Mellinger nails it. Great article.
 

Sam Mellinger | One team looks better at QB, and it’s not Chiefs
BY SAM MELLINGER
The Kansas City Star

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/24...#storylink=cpy

You could run your finger up and down the Chiefs roster and wherever you choose to stop be fairly certain it will be on a player who looked rotten in what is traditionally the least unimportant preseason game. The frustration is real but might be fleeting.

Fifteen days separate the despair of this morning from the hope of the season opener, and that’s like two months in NFL time. But the Chiefs were absolutely throttled by the Seahawks, 44-14, and whatever the maximum amount of concern you think is appropriate for a preseason game that included no torn knees is appropriate for this one.

This was embarrassing, but there’s time for much of it to fade.

Here’s something that’s not going anywhere before the season opener, and probably not for long after: the Chiefs are four years into making up for a limited quarterback in a league full of better options.

Like, you know, Russell Wilson.

Six months ago, Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli made a point to promise better quarterback competition.

Five months ago, the Seahawks signed free agent Matt Flynn to a $19 million contract.

Four months ago, the Seahawks drafted Wilson in the third round.

They did it one pick after the Chiefs took an offensive lineman they think might play — next year. In other words: the Chiefs talked it, and the Seahawks walked it.

At a time like this, you can focus on any one of a million things to be ticked off about with the Chiefs. Brandon Flowers’ injury is showing no signs of healing, and Jalil Brown is showing no signs of being up to the job. The Chiefs didn’t force as much as one punt in until Tarvaris Jackson played the fourth quarter. Tamba Hali was called for two personal fouls. Dwayne Bowe didn’t impress, Tony Moeaki whiffed on some catches, and Andy Studebaker whiffed on some tackles.

But as much as Matt Cassel looked comfortable in the first two preseason games, he took a significant jump back in what’s supposed to be the preseason game that matters — a little bit, at least.

He completed virtually nothing but short passes, got points just once in seven possessions, and turned the ball over twice. Even when he threw a touchdown to Dexter McCluster, the celebration jump left him landing on his rear. It was like an entire evening spent highlighting his biggest weaknesses.

On the other side, Wilson was everything the Chiefs haven’t had in a quarterback in the better part of a decade. He completed 13 of 19 passes for two touchdowns and no interceptions and two brilliant scrambles for 58 yards. Even if you take away the throw to Kellen Winslow on a blown coverage, it was a terrific night.

It was the kind of night Chiefs fans thought they might get more of when Pioli talked about improving the quarterback situation.

Those hopes went from Peyton Manning to someone in the draft to signing Brady Quinn — who replaced Cassel midway through the Chiefs’ eighth possession — as some sort of stand-in for legitimate competition.

Pioli did a lot of good in the offseason. Most around the team agreed Romeo Crennel was the right choice as permanent head coach. Eric Winston is an enormous improvement at right tackle. Peyton Hillis, Kevin Boss and Stanford Routt are all promising additions.

But there was effectively nothing done at quarterback — the Chiefs actually took a step back losing Kyle Orton to free agency.

And that, again, will be a major takeaway for Chiefs fans when the team fails like this.

If Wilson wins the Seahawks’ job — and the Chiefs gave him a highlight tape — he would be one of 15 quarterbacks drafted after Pioli took over in Kansas City to be a starting quarterback when the season starts. The Chiefs passed over five of those quarterbacks.

So much of what we saw on Friday night is light enough to blow in the NFL’s temperamental breeze. What looked promising two weeks ago looks awful right now and might look promising again two weeks from now.

But games like this, when Cassel fails and quarterbacks the Chiefs passed over succeed will weigh around this team’s neck like an anvil.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/24...#storylink=cpy

Couldnt agree more. It's all flat passes or 7 yard comeback routes, we never see a deep post, usually he only throws the ball downfield when he feels that the receiver is completely wide open. Not too many times have we seen him make tight throws into windows 15-20 yards down the field. If you want to score points in the NFL you need big plays, and Cassel loves to throw 4-5 yard passes.

Mellinger is such a blah sports writer. Whitlock would have concocted some racial undertone to grab attention

Now that is putting the hammer down.

Did anybody see the play where Cassel threw the ball to Jonathan Baldwin on a comeback pass in the backfield?

Glad we drafted Baldwin so high for that reason:doh!:

Give Cassel some more time. Anyone who knows ANYTHING about the NFL will tell you that you can't accurately judge a quarterback until at least Year 8.

I still can't believe Pioli left the booth less than a minute after Cassel fumbled. He was sitting in the booth bragging about Cassel for 8 or 9 plays and then as soon as Cassel fumbles they cut to commercial and Pioli leaves as soon as the game came back on.

