Mellinger nails it. Great article.

[RunKC]

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

[New World Order]

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.

[RunKC]

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

[BWillie]

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

[notorious]

Originally Posted by BWillie007

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

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

[007]

Now that is putting the hammer down.

[MMXcalibur]

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.

[New World Order]

Originally Posted by KCtotheSB

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.

lol

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by KCtotheSB

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.

God Castle sucks...

[Quesadilla Joe]

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.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by Cassel>Manning

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.

I lol'd so hard at that moment.

[BoneKrusher]

Originally Posted by Cassel>Manning

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.

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

[notorious]

Originally Posted by BoneKrusher

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.

[JohnnyHammersticks]

Originally Posted by Cassel>Manning

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.

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.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Cassel>Manning

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.

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...