First Priority? Time of Possession, Ball Control
 

Do I think we need to return to Martyball? Not at all. However, after 5 games two things are clear:

1. First downs should be our offense's first priority. We need to better utilize passes to our RBs, and more two RB sets. Running to the left behind Dunn, TRich, Waters and Roaf should be the staple of our game plans: make them stop us. Don't give up on it after one or two serioes either. It's more boring, but it's our strength.

We've become spoiled with the big plays and quick strike capability of the past three years or so...and I do think we can get some of that back--especially once we establish the run. However, either Defensive Coordinators have caught up to us, or age has taken it's toll. Shields is getting beat on occaision, and Holmes and Gonzalez have either "lost" a step or teams have figured out how to better game-plan for them.

2. Although I think the defense is better, and will continue to improve....we need to take a page from Marty and Bill Parcels book, by keeping the defense off the field as much as possible. I like what we've done with turn-overs this year, and it saved our butt yesterday--however we can't count on that every week. The next best plan is ball control....keeping our offense on the field, grinding out first downs. That's when we've been at our best so far this year.

IMHO, TOP and ball control are now the key to our season...

Thoughts and comments??? :shrug:

Genau. These consistent 3-and-outs by the O is wearing the D out. The key is the O-line, and they have their work cut out for them in Miami next Sunday.

Yeah, 3 and outs are NEVER good; but with the Chiefs they're going to be devastating....unless our D gets better sooner, rather than later.

I think with the risks DV has taken with 4th downs this year shows he understands this as well.

Excellent post.

We should try to emulate the performances last year against Baltimore and Atlanta. If we play that kind of game and do it well, we are just about unbeatable, IMO.

I realize some fans may think, "well, of course....duh!"......

However, it doesn't seem like we are COMMITTED to first downs, as much as we should be. We are relying more on the bigger plays, the gimmicks, the gadgets.....going deep, when we need 7 or 8 yards; using Dante and Priest too much (especially on 3rd down) and hoping they make people miss; and holding onto the ball....looking deep, and getting sacked when a check-off into the flat or having WRs break-off their routes might have made the third down more "doable."

I also think it's LONG-PAST time for Green to be able to "audible" when he sees something he doesn't like.....the Philly game proved that.

We actually got to see some of that on the first series yesterday. We thought there was something weird going on and Saunders was trying to send a message of confidence in Trent by letting him go no-huddle and letting him audible some calls. Turns out it was just the head sets messed up. We did look pretty good on that first series with the no huddle, though. Until we got in the red zone, and Trent called a timeout to regroup. :banghead:

Watching the Seattle game last night, I too started thinking we should start running a more traditional, West Coast, dink and dunk type Offense. Just concentrate on picking up 4-5 yards per play, including pass plays. Sure, take the occasional shot downfield, but hit lots of those quick slants and outs as well. Also try to get the running backs way more involved in the passing game, which has been a huge success of ours in the past.

That's exactly what I'm thinking.

It's not like we have a Moss or Owens type deep threat anyway. Yeah, Kennison and Parker need to deep once or twice a series to keep the "D" honest.....but why not utilize the players we've got, "better." Bo, TG, Wilson, Priest, and even Dante are most valuable in the 3-12 yd range.

That would only require 3 step drops in many instances, as well. That might help out our O-line until they get their sh*t together too.

Apparently, others are noticing it too:

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/8972708/1

In odd reversal, Chiefs must fix clunky offense
Oct. 16, 2005
By Clark Judge

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- I don't wonder if the Kansas City Chiefs have enough defense to make a run at another AFC West title. I wonder if they have enough offense, and I say that after they won.

The Chiefs haven't been able to get Tony Gonzalez loose. (AP)
It's just that something isn't right with the league's best operation of a year ago. It's the rhythm ... no, it's the timing ... the offensive line ... I don't know, but there's something that's just, well, off, and the surest indication is that Tony Gonzalez -- the best tight end in the business -- spent a second consecutive afternoon with two catches for under 14 yards.

Three games from midseason, he's still waiting on his first touchdown -- and, I'm sorry, but that's not the way it's supposed to happen around here.

