Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 12/29

by Chris Thorman on Dec 29, 2009 6:25 AM CST in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign

Cincinnati Bengals running back Larry Johnson, right, was all smiles for his former teammate, Kansas City Chiefs fullback Mike Cox, after the Bengals 17-10 win on December 27, 2009 at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. DAVID EULITT/The Kansas City Star (via KansasCity.com)

Good morning Kansas City Chiefs fans! We've got a winter storm bearing down on Austin this morning so it should be a fun walk for the new dog. He's been pretty good so far - only a couple of accidents and he's gotten his picture taken twice on walks.

Here are your links for this morning. New Year's Eve is almost here...Anyone have big plans?

Chiefs News Chiefs Update | Chiefs Football at BobGretz.com
The NFL will announce the rosters for the Pro Bowl on Tuesday evening. It figures to be a quiet evening for the Chiefs. Unlike baseball, where every team is guaranteed at least one player on the All-Star Game roster, in the NFL there is no regulation that requires all 32 teams have a Pro Bowler.

More after the jump...

Scout.com: Chiefs Need More From Cassel
For perspective on how well Kansas City’s defense played Sunday, consider that the Bengals’ 274-yard offensive output was their second-lowest total at home all season. Only the defense of the World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers came into Cincinnati and held the Bengals to fewer yards, and the Chiefs actually held the Bengals to a lower yards-per-play average.

Charles 139 Yards Away From 1000 | Arrowhead Addict | A Kansas City Chiefs blog
To achieve the feet, Charles will have to outperform a stingy Denver defense on their own field. The Broncos held Charles to his lowest rushing average on the season in Week 13, allowing the Chiefs back to only 56 yards on 18 carries for a 3.1 yard per carry average in a game the Chiefs lost 44-13.

Chiefs survey options as likely No. 3 pick in NFL Draft. - KansasCity.com
The 3-12 Chiefs look as if they will pick third in next year’s NFL draft. They can’t get the top pick because there’s no way for them to catch the 1-14 Rams, but they could fall below three if they beat the Broncos.

Kansas City Chiefs - Insider Blog: The Century Mark
Simply gaining 100 yards in Denver won’t take care of a loftier goal. Churning out 100 yards would leave Charles 39 yards short of a 1,000-yard season. The goal to get to 1,000 sounds individual, but it’s not. Getting Jamaal to 1,000 is a rallying point for the chiefs offense as a whole. "It really hurt this week when my run got called back," Charles chuckled.

The 00s: Ten worst Big Apple coaches of the decade
You play to win the game, but Herm Edwards experienced more defeats than victories in his five years with the Jets, going 39-41 with a 2-3 playoff record.

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Comments

I'm back!

Thought it would be earlier today, but alas…

Thanks for doing these. I’ll pick up tomorrow unless you love doing it so much you can’t give it up. =)

Caribbean was rainy and still 10X better than the foot of snow I left behind in Jersey. I was able to peek in a couple of times from the ship, and of course was disappointed with the two game’s outcomes. I have a lot of reading to do to get caught up.

Better get started…

by NJ Chiefs Fan on Dec 29, 2009 7:27 AM CST reply actions

Love the writeup on scout.com about Cassel

Kool-aid drinkers should beware though, it’s full of truth. If you don’t want to hear the truth about #7, don’t read it.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Dec 29, 2009 9:02 AM CST reply actions

+1

Jerome

by easyjb on Dec 29, 2009 9:09 AM CST up reply actions

truth? do we want The Truth?!?

WE CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH! (snarling and sneering) Son, do you have any idea what it takes to play in the NFL? do you even one tiny bit of sense of what we do out there???

==================

you da man, 1970

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisiton!

by upamtn on Dec 29, 2009 9:20 AM CST up reply actions

I know a lot of people aren't going to like it but...

That article is dead on. Of everybody on this team, Cassel is the guy I am most worried about. It’s not that he’s that bad, it’s just that he’s not that good. He’s got the weight of this franchise on his shoulders and I understand that but, his improvement has been spotty and slow at best. I hope he looks like a different guy in 2010, otherwise, we need to draft Jake Locker so we can have some good QB play.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Dec 29, 2009 9:31 AM CST up reply actions

Locker is returning to college

I’d try to trade Cassel to McDaniels in Denver for a 2nd or 3rd, I’d rather draft Bradford or Claussen than a OT rd 1

2009-10 Predictions:
1. Chiefs will win ATLEAST 6 games, which is a big improvement over 6 wins in 2 seasons
2. Succop will bring stability to the K position for the first time in years
3. Chiefs D will atleast double the number of sacks form last season
4. Cassel will be a top 15 QB
5. Todd Haley won't make a poster and jump around holding it up welcoming the Chiefs players to summer camp, I mean TRAINING camp

by Chiefs_KC on Dec 29, 2009 9:41 AM CST up reply actions

That's why I said Next year!

Give Cassel one more season to show he can carry the weight of “franchise QB” If he doesn’t cut it, we draft Locker next year.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Dec 29, 2009 9:46 AM CST up reply actions

Sorry...saw Locker and 2010 and was thinking the 2010 draft

I agree that Cassel probably deserves another year to see if he can cut it as the starter in KC, but I’d be tempted to trade him to Denver if they made an offer this offseason. McDaniels offense is built around short passes. I’d rather have Matt Leinart at QB than Cassel at this point.

by Chiefs_KC on Dec 29, 2009 9:57 AM CST up reply actions

The only problem I see with that is that it could slow down the progress of the offensive unit as a whole.

I don’t think Haley has been very impressed with Leinert if you listen to his pressers.

