AP: Chiefs QB Thigpen facing crucial test in Oakland
 

Chiefs QB Thigpen facing crucial test in Oakland

By DOUG TUCKER, AP Sports Writer 14 hours, 2 minutes ago


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)—The 10-week tryout that dropped into Tyler Thigpen’s lap like a blessing from heaven is heading into the home stretch, and the results for the first player ever drafted out of Coastal Carolina have been mixed.

Sometimes Kansas City’s first-year quarterback has looked good. In a trip to the Meadowlands against the New York Jets, his numbers actually were better than Brett Favre’s. Sometimes he’s looked awful, such as the three interceptions he threw at Carolina and the three turnovers he committed last week in a blowout loss to Buffalo.

Most of all, if Thigpen is going to go into spring drills next year as Kansas City’s starting quarterback, he needs to win.

For the Chiefs (1-10), this is threatening to turn into the sorriest season in team history. Without at least a couple of wins these next five weeks, they might be hard-pressed to use what’s sure to be a choice first-round draft choice next April on anything but a quarterback.

“When you go to do all these contract things, a lot of people look at statistics,” Thigpen said. “It doesn’t matter if he plays good. Did he win? That’s the biggest thing.”


Since taking over when season-ending injuries knocked out the two top quarterbacks on Oct. 19 and thrust the former seventh-round pick from the bench to the playing field, Thigpen has done just about everything except win. But so have the Chiefs, who have lost 19 of their last 20 counting last year’s season-ending nine-game losing streak.

“In this business, it’s all about statistics and win-loss records,” Thigpen said. “That’s huge when it comes to it. If I can get that first win out of the way, it’ll help out a lot for myself and also for this team.”

A first-year starter coming off a terrible game could pick an easier place than Oakland’s Black Hole to try to get his first NFL victory. The Chiefs lost at home to the Raiders on Sept. 14, 23-8, when the defense gave up 300 yards rushing.

This time, the Raiders are 3-point favorites and fresh off a 31-10 victory at Denver, their most impressive showing since beating KC.

“It will be interesting how he handles it now, going out to Oakland after not playing like he’d like to play,” said coach Herm Edwards. “That’s another thing about this thing football team, and him personally, how we grow from that experience. How we deal with it. We’ve dealt with adversity pretty well at times, this young football team. This will be another step in what we’re going through. How we deal with it will be very, very important.”

Thigpen’s come close to getting that elusive first win. Working mostly out of the shotgun and flourishing in the spread offense that offensive coordinator Chan Gailey constructed on the fly for him, Thigpen threw eight touchdown passes and only one interception in close losses to the Jets, Chargers, Saints and Buccaneers.

Then came last week’s debacle against Buffalo.

Growing pains? The sort that might be expected from a seventh-round pick making just his fifth NFL start? Or was this the real Tyler Thigpen, the one who threw three picks in a lopsided loss in his first start at Carolina?

Growing pains, says nine-time Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez.

“He played pretty well as far as I’m concerned,” said Gonzalez. “He is still a great young quarterback.”

Along with his mistakes, Thigpen also threw three more TD passes against the Bills.

“He’s got a bright future if he keeps his head on right and he learns from this,” said Gonzalez.

Thigpen’s teammates are gaining confidence in their young quarterback even though they keep losing.

“He’s very poised in the huddle,” said right tackle Damion McIntosh. “I don’t think he gets rattled by negative plays. He had a few mistakes last week, but the games prior to that he was managing very well, making good decisions, getting rid of the ball and throwing it in the right spots.

“He’s growing. He’s confident in himself. That’s where I thought he needed work, and I see him gaining that now.”

I hope Thiggy steps up and forgets about last week. He just needs to focus on the here and now. Keep the ball out of Chokeland's hands and just get it to his playmakers.

I wish the writer either watched the game or knew what he was talking about. I would say the game was sloppy. I wouldn't say that Thig's play was "awful."

It's about time for him to get a W.

He still had 3 TD passes. Everyone seems to forget that. Manning could have the same stats and no one would say anything about it.

gotta have a defense that can stop someone in order to do that.

Just throw a TD every possession and you don't have to worry about that. ;)

God I hate Oakland.

No kidding! If KC was even a mediocre defense, Thiggy would have 2-3 wins by now.

you can't judge Thigpen by wins this year .... you just can't

this team is a huge cluster ****

Manning: 106 regular season wins, 7 playoff wins, one World Championship

NFL MVP (2003 (shared with Steve McNair), 2004)
Best NFL Player ESPY Award(2004, 2005)
Pro Bowl Selection(1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
First Team All-Pro(2003, 2004, 2005)
Second Team All-Pro(1999, 2000, 2006)
Bert Bell Award (2003, 2004)
1998 NFL All-Rookie First Team
2004 AFC Offensive Player of the Year
2004 Fedex Express Player of the Year
2005 Best Record-Breaking Performance ESPY Award
2005 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
2005 Byron “Whizzer” White Humanitarian Award
2005 Pro Bowl MVP
2007 Super Bowl MVP
2007 Best Championship Performance ESPY Award

Additionally, Manning has been named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month three times (9/2003, 11/2004, 10/2006) and Offensive Player of the Week on 16 occasions (15 AFC, 1 NFL/playoff).


Thigpen:





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CoMoChief - "Thiggy gets no respect."

Most of all, if Thigpen is going to go into spring drills next year as Kansas City’s starting quarterback, he needs to win.

I love these stories suggesting Thigpen has to win to have a job next year when his head coach has lost 20 out of 21 and is somehow entrenched as head job. How can anyone write up these stories with a straight face?

No coach in NFL history has gotten the kid glove treatment like Herm Edwards.

We lose this one and we're eliminated from the division race.

ROFL

If Thigpen can tackle McFadden at the LOS