Whitlock-Priest still No. 1, but L.J. must play

C-Mac · 08-29-2005, 10:25 AM

Priest still No. 1, but L.J. must play

JASON WHITLOCK

Larry Johnson has to play.

It has nothing to do with Priest Holmes. It’s simply acknowledgment that in three preseason games, L.J. has proved that his performance at the end of last year wasn’t a fluke.

L.J., to quote an old football coach, is the real deal. He has to play.

Priest Holmes, of course, has to play, too. He’s still the Chiefs’ best running back. He’s still the starter. It’s just now he’s going to have to share some of his touches with Johnson. This isn’t debatable.

It doesn’t matter how perfectly blocked and how poorly defended L.J.’s 97-yard run was against Seattle. No one caught Johnson. No one came close to catching Johnson. He ripped down the middle of an NFL field untouched for 97 yards.

You don’t stand on the sideline collecting dust when you can race 97 yards on a football field untouched. The NFL is all about big plays and the playmakers who create them.

Holmes is a dynamic playmaker, but he can’t run 97 yards untouched. L.J. gives Kansas City’s ground attack an extra dimension, a dimension KC’s receiver-starved offense desperately needs.

Holmes is relentless and consistent, a pass-catching, smaller version of the Bus. L.J. is starting to look like Midwest Airlines, the great little secret no one expected to hang around.

Dick Vermeil and Al Saunders need to figure out how the Chiefs can travel by bus and plane. No one should try to turn this into a Holmes vs. Johnson situation, and I’m mostly talking about Holmes or Johnson turning it into that.

They should both play, and they should both accept that it’s in the best interest of the team that they both play. No pouting. No complaints about being unable to establish a rhythm.

If Vermeil and Saunders planned on an 85-15 running split between Holmes and Johnson, the coaches should now formulate a 60-40 plan. Johnson deserves 40 percent of the touches. If the Chiefs run the ball 30 times, Holmes carries it 16 times, Johnson 12 and fullback Tony Richardson or receiver Dante Hall get the two other carries.

I realize just three weeks ago I dissed my friend Jimmy Dodds in this column for even suggesting that L.J. could earn playing time in the preseason. I stand corrected. I never anticipated L.J. looking this good, this confident, this determined.

No one could have anticipated Johnson running this hard. He looks 50 percent better than he did at the end of last year. He looks like a totally different back.

Can running back by committee work?

Yes, last year the Rams used Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson effectively. On the flip, the Bills had to separate Travis Henry and Willis McGahee because neither players’ ego would tolerate splitting carries. Henry and McGahee are both young and in their prime.

Holmes will be 32 by the end of this season. If Johnson continues to develop, Holmes becomes expendable. His age and history of injuries diminish his trade value and make Johnson untradable.

Ego is the unpredictable element in all of this. Will Holmes welcome Johnson into the running rotation? If Holmes won’t, will Vermeil and Saunders risk upsetting Holmes by giving L.J. carries anyway? They must. L.J. has to play.

keg in kc · 08-29-2005, 10:28 AM

Been thinking along the same lines myself. Still Priest's gig, but you have to play them both. And I think we've been planning to, and will.

**BigRedChief** · 08-29-2005, 10:29 AM

I'm getting scared. Whitlock is writing too many articles lately that I agree with.

LJ has to be allowed to flourish. Priest isn't over the hill. It's going to take all of DV's coaching skills to keep this from being a distraction and a fued between the two. RB's have to be arrogant, want the ball to be successful.

jidar · 08-29-2005, 10:30 AM

I gotta give whitlock a little bit of credit for getting it right, but just a little bit. Honestly, this is obvious and 99 out of 100 chiefs fans have realized this.

jynni · 08-29-2005, 10:34 AM

So if (god forbid - a pox on me for even thinking it) Trent did get knicked up, maybe all SuperTodd would need to do is hand off to Larry - hand off to Priest - etc, etc...

keg in kc · 08-29-2005, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jynni

So if (god forbid - a pox on me for even thinking it) Trent did get knicked up, maybe all SuperTodd would need to do is hand off to Larry - hand off to Priest - etc, etc...

