Teicher: Chiefs thrive against immobile QB's

tk13 · 12-08-2005, 02:14 AM

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/13354107.htm

In their POCKET
Chiefs thrive vs. immobile quarterbacks

By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

There’s another sitting duck playing quarterback against the Chiefs this week, which means it could be another big game for the Kansas City defense.

The Chiefs have generally fared well against pocket passers who are one-dimensional. They had plenty of success in recent games against players such as Miami’s Gus Frerotte, Oakland’s Kerry Collins, Houston’s David Carr and New England’s Tom Brady.

Scramblers such as Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb, Denver’s Jake Plummer and Washington’s Mark Brunell have given the Chiefs fits.

The Chiefs will see Dallas’ Drew Bledsoe in Sunday’s game at Texas Stadium, and there is no quarterback who is more of a classic pocket passer. Bledsoe still has a big arm and, when given time, can still pick apart a defense.

But he makes few plays after the pocket breaks down, something the Chiefs intend to make happen early and often Sunday.

“This is a good chance for our defensive line to go out and add up on the sack category and get some good hits on the guy,” Chiefs cornerback Eric Warfield said. “It’s all a matter of how well their offensive line protects.”

That’s what it usually comes down to for Bledsoe. He’s been sacked 431 bone-rattling times in his 13 seasons.

It’s all because he has trouble avoiding the rush. Bledsoe is so immobile he makes the Chiefs’ Trent Green, another speed-challenged quarterback, look nimble by comparison.

The Chiefs made Bledsoe’s life miserable the last two times they saw him. Bledsoe, playing for Buffalo at the time, was sacked five times and had four passes intercepted in two Bills’ defeats.

Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham generally prefers to blitz more against quarterbacks who can’t beat the rush with their feet, so Cowboys coach Bill Parcells knows what’s coming Sunday.

“We always expect with Drew being at quarterback that people will try to get at us some,” Parcells said.

The Chiefs wouldn’t be the first team to try to rough him up.

“Some of the teams we’ve played — the Broncos, the Eagles, (Washington) — have come and really tried to blitz us a ton,” Bledsoe said. “Because of that, we’ve gone to some quick passes and rollouts to take the pressure off our protection a little bit. Some of that stuff can help if you’re having some issues protection-wise. It gets you away from the pressure a little bit.

“It’s helped us some. It’s given us some plays through the course of the year. Sometimes that’s what you have to do if teams are going to come after you. The Chiefs are blitzing some, particularly on first and second down. They’re getting after teams a little bit. We’ll have to respond to that appropriately.”

After spending a 6-10 season suffering with the aging Vinny Testaverde and rookie Drew Henson, the Cowboys were looking for some stability at quarterback. Few are more stable than Bledsoe, who has been everything the Cowboys expected.

He can be difficult to protect because of his mobility issues, but Bledsoe is still more than capable when given time. He helped the Cowboys win an early-season shootout against the 49ers by throwing for 363 yards and two touchdowns.

“He’s still making some plays with his arm,” Warfield said. “One thing about him is that the guy is going to sit back in the pocket. He’s not going to try to scramble. He’s going to pretty much try to beat you with his arm and let the running game take over.”

The Cowboys have had their share of offensive-line problems this season. Left tackle Flozell Adams is out for the season because of an injury and right tackle Rob Petitti is a rookie.

They’ve tried to adjust by sending Bledsoe on some unsightly rollouts and making other adjustments that might help him get rid of the ball quicker.

“They’re doing what they can to keep him healthy and keep him protected and get the ball down the field at the same time,” Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said.

The Chiefs sound as if they would rather see Bledsoe on the move.

“Drew doesn’t have the feet,” Warfield said. “He’s not a big concern when he’s rolling out of the pocket. He’s taken a lot of hits during his career. That’s what he’s known for. He’s going to take some sacks, and yet he’s a playmaker. He makes big plays with his arm.”

The Chiefs set the tone in recent wins against the Patriots and Broncos with big early hits that appeared to rattle quarterbacks. Defensive end Jared Allen hit Brady hard on one of New England’s first plays and Brady sailed his passes the rest of the game.