"We're not where we ought to be on offense," said coach Dick Vermeil after the Chiefs ended a two-game slide with a 28-21 defeat of Washington. "Sooner or later it will come. But if it doesn't, we won't win many games like this one."

I'm not trying to sound the alarm, but offense has been the hallmark of the Chiefs for years -- whether it's Priest Holmes setting a league record for TDs or Gonzalez setting a receptions mark for tight ends. The Chiefs always produce on offense, and if you're skeptical, look at last year's numbers: Yep, that's Kansas City that led the league in yards and outscored everyone but Indianapolis.

The Chiefs were a machine, averaging 4.6 yards a carry, completing 66 percent of their passes and controlling the ball a whopping 32:14 per game. Only Pittsburgh was better. Oh, yeah, the Chiefs also converted 47 percent of their third downs, second only to Minnesota.

But times have changed, and the Chiefs changed with them. Now, quarterback Trent Green is absorbing more blows than ever. Now, the sweeps that yielded big yards for Holmes often produce little. Now, Gonzalez waits to make big catches.

Yards are down. Completions are down. Third-down efficiency is down. You get the idea.

"We're a lot better than what we've done," said Gonzalez. "Well, I don't know that we're a lot better, but we can play better. That's for sure. We've done it before. It's the same people out there. We just have to get back in that rhythm."

He's right. It's too soon to panic. Offensive coordinator Al Saunders has a history of getting things right, and besides, the Chiefs just produced a well-deserved victory where they didn't commit a turnover -- an abrupt departure, say, from their 37-31 loss to Philadelphia, where they had four.

But it was their defense that takes a curtain call for the latest victory -- producing four sacks and three takeaways, including one that stopped a sure Washington scoring drive and another that produced an 80-yard Sammy Knight touchdown return.

So the concern, at least for the moment, is not with the defense. It's with the offense -- in particular an offensive line that is older, slower and spent precious little time together this year. Guard Will Shields was hurt the first day of training camp and returned shortly before the start of the season. Tackle Willie Roaf just returned from a three-game absence. Jordan Black had to switch from right to left tackle, with Chris Bober and Kevin Sampson moving in on the right side. Now Sampson is out.

When Roaf was sidelined, the Chiefs were forced to keep in Gonzalez more than they'd like for pass protection -- so his numbers declined. I understand that. But on an afternoon when Roaf reappeared, Gonzalez didn't make his first reception until the third quarter, and then it was a 2-yard screen pass.

Sure, he was double-teamed. But you expect that if you're the Chiefs. You'd also expect others to step forward as targets, but Kansas City's two biggest catches Sunday were by a running back. Holmes had a 60-yarder for a touchdown and a 22-yarder to set up a score. No other Kansas City receiver had more than two catches of 25 yards.

"They were trying to get me the ball," said Gonzalez, the target of three of Green's first four passes -- and that's not including two others that drew pass interference calls on Wahington's Marcus Washington. "But even though I didn't catch the ball, I got P.I.s (pass interference calls).

"They're going to have to hold me -- that's how I feel. You're not going to stop me. Next week I think we'll convert those catches. I'm not disappointed."

Nor should the Chiefs be. Not yet. They are right there, one step behind Denver, and play the Broncos at home Dec. 4. But in the meantime, they can start improving an offense that on Sunday produced 10 or fewer yards on five of its first 10 series, failed to gain 100 yards rushing and didn't include top wide receiver Eddie Kennison, blanked for the first time this season.

"Am I concerned? No," said Green. "We're not having the success on first and second downs. We're putting ourselves in third-down situations. The whole Larry-Priest thing (the Chiefs play Holmes two series and Larry Johnson one at running back)... I don't know if it would be better to go with one and just roll with it so we could get some rhythm.

"But we have Willie back, so we did more play-action dropback stuff that we haven't done in the past. Yes, we still have too many three-and-outs, and we're not accustomed to that. Over the last few years we've done a really good job of not having a lot of attempts on third downs. We've led the league in terms of fewest third-down attempts because of our success on first and second downs. So it really starts there."

It better start somewhere. The Chiefs have too much talent not to get this straightened out.

TOP, season to date: 29:56.....minus the Raider game, and we'd be allowing opposing teams a FOUR-minute advantage in TOP. :shake:

:cuss: