Chiefs Dear, Vikings: Thanks for our quarterback; Sincerely, Chiefs - Page 13

**DaKCMan AP** · 12-04-2008, 10:35 AM

Dear, Vikings: Thanks for our quarterback; Sincerely, Chiefs

By Clark Judge
CBSSports.com Senior Writer

I heard someone last week ask if there were any way the Minnesota Vikings could repay Kansas City for dropping star defensive end Jared Allen on their doorstep, and, yes, I said, there is. In fact, they've already done it.

Meet Tyler Thigpen.

He's the Chiefs' quarterback for now and maybe the future, but he wouldn't be in Kansas City if the Vikings hadn't cut him loose a year ago to make room for a reserve tight end.

The move was a gamble, and Minnesota knew it, but it figured it could re-sign Thigpen -- chosen by the Vikings in the seventh round of the 2007 draft -- to its practice squad after he cleared waivers.

Only he didn't clear. Kansas City claimed him.

Now he's playing so well that Chiefs coach Herman Edwards confessed he's considering scrapping the Chiefs' run-heavy offense next season and going with what works for Tyler Thigpen -- a more spread-out, wide-open, two-minute approach that usually has Thigpen operating out of the shotgun.

That can't be good news for someone like running back Larry Johnson, but it is for Thigpen. It means someone has a conviction about the guy, and that someone is Edwards -- with the coach considering a change next season from his offenses of the past just to suit his young quarterback.

If that happens, it means Edwards believes in Thigpen as his future starter. But he isn't there yet, and he emphasized that when I reached him Wednesday.

"We've got four games left," he said. "Let's see what he does. But one thing I do know: He's a No. 2. There is no doubt about that. That we know."

Others within the Kansas City hierarchy admit "cautious optimism" about Thigpen, who produced his first victory last weekend and who has played well for one of the league's bottom feeders. In fact, in a recent four-game stretch, he threw eight touchdown passes and one interception and took, in order, the Jets, Tampa Bay and San Diego to the mat, with all three games decided in the closing seconds.

Now, let's make something clear: Tyler Thigpen is not the next Eli or Peyton Manning. But he is a pleasant discovery in a not-so-pleasant season in Kansas City, and the Chiefs can address those "thank you" notes to 9520 Viking Drive, Eden Prairie, Minn. They wouldn't have Thigpen were it not for the Vikings' gamble.

The common perception is that Kansas City discovered Thigpen when the Chiefs and Vikings held a preseason scrimmage, but Edwards shot down that idea, saying Thigpen didn't play "that much" when the two teams practiced against each other. Instead, he said, Thigpen appeared on the Kansas City radar when he was a star quarterback at Coastal Carolina, with the Chiefs rating him a low fifth- or high sixth-round choice.

He could run. He had a strong arm. He was accurate. He was durable. And he won. Basically, he was everything you wanted from a quarterback, with a couple of drawbacks: 1) He didn't operate in a pro offense, working instead out of the shotgun, and 2) he played at a small school against lesser competition.

Nevertheless, when the team's vice president of player personnel, Bill Kuharich, watched him that summer in the fourth quarter of an exhibition game, he noticed something he liked.

"It was just the way he handled himself and the pressure," said Kuharich. "It reinforced what I had seen on tape. (Team president) Carl (Peterson), Herm and I decided if he ever became available we would claim him."

Which, of course, they did when Minnesota stuck with Tarvaris Jackson and acquired veteran backup Kelly Holcomb. Now, Holcomb is gone, Jackson is benched and Thigpen is playing for Kansas City. Hindsight is 20-20, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out the Vikings erred when they let Thigpen go.

I came to that conclusion last weekend when Thigpen led Kansas City on a 16-play, 91-yard drive that broke a 10-10 deadlock against Oakland. He completed three of four passes and ran for two first downs on that series.

I came to that conclusion again that afternoon when, on third-and-3 with just over two minutes to play, he iced the game by hitting Dwayne Bowe with a 12-yard completion.

"We've got ourselves a pretty good quarterback," said Edwards.

That's as strong a statement as you get from the head coach, but it tells you what he will not: That Tyler Thigpen could be the quarterback the Chiefs envisioned when they drafted Brodie Croyle in 2006. Croyle was supposed to be the Chiefs' quarterback of the future, but those plans have been scrapped because he can't stay healthy.

Thigpen can. He can also win, with last weekend's defeat of Oakland a breakthrough. After close calls against four opponents -- including New Orleans -- he finally demonstrated that he can close a deal, and that's what the Chiefs have been missing the past year and a half.

But that's just the beginning. They rave about Thigpen's mobility. In fact, it was the first quality Edwards ticked off when he listed his quarterback's strengths. Thigpen can throw with accuracy, too, with a string of 161 passes without an interception and a third-down passer-rating higher than those of Brett Favre and Jay Cutler. Plus, he's an outstanding athlete -- the only quarterback in Kansas City history to score a touchdown by running, passing and receiving.

"The question now," said Edwards, "is how will he continue to play and do we want to change the offense? I have to talk to (offensive coordinator) Chan Gailey, but right now I'm thinking we would.

"We changed everything to build the offense around him. It's like we're operating with a three-page notebook, adding a little with each week. Now the question is: Do we stay with this? Because it means you would have to do some things differently, like look at a little different offensive linemen."

The Chiefs have four games to produce an answer, but that they are even considering a change in their offense tells me one thing: They may have found themselves a quarterback.

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/11149961

KChiefsQT · 12-04-2008, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darth CarlSatan

http://www.rabittooth.com/800x600Sta...2Wallpaper.jpg

Ewww WTF is that?

Cormac · 12-04-2008, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TEX

Man I HATE Herm as the HC of my favorite football team. I keep holding out hope that he'll get shit canned after the season, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Best post of the thread.

It seems weird that he'd change his offensive philosophy (which so far has been to destroy any vestige of a functional unit) and rebuild it with Tyler Thigpen as the center-piece. He's done a good job but, come on! He's an NFL Europe version of Derek Anderson.

That might be harsh but Herm is definitely an NFL Europe version of Rich Kotite.

Sweet Daddy Hate · 12-04-2008, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beer bacon

There is a very simple way to get to the playoffs running the football out of the shotgun. It is called a top ten defense.

Since Thigpen took over at QB, we have scored over 23 ppg and ran for over 120 ypg at over 5 ypc. None of this matters. We are giving up 30 ppg. No team will win more then three or four games giving up 30 ppg.

If that's where we're headed, then it is QUITE safe to say that our Draft Day QB pick need not be "Old School Pure Pocket", and that our possibilities/choices increase considerably.

This makes a guy like Stafford not nearly as deathly important to the Chiefs, and it opens the door for Bradford, McCoy, Harrell, and Tebow*, yes?

*See the Panda:

Sweet Daddy Hate · 12-04-2008, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KChiefsQT

Ewww WTF is that?

I can't recall the species name, but the two-tone color pattern around the eyes look somewhat similar to your lady-friend there.

Post beach? Tanning Bed? Inquiring minds want to know!

Reerun_KC · 12-04-2008, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beer bacon

There is a very simple way to get to the playoffs running the football out of the shotgun. It is called a top ten defense.

Since Thigpen took over at QB, we have scored over 23 ppg and ran for over 120 ypg at over 5 ypc. None of this matters. We are giving up 30 ppg. No team will win more then three or four games giving up 30 ppg.

We should have one soon, We have Herm and he is a defense fixer...

Reerun_KC · 12-04-2008, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cormac

Best post of the thread.

It seems weird that he'd change his offensive philosophy (which so far has been to destroy any vestige of a functional unit) and rebuild it with Tyler Thigpen as the center-piece. He's done a good job but, come on! He's an NFL Europe version of Derek Anderson.

That might be harsh but Herm is definitely an NFL Europe version of Rich Kotite.

Agree 100%, Very solid post!

**cdcox** · 12-04-2008, 11:37 PM

"..like look at a little different offensive linemen."

What kind of trade value do you guys think Albert has?

**alanm** · 12-04-2008, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darth CarlSatan

What the **** does a loss from 2003, with a completely different roster have to with this?

The argument is valid; run this Quasi-Spread against a Top 10, and SHOW ME THE ****ING WIN!!!

The flaw in your logic is not accounting for the play of the Chiefs defense. So your argument is invalid.

**alanm** · 12-04-2008, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hootie

well it's a good thing the Chiefs aren't going to Hawaii to play that pro bowl defense any time soon

I figured it was a brain fart on his part.

Sweet Daddy Hate · 12-04-2008, 11:53 PM

I don't recall the Buffalo Offense as being the party responsible for the Ultra-Bitch Slap our own offense enjoyed at Arrowhead 2 weeks ago.

Argument = VALID.

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-05-2008, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cormac

That might be harsh but Herm is definitely an NFL Europe version of Rich Kotite.

And you're the Dick Macpherson of Chiefsplanet.

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-05-2008, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Agree 100%, Very solid post!

I hope you know you're agreeing with a lead paint eating Drano baby

Sweet Daddy Hate · 12-05-2008, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I hope you know you're agreeing with a lead paint eating Drano baby

Mmm...Lead Paint; the gift that keeps on giving!

