Kendall Gammon in the Red Zone

I guess we all got so wrapped up in camp updates this week that I haven't even heard this mentioned.  Soren Petro had Kendall Gammon on this week and was live in River Falls.  The show was mostly Gammon's impressions of what he was seeing in camp this year.

Notes on the interview after the jump.

The differences in the training camps:

Larry Johnson says the camp is a lot more physical than Herms, but not as much hitting as Vermiel's.

Vermiel's practices were VERY physical and tough.  He made them go for a full three hour game period.

It is really hard to say what method is better.  Teams have won superbowls with light contact, and they have won them with very physical camps.  In the end, talent wins out.

About Haley's style wearing thin on people-if you don't win it will wear thin.  But if you don't win, it doesn't matter if you take everyone out for ice cream every day, it will wear thin.  You just have to win.

Competition for QB-Cassel is working hard and showing no signs of being complacent about having gotten the starting job.  Has a lot of intangibles. Petro says his impression is Thigpen is struggling a little bit with INTs and bad throws.Croyle is looking really good, but the question is can he stay healthy (as if we didn't know).  But having someone with Croyle's ability who can come in off the bench is a really good thing, and maybe that will be his role, to be a very good career backup guy since he just can't seem to take the punishment of a starter.  In Croyle's defense, if you have Adalius Thomas pounding you into the ground you stand a good chance of being hurt.  And the hit on the knee would have taken out any QB--like Brady.

RBs-LJ is smiling, making jokes, a very different guy than has been seen in a Chiefs uniform.  He needed a change of scenery, but he didn't have to go anywhere...the scenery came to him.  The reps for backs in blocking for pass rush is a whole new thing.  If we get beat on blitzs it won't be for lack of practice and effort. Vrabel has been working with LJ to teach him what the blitz guys will be doing.  You will have to pass block or you won't be on the field.  Good thing about the pass block is you can then fake the pass block and get LJ out into open space where he can be very dangerous.

How can Dbowe become a legit #1 guy?  He has the ability to make the hard catches, but he really has to make the mundane catches too.  It's more a concentration thing, and since they are getting on him (and everyone) it should make him better.  In the past it was kind of a "oh that's ok" kind of thing...no more.

What do you expect from Brian Waters?  He'll do what he's always done and play hard.  BW has been physically throwing people around.  He's playing hard and looking good.  He still has a lot of pride in how he plays.

RT-It's a battle between Herb and Dmac, but neither are the answer long-term.  If you can't move well you won't play, and Herb has better movement.  Leaning towards Herb because of better pass blocking.  The pass blocking is the must-have skill.  You can devise a scheme around someone who doesn't run block that well, but you can't scheme around bad pass blocking.  (Note-Colin Brown is supposed to be a much better pass blocker than run blocker-maybe he is the long-term answer?)

The 3-4 presents so many problems to the offensive line in terms of who is coming, who is up, who is down...it is very confusing for the O-Line.  For the center, it is hard when you have someone right on you all the time.

Tank is playing really well, seeing the plays developing.  Doing a good job of keeping his head up.

Right now Hali is not looking comfortable in the OLB position.  Needs a lot more reps before it will be natural for him, but he has the skills.

DBs are being very secretive about how much difference the 3-4 is. 

Gammon says Sean Ryan will probably have the most catches for a TE on this team.

Gammons prediction for Cassel: 20 TD and 11 INT.

Record-Gammon wouldn't say.  Says we need to see some preseason games first.