!!

by Chiefsfan1970 on Oct 22, 2009 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm a fan of the "process" as much as the next guy :)

but, I still think this is the one move on the current roster that would help the team the most

by stagdsp on Oct 22, 2009 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

careful or they'll send Kenny Smith over to "shake your hand" ...

think Bernie Mac in Ocean’s Eleven at the used car lot

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisiton!

by upamtn on Oct 22, 2009 2:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ndukwe or Alleman step up I guess

I want to believe Ndukwe is an all world guard but it’s hard to believe when he can’t pass up Goff on a practice field that allowed Jarrad Page to be surpassed by Jon McGraw and Derrick Johnson to be surpassed by Demorrio Williams

Time is a great teacher... unfortunately it kills all it's pupils.

by 808NaNz808 on Oct 22, 2009 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't say "all world"

But I definitely think he is better than Goff at this stage of the game.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Oct 22, 2009 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What depressing news Goff is back

by DLChiefs on Oct 22, 2009 2:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe, but LJ had a few 3-5 yd runs off Goff last week.

I know, I know…..“SOME” isn’t enough but maybe its the poor play of the center or tackle or lack of run blocking by the others thats keeping him in there.

by CJ-in-2018 on Oct 22, 2009 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

it's not the tackle

O’Callaghan is a freaking stud.. Niswanger I’m not so sure about.. whether it’s Goff or Niswanger is debatable but one things for sure, a new interior lineman is going to have to be a priority next off season

Time is a great teacher... unfortunately it kills all it's pupils.

by 808NaNz808 on Oct 22, 2009 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

just let me ask and no offense

did you think O’cal was a stud when he got here or were you complaining that he was just another Pats castoff
I personally didn;t have an opinion either way, but i felt positive that they were willing to bring someone in

by E.C. on Oct 22, 2009 2:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Honestly...

I had never seen him play but, I have been pleasantly surprised. He looks like a guy we could keep around for a while. I definitely don’t think he is “part of the problem”

Goff and Rudy though…..Not so much.

Shore up RG and Center and this will be a much different looking football team.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Oct 22, 2009 2:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I definately don't think he is part of the problem

I do that C and RG are, but maybe he’s seeing good things from them individually and is just waiting for them to play together. One thing about center is that he is also the guy responsible for reading D’s and relaying it to the rest of the line, so maybe haley doesn’t see anyone else that’s shown the ability to do it well

by E.C. on Oct 22, 2009 2:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not as down on Rudy as I was a few weeks ago.

Even though I still believe that should be a priority in the offseason. Makes me wonder how much better he would be with a different guard in there. The RG position is KILLING us right now.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Oct 22, 2009 2:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

agreed, it's killing us

RG did look a little better last week for a couple running plays though. not sure who was letting cassel get blown up though, couldn’t watch the game

by E.C. on Oct 22, 2009 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

From what I could tell the pressure was coming from the left side...

Where Smith was filling in for Albert. Not knocking on Smith because he had his hands full as well as Waters with Haynesworth and Fletcher.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Oct 22, 2009 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

well that might be a good sign

of course the skins were probably picking on that side with a backup LT

by E.C. on Oct 22, 2009 2:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh yeah.

Even at that, I still though Smith did ok. not great but, not bad for a guy who isn’t even a tackle. Especially when you consider the guys he had to block. As bad as the Skins are, they have one of the best D-lines in football.

That said, I will be a happy man when we get Albert back. Hopefully Sunday?

by Chiefsfan1970 on Oct 22, 2009 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think he might play

starting LT doesn’t need to practice and work on plays as much as some others, boot off and running is a really good sign to me

by E.C. on Oct 22, 2009 3:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I reivewed the games tape...

and although Smith missed a couple of times (and his tech was not that good) he did not do to bad. It was the tight end that missed a lot of blocks or got handled.

They would often use the center and guard to combo one player and leave the TE in to block…the TEs are not good blockers.

