Where did the running game go?

Get DeCastro. I don’t care if Tyler Palko is in the backfield, if he gets 7 seconds in the pocket and can step up into the pocket because of an elite interior line, even he will make completions.
Frankly, I could care less about passing. I think that passing the football is not how football is meant to be played and I never, ever will. I know it’s a rapidly changing league we will have to pass to be successful, but if it was up to me the only reason teams would even have a quarterback would be to hand the ball off.
Sorry, just sorta got off topic. But it sorta grinds my gears when people say that we don’t draft an O-lineman in the first round. I don’t really care if it’s Reiff or Martin either, but it’s not a question for me that that’s easily the most important thing right now. Cassel has elite games when his line is playing well. The Indy game for example. If he can get in a rhythm with his receivers and clean. Palko even can do not pathetic when the line gives him some time. Orton picked apart the Packers (who have a very good secondary) not really because he was playing 10x better than Cassel but because he was getting 7 seconds in the pocket.
Take a look at the top 5 passing teams, will you? All of them have Top 10 O-lines, and they all have Top 6 interiors. Elite quarterbacks have a shit load of help from EVERYONE. Watch any Saints game from the past 3 years. Drew Brees literally can stand in the pocket for like 10 seconds, waiting for someone to get open. In 2008 Cassel was making teams look like children because he had the most clean pocket in the history of the world.
Kansas City’s got the elite receiving core, an elite group of RB’s (Jamaal for speed, McClain for blocking/short yardage, and Battle or a FA/Rookie for power), and a good QB (Orton), QB isn’t a dire need right now. If we can get DeCastro, we’ll have the elite interior QB’s pray for, or we can get Martin then grab Nicks or Grubbs in the free agency an have a great line, too. This not only makes the passing game effective, it strengthens the running game significantly and makes our offense more balanced. The defense, when in a good groove is about the best in the league. Why waste 4 draft picks on a QB who could potentially be good when we already have a QB and could draft a guard who could be the next big thing?

and he finally spent a whole 3 minutes researching his homework assignment and came up with this most awesome and almost intelligible post

and thank you, NN! seriously, Drew, did you not watch the Saints at all this year? did you not see Drew Brees with enough time to read War And Peace and THEN throw the ball? by the way, did you check out that Saints-Lions game where Thomas was blowing past the feared Detroit defensive line that was being eaten alive by the Saints offensive line?

do you not remember Willie and Will, Roaf and Shields? does Priest Holmes not ring a bell? how about Peyton Manning having time to find any WR he wants? seriously, if we can get Soliai in Free Agency our defense is pretty much killer set to go … yes, Drew, defense wins games AND championships … and yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

I love how people rant about Orton with the tired cliche “you want to settle for mediocrity!” while DEMANDING that the Chiefs take 2nd 3rd and 5th round picks for the guys who protect the QB and open holes for the running backs “yes, let’s wait til the BEST ones are ALL GONE!” as if that ISN’T settling for mediocrity

listen to your elders, Drew … we are wise beyond our years (and we’re plenty old, too!)

I may not agree with all of it, but it was very well done and you did your research. Always good to see a post like that over a 60 word block of text about someone’s draft thoughts when it should just be a comment in a thread.

This is a really good point you bring up, but I think there has to be balance. Run games and defense will get you to the playoffs, but you really need a good passing game to progress.

I have no doubt that a healthy Jamaal Charles all year would have gotten us a playoff berth. Unfortunately the results would be similar as 2010: our run game gets shut down by a playoff caliber defense, and our QB can’t do anything productive.