The Chiefs Weakest Link

[dbolan]

In my opinion, the weakest link is WR's. Still, we have Bowe which is a good thing but I am not overly enthused about it because we have serious question marks with the rest of the WR corp. Engram may be a "go to" guy but he is not gonna be a game-breaking threat every time he gets the ball. Bradley, as mentioned in another thread, is still a question mark.

I think the O-Line is gonna be improved this year due to the addition of Goff (leadership and work ethic), Albert's seasoning and the new coaching staff.

What do you think?

[honda522]

I don't see how. DBowe got over 1000 even with butter fingers.

The weakest link is the defense. We could have won so many games last year but the defense failed. The new defense has yet to prove them self.

And without a defense we will not get close to the Superbowl.

[dbolan]

My stance is not somuch with Bowe. My point is that the rec. corp in general is nothing to be to excited about.

Our defense will be improved from last year. Our WR's are more questionable, to me.

[Seek]

The weakest Link is O-line. It has been since Willie Roaf and Will Shields retired.

The spread offense and mobility of Thigpen hid the poor performance from every player on the line. The lack of a running game didn't.

I agree the addition of Goff and additional year for Albert will help, but I still question if Brian Waters is on a rapid decline or if he just had two consecutive bad season, I still question if Niswanger is even a capable starter, and help us at RT. Taylor or Robinson, please step up. There is also zero depth. We need last years depth to start this year.

Also, Goff didn't hit the free agency market and get a big pay day instantly. That is a clear sign that he is on the decline. I can't expect a dramatic increase in production with him, but he has to be an improvement.

Matt Cassel was one of the most sacked QB's in the leage with a decent offensive line and some of the best receivers in the game. I know he got better as the season went along, but we don't have Patriot receivers nor their line.

It won't matter who is catching the ball if your QB does not have time to throw ball receivers won't have time to get open. Also, if there is no running game to keep defenses honest, they will apply even more pressure to the passing game.

[jmlamerson]

In my opinion, the weakest link is WR's. Still, we have Bowe which is a good thing but I am not overly enthused about it because we have serious question marks with the rest of the WR corp. Engram may be a "go to" guy but he is not gonna be a game-breaking threat every time he gets the ball. Bradley, as mentioned in another thread, is still a question mark.

I think the O-Line is gonna be improved this year due to the addition of Goff (leadership and work ethic), Albert's seasoning and the new coaching staff.

What do you think?

While our WR corps isn't great, our weakest links (by far) are our offensive line and defensive line.

On our OL we have a LT whose shown promise but hasn't logged a year at LT in a pro-style offense, either in college or in the NFL. Our older Pro Bowl LG is very unhappy. Our C also showed promise, but was a pretty weak link in 2008. Our RG is older and is in his first year with the team. Our RT is Damien F'n McIntosh. Our depth is pretty lousy too. We'll be better than in 2008, simply because Niswanger and Albert are older, and because Goff is 100x better than Jones, but we aren't "good" yet.

On our DL, we do not have a single player whose played his current position in the NFL. Tank/Edwards had trouble against single teams in the 4-3. How will they do doubled in the 3-4? Dorsey is quite a bit shorter than the average 3-4 DE, and has never played the position before. Magee and Jackson are rookies. We'll get there eventually, and we should be vastly improved against the run, but getting pressure on the QB in 2009 will be a challenge.

Bowe, Bradley, Engram, and Copper aren't going to be the greatest show on turf or anything. But they'll be good enough for 2009.

EDIT: What Seek wrote

[Chiefster]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHiU-ftFDwg"]YouTube - You are the weakest link, Goodbye[/ame]

[IlovetheChiefs]

Does it look like LJ will be a Chief this year? I had been worried we would lose both TG and LJ but since LJ is still here in mid July I guess it's promising he will stay. But if he does go, then I think we'd be weak at the running game. Kolby Smith is okay but not great. And Jamaal Charles almost always gave us a 15 yard carry each game but the problem is he only took about 5 carries per game. Unproven how he'd do with 20 or more carries a game.

[Big Daddy Tek]

While our WR corps isn't great, our weakest links (by far) are our offensive line and defensive line.

On our OL we have a LT whose shown promise but hasn't logged a year at LT in a pro-style offense, either in college or in the NFL. Our older Pro Bowl LG is very unhappy. Our C also showed promise, but was a pretty weak link in 2008. Our RG is older and is in his first year with the team. Our RT is Damien F'n McIntosh. Our depth is pretty lousy too. We'll be better than in 2008, simply because Niswanger and Albert are older, and because Goff is 100x better than Jones, but we aren't "good" yet.

On our DL, we do not have a single player whose played his current position in the NFL. Tank/Edwards had trouble against single teams in the 4-3. How will they do doubled in the 3-4? Dorsey is quite a bit shorter than the average 3-4 DE, and has never played the position before. Magee and Jackson are rookies. We'll get there eventually, and we should be vastly improved against the run, but getting pressure on the QB in 2009 will be a challenge.