That would have pissed me off.

lol

I lol'd so hard at that moment.

It's like everyone outside 1 Arrowhead Drive realizes or at least isn't blind to Cassel's limitations. I've seen too many passes out in the flats. The first read isn't there - turn and throw into the flat. Too many comeback routes, too many passes into double or triple coverage. I've seen too many passes arrive late thus negating any chance for YAC or worse allowing the DB/LB to recover and knock the ball away, tip it or int. I've seen too many plays where things 'go south' and the bed gets shat in.

Sure the receivers/backs could help Matty out by not dropping balls. I agree. However when nearly every throw is not on target or late it makes their job that much harder. Yes they are paid to catch the ball. Matty is paid to throw the ball Accurately and on time.

Show me a good/great QB that makes it harder for his receivers to catch the ball.

Good/great QB's help their receivers by throwing a catchable ball.

we need to use our first 4 picks in next years draft on qbs

This really shouldn't be a surprise at this point. Serviceable QB that needs a great running game and defense to succeed.

Welcome new Chiefs fans!

The one thing that EVERYONE should know that KC does not have complete confidence (as if there was any to begin with anyways) was that they were in a 3rd and what, 7 or 8 situation, and what did they call?

A ****ing draw.

The cat burglar called a shit-ton of those calls last year, because he has no faith in Cassel, and I cannot blame him one bit for that. I don't even have any faith in Cassel at all.

I think you're putting too much stock into pre season play calling. Hillis ran twice Charles got a few carries and they only threw a few to bowe. It looked like daboll was doing some experimenting.

Pre-season or not, the whole team sucked, period. They all were unprepared to play. The whole ****ing football team blew it today. So many ****ing opportunities that just was ****ing wasted.

That ****ing draw play tells everybody in the world that they have ZERO confidence in Cassel, yet we keep that little ****er around every year. Why is that? Oh right, because Pioli needs someone to wax him off. Then letting the goddamn rookie perform like he's a damned All-Pro, shredding our defense and doing things that Cassel could only dream. Along with Daboll's bizarre fetish of dumpoff/checkdowns is just getting really old quickly. And to top it off, our dumbassery Quarterback can't even celebrate right, as he just was high and away from his intended target and landed right on his ass.

http://cdn0.sbnation.com/fan_shot_im...casselfail.gif

So much ****ing fail, right there.

And I never understood why our General Manager is trying his damnest to try to make Matt Cassel become a ****ing hero every ****ing time. The Chiefs sure as hell didn't help themselves by doing nothing to address the most important position. Pioli needs to ****ing man up, and admit his mistake, cut that fruity bastard from this team, and find a legitimate QB that can at LEAST perform better than Cassel can.

If I was Clark Hunt, I would tell Pioli "If Matt Cassel is the starting QB next year, I will wipe that ****ing dumb-ass smile off of your rosey ****ing, cheeks, then I would have you escorted to your ****ing automobile: your ****ing Jaguar, your ****ing BMW, your ****ing Mustang, or a ****ing Buick! Doesn't matter, it's just four ****ing wheels and a seat! And I will find me a new ****ing general manager who knows how to properly identify a ****ing quarterback."

Shitbag.

right at the end of the gif, Baldwin sort of looks over at Matt like "Really??"

Experimenting, well he should just start covering it with sand. It looks like shit smells like shit smears like shit. It's shit.

Im really missing Orton now. Pioli was suppose to have competition but just brought in backups.
This team will never be able to come from behind with this coach killer Qb pioli has given us. King of dink and dunk you piece of s***!

Just die noob.

I stop watching the after the Seahawks scored their first TD....

He pretty much nails the article, one of Hali's penalties was such a travesty its hard to even comprehend though.

Well then good news for you. The Atlanta game you will probably only have to watch for 30 seconds or so.

That's something that I've talked about.

Matt Cassel, and every other QB that Bowe has worked with since being drafted by the Chiefs, are guys with weak arms and marginal accuracy.

It's tough to maintain focus and concentration on the ball play after play, after play, after play.

At some point, you're going to lose that focus because yo are trying to make a play.

First, letting Orton go will prove a huge mistake. Frankly, this game may have been entirely different if Flowers and Lewis played.

Wilson had ice bags on both elbows after his effort. Short lived fame?

The fact remains, this team can not compete with teams that can pass the ball.

You can compete if your O-Line isn't among the best (Steelers, Packers, Giants).

You can compete if your receivers are pedestrian (Pats).

You can compete if your defenses isn't top half of the league (Pats, Saints).

