Chiefs Taking Aim At The Chargers

Makes drafting arenas more reasonable and much easier to understand

I’ve always advocated building a team to win the division. Teams like the Colts and Steelers have done this for years.

My only problem is the pass rush. We can have Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson, Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed as our secondary, but if Rivers can sit in the pocked for 10 seconds, someone will get free. I remember facing Rivers last year when the analysts made a comment about Rivers having enough time to do his taxes.

Also, Chiefs didn’t do much to address the rush defense and there really isn’t any reason to pass against them if they can just run for over 300 yards a game. I don’t want to sound overly pessimistic but this defense has a long ways away before they can stop the San Diego offense.

occurs on MNF against Rivers. Nice.

I’m not sure about you all but I find this sort of stuff — this strategy and forward-thinking — absolutely fascinating. The Chiefs understand all you have to do is win your division to get into the playoffs.

You’ve got to get under the surface of this draft in order to understand that it’s as great a draft as it is. Joel, you’ve hit the nail on the head.

When Pioli fired the remaining Herm scouts and hired his own, I’m sure he called them into the conference room and presented a set of questions (He and Haley had already started on a game plan):

Q1: What is our goal for this franchise?
A1: To win the Super Bowl and establish a football dynasty for the next decade.

Q2: What does it take to get to the Super Bowl…let alone win it?
A2: We must win the division.

Q3: What must we do to win the division?
A3: We must defeat the teams in our division!

Q4: How do we defeat the teams in our division?
A4: Defeat the best team in the division twice a year.

Q5: How do we defeat the best team in our division twice a year?
A5: Smother the Charger’s passing game!

Q6: How do we Smother the Charger’s passing game?
A6: Draft and coach up the best secondary in the NFL.

Well Duh! It seems so simple doesn’t it? Problem with many of us on AP is we’re over-thinking or perhaps even way under-thinking this thing.

I was pretty excited last year when I saw who we drafted because of the core wisdom of it. “Build a team from the inside out.” You don’t draft the same positions every year. You draft one area…get it right, and let it develop…get the best coaches in the game and develop it further. Next draft, focus on another major area of need. Coach it up and let it develop….Meanwhile, fill other gaps with FA’s. Booyah! You’ve got a winner!

Last year we focused on special teams offensive total makeover and defensive line. This year we finish special teams and focus on secondary. The three biggest areas of need complete in less than 2 years.

From here on out, it’s a player here or there who will need to be replaced, but this draft was huge in terms of getting some of those uniquely talented guys you need offensively and defensively to gain some serious ground toward defeating the AFC West competition and ultimately the Super Bowl runner up.

Reality check…I’m really trying not to over estimate what is possible here this year. However, I just agree with Joel and others, that this draft wasn’t a draft to rebuild a team. This draft was intended to make the Chiefs a winner. Don’t get me wrong…I agree that we still need to upgrade individuals here or there, but the building blocks and core is there right now. BELIEVE!

Great post Joel…keep ’em coming!

is that we went for a short corner to to cover HUGE charger wideouts. i understand that his special teams ability among other things are positives, but if beating the chargers is the biggest concern, wouldnt it make more sense to draft a corner that can matchup with them physically?

Raider fans are arguing about the Chiefs, go look at their board haha.

.. so we can’t count on JaMarcus BlingThing Russell to hand us a game …