Bowe, Bradley, Engram, and Copper aren't going to be the greatest show on turf or anything. But they'll be good enough for 2009.

EDIT: What Seek wrote

You know whats funny J? Every single point that you made is 100% un-arguable and right on point, but you have to admit that you have this little feeling in your stomach that with Clancy runnin the D, your expectations might be blown into pieces. With the off-set defenses that we will run (not a true 3-4 or 4-3) and if the coaches put our players in the right positions, we might be much better than you think. If they can get Dorsey some space on the end and maybe hide Tamba in and out of coverage zones or something, I mean you never know. New leaders on Defense, safeties flying all over in and out of blitzes and even the drafting of mature rookies that can transition quickly into the NFL. Blah, blah, blah you get the point, alots changed. This D might be something special.

OK, Honestly, Im probably at 95 % agreement with what you wrote, maybe even 100, but I hope that we are both eating crow 4 months from now!

[jmlamerson]

You know whats funny J? Every single point that you made is 100% un-arguable and right on point, but you have to admit that you have this little feeling in your stomach that with Clancy runnin the D, your expectations might be blown into pieces. With the off-set defenses that we will run (not a true 3-4 or 4-3) and if the coaches put our players in the right positions, we might be much better than you think. If they can get Dorsey some space on the end and maybe hide Tamba in and out of coverage zones or something, I mean you never know. New leaders on Defense, safeties flying all over in and out of blitzes and even the drafting of mature rookies that can transition quickly into the NFL. Blah, blah, blah you get the point, alots changed. This D might be something special.

OK, Honestly, Im probably at 95 % agreement with what you wrote, maybe even 100, but I hope that we are both eating crow 4 months from now!

Me too, man. Me too. I'd love nothing more than for the Chiefs to be this years Dolphins or Falcons and shock the world. I keep thinking to myself that if Haley and Pendergast can turn guys like Bryan Robinson and Mike Gandy into real players, then maybe they can do the same for Tank and McIntosh.

I might have written about our DL harsher than I really feel/hope they'll be. I think we have a very decent shot of being in the top half of the league in run defense. If Brown can be a stabilizing force at the FS spot, and our young DBs (Pollard, Carr, Flowers) can continue to get better, then we could have at least a respectable pass defense (top-20, maybe).

Our biggest problem in our front seven isn't talent. We have proven talent in DJ, Beisel, Vrabel, and Thomas, and potential in Hali, Jackson, Magee, and Dorsey. Our problem is that our players (except DJ, who needs to man up in 2009) are either at the beginnings or ends of their time at their positions. Time is the only way to fix that problem.

Really, if we end up in the top half of the NFL in run defense, we get 30+ sacks, and two of Magee, Dorsey, or Jackson look like legitimate (or at least passable) DEs of the future, then I'll be thrilled with our DL in 2009. If that happens, then we're just a NT, 2WR, and RT away from serious contention in 2010.

[Big Daddy Tek]

Me too, man. Me too. I'd love nothing more than for the Chiefs to be this years Dolphins or Falcons and shock the world. I keep thinking to myself that if Haley and Pendergast can turn guys like Bryan Robinson and Mike Gandy into real players, then maybe they can do the same for Tank and McIntosh.

I might have written about our DL harsher than I really feel/hope they'll be. I think we have a very decent shot of being in the top half of the league in run defense. If Brown can be a stabilizing force at the FS spot, and our young DBs (Pollard, Carr, Flowers) can continue to get better, then we could have at least a respectable pass defense (top-20, maybe).

Our biggest problem in our front seven isn't talent. We have proven talent in DJ, Beisel, Vrabel, and Thomas, and potential in Hali, Jackson, Magee, and Dorsey. Our problem is that our players (except DJ, who needs to man up in 2009) are either at the beginnings or ends of their time at their positions. Time is the only way to fix that problem.

Really, if we end up in the top half of the NFL in run defense, we get 30+ sacks, and two of Magee, Dorsey, or Jackson look like legitimate (or at least passable) DEs of the future, then I'll be thrilled with our DL in 2009. If that happens, then we're just a NT, 2WR, and RT away from serious contention in 2010.

Good stuff. Yeah, I love the future of our d-line or atleast the possibilities that exist and if we are talking next year, the O-line might not be too bad either. IF (big IF) Brian Waters can turn around his mentality, we have a great LG with probably 2-3 good years in the tank. We already know what we have at LT. Heres the deal breaker: Niswanger needs to solidify his spot this year. If these things happen, then we are going into next year with only 2 holes remaining, both on the right side. Now, Im just assuming that Goff is going to be decent when I consider it a hole, but in the end we might be a draft pick away from being a very good line.

One thing that we cannot over look is the drafting of Colin Brown. Pioli built the entire New England line off of mid to late round draft picks. If we get production out of him I love our chances even more. 2010 looks very promising