Rand: It's Time to get the Defense Right...

[shaneo69]

Here’s how the Chiefs look now and how they need to look next season:

ROSTER

The Chiefs finished the season with 16 players on the active roster who will be 30 or older at the start of next season. For a team that started last season hoping to make a Super Bowl run, a veteran-dominated roster made sense. But a team that needs to improve dramatically needs players who can improve dramatically, and up-and-coming players best fill that bill.

The Chiefs won’t be dramatically but veterans who didn’t contribute much in 2004 likely will be gone. Veteran offensive stars like quarterback Trent Green and linemen Will Shields and Willie Roaf aren’t going to crumble overnight because of old age.

And it’s not as if the Chiefs are without young talent. Running back Larry Johnson and defensive end Jared Allen had big seasons. The Chiefs also saw some good things from wide receiver Samie Parker, tackle Jordan Black, linebacker, Kawika Mitchell and defensive backs Willie Pile and Benny Sapp. Promising tight end Kris Wilson, whose rookie season was ruined by injury, will finally get a chance to show his stuff.

COACHING STAFF

With Dick Vermeil and nearly his entire staff coming back, continuity will not be a problem. Offensive coordinator Al Saunders continues to oversee the high-scoring attack he was expected to bring from St. Louis. Gunther Cunningham is a proven talent as a defensive coordinator, if you give him enough talent. Vermeil and president Carl Peterson overrated their defensive talent before last season but it’s hard to imagine them doing that again.

THE APPROACH

The Chiefs obviously need better balance. They ranked first in total offense and 31st in total defense. They scored a whopping 483 points and yielded a whopping 435. You don’t have to look beyond those numbers to understand why they had a losing record.

The Chiefs wound up hurting on defense because they figured Cunningham’s return plus the play of 2003 free agents Vonnie Holliday, Shawn Barber and Dexter McCleon would make a bad defense respectable. Instead, the defense got even worse and none of those three players made a good case for having a role in 2005.

The Chiefs need to set the bar higher for defensive improvement because it’s hard to hard to fix every leak. If they strive for excellence, they’ll do well to achieve respectability. If the Chiefs strive for respectability, as they did last year, they’ll wind up with much less.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

Making defense a priority in the draft and free agency is a no-brainer. Establishing priorities is a little trickier because no defensive area can be left alone.

The top priority is a right cornerback, opposite Eric Warfield. The Chiefs have given their own players enough of an audition to know that spot must be filled from outside.

The Chiefs need at least one, and preferably two, more linebackers. If Scott Fujita, on the strong side, is their third-best linebacker, they’re in good shape. If he’s their best, they’re in trouble. The Chiefs need a sure-tackling middle linebacker and a quick weak-side linebacker with coverage and pass-rushing skills.

There’s always the chance Mitchell could take a big step forward next year and Barber or Mike Maslowski could bounce back from injuries. But the Chiefs can’t afford to bank on any of that happening. Too much optimism burned them last year.

The Chiefs got a pleasant surprise when Allen developed into a big-time pass rusher. The addition of a strong, run-stopping tackle would also give the defense a boost.

Now here’s where the Chiefs’ picture gets cloudy. What do they make of the disappointing play of safeties Greg Wesley and Jerome Woods? This was supposed to be an area of strength and instead became iffy.

Can Wesley, just 27 next season, bounce back. Can Woods, who’ll be 32, show he hasn’t lost a step? And if the Chiefs’ determine they need help here, can they really afford to make changes given all their other defensive needs?

Offensively, the Chiefs could use a young wide receiver. Eddie Kennison, 32, and Johnnie Morton, 33, had good seasons but the Chiefs can’t count on Parker alone for young legs at the position. Dante Hall has young legs but they won’t be fresh enough for consistently good kick returns if he’s overused as a receiver.

The Chiefs’ needs are easy to identify, but much tougher to fill. How many they can fill will determine if the Chiefs are one of those teams we’re still watching next January.

[BigChiefFan]

That's alot of holes to fill.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by BigChiefFan

That's alot of holes to fill.

Yep, I agree.

I'm gonna be more simpler stating than Rand is. And I don't have to take up a whole page to tell you about the Chiefs and the 05 season, so I'll save everyone a bunch of time so you won't have to read the article... Ready? Here it goes...



We're fucked, guys.


This team is SO one dimensional, they may have to trade some of their O talent for some D help. That's how far DV was on the offensive side of the ball, and not on the D. Usually with a head coach, it's a happy medium, but we TOTALLY abused the defense to get the O to where it is today. It's like they didn't even know you still play defense in football, that's how bad our D is. Pathetic. Now, some of that is due to ignoring that side of the ball, and some of it is poor FA acquistions/poor drafting, which could've been done better, but not a big emphasis, I think, was put on the D.

Carl and DV will be gone after this year, and they could possibly be leaving this team in a big shithole after 05 (hopefully I'm wrong).

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Special Ed

Now, some of that is due to ignoring that side of the ball, and some of it is poor FA acquistions/poor drafting, which could've been done better

Id say it was mostly this.

Here are a few names ill throw out there:

Ryan Sims
Eddie Freeman
Kawika Mitchell
Julian Battle
Vonnie Holliday
Shawn Barber

Its not like they havent tried to fix the defense....they just suck at it.

[Sure-Oz]

I think adding a few good guys may help alot to make them an average d. The problem was this year's d didn't get turnovers worth shit and oh yeah didn't stop anyone either. PRevious year the TO's helped slow down the bleeding.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Its not like they havent tried to fix the defense....they just suck at it.