12-04-2008, 10:35 AM
DaKCMan AP Beloved & Awesome CP Celebrity Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Florida Casino cash: $6734952	Dear, Vikings: Thanks for our quarterback; Sincerely, Chiefs Dear, Vikings: Thanks for our quarterback; Sincerely, Chiefs By Clark Judge CBSSports.com Senior Writer I heard someone last week ask if there were any way the Minnesota Vikings could repay Kansas City for dropping star defensive end Jared Allen on their doorstep, and, yes, I said, there is. In fact, they've already done it. Meet Tyler Thigpen. He's the Chiefs' quarterback for now and maybe the future, but he wouldn't be in Kansas City if the Vikings hadn't cut him loose a year ago to make room for a reserve tight end. The move was a gamble, and Minnesota knew it, but it figured it could re-sign Thigpen -- chosen by the Vikings in the seventh round of the 2007 draft -- to its practice squad after he cleared waivers. Only he didn't clear. Kansas City claimed him. Now he's playing so well that Chiefs coach Herman Edwards confessed he's considering scrapping the Chiefs' run-heavy offense next season and going with what works for Tyler Thigpen -- a more spread-out, wide-open, two-minute approach that usually has Thigpen operating out of the shotgun. That can't be good news for someone like running back Larry Johnson, but it is for Thigpen. It means someone has a conviction about the guy, and that someone is Edwards -- with the coach considering a change next season from his offenses of the past just to suit his young quarterback. If that happens, it means Edwards believes in Thigpen as his future starter. But he isn't there yet, and he emphasized that when I reached him Wednesday. "We've got four games left," he said. "Let's see what he does. But one thing I do know: He's a No. 2. There is no doubt about that. That we know." Others within the Kansas City hierarchy admit "cautious optimism" about Thigpen, who produced his first victory last weekend and who has played well for one of the league's bottom feeders. In fact, in a recent four-game stretch, he threw eight touchdown passes and one interception and took, in order, the Jets, Tampa Bay and San Diego to the mat, with all three games decided in the closing seconds. Now, let's make something clear: Tyler Thigpen is not the next Eli or Peyton Manning. But he is a pleasant discovery in a not-so-pleasant season in Kansas City, and the Chiefs can address those "thank you" notes to 9520 Viking Drive, Eden Prairie, Minn. They wouldn't have Thigpen were it not for the Vikings' gamble. The common perception is that Kansas City discovered Thigpen when the Chiefs and Vikings held a preseason scrimmage, but Edwards shot down that idea, saying Thigpen didn't play "that much" when the two teams practiced against each other. Instead, he said, Thigpen appeared on the Kansas City radar when he was a star quarterback at Coastal Carolina, with the Chiefs rating him a low fifth- or high sixth-round choice. He could run. He had a strong arm. He was accurate. He was durable. And he won. Basically, he was everything you wanted from a quarterback, with a couple of drawbacks: 1) He didn't operate in a pro offense, working instead out of the shotgun, and 2) he played at a small school against lesser competition. Nevertheless, when the team's vice president of player personnel, Bill Kuharich, watched him that summer in the fourth quarter of an exhibition game, he noticed something he liked. "It was just the way he handled himself and the pressure," said Kuharich. "It reinforced what I had seen on tape. (Team president) Carl (Peterson), Herm and I decided if he ever became available we would claim him." Which, of course, they did when Minnesota stuck with Tarvaris Jackson and acquired veteran backup Kelly Holcomb. Now, Holcomb is gone, Jackson is benched and Thigpen is playing for Kansas City. Hindsight is 20-20, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out the Vikings erred when they let Thigpen go. I came to that conclusion last weekend when Thigpen led Kansas City on a 16-play, 91-yard drive that broke a 10-10 deadlock against Oakland. He completed three of four passes and ran for two first downs on that series. I came to that conclusion again that afternoon when, on third-and-3 with just over two minutes to play, he iced the game by hitting Dwayne Bowe with a 12-yard completion. "We've got ourselves a pretty good quarterback," said Edwards. That's as strong a statement as you get from the head coach, but it tells you what he will not: That Tyler Thigpen could be the quarterback the Chiefs envisioned when they drafted Brodie Croyle in 2006. Croyle was supposed to be the Chiefs' quarterback of the future, but those plans have been scrapped because he can't stay healthy. Thigpen can. He can also win, with last weekend's defeat of Oakland a breakthrough. After close calls against four opponents -- including New Orleans -- he finally demonstrated that he can close a deal, and that's what the Chiefs have been missing the past year and a half. But that's just the beginning. They rave about Thigpen's mobility. In fact, it was the first quality Edwards ticked off when he listed his quarterback's strengths. Thigpen can throw with accuracy, too, with a string of 161 passes without an interception and a third-down passer-rating higher than those of Brett Favre and Jay Cutler. Plus, he's an outstanding athlete -- the only quarterback in Kansas City history to score a touchdown by running, passing and receiving. "The question now," said Edwards, "is how will he continue to play and do we want to change the offense? I have to talk to (offensive coordinator) Chan Gailey, but right now I'm thinking we would. "We changed everything to build the offense around him. It's like we're operating with a three-page notebook, adding a little with each week. Now the question is: Do we stay with this? Because it means you would have to do some things differently, like look at a little different offensive linemen." The Chiefs have four games to produce an answer, but that they are even considering a change in their offense tells me one thing: They may have found themselves a quarterback. http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/11149961
Posts: 35,695

12-04-2008, 11:37 PM	#187
cdcox www.nfl-forecast.com Join Date: Sep 2000 Casino cash: $2341769	"..like look at a little different offensive linemen." What kind of trade value do you guys think Albert has?
Posts: 45,536

12-04-2008, 11:53 PM	#190
Sweet Daddy Hate Unsparing Join Date: Aug 2008 Casino cash: $10004900	I don't recall the Buffalo Offense as being the party responsible for the Ultra-Bitch Slap our *own offense* enjoyed at Arrowhead 2 weeks ago. Argument = VALID. __________________ 1. Merciless, severe. 2. Given freely and generously. 100% refusal to overrate 20 year Head Coaches with ZERO **ing rings as a Head Coach. CP's Official Professor of 'Dem Blues for 2019/2020!**
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