Linebacker Derrick Johnson leveled Plummer last week and the Broncos quarterback was never the same.

Bledsoe is known for being a tough guy. He has to be if he’s gone down and picked himself up more than 400 times.

So he’s used to being a target — and expects to be one no more for the Chiefs than he is every other week.

“(The Chiefs) were still coming after Jake a little bit this last week,” Bledsoe said. “They were still blitzing some in that game. I don’t know that it necessarily changes a whole ton based on the quarterback they’re playing. It’s just the defense they choose to play.”

Hammock Parties · 12-08-2005, 02:26 AM

Teicher's a dumbass. Carr is extremely mobile.

Miles · 12-08-2005, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gochiefs

Teicher's a dumbass. Carr is extremely mobile.

Yep he is very wrong on that one. I would call Brady immobile either. He isnt a runner but isnt a statue either.

Alton deFlat · 12-08-2005, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gochiefs

Teicher's a dumbass. Carr is extremely mobile.

I agree that he is mobile, but I think their coaching staff is taking that aspect of his game away.

tk13 · 12-08-2005, 02:35 AM

Yeah I'd agree Carr's pretty mobile. What he should've said is the way they used him against us was almost like a pocket QB. Take a short drop and fire in 1.5 seconds. They were definitely afraid of us getting pressure and killing him.

Demonpenz · 12-08-2005, 03:18 AM

the carr thing jumped out at me too

greg63 · 12-08-2005, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

the carr thing jumped out at me too

...Cars do that if you don't look both ways before crossing the street.

Chromatic · 12-08-2005, 08:47 AM

We've really got to be consistant on both sides of the ball sunday. Facing Denver our defense, while making great stops, slipped a little. Facing Buffalo our offense completely collapsed.

Consistancy is the key for the rest of the season.

Warrior5 · 12-08-2005, 09:06 AM

Pulled this nugget off cbssportsline:

"Bledsoe and the Cowboys offense have been a different unit since 6-foot-7, 335-pound left tackle Flozell Adams went down with a season-ending knee injury in the sixth game.

In the six games Bledsoe played with Adams in the lineup, he went 124-of-196 (63.3 percent) for 1,649 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions. In six games without him, Bledsoe has gone 105-of-178 (59 percent) for 1,040 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions."

Wow, that's sounds familiar. Bledsoe will probably try to go with some quick passes before the pocket collapses, so our CBs need to be jamming their recievers at LOS.

Oh yeah, just a reminder Gun: I'd still like to see Bell on a gap blitz or two.

**HemiEd** · 12-08-2005, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chromatic

We've really got to be consistant on both sides of the ball sunday. Facing Denver our defense, while making great stops, slipped a little. Facing Buffalo our offense completely collapsed.

Consistancy is the key for the rest of the season.

The Buffalo game I watched had the offense collapse, I thought the Defense did pretty well.

Chromatic · 12-08-2005, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

The Buffalo game I watched had the offense collapse, I thought the Defense did pretty well.

Exactly. Being good on both sides of the ball is the key.

jspchief · 12-08-2005, 09:44 AM

This could be a good welcome back party for Ryan Sims. If he can push the pocket in from the middle, Bledsoe will be fooked.

I've also noticed that Mitchell has been blowing up blockers on the MLB blitz, but always seems to fall on top of the guys he blows up (like he's suprised by how easy they go down). Even if he doesn't keep his feet, it still collapses the center of the pocket, so Bledsoe can't step up into it.

This could be a good game for our D-line.

We'll probably get beat on a few deep ones, but my guess is Whitten will be the main target, much like he was against Denver. Our pass coverage in the middle of the field has been shaky all year. IMO, if Whitten has a big day, we've done our job on defense and will put our offense in a position to win.

It's time for this team to put together a quality performance on both sides of the ball, on the road, against a solid team.

Frosty · 12-08-2005, 10:15 AM

Witten is the main thing that scares me about this games. It doesn't seem that the defense covers the TE very well. Fortunately, it appears that Bledsoe has been ignoring Witten lately, wanting to make a bigger play down the field.

