In the second installment of this series I'll take a look at the main receiving weapon on Kansas City. Dwayne Bowe had a breakout season of sorts in 2010. Can he keep it up?
In the first three seasons of Bowe'scareer there was a lot of inconsistency. While his first two campaigns were very productive (995 and 1,022 yards respectively), Bowe was constantly dogged by his critics for dropping accurate passes. Todd Haley showed up before his third season, and Bowe responded poorly. He showed up to camp overweight and started the preseason coming off the bench. Once the regular season began Bowe was a disappointment, mostly due to injuries and a suspension.In 2010, Bowe started off looking like the same old player; wildly inconsistent. It all came to a head in Week Five against Indianapolis where Dwayne infamously dropped a potentially game-changing touchdown. Many speculated that Bowe was going to be out of Kansas City sooner rather than later. However, after that game Bowe had an unfathomable turnaround. Following the loss to the Colts, Bowe went on a seven week stretch which saw him catch 13 touchdowns. Not only did Bowe grab the attention of this fan base, but also the rest of the NFL. He ended the year with 1,162 yards, 15 touchdowns and his first pro bowl selection.
Now the question looms, can Bowe repeat his success?
Dwayne has shown in the past he can string together quality seasons, but the stakes are higher now. He will have the full attention of defensive coordinators with all of the notoriety he and the Chiefs gained last season. On the flip side, Jonathan Baldwin might be able to relieve some pressure and not allow teams to roll coverage to Bowe nearly as often.
Another factor is how will the lockout affect Bowe? Will he maintain his physique and show that he's truly matured, or will we see a setback? I love to think that we're past all of the Bowe Show antics but I can't help but feel it still lingers inside. Bowe reached a new level of stardom last season; can he stay focused?
My verdict: Bowewill take a slight step back this season. I still expect him to have around 1,000 yards but I don't see him having 15 touchdowns again. The Chiefs aren't a team that throws the ball all that much to begin with and now with Baldwin I expect Bowe to see his targets decrease somewhat. While he's clearly the #1 receiver on the team until proven otherwise, the Chiefs have other weapons now at their disposal. Tony Moeaki is developing into a fine player and a healthy Dexter McCluster could also factor heavily into Kansas City's offensive strategy. Bowe will still have his fingerprints all over the outcome of games, but with more playmakers he won't have to do as much.