A Few Chiefs Might Be Seeing More Playing Time

by Joel Thorman on Sep 28, 2009 6:48 PM CDT in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign

In this afternoon's session with the media, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley indicated a few reserve players will begin to see some more playing time.

Speaking on Jovan Belcher, who took over Corey Mays' LB spot in the second half, Haley said he's liking what he sees so far.

"Yeah, I think you’ll see more of 59," Haley said. "I think he’s a guy that’s impressed us all from early on and I think we’ve got a potential player there. Whenever you’ve got a guy who can run and hit and shows up around the football and has done a good job on special teams it helps. That’s a guy that needs to be on the field. It was his first real action. He gives us some speed and is a run-and-hit guy."

Belcher is an undrafted free agent out of Maine so this is great news for him. It seems that every year there's an undrafted free agent that makes an impact. It looks like that player might be Belcher this season.

Another defensive player, DE Wallace Gilberry, caught Haley's eye.

"He made a couple of effort plays," Haley said when asked about Gilberry. "He didn’t have very many plays but I think he showed up, but I like some things that Wallace has done. He’s a high-effort player that seems to play hard and likes it. I would say for the amount of plays that he played he showed up."

Last week the Eagles' DeSean Jackson caught a 64 yard touchdown pass, which prompted Donald Washington to replace Maurice Leggett as the nickelback. The depth chart remains the same at that position but Haley indicated he'll have no hesitation making changes like that.

"We’ll see," Haley said when asked about Washington seeing more playing time. "We were running out of bodies at one point. When you’re not seeing what you want to see I’m not going to be afraid to change any of those guys. They know it and it’s pretty clear we’ve got to get better and it’s not going to stay the same. It’s not going to stay the same. Whatever it is, that won’t be accepted. In my mind it can’t stay the same if it’s not going the way you want it to."

H/T stagsdp in the FanShots for the link

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Comments

Leggett needs to be cut IMO

Goddamn he looks bad.

Don't Fuccop Succop

by chicks_love_chiefs on Sep 28, 2009 6:49 PM CDT reply actions

sadly

leggett looks like tyron brackenridge year two.

regardless I think more playing time for belcher is awesome, I was the one saying he SHOULD get more time with DJ out, so its nice he took the opportunity and ran with it(even if its mays spot that he took not dj’s)

Washington deserves playing time right now because…well deserve is a strong word but hes a 4th round pick on a team that needed OL…so he needs to prove that ability he has can manifest itself into something great.

Id also like to see more charles, hes proven to be the best back we have right now…that TD run that was called back was a thing of beauty…

Also would like to see q lawrence used in open space, see if he can be our mini deshawn jackson.

by SDChief on Sep 28, 2009 6:52 PM CDT reply actions

agreed

I like to see the young guys get a shot
at this point, what do they have to lose?

* "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 Sep 28, 2009 6:57 PM CDT up reply actions

more football games?

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisiton!

by upamtn on Sep 28, 2009 6:58 PM CDT up reply actions

they've shown the willingness and ability to do that anyway

by stagdsp on Sep 28, 2009 7:00 PM CDT up reply actions

and the determination

Don't Fuccop Succop

by chicks_love_chiefs on Sep 28, 2009 7:05 PM CDT up reply actions

wasn't tyron brackenridge

the guy who punched the opposing player in the nuts?

by TDubb on Sep 28, 2009 9:08 PM CDT up reply actions

I think Washington needs playing time

because the secondary we’re running isn’t gonna cut it long term anyway. He’s more in line with the man-cover type of guy that you want in a true 3-4. You don’t run a cover-2 style secondary with soft zones 10 yards off the WR’s with a 3-4 front! Gawd! no wonder the LB’s look so friggin’ bad!

Braccae illae virides cum subucula rosea et tunica Caledonia-quam elenganter concinnatur!

by Buck'O on Sep 29, 2009 12:20 AM CDT up reply actions

Question

Didn’t the Patriots always play zone in the secondary with their 3-4 front?

by chrisclark_dfw on Sep 29, 2009 2:17 AM CDT up reply actions

For the most part...

And with a WR playing nickel.

"Success is never ending, failure is never final."

by GenericBrand on Sep 29, 2009 3:15 AM CDT up reply actions

they didn't play soft

Law, Milloy and Samuels were great at jamming the WR at the line. Their style of play was a huge reason why changes in the way the officiating interpreted the 5-yard rule. We look like a bunch of scared shitless wimps giving 10 yard cushions out there. It’s hanging the LB’s out to dry.

