Chiefs Lack of quality WR's hurting Cassel & Chiefs - Page 5

KChiefs1 · 11-09-2010, 11:46 AM

http://arrowheadaddict.com/2010/11/0...ng-the-chiefs/

Quote:

Lack Of Quality Receivers Hurting The Chiefs
Updated 11/09/2010 10:58 AM
by Patrick Allen

It is time to throw Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel a bone.

If you've been reading this site for more than a couple of weeks, you know that I have been highly critical of Cassel. I have particularly been hard on him about his completion percentage which has spent more time on the wrong side of 60 percent than I would like. However, now that we are halfway through the season I think it is time to give the Chiefs signal caller another look.

After giving it much thought I think that Matt Cassel is in a very tough position with this year's team. He is a Quarterback with no receivers.

Scott Pioli has had a lot of his bets pay off this season but one of his failures has been the resigning of WR Chris Chambers. I think even Pioli was worried about Chambers which is why he waited so long to resign him and in the interim, tried to trade for Anquan Boldin. It came down to the Chiefs and the Ravens battling for Boldin's services and in the end, the Ravens were willing to give up more draft picks than the Chiefs. For the record, I think Pioli did the right thing, especially considering the talent level of his 2010 draft class. Boldin woul dhave helped out a lot this year but these rookies will be more valuable in the long run.

After failing to make the trade for Boldin, Pioli resigned Chris Chambers. He also drafted WR Dexter McCluster who he figured could be a solid outlet for Cassel in the slot.

He was kind of right.

McCluster is a dynamic weapon but he wasn't ready to step in and be an impact receiver from day one. Most of the damage McCluster has done this season has come when he has lined up in the backfield. That doesn't mean that McCluster isn't going to turn in to a good receiver, it simply means he is a rookie who wasn't that experienced at receiver to begin with, learning to play the position at the NFL level. It was always going to take time.

The other side of the Chambers/McCluster bet, however, is what has hurt the Chiefs and Cassel the most. Chambers is a bum. I don't know if he just got old or if he really does quit once he gets paid. I'm not sure what goes on in the head of a guy who would get a restraining order against a woman and then marry her a few months later. All I do know is that they guy hasn't shown up this year and it doesn't appear he is going to show up any time soon. He is dead weight but unfortunately, he is all we've got.

Before being overly critical of Cassel, you have to look at what the dude is working with. He's got Bowe and then…er…

McCluster (injured)

Terry Copper

Chris Chambers

Verran Tucker

Seriously? Look, the way Chambers is playing he would probably get cut by most NFL teams at this point. Tuker and Copper wouldn't even BE on other NFL teams. Maybe Copper would sneak on a squad as a special teamer but you can bet your behind he wouldn't be lining up at receiver.

Cassel is doing the best he can with what he has to work with. The last two games he has had three targets:

Dwayne Bowe

The team’s best receiver is actually having a pretty decent season. He has a few drops but for the most part, he has been very productive.

Tony Moeaki

Moeaki is the Chiefs second best wide receiver and he is a freaking tight end!

Jamaal Charles

The team’s third best wide receiver, Jamaal Charles, is also the leagues best second string running back.

When McCluster comes back, he’ll slide back in tot he #3 slot and Charles can go back to being a backup running back.

And before you all start going gaga over Verran Tucker, remember that his spectacular TD catch from Sunday is his ONLY catch in the three weeks that he has been active. This isn't an indictment on Tucker. The dude has potential but he isn't getting open and right now, that is what Cassel needs.

The reason the Chiefs threw so much against the Raiders is because Oakland wasin single coverage all day long with no safties. People have been talking about how Oakland's strategy was an indictment on Cassel. They've been saying the Raiders didn't believe Cassel could beat them. I disagree with this. I think the Raiders believed the Chiefs receivers couldn't beat them and they were right. Look Bowe has never been a burner but you are telling me not Chambers, Copper or Tucker could put a good enough move on their man to blow by them and get wide open over the top? If the Raiders tried that kind of crap on the Indianapolis Colts Peyton Manning would throw for 37 touchdowns. Every time Cassel completed a pass Sunday, his man was covered pretty well. There were very few passes that went to wide open receivers.

While watching Sunday's game, the guy across from me kept bemoaning that Cassel wasn't throwing the ball. He wasn't throwing it because he can't see wide open receivers. He wasn't throwing it because there were no open receivers. It is obvious that the Chiefs and Cassel have made it a priority to take care of the football. Cassel is under strict instructions not to force passes and to get rid of the ball if he senses trouble, even if that means throwing it away. He has been doing that and the results, for the most part, have been positive.

Cassel is doing a fine job of hitting Moeaki and Bowe when they are open. He is fairly efficient at hitting Charles when he comes out of the backfield. Before Dexter McCluster got injured, Cassel started finding him more down field as well. He just doesn't have the tools he needs in the receiving game. Philip Rivers might be able to succeed with receivers off the street but Cassel is no Philip Rivers. * I think the Chiefs passing game is going to continue to struggle until they get Dexter McCluster back. I think the presence of McCluster helps both Bowe and Moeaki. It will also keep Jamaal Charles in the backfield where he belongs. With the absence of McCluster, the Chiefs have been using Charles a little more in the passing game because they know they need another threat out there. *

The*Cassel lead Chiefs will likely never be a passing team but if they don’t get some more help at the WR position soon, KC’s air attack will stay grounded.

