Kansas City Chiefs: 5 Things We Have Learned

by Casey Byron Adkins on Oct 5, 2011 1:05 PM CDT

We are one quarter of the way through with the 2011 Season and there are some things we have learned about our beloved Chiefs.

Some good and some bad. Now lets continue...

Contracts are not affecting play- In the offseason the Chiefs have locked up Tamba Hali and gave an extension to Brandon Flowers. There are some players (you know who you are) that play good and then once they get a new one, they go back down. Tamba Hali is still the beast he was last year and Flowers has played well even though he is injured. The Chiefs FO still needs to get Dwayne Bowe and Brandon Carr but those will come.
No Holds from BR- Barry Richardson was averaging 3 holding penalties a game during preseason. So far to my knowledge, he has not had one. Makes you wonder if the coaches told him to hold to get the offense some more conditioning?
Preseason plan failed- Yep Todd, you really stunk that one up. I think our bad play is a result of this and now they have to play catch up. Throw in the weird amount of injuries and well yeah it sucks.
Someone needs to berate Cassel more often- After the first half of the Vikings game, Cassel showed improvement. This was after his altercation with Todd Haley. Matt went out there and showed us the QB he was while in New England. If someone can give Cassel that kind of passion more often, there is no reason he cannot improve.
This team is not as bad as the record shows- And the last two weeks proved that. This goes back to #3 a little bit. Yes the Chiefs got blown out 89-10 in the first two weeks. I do not feel that bad losing to the Lions and Bills knowing that they were on fire as of late. Considering the loss of Tony Moeaki, Eric Berry and Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs look really damn good. The Chiefs nearly came out with a victory against the Chargers and then beat the "Not bad as record" Vikings.

With all this being said, the Chiefs have some work to do but as I stated in my other posts, there is no reason they cannot finish 9-7 if they continue to improve. I am with Le'Ron McClain's side when he said "5-3".

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.

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Comments

So

we need someone to keep motivating our QB?

No thanks. I want a QB who can motivate himself not only game in and game out, but every single practice.

Cassel still sucks.

by andrew33 on Oct 5, 2011 1:17 PM CDT reply actions

I wouldn't say that

This is his 3rd full season as a starter and before that he hadn’t started a game since high school. While he may not be the QB to take them to the promised land, he is good enough to get by until Stanzi is ready.

by Casey Byron Adkins on Oct 5, 2011 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions

You wouldnt say Cassel sucks?

Before Minnesota, everyone was finally coming around about how much Cassel is lacking to be a quality NFL QB. Granted we did win, but it was against a terrible Minnesota secondary.

But I do agree on the course of action. I want to see Cassel finish off this season. Then depending on what our record is we start next season with our newly drafted QB (hopefully Luck) or Stanzi.

by andrew33 on Oct 5, 2011 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions

There is another reason for Cassel

Keep in mind that he had cracked ribs and it hurts like hell. It affects your throwing because you have to turn into your throws. Our next 4 teams on the schedule have shoddy secondaries except for SD.

by Casey Byron Adkins on Oct 5, 2011 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions

Cassel still has an out

Play like he did in the 2nd half of that game (minus the choke with 5 minutes left and the chance to ice the game) for the rest of the year, and I’ll get back behind him as our QB.

Pretty big if…

I love my wife, my kids, and the Chiefs. In that order. Except on game days.

by MNchiefsfan on Oct 5, 2011 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah, possible - but odds aren't favorable.

Then again … never tell me the odds.

We Don't Hear The Hate

by TRSChief on Oct 5, 2011 3:21 PM CDT up reply actions

1,728,001 to 1

That we are obliterated this season

"Stay Classy Kansas City"

by Mas Cervezas on Oct 5, 2011 4:28 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Short and sweet

Pretty much the opposite of how I do things, but I like every point you make. Rec.

I’m curious where Cassel goes from here. Personally, I think he’ll continue to be inconsistent and underscore our need to get a QB in the draft next year (any of those top 4 or 5 guys would be great to have, phenomenal talent this year).

But hey, maybe his stepping up when ticked off will lead to something great. I doubt it, but you never know…

I love my wife, my kids, and the Chiefs. In that order. Except on game days.

by MNchiefsfan on Oct 5, 2011 2:36 PM CDT reply actions

Damn that fence is comfy :)

Cmon Man!

by Steve_Chiefs on Oct 6, 2011 9:17 PM CDT up reply actions

We will wait to see.

This team is not as bad as the record shows.

I think the defense is pretty decent but the offense has some problems. I am not sure beating a winless team at home counts as proof of anything. If the Chiefs lost that game, who could they beat this year.

I don’t think the Chiefs are the worst team in the league, but I also think there is still a realistic chance they finish with the worst record, mostly do to the horrendous schedule. If the Chiefs happen to lose this week, I only see at most 2 wins the rest of the year (MIA and DEN @ home). I hope I am wrong, but I think we are looking at a 3-4 win season this year.

The views expressed by craig in calgary do not necessarily represent the views of all Canadians.

by saskwatch on Oct 5, 2011 2:39 PM CDT reply actions

While th Vikes were winless

They lost those first 3 games after blowing leads against good teams, including against a DET team that throttled us.