Sure-Oz · 12-08-2005, 10:33 AM

I wouldn't mind gettin Carr as our QBOTF!

Thig Lyfe · 12-08-2005, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

I wouldn't mind gettin Carr as our QBOTF!

He would be a top QB behind our current line.

12-08-2005, 02:14 AM	Topic Starter
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $1732500	Teicher: Chiefs thrive against immobile QB's http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/13354107.htm In their POCKET Chiefs thrive vs. immobile quarterbacks By ADAM TEICHER The Kansas City Star There’s another sitting duck playing quarterback against the Chiefs this week, which means it could be another big game for the Kansas City defense. The Chiefs have generally fared well against pocket passers who are one-dimensional. They had plenty of success in recent games against players such as Miami’s Gus Frerotte, Oakland’s Kerry Collins, Houston’s David Carr and New England’s Tom Brady. Scramblers such as Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb, Denver’s Jake Plummer and Washington’s Mark Brunell have given the Chiefs fits. The Chiefs will see Dallas’ Drew Bledsoe in Sunday’s game at Texas Stadium, and there is no quarterback who is more of a classic pocket passer. Bledsoe still has a big arm and, when given time, can still pick apart a defense. But he makes few plays after the pocket breaks down, something the Chiefs intend to make happen early and often Sunday. “This is a good chance for our defensive line to go out and add up on the sack category and get some good hits on the guy,” Chiefs cornerback Eric Warfield said. “It’s all a matter of how well their offensive line protects.” That’s what it usually comes down to for Bledsoe. He’s been sacked 431 bone-rattling times in his 13 seasons. It’s all because he has trouble avoiding the rush. Bledsoe is so immobile he makes the Chiefs’ Trent Green, another speed-challenged quarterback, look nimble by comparison. The Chiefs made Bledsoe’s life miserable the last two times they saw him. Bledsoe, playing for Buffalo at the time, was sacked five times and had four passes intercepted in two Bills’ defeats. Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham generally prefers to blitz more against quarterbacks who can’t beat the rush with their feet, so Cowboys coach Bill Parcells knows what’s coming Sunday. “We always expect with Drew being at quarterback that people will try to get at us some,” Parcells said. The Chiefs wouldn’t be the first team to try to rough him up. “Some of the teams we’ve played — the Broncos, the Eagles, (Washington) — have come and really tried to blitz us a ton,” Bledsoe said. “Because of that, we’ve gone to some quick passes and rollouts to take the pressure off our protection a little bit. Some of that stuff can help if you’re having some issues protection-wise. It gets you away from the pressure a little bit. “It’s helped us some. It’s given us some plays through the course of the year. Sometimes that’s what you have to do if teams are going to come after you. The Chiefs are blitzing some, particularly on first and second down. They’re getting after teams a little bit. We’ll have to respond to that appropriately.” After spending a 6-10 season suffering with the aging Vinny Testaverde and rookie Drew Henson, the Cowboys were looking for some stability at quarterback. Few are more stable than Bledsoe, who has been everything the Cowboys expected. He can be difficult to protect because of his mobility issues, but Bledsoe is still more than capable when given time. He helped the Cowboys win an early-season shootout against the 49ers by throwing for 363 yards and two touchdowns. “He’s still making some plays with his arm,” Warfield said. “One thing about him is that the guy is going to sit back in the pocket. He’s not going to try to scramble. He’s going to pretty much try to beat you with his arm and let the running game take over.” The Cowboys have had their share of offensive-line problems this season. Left tackle Flozell Adams is out for the season because of an injury and right tackle Rob Petitti is a rookie. They’ve tried to adjust by sending Bledsoe on some unsightly rollouts and making other adjustments that might help him get rid of the ball quicker. “They’re doing what they can to keep him healthy and keep him protected and get the ball down the field at the same time,” Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said. The Chiefs sound as if they would rather see Bledsoe on the move. “Drew doesn’t have the feet,” Warfield said. “He’s not a big concern when he’s rolling out of the pocket. He’s taken a lot of hits during his career. That’s what he’s known for. He’s going to take some sacks, and yet he’s a playmaker. He makes big plays with his arm.” The Chiefs set the tone in recent wins against the Patriots and Broncos with big early hits that appeared to rattle quarterbacks. Defensive end Jared Allen hit Brady hard on one of New England’s first plays and Brady sailed his passes the rest of the game. Linebacker Derrick Johnson leveled Plummer last week and the Broncos quarterback was never the same. Bledsoe is known for being a tough guy. He has to be if he’s gone down and picked himself up more than 400 times. So he’s used to being a target — and expects to be one no more for the Chiefs than he is every other week. “(The Chiefs) were still coming after Jake a little bit this last week,” Bledsoe said. “They were still blitzing some in that game. I don’t know that it necessarily changes a whole ton based on the quarterback they’re playing. It’s just the defense they choose to play.”
Posts: 54,991

