An outsiders Projection of the Kansas City Chiefs

Actually Arenas was a second round pick. You have a right to your opinions even if some of them are wrong. Our team and coach, Haley are still learning. From watching the team and hearing players comments I think you are over stating the opinion that the players don’t like Haley. Even waters and vrabel showed up for OTA’s. They are all buying in.

While we’e on the subject of schedules, you Chief fans got lucky this year. You guys got the two extra games against Buffalo and Cleveland.

You do know that nothing about the scheduling involves luck, right?

The Chiefs play 6 division games, one other division from the AFC, one division from the NFC, and two games against the AFC teams from the divisions we’re not playing who finished in the same spot in their respective divisions in 2009. Had the Raiders finished the 2009 season in 4th place in the AFC West, the Raiders would be playing Cleveland and Buffalo.

But I do disagree on a couple points.

Cassel is the biggest unknown fo me at this point. I think how well we do has a lot to do with whether he steps up and plays well, or if he plays terribly. I’ve seen flashes of both. It almost seems to me he overthinkgs stuff, and is therefore best when he doesn’t have time to think, but just reacts, examples being those late drives last year where he had to run th hurry-up.

My jury is still out on him, and probably will be until about week 6-7.

For RB’s, you’re spot on on Charles, but I think you need to give TJ a little more credit. No he’s probably not going to hit 1k yards this year, but he’s been a good RB in this league for some time, and he has alot to offer Charles in the way of mentoring, and beyond that, even the rest of the offense as far as a winning attitude. You talk about intangibles with Cassel, well, TJ has ’em.

Pretty spot-on with the receiver corps too. Bowe looks rejuvenated, and Chambers has really brought a lot moer than I thought he would. McCluster has been absolutely electric in the preseason. I do worry as well about his durability, but I’ve seen him get popped a few times so far, and he’s gotten right back up, no sign at all of hesitation or sluggishness, so who knows.

I think Brandon Albert can play LT, but does need to keep progressing. I will say though, if the Chiefs get the chance to grab a stud tackle and can move him back inside to guard, That’s a huge step towards REALLY shoring up this line for a long time. Neither center really excites me, but neither concerns me either, and same for Lilja. Asamoah looked goos enough to step in if needed, so even if he does get hurt, we should be marginally OK. O’Call is definitely the weak link, but I’ve seen flashes in him as well, so we’ll see after a few weeks into the season when teams have been able to gameplan and scheme more.

Our D-Line needs to step up, for sure. Dorsey and Jackson were drafted way too high to simply be place-holders on the line. They say it takes 3 years or whatever for D-linemen, so now is put-up or shut-up time for dorsey, and that time is coming soon for Jackson as well. NT doesn’t get me fired up at all with Edwards, but it’s all we got, so we can only hope he plays well, and if not we can upgrade at the seasons end.

With the LB’s, I definitely agree in the not getting why DJ and D-Williams can’t be on the field at the same time. Demorrio has REALLY impressed this preseason, so I expect big things from him, but DJ is too good an athlete to truly fail at this level as well. I think Vrabel still has some left in the tank as well. The argument for TJ I made up there also could apply to him in regads to the D.

Our secondary is definitely our best area. Comparing Berry to Huff was a prety big case of apples/oranges IMO. Berry is an absolute playmaker, and someone you don’t pass up the chance to draft, regardless of need. He’s going to anchor this secondary for years to come. Carr is the biggest question mark, but he’s played adequately opposite Flowers for the last two years, so I’m hoping he’ll get things figures out soon and get back to that form.

With Crennel, He’s got some talent, but his predecessor had no idea what to do with it. It’s been pointed out that last year the Cardinals made a huge jump in D with almost no changes at all besides losing Clancy Pendergast. I think Crennell can squeeze a decent amount of production out of these guys, and get it into a middle of the road D that can be stifling at times.

Can’t say I truly disagree with anything else aside from your assessment of Colquitt. The guy can flat out boom it, and not only that, can put it where he wants as well. Sadly, he’s probably been our best, most consistant player the last several years.

With the W-L, I see is beating Denver at least here in KC, and a win over Arizona is by nio means out of the question with Derek Anderson behind the wheel. I have us being somewhere between 7-9 wins.

If I’m onest, I still see SD winning the division, but I see the Raiders and Chiefs really giving them a hard time and making them earn it. I think next year Denver joins that party, and the AFC West is on it’s way back to the toughest division in football.

Some comments -

RE: Matt Cassel

He wasn’t helped out by his receivers (50 drops), but good quarterbacks overcome that.

Name one!

It’s funny that no one complained about Cassel having a weak arm, etc. when he led the Patriots to an 11-5 record. Had they gotten into the playoffs and made some noise, I have a feeling that no one would now. It’s too early to judge Matt, one good season, one bad season, get back with me at the end of the season.

RE: Albert -

Another Todd Haley mistake: Hey guys, Let’s have Albert not play at his correct playing weight, making sure he regresses!

Haley wanted a more athletic Left Tackle, sometimes you have to move backwards to move forward, I think we’ll see that this year.

RE: Projections (pretty fair from a supposed Raiders fan)

Week 1-Chargers: Loss San Diego is favored by 4.5 points. It is interesting to note that the betting odds have been coming down due to heavy betting on the Chiefs, home opener at the NEW Arrowhead, on MNF. I think a lot of people are going to be shocked when the Chiefs lay the wood!