**BigMeatballDave** · 11-09-2010, 06:37 PM

Matt Cassel is hurting Matt Cassel.

**MahiMike** · 11-09-2010, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Why can Manning and Rivers make practice squad guys look like seasoned vets right from the start??

Come on. That's not fair.

**The Franchise** · 11-09-2010, 06:57 PM

Why is that there is always a ****ing excuse for Matt Cassel....but everyone around him gets shit on?

FFS. The common person in all of this is Cassel. It falls on him.

chiefzilla1501 · 11-09-2010, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Why is that there is always a ****ing excuse for Matt Cassel....but everyone around him gets shit on?

FFS. The common person in all of this is Cassel. It falls on him.

I'm pretty sure there are a handful on CP who do that. And a massive amount of people who are so thirsty for Cassel blood that they refuse to believe that anybody but Cassel could have ****ed up a play, even when evidence shows it's not true.

In this case, based on what I've seen from the video, the end of the game is a lot more on the receivers and Weis than it is on Cassel.

milkman · 11-09-2010, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

I'm pretty sure there are a handful on CP who do that. And a massive amount of people who are so thirsty for Cassel blood that they refuse to believe that anybody but Cassel could have ****ed up a play, even when evidence shows it's not true.

In this case, based on what I've seen from the video, the end of the game is a lot more on the receivers and Weis than it is on Cassel.

You know, I agree that the drop by Bowe is on Bowe at the end of the day.

However, I also believe that a consistent QB, not a great QB, makes receivers look pretty good because of their consistency.

Trent Green serves as an example of that.

An inconsistent QB makes inconsistent receivers look worse than they are.

In other words, Cassel's inconsistency contributes to Bowe's inconsistency.

chiefzilla1501 · 11-09-2010, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

You know, I agree that the drop by Bowe is on Bowe at the end of the day.

However, I also believe that a consistent QB, not a great QB, makes receivers look pretty good because of their consistency.

Trent Green serves as an example of that.

An inconsistent QB makes inconsistent receivers look worse than they are.

In other words, Cassel's inconsistency contributes to Bowe's inconsistency.

Our QB isn't very good. I just have issues when we use hatred for our QB to make excuses for our receivers when they don't play well. In this particular OT, they didn't get open.

To your point about consistency, yeah, I think that's definitely entirely possible. But against Oakland at the end of regulation and in OT, I don't believe it applies.

milkman · 11-09-2010, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Our QB isn't very good. I just have issues when we use hatred for our QB to make excuses for our receivers when they don't play well. In this particular OT, they didn't get open.

To your point about consistency, yeah, I think that's definitely entirely possible. But against Oakland at the end of regulation and in OT, I don't believe it applies.

Bowe has to make that catch, no question.

Just another observation about the reasons that Cassel is a target.

chiefzilla1501 · 11-09-2010, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

Bowe has to make that catch, no question.

Just another observation about the reasons that Cassel is a target.

Noted. For the record, I don't have a problem with Cassel being a target. Most of the time he deserves it.

Just Passin' By · 11-09-2010, 08:13 PM

Not referring to Cassel, but talking in general...

Shitty receivers make QBs look worse than they are.

Shitty O-lines make QBs look worse than they are.

Shitty running games make QBs look worse than they are.

The QB position is dependent upon other positions for success in a way that's unlike every other position on the field. Jeff Garcia could play in Philly, S.F. and, to a lesser extent, even Tampa Bay, but he shit the bed in Cleveland and Detroit. People who ignore the impact of dropped passes, lack of separation, poor route running and the like really have no business trying to evaluate QBs.

milkman · 11-09-2010, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

Not referring to Cassel, but talking in general...

Shitty receivers make QBs look worse than they are.

Shitty O-lines make QBs look worse than they are.

Shitty running games make QBs look worse than they are.

The QB position is dependent upon other positions for success in a way that's unlike every other position on the field. Jeff Garcia could play in Philly, S.F. and, to a lesser extent, even Tampa Bay, but he shit the bed in Cleveland and Detroit. People who ignore the impact of dropped passes, lack of separation, poor route running and the like really have no business trying to evaluate QBs.

On the flipside, shitty Qbs make WRs look worse than they are.
Shitty QBs make O-lines look worse than they are.
Shitty QBs make running games look worse than they are.

See David Carr.

jd1020 · 11-09-2010, 08:33 PM

Cassel has a hard time hitting a screen pass let alone a down field pass. He's a back up quarterback at best. If Pioli has any brain he'll cut Cassel at the end of the season and avoid paying the ridiculous 7.5m bonus and resign Croyle. Croyle can easily do what they are asking of Cassel but Croyle has the confidence to throw a pass beyond 10 yards.