That might work for a week or two, but eventually teams would just put 8 or 9 in the box every down and make Collins (shudder) beat them.

Katipan · 08-29-2005, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I'm getting scared. Whitlock is writing too many articles lately that I agree with.

oh come now. where do you think the bastard gets his material?

**BigRedChief** · 08-29-2005, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keg in kc

That might work for a week or two, but eventually teams would just put 8 or 9 in the box every down and make Collins (shudder) beat them.

They would be praising Allah from week one. Green goes down we are screwed. I'd take my chances with Collins throwing to beat you anyday. I wish The Chiefs faced a "Collins" every week.

**BigRedChief** · 08-29-2005, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mer

oh come now. where do you think the bastard gets his material?

Yeah he defintely lurks here but all the KC "reporters" that cover the Chiefs do. It's a great place to get a "feel" for how the Chief fans feel about sonething.

philfree · 08-29-2005, 10:44 AM

Anyone who didn't have this figured out by the end of last season wasn't watching the games. I also think Holmes got injured or re-injured his hip on his first carry against the Cards. I hope I'm wrong but what has he done on his carries since then? Sompin ain't right.....

PhilFree

CoMoChief · 08-29-2005, 10:49 AM

I can't believe I'm saying this but................TRADE PRIEST HOLMES TO CAROLINA FOR JULIUS PEPPERS!!!!! Then sign Corey Simon.
As some of you would say.....DAMNIT CARL!!!!!

Wouldn't it be nice if that could work out?

keg in kc · 08-29-2005, 10:49 AM

I thought Priest looked the same as he always has on Saturday. On the two carries for negative yards, Bober missed a block that cost him a 4-yard TD on one and the Seattle d-line pushed our whole o-line into him on the other.

WisChief · 08-29-2005, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSPimpDude

I can't believe I'm saying this but................TRADE PRIEST HOLMES TO CAROLINA FOR JULIUS PEPPERS!!!!! Then sign Corey Simon.
As some of you would say.....DAMNIT CARL!!!!!

Wouldn't it be nice if that could work out?

That would put Peppers and Sims back together....

WisChief · 08-29-2005, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keg in kc

I thought Priest looked the same as he always has on Saturday. On the two carries for negative yards, Bober missed a block that cost him a 4-yard TD on one and the Seattle d-line pushed our whole o-line into him on the other.

Yea, and I'm not in any way worried about Holmes. This type of thing is pretty standard for him. Loose a few, win alot.

I'm all for LJ gett'n more carries, but Holmes, until proven other wise, is a GIMME for 20 tds. No way do you chance that based on preseason good or bad.

InChiefsHeaven · 08-29-2005, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSPimpDude

I can't believe I'm saying this but................TRADE PRIEST HOLMES TO CAROLINA FOR JULIUS PEPPERS!!!!! Then sign Corey Simon.
As some of you would say.....DAMNIT CARL!!!!!

Wouldn't it be nice if that could work out?

You're kidding...right???