Oh they tried, but they didn't try hard enough, IMO. What they did in retaining their own players was one of the dumbest moves in pro sports history. No one ever does that after so many horrible seasons in a row, hell, even one season should be enough to tell you something isn't right.

I hope we aren't in too big of a hole after they leave at the end of this year.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Special Ed

What they did in retaining their own players was one of the dumbest moves in pro sports history. No one ever does that after so many horrible seasons in a row, hell, even one season should be enough to tell you something isn't right.

Very much agreed. I cant believe they never rebuilt this defense after the horrendous performance of 2002. Someone like Bill Bellicheck would have never stood pat. But I guess thats why he has won 2 of the last 3 Super Bowls.

[teedubya]

Originally Posted by BigChiefFan

That's alot of holes to fill.

yeah. Kinda like a room full of pornstars.

all they need is maybee one corner and linebacker, should be enough for the offense to take over ever game

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by chiefsfolife

all they need is maybee one corner and linebacker, should be enough for the offense to take over ever game

That's what they said after robinson left.

Here's my idea:

hicks-bye
sims-one more year then bye
holliday bye

with the exception of fujita, no starting lb needs to keep his job

Bartee bye
mccleon bye
battle bye
woods bye


I would replace 1 maybe 2 dl,2 lb and 3 dbs.
If nothing else that would light a fire under the other half of the teams ass.

yea but they never did it

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

That's what they said after robinson left.

Here's my idea:

hicks-bye
sims-one more year then bye
holliday bye

with the exception of fujita, no starting lb needs to keep his job

Bartee bye
mccleon bye
battle bye
woods bye


I would replace 1 maybe 2 dl,2 lb and 3 dbs.
If nothing else that would light a fire under the other half of the teams ass.

EXACTLY!!!

Problem is, i seriously doubt Carl and DV would have the balls to do it.

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

EXACTLY!!!

Problem is, i seriously doubt Carl and DV would have the balls to do it.

I say right now that if robinson hadn't volunteered to leave he would still be coaching the defense.

I just can't understand how they talked gun into this shit.

"Hey gun, I know I fired you via the internet last time and totally stuck my sneaky little knife up your ass to hire my old buddy who I had to beg to come out of retirement. But how would you like to come back so I can give you some shitty players and everyone can blame you when the offense is lighting up the scoreboard and the d can't stop anyone more than 2 times a game. Oh sounds good." As Peterson cackles slightly, and fondles himself at the notion of firing someone twice on the internet.

dunno guess he likes a challenge...who would have guessed that

[tk13]

Originally Posted by Special Ed

Yep, I agree.

I'm gonna be more simpler stating than Rand is. And I don't have to take up a whole page to tell you about the Chiefs and the 05 season, so I'll save everyone a bunch of time so you won't have to read the article... Ready? Here it goes...



We're fucked, guys.


This team is SO one dimensional, they may have to trade some of their O talent for some D help. That's how far DV was on the offensive side of the ball, and not on the D. Usually with a head coach, it's a happy medium, but we TOTALLY abused the defense to get the O to where it is today. It's like they didn't even know you still play defense in football, that's how bad our D is. Pathetic. Now, some of that is due to ignoring that side of the ball, and some of it is poor FA acquistions/poor drafting, which could've been done better, but not a big emphasis, I think, was put on the D.

Carl and DV will be gone after this year, and they could possibly be leaving this team in a big shithole after 05 (hopefully I'm wrong).

Eh, it can be done in one offseason, but a big part of that has to be Carl doing well in the draft this year. Doesn't mean we will, but we can. I look at this Jets team in the playoffs and they retooled a large chunk of their defense before this season.

DE - Didn't do anything major, had Abraham and Ellis, two studs, which obviously helps.

DT - Got much-improved play from 2003 1st rounder DT Dwayne Robertson... who had struggled during his rookie season, helped solidify the line to go along with Jason Ferguson.

OLB - Signed Eric Barton from the Raiders to start at one spot, the other spot was split between 2003 2nd rounder Victor Hobson and undrafted rookie Mark Brown.

ILB - Jonathan Vilma, obviously... 2004 1st rounder (12th overall), NFL defensive rookie of the year.

CB - Already had vet Donnie Abraham, added 26-year old David Barrett from Arizona, signed vet Terrell Buckley after he was cut by the Pats in training camp, and 2004 3rd round pick Derrick Strait to form a group of 4 solid corners.

S - Two new starters here, signing FA safety Reggie Tongue, and 2004 5th round draft pick Erik Coleman stepped up and took the other starting spot.

They also changed defensive coordinators, bringing in Donnie Henderson (secondary coach from the Ravens). They also originally intended to sign Antoine Winfield, who was a big name FA, but he backed out of a big contract to take an even bigger one with Minnesota, so this is what their offseason looked like. This Jets defense above finished 4th in the league in scoring and allowed one less point than the Patriots.

New veterans:
LB Eric Barton
CB David Barrett
CB Terrell Buckley
S Reggie Tongue

Draft picks who stepped up/in:
2003 1st Rd DT Dwayne Robertson
2003 2nd Rd LB Victor Hobson
2004 1st Rd LB Jonathan Vilma
2004 3rd Rd CB Derrick Strait
2004 5th Rd S Erik Coleman
2004 Undrafted LB Mark Brown

That's 10 guys signed as FA's this last offseason or drafted in the last two years stepping in and playing a big role, solely on defense. Of course a lot of that depends on drafting well, and the Jets usually do a pretty good job obviously. Smart FA moves, a good draft with some immediate impact players, and the further maturation of 2003 picks like Siavii and Allen could help turn the D around. It would take quite a miracle to be a top 5 defense, but being a good quality defense is not out of reach. It is possible.