12-08-2005, 02:26 AM	#2
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $4440478	Teicher's a dumbass. Carr is extremely mobile. __________________ Chiefs game films Last edited by Hammock Parties; 12-08-2005 at 02:54 AM..
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12-08-2005, 02:35 AM	#5
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $1732500	Yeah I'd agree Carr's pretty mobile. What he should've said is the way they used him against us was almost like a pocket QB. Take a short drop and fire in 1.5 seconds. They were definitely afraid of us getting pressure and killing him.
Posts: 54,991

12-08-2005, 03:18 AM	#6
Demonpenz Woman should only make babies Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Apartment "G UNIT!" Casino cash: $2962136	the carr thing jumped out at me too __________________
Posts: 54,298

12-08-2005, 08:47 AM	#8
Chromatic Veteran Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Earth Casino cash: $10018551	We've really got to be consistant on both sides of the ball sunday. Facing Denver our defense, while making great stops, slipped a little. Facing Buffalo our offense completely collapsed. Consistancy is the key for the rest of the season.
Posts: 1,305

12-08-2005, 09:06 AM	#9
Warrior5 Stram was Cav Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Chiefsplanet Casino cash: $9044010	Pulled this nugget off cbssportsline: "Bledsoe and the Cowboys offense have been a different unit since 6-foot-7, 335-pound left tackle Flozell Adams went down with a season-ending knee injury in the sixth game. In the six games Bledsoe played with Adams in the lineup, he went 124-of-196 (63.3 percent) for 1,649 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions. In six games without him, Bledsoe has gone 105-of-178 (59 percent) for 1,040 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions." Wow, that's sounds familiar. Bledsoe will probably try to go with some quick passes before the pocket collapses, so our CBs need to be jamming their recievers at LOS. Oh yeah, just a reminder Gun: I'd still like to see Bell on a gap blitz or two. __________________ The best pass defense is attacking the passer.
Posts: 5,233

12-08-2005, 09:44 AM	#12
jspchief BAMF Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Your Face Casino cash: $9998710	This could be a good welcome back party for Ryan Sims. If he can push the pocket in from the middle, Bledsoe will be fooked. I've also noticed that Mitchell has been blowing up blockers on the MLB blitz, but always seems to fall on top of the guys he blows up (like he's suprised by how easy they go down). Even if he doesn't keep his feet, it still collapses the center of the pocket, so Bledsoe can't step up into it. This could be a good game for our D-line. We'll probably get beat on a few deep ones, but my guess is Whitten will be the main target, much like he was against Denver. Our pass coverage in the middle of the field has been shaky all year. IMO, if Whitten has a big day, we've done our job on defense and will put our offense in a position to win. It's time for this team to put together a quality performance on both sides of the ball, on the road, against a solid team. __________________ Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all.
Posts: 27,207

12-08-2005, 10:15 AM	#13
Frosty Go Beavers! Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Warshington Casino cash: $5488243	Witten is the main thing that scares me about this games. It doesn't seem that the defense covers the TE very well. Fortunately, it appears that Bledsoe has been ignoring Witten lately, wanting to make a bigger play down the field.
Posts: 14,501