They aren’t as bad as their record either.

I agree in part with what you’re saying, but the Vikes have had a pretty tough schedule so far. They hung tough with some very good teams. The fact that we beat them and were able to put up about as many points as some very good offenses is a good sign for us.

I love my wife, my kids, and the Chiefs. In that order. Except on game days.

by MNchiefsfan on Oct 5, 2011 2:44 PM CDT up reply actions

oh oh

MN is sliding towards the Light

by Steve_Chiefs on Oct 6, 2011 9:19 PM CDT up reply actions

You are correct...

No Holds from BR.

At least according to stats.com.

And I agree Cassel needs to stay fired up. It’s almost like watching a different guy.

by Ransom_ on Oct 5, 2011 2:51 PM CDT reply actions

Nice:

Someone needs to berate Cassel more often-

Every week we need to have a designated Cassel basher berate Matt before the game. I’d like to volunteer myself, since I admittedly have a complex love/hate relationship with him. I’d be all like:

“HEY KCQB#7!!!! You are a worthless POS QB, and if I see you throw one more pass to McCluster for a loss of yards I’m going to shove that football up your Casshole! Now get out there and whoop some ass. Prove to me that you aren’t a worthless, POS QB that has a limp noodle for an arm and can do nothing more than not lose a game!!! COME AT ME BRO!!!”

by Tomahawk29 on Oct 5, 2011 3:04 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

Hired.

Make this happen.

We Don't Hear The Hate

by TRSChief on Oct 5, 2011 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions

Careful Tomahawk.

He’s still 6’4" 230lbs, and deadly with a shoe.

by Archyrr on Oct 5, 2011 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm a 6' 8" 300 lb lumberjack that killed hundreds of Nazis in Vietnam.

I ain’t skeer’d.

by Tomahawk29 on Oct 5, 2011 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Cotton Hill???

I thought you only killed fiddy men.

by fishbowl72 on Oct 5, 2011 7:13 PM CDT up reply actions

Haha

rec

by Steve_Chiefs on Oct 6, 2011 9:20 PM CDT up reply actions

I wouldn't worry. The guy can't hit his head with a hat, how is he going to land a punch?

The views expressed by craig in calgary do not necessarily represent the views of all Canadians.

by saskwatch on Oct 5, 2011 3:56 PM CDT up reply actions

You've seen his fist pump action, right?

by Ransom_ on Oct 5, 2011 5:22 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

I want to see McClain back next season

He comes off to me as someone trying to make the best impression possible, a real team effort, in hopes it discredits the reputation that preceded him from Baltimore. I can’t determine how much is an act or how much is real. But I hate one-and-done players in any sport and I don’t want to see him in different colors next season

#82 - Pay The Man & Play The Man

by KansasCityShuffle on Oct 5, 2011 4:19 PM CDT reply actions

Well

in two weeks he gets to face his cousin when we play Oakland.

by Casey Byron Adkins on Oct 5, 2011 4:48 PM CDT up reply actions

it all depends on how the OC calls his name

I would bet he gets re-signed

by Steve_Chiefs on Oct 6, 2011 9:21 PM CDT up reply actions

Comments on comments...

Contracts are not affecting play- What about contracts not written on Players not aquired.
No Holds from BR- It is still an Interstate from RT position to QB position. His man is past him before he can reach out to hold his man.
Preseason plan failed- To say the least.
Someone needs to berate Cassel more often- Maybe it works for Haley also.
This team is not as bad as the record shows- All teams are what record shows they are. Good teams have good stats. Bad teams have bad stats. Anything otherwise is just an excuse.

"You talkin' to me? You TALKIN' to me ?" - Travis Bickle

by CatChief on Oct 5, 2011 6:02 PM CDT reply actions

Berry hasn't been credited with any sacks allowed this season.

It is still an Interstate from RT position to QB position. His man is past him before he can reach out to hold his man.

by Ransom_ on Oct 5, 2011 6:23 PM CDT up reply actions

I meant

on the active roster.

by Casey Byron Adkins on Oct 5, 2011 6:47 PM CDT up reply actions

I think your last 3 are pretty subjective.

3. There can really be any number of reasons for this team playing badly. Getting blown out extends to the previous season. One thing I’ve noticed in all of those games is that a couple of big plays early on pretty much takes our team right out of it. They don’t handle adversity too well.

4. The 0-4 Vikings probably aren’t the best measuring stick here. They have been awful in the second half of every game this year. Was Cassel more fired up in the 2nd half? Sure. But his performance is also relative considering this defense wasn’t very good.

5. Again, the 0-4 Vikings aren’t the right team to measure us against. The Colts won’t be either. I’m looking forward to the matchups against Oakland, New York, Pittsburgh, and Chicago to see where we are as a team. We may be a very bad team that just happens to be slightly better than the Vikings.

You may be right, but I really don’t think we “learned” those last 3. We may think it’s true, but that is not the same thing as knowing.

"You can't be fat and fast too; so lift, run, diet, and work." ~ Hank Stram

by citadelchief on Oct 5, 2011 7:05 PM CDT reply actions