The one and only absolute necessity to be a SB contender in the NFL in this day and age is QB.

We don't have one.

So who are we sucking for this year?

He would be my pick. I bet he goes #2 overall

Bare our buttholes for Barkley?

Hell I think I'd get an anal tat for a stud QB if that's what it took.

We need Whitlock back. He would be shredding (rightfully so) the garbage we have at QB.

A hard decision needs to be made. We need to at least try to play our garbage backups in hope that something clicks during the regular season.

If it doesn't we get to pick high which will allow us to at least take a shot at a QB that has talent.

Playing Cassel will just put us in the 11-20 range every year. We know what he is, and it is nothing special.

This place would have melted down if we took a 5 foot nothing QB in the third. If Wilson turns out to be anything but ok for a little while I will be shocked.

I think we would have been optimistic, yet pissed that we only take late round QB's.


I am grasping for anything but Cassel. He is shit, and always will be.

Oh god NO. Barkley=Cassel=Sanchez

The decision is not really that hard. It just needs to be made.

You are right.


I should have stated,"A hard decison for Pioli". Any other normal human would have been finished with him a long time ago.

Pioli is destined to go down with the ship. I bet he was pissed they played so shitty last night.

Who to suck for this year?

I would have been pissed if the Chiefs had selected Drew Brees in 01.

I'm pretty sure I would have gotten over it by now.

Preseason or not, our varsity has just been bitched slapped hard by the Rams and the Seahawks. #2 may not be out of the question.

Pioli would probably trade down

Actually, he doesn't. Barkley is a pretty damn good quarterback who has elevated his play every single year even after Carroll left. The guy has all the intangibles and tools.

That being said, he won't be there when the Chiefs pick and, besides, I think that for this system, the guy who the Chiefs should really look at in the 2013 draft is Geno Smith of West Virginia. Freaking stud.

Yes it has. Our varsity defense actually.

Be prepared for Manti Te'o in the first and Tyrann Mathieu (who is very Brandon Flowers-ish in all aspects of his game and even better at the same level) in the second.

Pioli will pick up Dayne Crist in the 6th round as the Chiefs QBOTF.

they are a poorly run organization.

have been. for years. fifty years later, how many LEGITIMATE quarterbacks drafted in the last twenty?

....don't forget STH's get a dollar off concessions with their new card!!!!!! (that's your p(l)ayoff)

3 total yards for our offense by the mdpoint of the 2nd quarter isn't exactly a steller performance by that side of the ball either.

And you are probably spot on on your draft. :facepalm:

Baldwin - the guy who was the 'star' of camp and the reason we don't need Bowe - averaged 6 yards per catch...less than McCluster


just think about how ****ing stupid that is...

we don't even try - as a goof - to go deep to our WRs

That's just crazy talk. What if it was incomplete or intercepted?

They are very selective on calling for Cassel to go deep. Its just not his game and will never be. They say he has the weakest arm among the 32 starting QBs.

you know what they say, "if you cant take the heat get out of the kitchen".

Cassel can't even microwave a hotdog without cowering in the corner while shitting all over the place.

I like how Cassel runs over to his teammates, and tries to include himself in the celebration, and everyone completely ignores him. Cassel jumps to do the bump in midair, and there's just nobody there. Then Bowe finally looks over at Matt on his ass like "You dumbshit".

:D

Evidently the only way we go deep to receivers is against our own secondary in camp/practice.

"Cassel looks great in camp"


I wonder why? :facepalm:

I think the scene out of the movie evolution is appropriate here.

Fruit basket for Russell Wilson
Posted via Mobile Device

We simply won't win if we fall behind.
The passing game only includes screens and dumpoffs. No other NFL team has such a brutal misuse of true WR play considering the talent here.
Against teams with above average QBs we are f*****.
If the D doesn't click this year, we are picking in the top 10.

How is it even possible that everyone in the free world can clearly see what the biggest problem with the team is except the people actually running the team? It's truly staggaring.

On another note how is it even possible that Cassel pulled off the moronic flop on the celebration? I swear to god he almost had to try to do that.

It is a great article.

The Seahawks will avoid looking at the pricetag and go with the better player. The Chiefs always consider the tag.

It's just sickening.

We Chiefs fans can only hope that Pioli left the booth so quickly last night because his realtor called with an offer on his ****ing house. The bald headed prick can leave on the next ****ing train for all I care. Has he built a good roster other than QB? Possibly, although it's certainly debatable. But building a good roster at every position besides QB doesn't matter much when having a good QB is the single most important item for a team to possess in today's NFL. It's like having a mechanic who's good at everything but working on motors. Pioli made his bed with Marc Kasl and he'll hopefully be sleeping in it on the ****ing unemployment line as soon as the season ends.

