Despite lack of playing time, Stanzi works to improve

[C-Mac]

By ADAM TEICHER

The Kansas City Star
Despite lack of playing time, Stanzi works to improve.

For quarterback Ricky Stanzi, the final week of the season appears destined to be much like the first and all the others in between. What little practice work he gets will be limited to helping the Chiefs’ defense prepare for Sunday’s final game of the season against the Broncos in Denver.

It is difficult, if not impossible, for a young quarterback to develop that way. But it speaks loudly to what the Chiefs think of Stanzi that in a 2-13 season where they have continually displayed the need for a quarterback, they haven’t given Stanzi a look.

It seems like a wasted season for his development, but Stanzi at least believes he is a better player than he showed during what for him was a rough preseason.

“Every year, you develop,” he said. “There’s no wasted year. You may not be on the field, but there’s been a lot of time spent on watching film, working on footwork, working on the fundamentals, working on your throwing. You’d like to be playing, but you can always get better, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do.”

“You would hope as a player you’re progressing through the season. It’s been great to be able to sit here, learn things and not have to be … sometimes you’re thrown in to a situation you’re not ready for.”

Stanzi looked as though he wasn’t ready to play in the preseason, particularly a turnover-filled game against the Rams in St. Louis. Coach Romeo Crennel acknowledged that the memory is difficult to shake.

“What happened in the preseason happened, but I know he’s grown as a player, grown in the classroom since that time,” Crennel said. “It still comes down to whether I decide to give him a chance or not.

“Getting him on the field becomes more difficult. Not only him, but there are many guys who are behind other guys. You take anybody who’s behind Tamba Hali. He can show improvement, but his chances of getting on the field are not going to be great unless there’s an injury situation.”

The preseason has been over for almost four months, but it is hard for a backup to prove he is a better player since he gets little in the way of meaningful practice time.

“It’s difficult but in practice you can show the progress you’re making, whether it’s fundamental things or your decision making,” said Brady Quinn, who is now the Chiefs’ starting quarterback but was a backup for most of his NFL career. “Everything you do is on film, and it’s not as if the coaches aren’t watching that film.

“That’s one of the biggest differences between college and the NFL is that you have to take it upon yourself to get better each day and to prepare yourself. You don’t get the work that the starters do.”

Crennel indicated that Stanzi was taking that work seriously.

“It’s hard in that situation because he only gets show-team reps,” Crennel said. “On the show team, you have to show that you’ve improved your fundamentals because the show team is not a real test. You’re running off (play) cards, and we circle the guy we want him to throw to so he doesn’t have to read the coverage and all those things. To his credit, he tries to read the coverage and know what coverage is being played … and know whether he would go to the guy that’s being circled. Many times, he’ll come back and say, ‘Hey, this is a set up. I wouldn’t throw to that guy normally.’ I say, ‘I appreciate that, Ricky, but we need to see the ball go to this particular spot.’

“So you can tell a little bit that he’s into it mentally by things like that. He’s made strides. If we deem that we want to give him the chance to show what he can do, then we’ll dress him and see if there’s an opportunity for him to get into a game.”

That won’t happen Sunday unless Crennel has a dramatic change of heart. Stanzi’s contribution will again be to imitate in practice the opposing quarterback, in this case Denver’s Peyton Manning.

It’s not like playing, but it’s all Stanzi has.

“You get to go against the first-team defense,” Stanzi said. “You get to go against some great defenders. You get to work on some of your things. You treat it like a game. You take it seriously and you make it count. If you do that, you’ll be a better player.”

[oldman]

"Stanzi looked as though he wasn’t ready to play in the preseason, particularly a turnover-filled game against the Rams in St. Louis." As opposed to Cassel who wasn't ready to play in just about every regular season game. Sounds like something right out of a Three movie. There, I've set someone up.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by mikey23545

And you know this because of the geniuses doing the player evaluations?...

Always leaves a question in your mind, doesn't it? Then again, those are the same ones who picked him. So who knows....

[aturnis]

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

It would be absolutely stupid for Stanzi to not get any playing time this week. Stupid from an evaluation opportunity standpoint, and stupid from a motivational standpoint.

So he will be inactive.

Not only would it give them something to evaluate him off of, but would help him to better understand where he needs to improve this offseason. If he were to light it up next preseason, he could potentially have some trade value or solidify himself as a capable backup. Sure would be nice if he got that playing time....

[HonestChieffan]

Grocery sacker soon

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by Frosty

Except Tamba is actually, you know, a good player.

That was my initial reaction as well.

What kind of deluded thought process is going on in RAC's head if he even remotely thinks that the mess at quarterback is even remotely similar to the outside linebacker position?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

I agree the coaching sucks, but how does that statement add to it?

They're telling him to throw the ball a certain place instead of allowing him to make his reads on throw to the guy that is, you know, open...

This offense, no matter who is under center, is near the bottom of the league in YPA. Why do you suppose that is?

[Iowanian]

Let's presume that Stanzi is physically and mentally talented enough to play QB in the NFL.


How on Earth would he possibly improve enough to see with the 2 turds ahead of him as mentors and this herd of green apple splatters coaching him up?

[Pushead2]

He'll never succeed because the people in this organization never wanted him to succeed.

I've seen it too many times in my years playing hockey. It's hard to over come those odds.

He has a shit QB that Pioli signed for way too much money to be inactive and Quinn, who everyone has been thinking "what if" all these years.

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by mikey23545

And you know this because of the geniuses doing the player evaluations?...

Same ones that drafted him.

[HolyHat]

Originally Posted by notorious

I don't want to hear it. He sucks so bad he can't beat out the two pieces of shit we have at QB now.

Exactly! Why people are still supporting this kid is beyond me. If he can't beat out Cassel and Quinn he shouldnt have a job.

I dont care how great his hair looks blowing in the wind, while holding a clipboard.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Same ones that drafted him.

This.

If Pioli wanted to stay here he would have made Crennel start Stanzi to give him an outside chance of winning and keeping his job.

Stanzi must be horrific.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by @KCsporting

Exactly! Why people are still supporting this kid is beyond me. If he can't beat out Cassel and Quinn he shouldnt have a job.

I dont care how great his hair looks blowing in the wind, while holding a clipboard.

So the same folks that continuously said Matt Cassel was a good QB are suddenly ONE HUNDRED PERCENT ACCURATE in their assessments of the other QBs on the roster?

They play Eric Berry at LB and put Tyson Jackson on the field game after game, but when it comes to Ricky Stanzi, they're smart enough to know he doesn't belong on the field.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by notorious

This.

If Pioli wanted to stay here he would have made Crennel start Stanzi to give him an outside chance of winning and keeping his job.

Stanzi must be horrific.

Yeah, because Pioli knows what good QBs look like. After all, he traded a 2nd for Matt Cassel and gave him $60M.

[ptlyon]

Don't worry htis - NOT going to enter this thread & argue how bad stanzi sucks...

[Ebolapox]

I don't think he's getting a fair shake. I'm not sure we can equivocally say whether he's worse than the two in front of him--seriously, do you trust the coaching staff THAT much? why? we've been fed the bullshit all year--'he's not good enough to get playing time.' yet they'll play cassel until they HAVE to pull him?!?

yeah. I don't trust this coaching staff, neither should you. I think the kid has talent, and I'd like to SEE them GIVE him a chance to show said talent. if he flames out, OH NOES, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE ANOTHER GAME!

their handling of stanzi? yet another crime committed by the worst coaching staff/front office in the NFL.