Chiefs camp report: Poe has ‘a ways to go’

[Hammock Parties]

This whole article is

Woe is Poe

Almost from the start of training camp, coach Romeo Crennel has tried to downplay expectations for rookie nose tackle Dontari Poe, the Chiefs first-round draft pick. Crennel put that in his strongest terms yet on Wednesday when asked what Poe needs to improve on in order to get more playing time.

“A lot,” Crennel said. “He needs to work on technique, he needs to work on understanding the system, he needs to get the calls correct all the time. He’s got a ways to go.”

Anthony Toribio, who spent all of last season on the practice squad, remains as the starting nose tackle ahead of Poe on the depth chart. Poe enters the lineup on obvious passing downs when the Chiefs use their nickel defense.

Poe acknowledged the difficulty of adjusting to the NFL game.

“It’s all different,” he said. “The technique of it, there’s nothing the same about the college level. The only thing the same is that it’s football. As far as the speed level and the strength and all that, you’ve got to learn it all over again.

“I still have a ways to go but I’m getting better every day. I’m just trying to do what I can, trying to do everything they teach me.”

Tackling issues

To prevent injuries, the Chiefs have not done tackling drills during training camp. That could lead to some tackling problems in Friday night’s game.

“It’s not excused,” Crennel said. “On defense your job is to tackle, so tackle. Even though we don’t tackle in practice, your job is to tackle, so you tackle.”

Crennel said he wouldn’t work on tackling next week when camp resumes even if the Chiefs struggle in that area against Arizona.

“If I tackle Jamaal Charles, and he gets hurt, then you’re going to blame me for tackling,” Crennel said. “So, I’m going to use my best judgment to get those guys in position to tackle and make plays and try to keep my guys as healthy as I can, so I can get them to the regular season and we’re able to play at a good level. Everybody in the NFL has the same problem, trying to keep guys healthy and how to practice and get work done without exposing your guys to possible injury.”

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/08...#storylink=cpy

[Rausch]

Oh noes! Decastro 'n Poe's are teh bust!

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Wrong. Steelers run 2-gap.

The Steelers’ linemen play slightly to the side of their blockers, rather than directly in front of them. They are responsible for controlling only one gap, while the linebacker behind them is responsible for the other gap.

“With the guys we have right now, when you play two-gap you tie them down”, said Steelers’ defensive line coach John Mitchell. “Aaron Smith can run. Brett Keisel can run. Casey does a good job running. We have good inside linebackers who can cover ground. We can get away with a line playing one gap”.

http://steelerstoday.com/?p=3210

[TEX]

Originally Posted by oldman

I think Poe will be OK this year. I don't expect him to be a star in his rookie season, but if we can get the push up the middle in passing situations from him, we have a couple pretty fair OLBs that will take advantage of that. If he doesn't step up next year, then we can judge.

He's never gonna be a star. Just like all of our other D-Lineman dafted in the first round. I just hope the guy can be counted some day for solid contributions. Not at all confident in that.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Just Not Gettin' It

http://steelerstoday.com/?p=3210

Wha...?

The Steelers have always played two-gap, I thought.

But that's the horse's mouth right there. How about that. I wonder if it's a recent change.

[SDKCCHIEFS]

Originally Posted by Coach

As a Defensive Coordinator, yes. I have my doubts as Crennel as a head coach material.

Some guys are excellent coordinators, yet they are not excellent at head coaches. Like Wade Phillips to name one. Norv Turner is another one. There's a lot on the list, but those are the ones that comes into my mind at the moment.

O so you must be an NFL coordinator? or for peewee

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Wha...?

The Steelers have always played two-gap, I thought.

But that's the horse's mouth right there. How about that. I wonder if it's a recent change.

i wonder too


I think i would prefer a 1-gap style as well. I don't like the idea of handcuffing 3 players on defense on every play. It's almost like trying to play defense with 8 full players and 3 half players.

[saphojunkie]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

You can name a few other DL who take off immediately as well.