Braccae illae virides cum subucula rosea et tunica Caledonia-quam elenganter concinnatur!

by Buck'O on Sep 29, 2009 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions

I like Belcher and Gilberry alot.

They play hard and with energy. They arent players that have a sense of entitlement for being on the field and rather work their asses of anytime they get a chance. They’re both raw but honestly most of the team is so letting them have more time to develop is hardly hurting us.

"Success is never ending, failure is never final."

by GenericBrand on Sep 28, 2009 7:08 PM CDT reply actions

Im for Belchar...

But Washington, IMO, is worse than Legget. But we will see.

by Wrestler189s on Sep 28, 2009 7:12 PM CDT reply actions

all I know

is they had to like the intangibles…insane jumping ability, nice speed/size combo…

I just think if we took em early 4th over some OL, they must have felt he had a future here, and maybe not so much for Leggett…

by SDChief on Sep 28, 2009 8:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Watched as much game reel as I could on NFL.com

Belcher seems like he deserves the playing time he’s going to get.. Man I still like Mays a bunch though, whoever ends up starting at least we know we have solid depth

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

by 808NaNz808 on Sep 28, 2009 7:33 PM CDT reply actions

+1

by Wrestler189s on Sep 28, 2009 7:42 PM CDT up reply actions

Linebackers that probably wouldn’t get a second look on 27 other NFL teams. KC has a lot of weaknesses

by T-Rich on Sep 29, 2009 1:08 AM CDT up reply actions

Leggett is a ballplayer

Anyone can have a bad game. He’s been solid IMO so far and will continue to be a good nickel back. Washington looked lost and even got completely spun around in the wrong direction in coverage on one play.

I’m glad we’re doing SOMETHING about the MLB spot. I think maybe putting Belcher alongside DJ is the answer. DJ is better in coverage than any other MLB we have, and we might as well put 10 guys on the field instead of leaving Demorrio Williams in the game. He’s a ghost.

by HTrayne on Sep 28, 2009 7:51 PM CDT reply actions

agreed

if we are losing anyway id rather try out belcher and let him see what he can do, we already know D.Williams is NOT the answer….I almost want to say put in all the guys that we need to see as in my post above because….going 2-14 or 3-13 or 4-12 with lawrence/charles/belcher etc NOT recieving playing time, I worry about next year.

by SDChief on Sep 28, 2009 8:11 PM CDT up reply actions

Extended Pre Season

We have the entire year to experiment. If we can find a few solid starters, like Belcher and Lance Long. Lets keep mixing this up.

by KC CZAR on Sep 28, 2009 8:23 PM CDT reply actions

Isn't this Herm Edwards again but

with different names on the uniforms.

by BCRavenJHawkfan on Sep 28, 2009 8:51 PM CDT reply actions

Mays

Why was Mays taken out in the second half? They cut the game in Oklahoma so I didn’t notice that. I noticed several plays where Mays really jacked up people, so I’m a little confused as to why there was a switch.

-Robbie

by Chiefsfan2012 on Sep 28, 2009 9:31 PM CDT reply actions

He is slow.

He can’t cover. Gets beat over the middle all the time.

Don't blame me, I voted for content of character.

by paratrooper on Sep 28, 2009 10:06 PM CDT up reply actions

i agree

Mays is good going forward, I.e.blitzing and run support but hurts us in pass coverage

by chiefsfan62 on Sep 29, 2009 8:35 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Mays only had 2 tackles he looks lost sometimes, Belcher is always around the ball check the film you always see him in it.

by notoday on Sep 29, 2009 9:23 AM CDT up reply actions

I think were seeing alot of rotation

so the coaching staff can get tape for evalutation. By the end of this season, the team needs to know what players will never be able to contribute to a super bowl, and what players will. There is no aim for a Super Bowl this year, and there shouldn’t be — this is franchise mode – we don’t want to be a one hit wonder anyway – build for the future.

CNN = ABC = NBC = CBS = FOX = Chris Mortenson Journalism
play better pool - http://www.sticksandstonesbilliards.com

by nayjevin on Sep 29, 2009 4:45 AM CDT reply actions

intensity

take a look at teams going in the right direction and you will see intense players…chiefs only intense player thus far has been vrabel…we need some people to fire up everyone and become a leader on and off the field….we lack intensity and it shows because even if you do get lost (like mays) make a play and hit someones head off!!!!

by Epic23 on Sep 29, 2009 3:39 PM CDT reply actions