I really hope Cassel turns a corner this next year.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Dec 29, 2009 10:06 AM CST up reply actions

Could be, otherwise I would have hoped Haley asked Pioli to look into acquiring Leinart since he knew the offense

I wanted Cassel to be the answer at QB, but I haven’t seen him really improve over the last 14 games wheres the O-line and Charles have. I don’t think bringing in a new QB next year would slow down the progression of the offense. Outside of JC, there isn’t much offense to slow down and thats all JC and the O-line, QB isn’t playing much of a role in that. Bowe missed 4 weeks, Chambers was only in KC for half a season, Cottom’s on IR. I’d just like to see him play well this weekend and get a win over Den. Maybe a QB coach next year will help

by Chiefs_KC on Dec 29, 2009 10:25 AM CST up reply actions

That's what I am hoping for too.

The best scenario for the Chiefs would be for Cassel to turn out to be the guy that Pioli thought he was when we acquired him. I really hope that happens.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Dec 29, 2009 10:29 AM CST up reply actions

And Then We Can All Say...

He is who we thought he is…

Things to get the Chiefs back on the winning side of football:

1. Haley resign as offensive coordinator or do the following;
a. Feed JC more
b. Take the cuffs off of Cassel and let him air it out
2. Fire Clancy "Calls" Playslikeass

by kcchiefsfan72 on Dec 29, 2009 12:29 PM CST up reply actions

and the more I re-read that article and think about it, the more Cassel looks like ... 2.7

not personality-wise, but ability … Haley ran LJ every week, despite no production, because … well, Haley’s a stubborn idiot … it took LJ’s inexcusable twittertude to get Haley to play Jamaal Charles

that same stubborness gives us Matt Can’t Pass Cassel week after week, not even a thought about TRUE competition (the TRUTH is that Haley has LIED to us all along: there is NO COMPETITION at the QB spot, and there is no such thing as Best Player On The Field at the QB spot – Cassel looks more and more like The Sacred Cow That Pioli Bought)

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisiton!

by upamtn on Dec 29, 2009 9:30 AM CST up reply actions

Perfect write up

Been saying this stuff since we traded for him. Trust me, no one on this site wants to read that.

Predictions for 2009:

The Chiefs will regret cutting LJ

Bowe's numbers regress due to lack of decent QB play.

The D gets better in the second half but still is plagued by big plays

Cassel looks more like the guy Pioli almost cut in the '08 preseason instead of the franchise QB he hoped he would be when he traded him for

Chiefs 3-13

by bonesjackson on Dec 29, 2009 10:26 AM CST up reply actions

It's not that I want him pulled at this point because I know it won't happen.

Ultimately, it would be the most satisfying if he just starts playing better and shows himself to be the man. The thing that I notice, especially after reading that article is that Matt can’t blame ANYBODY else for the problems he’s having as of late. (other than the blatant drops) We aren’t talking about that though. This is a problem of accuracy. The line is doing a pretty good job protecting him and his throws are off target.

That’s what worries me about #7. His progress is the biggest part of the growth of this team and right now, it’s not looking so good. I have to be honest. I’m scared!

by Chiefsfan1970 on Dec 29, 2009 9:38 AM CST reply actions

Chad Penningon may not have as strong an arm as our guy

But Chad’s wounded ducks are at least accurate.

Predictions for 2009:

The Chiefs will regret cutting LJ

Bowe's numbers regress due to lack of decent QB play.

The D gets better in the second half but still is plagued by big plays

Cassel looks more like the guy Pioli almost cut in the '08 preseason instead of the franchise QB he hoped he would be when he traded him for

Chiefs 3-13

by bonesjackson on Dec 29, 2009 10:28 AM CST up reply actions

Pennington uses more touch on the shorter passes.

That’s a big problem I see with Cassel. His short passes are like laser beams. He really needs to focus on putting less heat on the ball and delivering it on time with nice touch on it. His numbers would improve dramatically.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Dec 29, 2009 10:31 AM CST reply actions

New Years plans....I'll be at the Rose Bowl

by HIV 2 Elway on Dec 29, 2009 10:45 AM CST via mobile reply actions

Scout.com is right on about Cassel

He dosn’t have even good arm strength. He can only make decent mid-length throws when his feet are set. He is always a liability when he throws on the run. My gut feeling is this was the issue why he wasn’t a starter in college. He seems to have the toughness to play quarterback. Just dosn’t have the tools. I get that same “Oh Shit” feeling when Cassel tries to throw deep or on the run as I had last year when Tigpen did the same. Only problem is Thigpen was an underdog (everybody loves the underdog) which made it more acceptable to us fans and Cassel is suppose to be the answer (highly coveted, highly touted big money QB) which makes it much less acceptble for us.

Thinking back to some of the previous games this year, defenses have really been crowding the line against us. This has to be due to “common knowledge” that Cassel can’t beat you deep. (This also goes to show why when the defense goes into a prevent defense, giving up the underneath pass, that Cassel can look good throwing the ball!) My guess is this is also why Charles has been able to bust out some long runs this year. The last line of defense is always within 15 yards of the line of scrimage. Once he gets by the secondary he is too fast to catch! Seems that Haley should use the short pass from Cassel to set up Charles “deep threat” runs! Man, does that sound backwards!

My kool-aid started tasteing bitter this morning as I read this article!

So you think you are so important that no one can replace you? Put your finger in a bucket of water and pull it out. Does it leave a hole? Nope, just some ripples that eventually calm themselves!

by Fan of the Red And Gold on Dec 29, 2009 11:41 AM CST reply actions