Cassel shows how big Piolis ego really is.
Posted via Mobile Device

Credit the Seahawks. They recognized Jackson was a terribly mediocre QB (who, I might add, has a higher QB rating than Cassel). So they went out and picked up the best non-Manning FA and drafted a lottery-pick type player in Wilson.

We didn't do dick.

Pioli is basically resting his legacy on a so far mediocre qb. Its one thing to make a mistake. It's another to arrogantly defend your mistake.

What's compelling about russell Wilson is NOT that he is a lower drafted qb the chiefs passed up, as much as it is that the Seahawks made a move for Matt Flynn and still drafted a rookie and still gave that rookie a chance to win the starting job.

Pioli took 5 years to draft a fifth rounder. And he declared his starter before the preseason even started.

:clap: This - All day long...

The Chiefs should be farther along in year 4 of Pioli. They're not because of the QB. Most teams that hit rock-bottom the way the Chiefs did get themsles a young franchise QB. The Chiefs didn't.

i second it.

This

Unfortunately for the Chiefs they were rock bottom when there were only 2 QBs considered to be franchise guys in 2 years and they both went #1.

Yep. And most teams do recognize when they have poor QB play and go out and do something about it. I'd bet there isn't a team in the league that would have stuck with Cassel as ther starter as long as KC. Pathetic.

Yeah, but there were others out there. Just look at this year. The Chiefs could have had one. There's a kid down in Miami right now who has more pocket presense than Matt Cassel.

Do you really think SP hasn't learned at least a few lessons from the Hunts? When the heat is on, leave! That's why God invented Fiji.... Soon enough SP might move away from KC too; it's simpler to make bad decisions when you don't have to face your fans. A lesson the Hunts continue to teach the globe. Even if you show - don't "show" for long! RUN AWAY!!!

No matter what - at least for the Hunts - they will make so much coin for not producing on the field, FOREVER (!!!!), that it makes producing ON THE FIELD a a financial liability when the final numbers are tallied. IOW, whatever they'd spend in a cast of players who could win and bring in a little extra coin would FAR exceed the raw profits generated by doing nothing. They all know this, and they know the occasional bone, the occasional nugget, thrown to the crowd of starving fans will keep some of the seats filled. And, like getting congress to limit terms and eliminating retirements, you'll never get the consortium of owners to fix the bad owners. Those owners who care don't mind those who don't not fielding a team that might get in the way of their team's desires to win it all. Unfortunately for the fine people of Kansas City, we have two examples of such "uncaring" teams in one parking lot...

They passed on Tannehill?

Yawn, you don't like it? Root for the Seahawks.

What's sad is this: Ryan Mallett looked much improved for my Pats last night. We could trade you a backup QB again and send you Brian Hoyer, who sucks balls. And I think Hoyer would still probably step in and play better than Cassel.

Wilson may or may not be the real deal. He might be another Doug Flutie, a guy who manages to play taller than his size and win a lot of games on sheer talent and will, but who may never lead you to the Promised Land. But that's not the point; this is. And it's staggering when you think about it.

"If Wilson wins the Seahawks’ job — and the Chiefs gave him a highlight tape — he would be one of 15 quarterbacks drafted after Pioli took over in Kansas City to be a starting quarterback when the season starts. The Chiefs passed over five of those quarterbacks."

LMAO Yeah, and out of those FIVE whole quarterbacks, Dalton MIGHT be the only one worth a shit.

Thanks for playing.

Thanks for your crystal ball gaze, Zoltan. Did you ignore the part about 15 starters drafted? And do you know those five aren't worth a shit? Because Chiefs fans can sadly say that, while they don't know if those five will be shit, they certainly know their one IS shit.

Thanks for playing.

Mallet should have been the choice in 2011. Two touchdowns and a QB rating of 107.7 last night.

Of course, he had a stinker of a game against New Orleans two weeks ago but he is unquestionably more talented than Matt Cassel.

Not to mention they let go of Orton (who isnt the answer but a decent backup) and signed Brady Quinn - a downgrade. Pioli did not want a controversy at any point during the season. Cassel is clearly the best QB on this roster and Pioli made sure he would be. While on most other NFL rosters Cassel would fall to the #2 position.

Like Jack Harry said Cassel is here to stay. Pioli is not interested in upgrading the position at this time.

Be serious for one moment and tell me, truthfully, that you are satisfied with Matt Cassel as your QB.

You deserve whatever abuse you get on this forum. I would love to see Cassel succeed, but that was one of the dumbest ****ing posts I've ever seen.