Let's face it folks...this season is no longer about the defense...

[htismaqe]

Say what you want about the defense -- no amount of complaining is going change this fact:

We went into this season KNOWING that the defense was going to struggle, especially early. The offense was SUPPOSED to help offset this.

No, the defense wasn't stellar today. However, they played MUCH better than last week and even added a TD. The offense rewarded them by putting out the biggest pile of crap since the 2001 season.

I was at the game today and I really felt like the defense upheld their end of the bargain. They had some lapses, but the real problems (like the long run) didn't happen until after the offense completely let the air out of the sails.

1) The offensive line -- no I'm not talking about Welbourn. I'm talking about WILLIE ROAF. He really looks like he's lost a step, and he's relying more and more on holding. I know some people noticed it in the preseason, and he was really exposed by Peppers today on a couple of occasions.

2) Drops -- I can't even say any more. It makes me want to puke. Unlike last week, they got open. And I mean WIDE OPEN. But they just can't hang onto the ball. I hope everybody that was calling for more Richard Smith now realize what that means.

3) Trent Green -- I don't know that I can criticize this guy. It's pretty obvious: zero WR's + zero protection = bad QB play.

4) The playcalling by Al Saunders STINKS -- I'm more convinced than ever that I don't want this guy touching our team in any way, shape, or form after Vermeil leaves. You have arguably the most potent weapon in the game and you give him the ball SIXTEEN times? There is absolutely NO EXCUSE for Priest Holmes EVER having less than 20 carries. None.

5) Tackling -- it was better today, but the long run was again the result of poor tackling. He should have been down after about 6 yards. McCleon avoided contact on a couple of plays, but also made a nice open-field tackle.

6) Pass coverage -- at first I thought it was Dexter McCleon just getting beat man-to-man. Then I realized that Gunther was trying to contain the outside run by running a flat zone again. The corners on the outside were releasing the WR's into zone coverage, and ONCE AGAIN, our safeties left guys WIDE OPEN. I've been saying it for two years -- Jerome Woods CANNOT cover a deep zone.

Those were the big things I saw about the game, as far as negatives. On the positive side, I saw Sims beat a couple of double-teams, and both Siavii and Dalton played well. Our defensive tackles are definitely better than last year. Of course, our defensive ends are just as bad as ever. And Warfield looked great.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj

Rewind 48 hours ago - "Foster sucks as a starter..." Fast forward 48 hours and he has the longest run in Panther history. Not the longest run this season, but in franchise history! It's the same story every damn week for the past 2 years. It doesn't matter who lines up in the backfield, it's "career day."

No way, DeShaun is underrated... if he didn't fumble all the time he'd be a really good back....good speed, ability to break tackles. He's not had many opportunities to do his thing... he beat up on the Colts pretty good last year in their victory in Indy, he ran wild on the Rams at their place in the playoffs, he even had 43 yards on 3 carries against the Pats in the Super Bowl... he has ability, I don't think this is a Shawn Bryson (or Peabo Bryson, whoever that was) from the Lions that lit us up for 100+ to never be heard from again.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

The whole team played liek shit. The O def. hung the defense out to dry though. That is what happens when you don't use your best player. 16 touches is never enough!

Priest would've had more touches but it was like 14:35 in the 4th quarter and were in possession of the ball...but guess what...that was only the second time in the second half that the offense had the ball. All together, I think we only had the ball 4 times in the second half. Our defense couldn't get off the field right from the start of the second half.

It was a total team loss, as it always is. No side really helped out the other. You just gotta give credit, I guess, to Carolina for outcoaching and the players for outplaying us. That's why they were in the SB and we weren't.

[FringeNC]

Originally Posted by Special Ed

Htis,

And BTW, I think the Oline played better than people are saying. Green had to hold on to the ball too long and leave the Oline out to dry because the WRs couldn't get open (Green was waiting for the WRs to get separation).

Also, is it just me, or does Gonzo look slower? He should've got surgery on it this offseason, instead of playing around. What kind of leadership example is that anyway?

Yeah, I don't understand that Gonzo thing either. Although Smith dropped both of them, he got open two plays in a row. Even he is dropping them, he might stretch the field a little. I just have no use for Morton. As I said on another thread, cut his ass.

[ROYC75]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj

On the bomb early in the game I'm pretty sure it was Dex trailing behind 8 or so yards with noone else close. On Coulberts TD it was Dex on his ass in the endzone crying for a phantom pushoff.

And don't even get me started on Kawika today. The few times he played he was worse than Scanlon.

Hey, at least Scanlon can find the guy with the fu*king ball and make a tackle, something our players don't do enough of...wrapping up the ball carrier ! So don't get me started on Scanlon, I see your boy toy Allen making some rookie mistakes and not playing lights out .

INHO, Mitchell wasn't that bad today, on ST's he did OK. The few plays he was in, he was a non factor with 1 play getting his jock faked off....but it was his 1st game back, he's going to need time just like Beisel.