The thing is, the vast majority of DL develop over three years.

If anybody declares Poe a bust at all before the conclusion of the 2014 season, I will wreck things.

It depends what those players are being asked to do. It depends on the complexity of the system.

Are we counting defensive ends who never need to make reads, just put their hand in the dirt and go? Because yeah...they'll contribute faster.

I love all of this "Poenic." When Crennel said that, his voice wasn't draped in terror. He wasn't frustrated or at his wit's end, or whatever bullshit Adam Teicher said on the radio. He said what he always has said, and what we all have known since before the draft:

1. Poe had virtually no technique taught to him in college.
2. Crennel's defensive line system is one of the more complicated ones in the NFL, and requires a great amount of learning.

Hate to be that guy, but nothing to see here.

HOWEVER

Is it just me? I thought the #1 thing we needed was an interior pass rush? And since that seems to be the one area they feel comfortable with Poe having a solid contribution, I'm 100% fine with his progress.

[saphojunkie]

Originally Posted by Laz

i wonder too


I think i would prefer a 1-gap style as well. I don't like the idea of handcuffing 3 players on defense on every play. It's almost like trying to play defense with 8 full players and 3 half players.

Yeah but Derrick Johnson and his 179 tackles are more than happy with the current system.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

It depends what those players are being asked to do. It depends on the complexity of the system.

Are we counting defensive ends who never need to make reads, just put their hand in the dirt and go? Because yeah...they'll contribute faster.

I love all of this "Poenic." When Crennel said that, his voice wasn't draped in terror. He wasn't frustrated or at his wit's end, or whatever bullshit Adam Teicher said on the radio. He said what he always has said, and what we all have known since before the draft:

1. Poe had virtually no technique taught to him in college.
2. Crennel's defensive line system is one of the more complicated ones in the NFL, and requires a great amount of learning.

Hate to be that guy, but nothing to see here.

HOWEVER

Is it just me? I thought the #1 thing we needed was an interior pass rush? And since that seems to be the one area they feel comfortable with Poe having a solid contribution, I'm 100% fine with his progress.

Great post. Just 100% on the dot.

[Direckshun]

I would just like to say that Poe's work ethic is what I love about the kid. He's clearly got a motor, too -- virtually everybody at training camp has confirmed that he's working his butt off.

He was staying after practice and working on technique before the pen hit the paper on his rookie contract.

I did not like the pick. But I love the player, and I hope he becomes a game changer.

[Hammock Parties]

Just as I thought.

Originally Posted by TheBestPlayersPlay

I like Romeo, thought he had a good chance at succeeding anywhere but Cleveland.

That being said, yes our tackling was atrocious ...but so was the talent on our team.

Whether it was a symptom of lack of talent, or the Club Med type training camp and practices Romeo ran, I can't say. Maybe a bit of both.

But yes, Romeo is a players coach ...never been a fan of coaches who aren't squeezing every last ounce of talent out of their players, but some have made it work.

Originally Posted by Enigmatic Evil

This is a pretty accurate recall of Romeo's time here. He was easy going, and the teams play definitely suffered from his soft coaching. However the 07 Derek Anderson Fluke Year was under Crennell but that was mostly thanks to a surprising offense more so than any defensive prowess...

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

Yeah but Derrick Johnson and his 179 tackles are more than happy with the current system.

yes, but it also means that if we don't get pressure from Hali then we don't get it from anywhere unless we blitz. Crennel doesn't seem to want to blitz so it turns our defense into a very conservative one.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

Just as I thought.

but so was the talent on our team

Gosh, you are so clever with your bolds.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by PGM

[B]but so was the talent on our team

What's the excuse for our 26th ranked run defense last season, then?

Shit, we barely beat the Browns the last time we played them, and we already have our own Derek Anderson, now we have Brady Quinn, Peyton Hillis and Brian Daboll.

The Brownsification of the Chiefs continues.

[Direckshun]

Clay, you are needed in the Haley thread.