Week 2-Browns: Win KC has to stop Harrison & Cribbs this time

Week 3-49ers: Loss 9ers are looking pretty good

Week 4-Bye

Week 5-Colts- Loss Peyton Manning at Home

Week 6-Texans-Loss Maybe the best offense there is

Week 7-Jaguars: Win

Week 8-Bills: Win

Week 9-Raiders: Win

Week 10-Broncos: Loss

Week 11-Cardinals: Loss Cards are going to be horrible this year. Derrick Anderson. Are you kidding me?

Week 12-Seahwaks: Win Seattle is going to be horrible this year, only returning 26 players.

Week 13-Broncos: Loss Broncos should be out of contention, can’t see losing two to them

Week 14-Chargers: Loss

Week 15-Rams: Win

Week 16-Titans:Loss CJ vs Charles, does it get better than that?

Week 17-Raiders:Loss

So, just glancing at the schedule, I can add at least two wins to your predictions.

disagree on some things, of course … as a fan it’s a fine line to walk and be balanced about it: seeing and recognizing (and acknowledging) weaknesses while at the same time being pumped about the imporvements (when they’re made)

I’ve been saying for some time now that this team has the talent to go 10-6 and enough holes (and rookies, who will make rookie mistakes) to go 6-10 … I long ago “balanced” that off at 8-8 (not a prediction so much as an average of expectations)

a few things I could point out where I and other APers think you’re off-base with this or that assessment (example: Albert’s weight vis-a-vis the OLine, Haley wants guys who are athletic and fast across the line, that’s because of the nature of the Zone Blocking scheme)

also, I was one Chiefs fan who was VERY anti-Haley a year ago, but I’ve also seen him change over the past 12 months and I think he’s learned a LOT of (hard) lessons about being HC and (so far) approve of his style and methods this year

thanks for the post and don’t let any “flamers” amongst us get to you … you’re cool, Josh … seeya at the next Chiefs v Raiders battle

But so wrong on so many things that I don’t know where to start so I wont even bothe…. Studebaker a journeyman really? 24 years old and been on one practice squad? And you’re right Haley’s player hate his so much that they say they would play for him again and they come visit him with their kids in the offseason. What an awful coach…

Hi, I’m a Raiders fan.

GO HOME.

I think Studebaker is only a journeyman, but I could be wrong.

He has only played for us and Philly, how does that make him a journeyman?

Haley is an awful coach. You can’t deny that from last season.

Yeah and that Peyton Manning clown really flamed out after his first year tossing 30 INT’s didn’t he? So who would be better than Haley then? Your the all knowing Raiders fan, what other choice do we have, shitcan Haley after his first season and start all over again? No see we choose to not go down the Raiders path.

Then why does he have 2 comments on the Raiders site and 53 comments on AP? Troll?

You talk to much smack we don’t need your kind of raider talk around here.

He’s not saying anything that hasn’t been said here before (by Chiefs fans)

I think it’s impressive that he gave such a detailed analysis. Even if we disagree with much of it.

But i have no idea where you are coming from when you say that was unbiased. Now I will say, you do know a lot about the Chiefs. But i must say there is a huge difference between truth and opinion, and after reading that, all i say was an opinion from a rivals’ point of view.
First I will start off by you saying Stude is going to be a journeyman. What facts or information about him do you know that says he’s a future journeyman? Cause to me, he looks like he has some upside once he can get some pass coverage down. I’m not saying he is a future All-Pro, but he can potentially start in this league for a long time.

The next thing is comparing Eric Berry to those other top 10 safeties is a joke. So just because they were busts, then that automatically means EB is going to be a bust? That is a terrible way to look at it. I prefer to watch what he did at Tennessee and the preseason to project him to be a bust or not, which I see no signs of.

I don’t know how Chief fans can live with this guy calling shots. His players hate him, because he treats ’em like dirt

Those people that say that obviously can’t take actual work. Going from Herm to Haley is huge, and Haley is making players work and earn spot on the roster. He doesn’t treat " ‘em like dirt". I don’t know where you get off saying this…. Maybe if it was unbias I could say it was a good read, but it wasn’t and it isn’t.

Berry was easily the best safety in the draft. But we’ve heard this story before.

Michael Huff, Donte Whitner, and LaRon Landry were the last three safeties taken in the top 10. None ranks in the top 10 in there position currently.

Meanwhile, the Bills got Jairous Byrd in the 2nd round last season. He very nearly won DROY with 9 picks.

I’m not saying Berry will be a bust, but I thought the Chiefs could’ve upgraded right tackle in the first round (Okung?), and get a safety in the second (Nate Allen, Taylor Mays?).

You Chief fans might not like McGraw as a starter, but starting a pair of rookies could be disaster at safety.

Although, Lewis has looked impressive during the pre-season.

I don’t think you understand who Eric Berry is. You will see what we’ve been seeing in the preseason very shortly. The guy shouldn’t even qualify as a rookie. He has an incredible football IQ and he’s already been showing it off. He’s ready to start day one of week one. That was one of his upsides during the draft.

… he’s a ROOKIE

But does your projection or view of the Chiefs change after seeing last night’s game or is that about what you expected to see?