Depending on how the rest of the season goes and what draft pick the Chiefs end up with I think theres a real chance that Baldwin would land in the Chiefs lap. I dont see the Chiefs making the playoffs. We'll probably split with the Broncos, Rivers is going to go off on us in SD, and I wouldn't be suprised if Bradford lights us up. That puts us at 10-6 at best but I wouldnt be suprised if we find a way to lose one other game for the same reason we lost to the Raiders and 9-7 isn't going to beat the Chargers. So if we can get Baldwin, start Croyle and get a backup in the 2nd/3rd rounds because by week 3 Croyle will be on the IR. Otherwise I think we need to take a QB in the first round.

chiefzilla1501 · 11-09-2010, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

On the flipside, shitty Qbs make WRs look worse than they are.
Shitty QBs make O-lines look worse than they are.
Shitty QBs make running games look worse than they are.

See David Carr.

Agreed on all those points.

But in the case of the Chiefs, on the WRs, there's give and take. Moeaki is the only receiver on this team that consistently gets separation. I think Bowe is a good receiver at positioning his body to make a catch once it's in the air, but I don't think he's an overly consistent route runner. And McCluster would be so much more effective if we had an effective receiver at #1 who can stretch the field.

Again, not making excuses for Cassel because he misses way too many passes that he should hit. But no doubt we are missing some very critical pieces at receiver.

Just Passin' By · 11-09-2010, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

On the flipside, shitty Qbs make WRs look worse than they are.
Shitty QBs make O-lines look worse than they are.
Shitty QBs make running games look worse than they are.

See David Carr.

You're absolutely correct. But, as I noted before, this was about the receivers hurting the QB/team, not the other way around.

Also, just a quick note, specific to the Chiefs:

The O-line and the WRs sucked in 2009, regardless of who the QB was going to be. This year, the O-line's been improved, but the WRs still suck.

That's independent of Cassel.

chiefzilla1501 · 11-09-2010, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

You're absolutely correct. But, as I noted before, this was about the receivers hurting the QB/team, not the other way around.

Also, just a quick note, specific to the Chiefs:

The O-line and the WRs sucked in 2009, regardless of who the QB was going to be. This year, the O-line's been improved, but the WRs still suck.

That's independent of Cassel.

There are more than enough examples of Cassel misfiring to an open receiver in 2010. It's not independent of Cassel.

FloridaMan88 · 11-09-2010, 08:49 PM

The Chiefs had a chance to sign TO this past offseason.

11-09-2010, 06:37 PM	#61
BigMeatballDave GBM 8-12-15 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Dayton, Oh. Casino cash: $10052154	Matt Cassel is hurting Matt Cassel.
Posts: 59,997

11-09-2010, 06:57 PM	#63
The Franchise Most Valuable Villain Join Date: Dec 2006 Casino cash: $2075047	Why is that there is always a ****ing excuse for Matt Cassel....but everyone around him gets shit on? FFS. The common person in all of this is Cassel. It falls on him.
Posts: 92,316

11-09-2010, 08:13 PM	#69
Just Passin' By In Search of a Life Join Date: Feb 2009 Casino cash: $5450524	Not referring to Cassel, but talking in general... Shitty receivers make QBs look worse than they are. Shitty O-lines make QBs look worse than they are. Shitty running games make QBs look worse than they are. The QB position is dependent upon other positions for success in a way that's unlike every other position on the field. Jeff Garcia could play in Philly, S.F. and, to a lesser extent, even Tampa Bay, but he shit the bed in Cleveland and Detroit. People who ignore the impact of dropped passes, lack of separation, poor route running and the like really have no business trying to evaluate QBs.
Posts: 69,748

11-09-2010, 08:33 PM	#71
jd1020 In Search of a Life Join Date: Nov 2010 Casino cash: $7042645	Cassel has a hard time hitting a screen pass let alone a down field pass. He's a back up quarterback at best. If Pioli has any brain he'll cut Cassel at the end of the season and avoid paying the ridiculous 7.5m bonus and resign Croyle. Croyle can easily do what they are asking of Cassel but Croyle has the confidence to throw a pass beyond 10 yards. Depending on how the rest of the season goes and what draft pick the Chiefs end up with I think theres a real chance that Baldwin would land in the Chiefs lap. I dont see the Chiefs making the playoffs. We'll probably split with the Broncos, Rivers is going to go off on us in SD, and I wouldn't be suprised if Bradford lights us up. That puts us at 10-6 at best but I wouldnt be suprised if we find a way to lose one other game for the same reason we lost to the Raiders and 9-7 isn't going to beat the Chargers. So if we can get Baldwin, start Croyle and get a backup in the 2nd/3rd rounds because by week 3 Croyle will be on the IR. Otherwise I think we need to take a QB in the first round. Last edited by jd1020; 11-09-2010 at 08:41 PM..
Posts: 24,501

11-09-2010, 08:49 PM	#75
FloridaMan88 Mahomes: We Are All Witnesses Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Miami, FL Casino cash: $-557094	The Chiefs had a chance to sign TO this past offseason.
Posts: 49,785