Thoughts about today's game

[Zouk]

1) Everyone (including me) thought it was obvious that Damion McIntosh had to be benched. But Herm and Chan stood their ground that the O-line needed to play together and would get better. Over the last 3 weeks against good defenses the pass blocking for Thigpen has been outstanding. Branden Albert is playing great for a rookie who has never played the position before, and McIntosh and Jones have been doing a good job on the right side. None of this passing offense could be happening if the line continued to play like it did in the 1st 4 or 5 games.

2) This was the defense for most of the 2nd half of the game:

DE: Brian Johnston
DE: Wallace Gilberry
DT: Glenn Dorsey
DT: Tank Tyler
WLB: Rocky Boiman
MLB: Weston Dacus
SLB: Donnie Edwards
CB: Brandon Carr
CB: Maurice Leggett
SS: Bernard Pollard
FS: Jon McGraw

That's rookies from Valdosta St, Grand Valley St, Gardner Webb, another undrafted rookie, and 2 guys from off the street. The fact that the Chiefs were even close is amazing.

3) 14 rookies played today. That's 1 out of every 3 Chief players. And it doesn't even include Tyler Thigpen.

4) About Thigpen - it's obvious that Dick Curl ruins young QBs. If Thigpen was on another team he would be so much better by now. Still, his turnaround is the most surprising thing I've seen on the Chiefs in a long time.

5) This team will be really good next year if Thigpen is not a mirage. The young guys playing together will continue to get better. I would bring in a guy like Matt Cassel to compete with Thigpen, draft a pass rusher (Orakpo) in the top 10, and get another playmaker that fits our new offense (say Derrick Williams from Penn St. at the top of Round 2). And definitely a new special teams coach. But the team is really not that far off in my opinion.

[The Bad Guy]

Of course it's going to look like McIntosh's play has improved when Thigpen is getting rid of the ball on his 3rd step.

The guy sucks. He's the same lump of shit he was in the Patriots game, except his QB is bailing him out with a quicker throw and scrambling ability.

[Zouk]

Originally Posted by cdcox

Spread makes it easier to pass block.

I'm curious why you think this is true. I thought the story was that the spread can't be used as a base offense in the NFL because the rushers will overwhelm the protection and the DBs can sit on the short stuff behind pressure and force picks off hot throws.

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by Zouk

I'm curious why you think this is true. I thought the story was that the spread can't be used as a base offense in the NFL because the rushers will overwhelm the protection and the DBs can sit on the short stuff behind pressure and force picks off hot throws.

In the spread, the QB is supposed to take the snap, take a 3 steps straight back and unload. The QB is deeper on a 3-step shotgun drop than a 7-step under center drop. The defender has to get 8 yards up field in a very short time period to get to the QB. This necessitates taking a relatively short path. A short path necessitates a more predictable path, thus leaving the OL less territory to protect.

In contrast with the QB under center, the distance between the QB and DE is shorter, which opens up additional pathways. Plus it is more likely that the interior push will provide pressure when the QB is under center, getting the QB to make a move that the DE can see, but the OL can't. In the spread, the OL knows where his QB is. Makes pass blocking a lot easier.

Finally if the DE breaks free from the OL there is more space for the QB to scramble. Fewer sacks happen, and the fans assume the pass blocking must be better.

I am not a proponent of too many short throws, but that is another subject.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Zouk should probably kill heeself, just so there'd be one less dumbass around.

If only his commitment was that deep.

[BigRock]

Originally Posted by milkman

Damion McIntosh and Adrian Jones haven't improved.

Their poor play has been masked by Thigpen's mobility, his quick decisions, and good decision making, combined with more creative play calling.

They still suck.

The Chiefs are just hiding it better.

This is true on pass protection. It doesn't explain how the offensive line helped open up a running game that went for, I don't remember, like 150 yards against Tampa last week, though.

But there wasn't much on the ground today, so there's no point dwelling on that issue until they prove it wasn't a fluke.

[Zouk]

Originally Posted by cdcox

In the spread, the QB is supposed to take the snap, take a 3 steps straight back and unload. The QB is deeper on a 3-step shotgun drop than a 7-step under center drop. The defender has to get 8 yards up field in a very short time period to get to the QB. This necessitates taking a relatively short path. A short path necessitates a more predictable path, thus leaving the OL less territory to protect.

You totally left out the factor of backs and tight ends to help and chip. The spread is widely acknowledged to leave the QB exposed - that's why it includes all those screens and misdirection runs to slow rushers. Sounds like you're pining for the run n shoot, which was basically 5 wide and deep route combinations. Buddy Ryan would choke you.

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by Zouk

You totally left out the factor of backs and tight ends to help and chip. The spread is widely acknowledged to leave the QB exposed - that's why it includes all those screens and misdirection runs to slow rushers. Sounds like you're pining for the run n shoot, which was basically 5 wide and deep route combinations. Buddy Ryan would choke you.

I've never been a fan of the run 'n shoot. Some shot gun is okay, but running 5-wide on a consistent basis isn't going to win you many games.