Sorry Parker, not on the wagon but willing to give him some time to prove his salt.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by the Talking Can

no way DV tells Gun what defense to run...I can't believe Gun ther would come back with that stipulation

Well, I can't believe Gun would run a spinner defense on 3rd and 5...so anything is possible.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Yes, they missed some tackles. They made up for it by getting 4 or 5 guys to the ball on running plays. They had 42 yards rushing at halftime, and had held Carolina in check on the ground for most of the game. They spent way too much time on the field in the 3rd quarter.

Parker, I may be misunderstanding you here, but the reason the D spent so damn much time on the field in the 3rd was because none of the SOB's would make a play.

The Panthers first drive of the 3rd quarter ate up 9 minutes and consisted of 13 plays. They did the same goddam thing last week only it was a quarter later.

The Panthers lined up with that weak offense and shoved it down this D's throat.

Especially in the critical 3rd quarter.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

INHO, Mitchell wasn't that bad today, on ST's he did OK. The few plays he was in, he was a non factor with 1 play getting his jock faked off....but it was his 1st game back, he's going to need time just like Beisel.

No, not just like Beisel.
He's been a MLB for more than 3 games.
He got freakin' juked by a freakin' fullback!

A FREAKIN' FULLBACK!!!

And WTF was he doing when Mangum came out on his route for that TD?
Did he forget that he covers?
Was he picking daisys.? What?

[Chiefs Pantalones]

In a totally optimistic way, our whole team needs balls.

Just saying.

[Chiefnj]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Hey, at least Scanlon can find the guy with the fu*king ball and make a tackle, something our players don't do enough of...wrapping up the ball carrier ! So don't get me started on Scanlon, I see your boy toy Allen making some rookie mistakes and not playing lights out .

I have information from an inside source who told me Allen was supposed to get blown off the ball and lay on his stomach or back on 85% of the plays. He was just doing what he was told.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by Special Ed

And BTW, I think the Oline played better than people are saying. Green had to hold on to the ball too long and leave the Oline out to dry because the WRs couldn't get open (Green was waiting for the WRs to get separation).

Green has been under more pressure in the first two games than he was the entire season last year. That first shot he took against Denver on the long pass to Kennison was pretty quick. Green didn't hold on to the ball very long at all. He has had to scramble more, and has taken 2 or 3 or 4 pretty hard shots already this season. I'm not sure he will make it all season if the O-line doesn't step it up a bit, cause Green is not really the most mobile QB in the league.

[ROYC75]

Originally Posted by milkman

No, not just like Beisel.
He's been a MLB for more than 3 games.
He got freakin' juked by a freakin' fullback!

A FREAKIN' FULLBACK!!!

And WTF was he doing when Mangum came out on his route for that TD?
Did he forget that he covers?
Was he picking daisys.? What?

Beisel has impressed me to a point where you can see he has the fire and instinct to get to the ball. He needs fine tuning to becoming a good MLB. Would he better suited for the OLB position ? maybe, probally so, he gets around and over pursues alot, but don't most LB's do this ? He reads the play to late most of the time but recovers to be around the ball, not always on the point of attack to stop a play from being a positive or a negative gain.

Mitchell has yet to show me anything as a MLB. His ST play today was OK, he had a couple of tackles there. A new scheme could help him, as I said before, I didn't see it in preseason before the injury..... as for showing it now, he does merit sometime to see. It might be that he is a better OLB than a MLB.

Barber ? Has this guy lost a step ? He looks slow and seems lost most times .

[ROYC75]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj

I have information from an inside source who told me Allen was supposed to get blown off the ball and lay on his stomach or back on 85% of the plays. He was just doing what he was told.

LOL... I think the whole team took that advise ! Rep .

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by Coogs

Green has been under more pressure in the first two games than he was the entire season last year. That first shot he took against Denver on the long pass to Kennison was pretty quick. Green didn't hold on to the ball very long at all. He has had to scramble more, and has taken 2 or 3 or 4 pretty hard shots already this season. I'm not sure he will make it all season if the O-line doesn't step it up a bit, cause Green is not really the most mobile QB in the league.

Well, I guess we should've got it done last year.

Window of opportunity is a bitch.

[greg63]

Green had no one to throw to, Holmes had no where to run, and the offenseive line looked like swiss cheese.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by milkman

No, not just like Beisel.
He's been a MLB for more than 3 games.
He got freakin' juked by a freakin' fullback!

A FREAKIN' FULLBACK!!!

And WTF was he doing when Mangum came out on his route for that TD?
Did he forget that he covers?
Was he picking daisys.? What?

Ugh! I wanted to scream (for joy) the second that Delhommo threw that wedding bouquet toss. I knew it was going to be picked and run back 101 yards for a TD by a LB.

Then the ball reached it's apex, and as it butterflied in the direction of the goal line, I was forced to confront the fact that I was not watching the 1995 Chiefs D. I was watching Kawika Mitchell... who appeared to be watching anything but what was happening on the field.