Bewsaf

by Bewsaf on Oct 22, 2009 5:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

dare to dream!

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisiton!

by upamtn on Oct 22, 2009 2:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yes I'm a dreamer when it comes to the Chiefs

for some reason i always think they can win

by E.C. on Oct 22, 2009 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Those guy are waiting for DJ to start.

Then they will.

by NJ Chiefs Fan on Oct 22, 2009 2:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

my guess is for haley to see more from Ndukwe and Alleman

he doesn’t seem like he has any favorites; anyone can be benched. he either see’s more from goff than we do or less from the other two

by E.C. on Oct 22, 2009 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You don't think he plays favorites???

I disagree with that. I think Savage or Charles would be the starting RBs if he weren’t playing favorites. Same with Ndukwe over Goff.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Oct 22, 2009 2:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i don't really agree

i think he wants to win, period. He’s gonna play the best guy for the team and the game. He doesn’t only want to win, he needs to, to keep his job and his players

by E.C. on Oct 22, 2009 2:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well then...

That still wouldn’t explain why Goff is still the starting RG. Dude has been TERRIBLE. Easily the weak link on the O-line w/o question. Alleman and Ndukwe are quicker, stronger, and more mobile than him. There is absolutely NO reason he should be in front of them unless he is playing favorites or something.

I might speak differently about LJ with Goff gone. Throw one of those other linemen in there and LJ may become what we expected all of a sudden.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Oct 22, 2009 2:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

personally I agree about goff

I’m just saying that we don’t see the same thing as haley does on a weekly basis so it’s hard to say. I hope he works out; I don’t care who it is if they get better. I will say that i don’t know why we bring in the other two guys and then don’t give them a chance to show what they can do in a game.

by E.C. on Oct 22, 2009 2:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll buy that.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Oct 22, 2009 2:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

me too

by E.C. on Oct 22, 2009 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

maybe the trade for Alleman and Nduckwe was Conditional?

Maybe more starts between them equals a 3 or 4 or 5th.
Just maybe :)

We Will kick at least 4 Teams Asses in 09
And Succop will be the Key in two of them.
" Think and talk positive football off the field." Hank Stram

by Steve_Chiefs on Oct 22, 2009 6:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah not sure about that

but i really think that everybody just wants to win, so they might play them anyway

by E.C. on Oct 23, 2009 4:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's pretty clear that Haley places a premium on not turning the ball over

and that’s why he prefers LJ over Charles (Savage just isn’t that talented).

I also think he’s playing it pretty smart. He knows offensive talent, and knows that we don’t have much of it…certainly not enough to win any shootouts. The best chance of winning comes through sticking around with better teams (by not turning the ball over) and opening the game up at the end.

It’s frustrating for us fans, but I suppose it’s better than turning the ball over 3-4 times per game & getting blown out.

by jmcgoblue on Oct 22, 2009 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know what you're saying but...

I strongly disagree about Savage. That kid is pretty good.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Oct 22, 2009 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It almost makes me sad to see Goff back

Wade Smith gained my respect as a backup for the most part in Washngton so I’ll be easy.. Still I hope Albert is ready to go by gameday

Time is a great teacher... unfortunately it kills all it's pupils.

by 808NaNz808 on Oct 22, 2009 2:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

KC Game time weather currently: 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56.

Will be similar weather of last weeks game in Washington.

Yeah, let's just keep matriculatin' the ball down the field, boys! ...

Get your Arrowhead Pride Wolf Pack T-shirt now!

by oldchiefsfan on Oct 22, 2009 2:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

we need to see Albert on that field

i dont want this to turn into the game Merrimam and Co. start finding the QB. Even though i know they will get to Cassel on probably more than one occasion i would just like to see us stop their rushes and keep Cassel healthy and rehab this O-Line on the bye week.

by jrcnc on Oct 22, 2009 2:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs