Chiefs defense this year. What do you expect?
 

The first year and a half of Romeo seemed we sat back in a lot of coverage. I am not saying we didn't blitz but it appeared anyway we didn't do it a whole lot relying on Hali to be the man. Last year the NE game we started blitzing like crazy, at least compared to what is seemed we did before. Particularly DJ seemed to start coming up the middle a lot more.

top three, they won't be on the field very long.

Going to be tough to be top 3 given our schedule. If Powe works out though it could be a huge boost towards that.

Hard to judge last year since we played so many awful QBs.

When it's all said and done I expect us to be slightly worse due to 3 factors:

1. Tougher schedule
2. Carr > Routt
3. Huge ****ing learning curve for Dontari Poe

Granted, but do you expect to see more of the coverage D or more of the blitzing D that we saw for the last half of the year?

Unfortunately the offense won't be either.

Our defense has 90's chiefs D potential. I think it all comes down to Eric Berry, if he can recover and get better, sky is the limit! Add in Houston who was beast last few games and Powe, I think we could have a borderline legendary defense on our hands.

uh, ST on the field for 50 min?

Also, add a 4th factor:

4. Last year our offense was shit, so teams didn't have to score as much.

That might not be a bad strategy.

It's going to come down to the front 3. Dorsey has progressed but we need TJ to really take that next step. I was watching Red Zone and they had Bill Maas on talking about playing in a 3-4 and how you ask your lineman to actually not explode off the ball but to hold a gap. He said it's pretty much against everything you've been taught as a lineman but that's a 3-4.

Anyway as they were showing highlights they were pointing out how TJ still gets knocked off the ball and doesn't beat single blocks. That's where we need that improvement. Of course the NT position is a big ? but I think we are in a better situation than we were last year.

If we had any kind of an offense last year we probably still lose to NE but it isn't a blow out given how the defense started that game. We also beat the Steelers as well. Inuries and the Palko Plague really ****ed us in a few games, that's for sure.

Pete, I expect you to bitch about the defense, regardless of whether or not the finish #15 or #1 overall.

I'll try not to let you down, big guy! :D

Pain.

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...a6e79122cffff8

The secondary as a whole compared to last season's will be better.

Routt, Berry, Flowers, Lewis > Carr, Sabbi/McGraw, Flowers, Lewis

And because of our bad offense the defense had to play that much more. Improved offense with Charles back means less time on the field and an improved defense.

Luis Castillo just got cut, I wouldn't mind swooping him up right now

16 shutouts.

Are you guys talking about Powe or Poe? I've seen people mention Powe twice in this thread, and I'm not sure if they mean Jerrell or Dontari

There. It's fixed now.

If you're gonna go for it then GO FOR IT ALL

Um yeah! I get them confused, I was referring to Dontari.

When the **** did Dane come back!?

THIS
but they ain't gonna get much rest between series,
unless charles and hillis rack up a couple hundred yards a piece per game

with the last 4 years MVP Colquitt and Mr irrelevant on the field how can we lose ?

I expect a top ten defense!!!!!!! GO CHIEFS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I dont expect us to be as aggressive as we were the last half of the season.

The difference between trying to win a job, and keep a job.

Seriously, how much learning does it take to play nose tackle. I would think being a 380 beast with the responsibility of collapsing the pocket takes the brain function of a bag of hammers.


I don't think we'll miss Carr as much as everyone thinks and I welcome a tougher schedule, it will make us a better team and if we get a playoff spot which we will because we will beat Denver twice, it will give us a better shot to go deeper.

I expect them to win.

if the Offense can do better at converting third downs this defense could be top Five.

IMO there are five key factors to our defense being great.

1. Safety play. Berry is back, and instantly improves last years good defense. Lewis showed a lot of potential last year and really turned it on towards the end of the year.
2. If Houston plays at the level he did the last few games, Tamba and Houston could be one of the best pass rushing duos in the league this year. Our line backers will be the strength of our Defense. DJ, Houston, and Tamba will be fun to watch. The wildcard is who will step up and be our fourth ?
3. Corner play dropped of just a bit, but not too much. I expect Brandon and Rout to play a lot more man with tighter coverage IF Houston and Tamba are able to consistently pressure the QB it makes tighter outside coverage possible. Alot depends on how we play in nickle coverage and who our nickle CB will be. Arenas was okay last year, but he needs to start improving. With the amount of passing going on in the league, its important for a teams nickle CB to be at almost the same level as the starting CBs. We addressed this need in the draft, lets hope it pans out.
4. Offense putting points on the board, and converting 3rd and short consistently. Eazier said than done.
5. D Line. The difference between this D being outstanding/great and middle of road falls on those three guys up front . If Poe is able to provide pressure we dominate, if Poe cant we're a top 15-10 D.

Chiefs defense was better last year when Berry was out than in 2010 when he was playing- He did lead the league in touchdowns given up by safeties- Need to see if he will improve in that category

As good as the D played at times, they were often out-coached several times giving up TDs on opening drives.

Somewhere between 5 and 10 in points and yards.

It should be very good.

Matt Cassel is the key to all of this.

If we can cut down on the 3 and outs, should help the D immensely. We should have more push with our line on passing downs, better help from safeties, and a full year of Houston creating a double threat.

Faider D will be a bottom 5 unit. Enjoy!!!

our time (defense)!!!!!!

bend but don't break

Main Entry: dom·i·nate
Pronunciation: \ˈdä-mə-ˌnāt\
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): dom·i·nat·ed; dom·i·nat·ing
1 : rule, control
2 : to exert the supreme determining or guiding influence on
3 : to overlook from a superior elevation or command because of superior height or position
4 a : to be predominant in b : to have a commanding or preeminent place or position in
intransitive verb
1 : to have or exert mastery, control, or preeminence
2 : to occupy a more elevated or superior position
— dom·i·na·tive \-ˌnā-tiv\ adjective
— dom·i·na·tor \-ˌnā-tər\ noun

I actually expect them to struggle a little until Cassel gets sat the **** down or starts to live up to that fat wallet of his.

I was arguing with a friend that's an Eagles fan about our defense. I basically said ours had more talent and was better overall. I was a bit surprised to find we had allowed something like 21.1 ppg last season (the Eagles allowed 20.5, IIRC). I'm on my phone now so would anyone be willing to calculate our defenses ppg allowed for the final 8 games?

I think Routt will be just fine down the stretch as a #2. We could end up around 10. The backs have to tackle.
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I expect top 5.

Routt is the only piece that worries me...

I think the development of Jerrel Powe, as well as any contribution from Dontari Poe, is going to be vital to the continued development of this defense.

No one is talking about JP, but I've siad this before, he looked like the best NT on the field in the preseason last year, and I can not understand this team's hesitation to put late round rookie linemen on the field during the regular season, but it appears that is how they feel is the best way to develop those guys.

I am really looking forward to the preseason to see how Powe has progressed.

17.6 ppg

Two games against Tim Tebow, one against Caleb Hiney.

Convenient.

14 pts vs. Aaron Rodgers.

Suck it, bitch.

:)

89 points against Fitzpatrick and Stafford and 20 against Tebow. That's how it works.

That's admirable, but a statistical outlier.

It's embarrassing that we allowed 17 at home to Tebow.

A good defense should do what we did to Tebow in Week 17 every time.

Not that Week 9 at Arrowhead bullshit.

I hope you are right.

I think it could be very good. We'll start out slow with the new pieces in place probably but we'll gel and get better as the season goes on. The better Cassel and the offense plays, the better the defense is gonna look no matter what.

I imagine we will continue our bend but don't break mentality. Considering the Qbs we are up against, our yards per game stat won't be as nearly as important as points per game. Similar to NE last year. They gave up a ton of yards but ranked much better in points.

Optimism is good... but lets be real here fer a sec

Week 1 vs the Bills the Chiefs got blown out 41-7

Week 2 vs the Lions again they were blown out 48-3

Both games Cassel and Charles played.. there were no excuses then, and they mustered up a mere 10 points in 2 games

And the Defense?

They gave up damn near 100 points in 2 games

I find it difficult to believe that Stanford Routt and a rookie that's never taken an NFL snap in his career would have held the Bills and Lions to 13 points

The Bills now have Mario Williams

Someone convince me how things have changed when the Chiefs go to Buffalo in week 2

JC was injured early vs Detroit. That game was close until Cassel started giving the ball away.

I'm a firm believer that this is, at best, a 7-9 team this year.

I'm also a firm believer that responding to a Raider troll with a serious post is a waste of time.

But, I've got time to waste, so what the hell.

What has changed is preparation.

Todd Haley took a different approach to the shortened traing camp from every other coach in the league, a more relaxed, almost OTA style approach, in an effort to minimize injuries going into the season.

The end result was a team that was ill prepared to start the season, and that team paid for that mistake.

It's all good man

Not trolling- just making a point

I'd also like to point out a very telling stat

Are you aware?? That in the last 5 years from 2007-2011

The Chiefs have only beaten 3 teams that finished over .500??

What really stood out to me this past season was the enormous change in preparedness, intensity and professionalism when Romeo Crennel and Kyle Orton took over the team.

The team was focused and determined, something I hadn't seen from a Chiefs team since early 2010, especially the offense. Even with a severely depleted roster, Crennel was somehow able to get more out of this team than Todd Haley did in the three plus years he served as head coach.

I could be completely off-base and it's way, way too early to make any kind of solid prediction, especially because no one knows how Berry, Charles and Moeaki will respond to their off-season surgeries, but I am very optimistic about the 2012 season.

7-9 would be a major disappointment, IMO. If this team is healthy, I think a playoff win is likely, even with Cassel at the helm. They're just loaded at talent at nearly every position and young players like Allen, Poe and Menzie may surpass the veterans ahead of them earlier than some might expect.

And the defense could be special.

Hey. This is optimism. Its not permitted here.

:)

I say 10 wins.

Are you aware of that fact that since 2007, in a QB driven league, this team has trotted out absolute garbage at QB?

I believe this team has the talent to compete with any team in the league.

I also belive that Romeo Crennel is better prepared, and more organized overall than Todd Haley, but he also has some issues with strategy at crucial times that could hurt this team.

I also believe in close games, when it is time for the QB to step up and make plays, we are going into a gunfight with a water pistol.

If (and I realize that it's a big if), Charles, Moeaki and Berry return to form during training camp, Houston and Baldwin make the next step, Menzie is equal to or greater than Lewis and Daboll "coaches up" Cassel, this could be a 12 win team.

I expect this defense, especially around mid-season, to be in beast mode. There's SO much talent and I think Romeo will have them focused and playing hard from Game One.

Well, you got me there! :)

We've all discussed Cassel's inadequacies for years, so it really doesn't bear repeating. But Daboll did a fine job last year, especially at about game 6 or so with a similarly limited QB, so all we can hope for is a similar performance from Cassel.

It's such a shame because Cassel has the work ethic, drive, determination, body and physical ability to be a top tier QB, but he's lacking the mentality and football smarts to get there.

People have said over the years "Well, if Dilfer can win a Super Bowl" without realizing he's the Anti-Cassel: Football smart, not physically gifted.

You can win with a physically limited QB.

You can not win with a QB that can not grasp the mental part of the game.

Exactly.

But despite Cassel's obvious limitations, I truly believe that the 2012 Chiefs could win 12 games, IF Cassel is managed properly. Daboll showed he could effectively deal with a limited QB in 2011 and I think he and Crennel are smart enough to work around his abilities.

Plus, I really believe that Crennel will only accepts so many losses at the hands of Cassel before yanking him for good. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy, at least at this point in his career, that is going to accept defeat at the hands of his QB for too long.

This is exactly right.
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^-- this, then

^--- this

You can't compete with any team in the league with absolute garbage at QB

You said it, not me....

Except that QB can only take you so far. It has to be a good mixture of both. Rodgers has both, Brady has both, The Rapist has both.

Trent Green was a physically limited QB, but he had the mental part down. That's why he wasn't a true franchise QB, he was a game manager 2.0, Flacco on meth, you get the idea.

Yeah, the Steelers looked real impressive against Denver.

Let me clarify.

When I say this team has the talent to compete, I am talking about the overall talent on this roster.

When I say you can not win with a QB that lacks the ability to grasp the mental part of the game, I am talking about sustaining success and competing for championships.

You can win a lot of games with a superior running game and good defense.

But to win when it counts the most, you must have the QB.

Joe Montana wasn't physically gifted.

He was relatively small, and had a relatively weak arm.

Drew Brees also has those same limitations.

Two of the best QBs ever because they excel/led mentally.

I'd agree

Some interesting stats

Cassell was ranked 24th in QB rating in 2011

20th in completion %

Threw 10 Td's and 9 picks in 10 games

Sacked 22 times in just 10 games

75% QB rating last year

I'm a big beliver in 3rd down conversions- when you look at all the consistant teams every year that go deep into the playoffs.. they all have something very in common

3rd down conversions- Steelers, Packers, Patriots etc..they are always in the top tier every year settling in at almost 50%

Cassell was at 35% and ranked in the lower rankings of all QB's

Having a good solid defense is important- but like you said- and you are correct- It's a QB league.. and if you dont have one... you wont win...There's an occasion anomoly like Tebow and Dilfer- but when the dust settles, usually the teams we see late in Jan or early Feb on TV are teams with the top QB's in the league-

Over/Under on Palmerceptions. I'll start the line at 20.

This is all new information.

In a thousand Cassel threads, and a shit load of other threads that started out as unrelated to Cassel, these stats, and other even more damning ones, have never been discussed.

2010 was Palmers worst year as a QB, throwing 20 int's

He was 3rd in the NFL that year in throwing interceptions...

Who was 1st and 2nd you ask?

Eli Manning and Drew Bress

And Peyton Manning threw 2 less int's than Palmer

In fact, Eli Manning has been in the top 3 in int's the last 3 years-

Maybe we should call it Manningceptions?

If you win SBs, it don't matter how many INTs you toss.

Those guys are special and are franchise QBs. You can get by with those limitations if you're special. I was going for a lesser example lol like a Trent Green or a Flacco. Both those guys just weren't/aren't special but they were good enough to be game managers. :thumb:

That's was the entire point of my post.

The bottom line is, you can win with a QB that has limitations physically if he has a superior grasp of the mental aspects of the game.

I am not so sure that this Chiefs team couldn't win with Green at QB.

You guys are bidding with monopoly money

All this talk of 12 and 13 wins and being able to compete with any team is delusional -

How do the Chiefs give up almost 100 points in 2 games last year, add a CB that led the league in penalties and banking on an over rated rookie DT gonna now all of a sudden be considered a top 5 defense??.. how is this possible especially considering they were dead last in the NFL in scoring points

Have you seen the Chiefs first 8 games? It's frekin brutal.. Falcons, Bills, Saints, Chargers, Ravens, Bucs, Raiders, Chargers again and then the Steelers

The Raiders game is in Arrowhead...

The Raiders are 5-0 the last 5 years in Arrowhead- so expecting an easy W is fantasy

I could see the Chiefs splitting with the Chargers

Seriously, I would be very surprised if the Chiefs came outta that 8 game stretch with 3 wins, I see them coming out with just 2 wins - Bucs, and Chargers, I just don't see them beating the Falcons or the Bills whom put up 43 points on the Chiefs last year and just added Mario Williams- with exactly the same team you have now except for Routt and a rookie DT

Here's another stack of monoply money.. bet away young man.. move it all to the middle of the table

And let's not forget that Flacco was one perfectly thrown dropped pass away from eliminating Tom Brady in the AFC Championship game.