08-29-2005, 10:25 AM
C-Mac Lurker Extraordinaire Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Wally World Casino cash: $2363699	Whitlock-Priest still No. 1, but L.J. must play Priest still No. 1, but L.J. must play JASON WHITLOCK Larry Johnson has to play. It has nothing to do with Priest Holmes. It’s simply acknowledgment that in three preseason games, L.J. has proved that his performance at the end of last year wasn’t a fluke. L.J., to quote an old football coach, is the real deal. He has to play. Priest Holmes, of course, has to play, too. He’s still the Chiefs’ best running back. He’s still the starter. It’s just now he’s going to have to share some of his touches with Johnson. This isn’t debatable. It doesn’t matter how perfectly blocked and how poorly defended L.J.’s 97-yard run was against Seattle. No one caught Johnson. No one came close to catching Johnson. He ripped down the middle of an NFL field untouched for 97 yards. You don’t stand on the sideline collecting dust when you can race 97 yards on a football field untouched. The NFL is all about big plays and the playmakers who create them. Holmes is a dynamic playmaker, but he can’t run 97 yards untouched. L.J. gives Kansas City’s ground attack an extra dimension, a dimension KC’s receiver-starved offense desperately needs. Holmes is relentless and consistent, a pass-catching, smaller version of the Bus. L.J. is starting to look like Midwest Airlines, the great little secret no one expected to hang around. Dick Vermeil and Al Saunders need to figure out how the Chiefs can travel by bus and plane. No one should try to turn this into a Holmes vs. Johnson situation, and I’m mostly talking about Holmes or Johnson turning it into that. They should both play, and they should both accept that it’s in the best interest of the team that they both play. No pouting. No complaints about being unable to establish a rhythm. If Vermeil and Saunders planned on an 85-15 running split between Holmes and Johnson, the coaches should now formulate a 60-40 plan. Johnson deserves 40 percent of the touches. If the Chiefs run the ball 30 times, Holmes carries it 16 times, Johnson 12 and fullback Tony Richardson or receiver Dante Hall get the two other carries. I realize just three weeks ago I dissed my friend Jimmy Dodds in this column for even suggesting that L.J. could earn playing time in the preseason. I stand corrected. I never anticipated L.J. looking this good, this confident, this determined. No one could have anticipated Johnson running this hard. He looks 50 percent better than he did at the end of last year. He looks like a totally different back. Can running back by committee work? Yes, last year the Rams used Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson effectively. On the flip, the Bills had to separate Travis Henry and Willis McGahee because neither players’ ego would tolerate splitting carries. Henry and McGahee are both young and in their prime. Holmes will be 32 by the end of this season. If Johnson continues to develop, Holmes becomes expendable. His age and history of injuries diminish his trade value and make Johnson untradable. Ego is the unpredictable element in all of this. Will Holmes welcome Johnson into the running rotation? If Holmes won’t, will Vermeil and Saunders risk upsetting Holmes by giving L.J. carries anyway? They must. L.J. has to play.
Posts: 5,632

08-29-2005, 10:28 AM	#2
keg in kc oxymoron Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: OP/KC/Whatever Casino cash: $9556299	Been thinking along the same lines myself. Still Priest's gig, but you have to play them both. And I think we've been planning to, and will.
Posts: 58,682

08-29-2005, 10:29 AM	#3
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $3159627 VARSITY	I'm getting scared. Whitlock is writing too many articles lately that I agree with. LJ has to be allowed to flourish. Priest isn't over the hill. It's going to take all of DV's coaching skills to keep this from being a distraction and a fued between the two. RB's have to be arrogant, want the ball to be successful. __________________ Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. -YODA
Posts: 79,008

08-29-2005, 10:30 AM	#4
jidar MVP Join Date: May 2005 Location: a Casino cash: $10004900	I gotta give whitlock a little bit of credit for getting it right, but just a little bit. Honestly, this is obvious and 99 out of 100 chiefs fans have realized this.
Posts: 5,502

08-29-2005, 10:34 AM	#5
jynni Starter Join Date: Oct 2003 Casino cash: $2346331	So if (god forbid - a pox on me for even thinking it) Trent did get knicked up, maybe all SuperTodd would need to do is hand off to Larry - hand off to Priest - etc, etc...
Posts: 884

08-29-2005, 10:44 AM	#10
philfree Indian Twitter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Free Agency Casino cash: $1666198	Anyone who didn't have this figured out by the end of last season wasn't watching the games. I also think Holmes got injured or re-injured his hip on his first carry against the Cards. I hope I'm wrong but what has he done on his carries since then? Sompin ain't right..... PhilFree __________________ [/SIGPIC]
Posts: 14,942

08-29-2005, 10:49 AM	#11
CoMoChief Mahomes Dynasty Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Parts Unknown Casino cash: $8052254	I can't believe I'm saying this but................TRADE PRIEST HOLMES TO CAROLINA FOR JULIUS PEPPERS!!!!! Then sign Corey Simon. As some of you would say.....DAMNIT CARL!!!!! Wouldn't it be nice if that could work out? __________________
Posts: 39,156