Teicher: Thigpen again plays well enough to win in a Chiefs loss

[Tribal Warfare]

Thigpen again plays well enough to win in a Chiefs loss
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

Tyler Thigpen again played like a veteran quarterback for the Chiefs on Sunday. Afterward, he also sounded like one.

“We didn’t win, so it didn’t matter if I threw three picks,” Thigpen said after the Chiefs wasted a three-touchdown lead and lost 30-27 in overtime to Tampa Bay at Arrowhead Stadium.

“We had a chance to win and we didn’t capitalize.”

Except Thigpen didn’t throw three interceptions. He threw none, but he did pass for one touchdown and caught another.

His play was certainly enough to encourage the Chiefs, who were eager to see how Thigpen would follow last week’s strong game against the Jets.

“He’s on his way,” said tight end Tony Gonzalez, who caught seven of Thigpen’s passes. “I’m not going to jinx him and say he’s arrived, but he’s certainly proven he can play quarterback effectively at this level. He’s surprised me, surprised everybody. He keeps playing like that, man, who knows?”

Thigpen helped the Chiefs to their initial first-quarter touchdown of the season, a 7-yard pass to Dwayne Bowe. He later caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Mark Bradley.

Thigpen was lined up as a wide receiver on the play the Chiefs installed just last week. Thigpen dropped the pass when the Chiefs tried it in practice.

“He didn’t drop it when it counts,” Bradley said.

Jamaal Charles was the quarterback on the play. He gave it to Bradley on an end-around.

Bradley, whose father, Danny, was once an option quarterback in college for Oklahoma, laid it out perfectly.

“It’s in the genes,” Bradley said.

Thigpen guided the Chiefs to 24 points in the first half, but they cooled off afterward. That’s similar to last week’s game, when they also managed only a field goal offensively in the second half.

“Maybe we just need to stay out there on the field and not even come in the locker room,” he said.

The Chiefs made liberal use of the spread offense again in an attempt to make Thigpen comfortable. He played in the spread as a senior in college at Coastal Carolina.

“I feel like we had a great game plan this week for me to feel comfortable in, and we went out and executed,” Thigpen said. “We had a chance to win, and that’s the biggest thing, giving yourself the chance.”

They didn’t, but they could hardly blame their quarterback for that.

[Chiefshrink]

Originally Posted by pr_capone

Neither... I'd say he is more like a taller Doug Flutie.

Damn even better!!

[Pitt Gorilla]

I would love to not select a QB in the first round this year.

[Chiefshrink]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

I would love to not select a QB in the first round this year.

I agree unless their is a Marino or Elway type available which their is not.

[DaneMcCloud]

Thigpen reminds me more of Randall Cunningham. He's mobile, athletic and has an accurate arm. Mark Bradley has helped to transform this offense as well.

The reason the special teams sucks is again, a lack of depth. The Chiefs need at least 2 more very solid drafts before they have the appropriate depth to have stellar special teams. Great special teams generally consists of first and second year players that teams are developing, improving and fighting for their chance to start.

Unfortunately for the Chiefs, all of those guys are on the field and when they're not (i.e. Brandon Flowers today), the team suffers.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by sportsshrink

I agree unless their is a Marino or Elway type available which their is not.

Matt Stafford, he's the closest thing to Favre/Elway when it comes to sheer talent

[chiefzilla1501]

Thigpen played pretty awesome today.

-Keep in mind that Gonzalez dropped a pass in the end zone that he should have caught. That's a 4-point swing there
-Bowe dropped a key pass on 3rd and 3 that just bounced off his chest
-Charles was the one who fumbled the ball away on another drive
-Thigpen threw a pretty pass to Gonzalez in the end that I thought the Chiefs got screwed on a PI call

Yup, I agree. This loss is not on the offense. There is no excuse for the Chiefs' defense and special teams to give the Bucs 23 points (I'm conceding the Charles fumble was a gimme). The Bucs offense is atrocious. I can only hope that this is the straw that broke the Gun's back.

[chiefsngop]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Thigpen played pretty awesome today.

-Keep in mind that Gonzalez dropped a pass in the end zone that he should have caught. That's a 4-point swing there
-Bowe dropped a key pass on 3rd and 3 that just bounced off his chest
-Charles was the one who fumbled the ball away on another drive
-Thigpen threw a pretty pass to Gonzalez in the end that I thought the Chiefs got screwed on a PI call

Yup, I agree. This loss is not on the offense. There is no excuse for the Chiefs' defense and special teams to give the Bucs 23 points (I'm conceding the Charles fumble was a gimme). The Bucs offense is atrocious. I can only hope that this is the straw that broke the Gun's back.

It's becoming painfully obvious that NFL officials are targeting Gonzalez for Offensive Pass Interference calls. Must have circulated amongst the zebra ranks that he was a known offender or something.

You can't make a big tight end play hands off non-physichal football when he's being covered by #1 or #2 CB's while being double teamed by bruising OLB's, huge handcuff....

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by chiefsngop

It's becoming painfully obvious that NFL officials are targeting Gonzalez for Offensive Pass Interference calls. Must have circulated amongst the zebra ranks that he was a known offender or something.

You can't make a big tight end play hands off non-physichal football when he's being covered by #1 or #2 CB's while being double teamed by bruising OLB's, huge handcuff....

At his core Gonzalez plays his game like he did when he was an All-American PF at Cal. pushing off is quite innate when playing street ball.

[Chris Meck]

Garcia never had an arm like Thigpen's. Never.

I'd say thigpen is in a Romo-type class. Not saying as good, just that he's similar tool-wise.

[FAX]

"Maybe we just need to stay out there on the field and not even come in the locker room,” he said."

This sounds familiar. Didn't Herm decide to keep the team on the field at halftime in a game last year? Or am I making that up?

FAX

[Mr. Arrowhead]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Thigpen played pretty awesome today.

-Keep in mind that Gonzalez dropped a pass in the end zone that he should have caught. That's a 4-point swing there
-Bowe dropped a key pass on 3rd and 3 that just bounced off his chest
-Charles was the one who fumbled the ball away on another drive
-Thigpen threw a pretty pass to Gonzalez in the end that I thought the Chiefs got screwed on a PI call

Yup, I agree. This loss is not on the offense. There is no excuse for the Chiefs' defense and special teams to give the Bucs 23 points (I'm conceding the Charles fumble was a gimme). The Bucs offense is atrocious. I can only hope that this is the straw that broke the Gun's back.

and what about the kickoff return