Ron Edwards

I think everyone remembers earlier in the season how great Ron Edwards was playing right? Well, over the last month or so, he has really fallen back to earth.

I've made a note to keep an eye on the whole D-line and LBs performance and at the beginning of the year, the whole line was picking up the double-teams to make sure no one got on the LBs. That's why DJ looked like the greatest LB ever!

While Dorsey's still playing at an incredibly high level and Smith is playing alright, Edwards level of play just dropped down the tubes at around the Oakland game.

Most teams are quickly putting two guys on him and just blow him off the line and get to the LBs. The only reason it hasn't been a complete disaster is because Dorsey is cleaning it up pretty well.

The point of all of this is I guess I'm just worried that our run-D is going to start sinking slowly but surely. It's obvious now that we need to draft and NT, there's no question about it.

To wrap it up, yes I've been watching Tyson Jackson, and he's played okay when he's been in. About the same as Smith, you just don't hear about it.

Next year we should be in a good position to grab a decent nose tackle. We should be late first round, which means we won't be reaching like we would have this year

Stat wise, his worst weeks were 5, 7, and 8, where he posted goose eggs. But the last three weeks he's been making tackles.

Unfortunately for Ron, stats alone do not indicate play, and I think Three7s is absolutely correct. If only there was some other 1st round draft pick who could play end, so that Smith could move into the middle...

Your right. He started off playing great, but unfortunately he has probably been in the games alot more than he needs to be because of lack of quality depth. And at his age, it is starting to show. Hopefully Tyson Jackson will get his stuff together so we can put him back in the starting lineup, and maybe rotate Smith in more at NT because Toriobo (spelling?) has not been effective whatsoever.

I think the worst thing about it is our LBers are being asked to do more now because of the lack of control up front, which in turn is giving our secondary alot more to clean up..very bad for a secondary that is missing their 2 smartest player, McGraw and Flowers.

And now with Flowers out, we wont be able to send Arenas and Berry after the QB as much as we were at the start of the season, which is a huge blow to our pass rush, considering there is nobody else outside of Tamba getting to the QB. ugly chain reaction when it all starts up front

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Originally Posted by MDChiefs!

Your right. He started off playing great, but unfortunately he has probably been in the games alot more than he needs to be because of lack of quality depth. And at his age, it is starting to show. Hopefully Tyson Jackson will get his stuff together so we can put him back in the starting lineup, and maybe rotate Smith in more at NT because Toriobo (spelling?) has not been effective whatsoever.

I think the worst thing about it is our LBers are being asked to do more now because of the lack of control up front, which in turn is giving our secondary alot more to clean up..very bad for a secondary that is missing their 2 smartest player, McGraw and Flowers.

And now with Flowers out, we wont be able to send Arenas and Berry after the QB as much as we were at the start of the season, which is a huge blow to our pass rush, considering there is nobody else outside of Tamba getting to the QB. ugly chain reaction when it all starts up front

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Yep, right now is proof on the field that if you run a 3-4, you HAVE to have a capable NT. If we had one, we'd have one heck of a defense. I guarantee it.

I agree 100%. I was bummd we didnt grab a single one in the draft, but I guess we cant fix it all in one season, not with all the holes we had. Big Pat Williams will be a UFA after this season, I wonder if he still has enough left in him to go back to playing NT..I know hes old, but we need to add some bodies at that position in a bad way. Becaus like you said, you need a capable NT commanding the double team so the rest of the defense can do their job more effectively

With Jackson being out so long, the normal rotation had to be screwed up. With Smith starting at DE, he was not available as much to relieve edwards. Now that Jackson is back the rotation should get better.
That being said, we still need a NT amd next years draft is not stocked with too many good ones.

He has been playing a long time. Not to mention he isn't a 3-4 player. His size makes him seem like he's a fit. But he isn't. In my opinion the entire line has been a question this year. It is a miracle they have played as good as they have. Dorsey has impressed with his transition. But we need 2 more solid players opposite him. I'm not a fan of the 3-4 myself.

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Originally Posted by MDChiefs!

Smith in more at NT because Toriobo (spelling?) has not been effective whatsoever.

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Who?

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Originally Posted by MDChiefs!

And now with Flowers out, we wont be able to send Arenas and Berry after the QB as much as we were at the start of the season, which is a huge blow to our pass rush, considering there is nobody else outside of Tamba getting to the QB. ugly chain reaction when it all starts up front

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Sure someone else has been getting to the QB- his name, is Wallace Gilberry! :chiefs: