Tall grass defeats the Chiefs DL

[the Talking Can]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chi...ry/738929.html

Chiefs’ Hali isn’t happy with first preseason performance
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star

CHICAGO | Tamba Hali felt slow. He couldn’t explain it. He ran and tried to do his normal thing, but his legs weren’t moving the way he wanted them to.

“I don’t know if it was the turf,” Hali said. “The tackle was perfectly waiting for me. I was able to work a couple of moves on him, but I just felt slow. I feel like I’ve got to get a rhythm coming off that side.”

And there it is. Hali admitted Thursday night that something felt different on the right side of the defensive line, that spot Jared Allen used to play before the Chiefs traded him. After they did, they overhauled the line. The Chiefs drafted Glenn Dorsey to play right tackle. The shuffled players here and there and — someone had to replace Allen and his 15½ sacks last year. Hali was the chosen one.

So, in his first game filling Allen’s shadow, Hali said he felt slow. The sacks weren’t coming. He said he’d been “hungry” all offseason for that first sack, and he’d been teased for the previous two weeks in training camp because defensive players aren’t allowed to sack their own quarterback. The Chiefs’ line had its first chance at another passer Thursday, and Chicago Bears quarterbacks Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman were ripe. Problem was, the Chiefs didn’t come close.

“We have one mind-set right now: Get off the ball and cause havoc,” he said. “This is no satisfaction.”

Hali said the Chiefs’ defensive line is still a work in progress. They’re still working out the kinks, with Dorsey healing from a knee sprain and the healthy players trying to settle into their new spots.

Maybe it was the grass that slowed Hali and the other linemen. Or maybe Hali was being too hard on himself, as tackle Tank Tyler said.

“Everybody feels that way,” Tyler said. “It’s the first preseason game. The grass out there is high. They’ve got tall grass, but it’s our first preseason game. We’re going to get better as we go.”

Something felt wrong Thursday night, but Hali said there’s time to fix it.

“As far as the line goes,” Hali said, “we’ve got to make a step.”

[the Talking Can]

we've created 2 problems trying to replace allen.... hali and boone are out of position....don't know why we moved either of them...

[KCJohnny]

I agree. Moving Hali was a bad idea. It would be better to start that rookie we drafted in 7th(?) rd or convert one of our speed backers to RDE (a la Derrick Thomas). Hali was a stud at LDE.
Of course, we haven't seen the DL with Dorsey in the middle - that should change everyone's game.

[Chief Chief]

Yeah, that tall grass slowed up everyone including Bears RB Wolfe on his TD catch-and-run.

[Color Red]

Not terribly obvious in the boxscore, this is probably the main disappointment from opening preseason.

[tmax63]

Keep it in perspective though. The Chiefs traded their best D player and the main player drafted to pick up the slack didn't play. The D held an inept Bears O to 3 points in the first half and that was on a short field turnover. The starters didn't shine like diamonds but, in general, they did get the job done.

[FAX]

There were probably chiggers, too. I'm surprised our defensive line was sufficiently brave to take the field at all.

This reminds me of that time that Gun tried to turn DT into a lineman or something. Still, even though moving Tamba may not turn out to be the best idea of all times and we probably should have either started a young guy on the right or found an RDE in FA, he's had plenty of snaps at that position to find out if he can play there.

Haven't we been reading in the camp reports that Albert was holding his own against Tamba? Some people thought that maybe Albert was great - others thought that maybe Tamba wasn't so great. Perhaps it's the latter. When you think back, Tamba had the injury excuse followed immediately by the sophomore slump excuse. Now it's the tall grass excuse. Maybe ... just maybe ... Herm's draft pick isn't all we initially hoped he would turn out to be.

FAX

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by FAX

There were probably chiggers, too. I'm surprised our defensive line was sufficiently brave to take the field at all.

This reminds me of that time that Gun tried to turn DT into a lineman or something. Still, even though moving Tamba may not turn out to be the best idea of all times and we probably should have either started a young guy on the right or found an RDE in FA, he's had plenty of snaps at that position to find out if he can play there.

Haven't we been reading in the camp reports that Albert was holding his own against Tamba? Some people thought that maybe Albert was great - others thought that maybe Tamba wasn't so great. Perhaps it's the latter. When you think back, Tamba had the injury excuse followed immediately by the sophomore slump excuse. Now it's the tall grass excuse. Maybe ... just maybe ... Herm's draft pick isn't all we initially hoped he would turn out to be.

FAX

I remember him being all over the field his rookie season, and i'm still pulling for him, but he's definitely not living up to his draft status, and is approaching that dreaded B word.

[the Talking Can]

Hali is fine for a strong line, but he can't anchor it....he should be your 3rd best DL ideally....

which is why they shouldn't waste time moving him....

[dorseybowe]

I think I saw a quail fly out of that grass. Brodie ran into the locker room to get his rifle, but returned to the field to find that Brian Johnston had caught it with his bare hands and ate it whole.

[Buehler445]

FYI, you shoot quail with a shotgun. Posted via Mobile Device

[alanm]

Originally Posted by KCJohnny

I agree. Moving Hali was a bad idea. It would be better to start that rookie we drafted in 7th(?) rd or convert one of our speed backers to RDE (a la Derrick Thomas). Hali was a stud at LDE.
Of course, we haven't seen the DL with Dorsey in the middle - that should change everyone's game.

Demorrio Williams used to wreck havoc at Nebraska dropping into the RDE spot at times on 2nd and 3rd downs to the tune of 11 1/2 sacks his senior year. Maybe they should try that with him on the left side.

[Demonpenz]

been saying it since draft day......BBBBBBB

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

FYI, you shoot quail with a shotgun. Posted via Mobile Device

I was about to say.....Croyle must be some marksman.

[StcChief]

Quail hunting at soldier field in the tall grass

excuses, excuses, excuses.