Hind-sight is always 20/20, but I remember seeing this with forsight, and wishing that we had given the big contract to Jared over L.J. In fact, there were many people who fealt that way. I think that
was with me on that topic.
Jared plays football with the passion and enjoyment of a kid playing football at the park with his friends. If he doesn't get to the QB in time, the pass rarely gets past him, without his hands in the air, trying to get a piece of it. Often he does. Jared Allen has always been a play-maker on defense. (And two recieving TDs too.)
That is something that just can't be easily replaced. Often, it can't be replaced at all.
DE, in my opinion, is the absolute top spot, in regards to pass defense. If you can get regular pressure on a QB without blitzing, then you have a strong pass defense, Period.
If you have to blitz to get pressure, then you are leaving the defensive backfield under-manned for the coverage. And as Chiefs fans we can tell you, (Remeber '04, '05, etc. )that if you blitz and the pressure doesn't happen, then your pass defense is proverbial toast.
Jared is proven commodity as a pass defending DE, and he gives you the extra element that you would want from that position. He has become tough against the run.
Opposition chooses to run his direction at their own risk. Jared has become very well known to Chiefs fans, and opposing coaches, as a play-maker in run defense. Run at him, and hope that he doesn't get to the RB and cause a fumble, or run somewhere else.
As for L.J., I think that he is a good RB, but has seen the highs and lows of how offensive line impacts the performance of a RB. I think L.J. can make big plays, (I have seen it happen) but that he isn't going to be able to give you those big plays on a regular basis.
I think that the Chiefs are going to be forced to inject some talent to the O-line this offseason. I believe that we will get at least one free-agent, and possibly two first-day draft picks.
But it seems to be an unwritten rule, that a new group on the offensive line, takes about one year to assimilate as a group.
Hopefully, we will see
some significant improvements to that unit, immediately, and will get a glimpse of what Brodie Croyle, and Larry Johnson will look like behind our new O-line. I think that we will be able to see more from L.J. than from Brodie, as run-blocking tends to come easier to newly-formed offenslive lines, and we all know that Herm prefers to run the ball anyway.
Kinda runnin' off-track there, but...
I just think that we paid L.J. without knowing what we had, (Looked really good behind a great O-line.) and we ignored a proven commodity in Jared Allen.
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