Chiefs Make Progress in Atlanta

[Hammock Parties]

http://kan.scout.com/2/794210.html

We should be absolutely thrilled over Kansas City’s 38-14 loss in Atlanta. The Chiefs showed us something we haven’t seen from them in months – a consistent, dependable ground game.

Yes, the Chiefs got destroyed, couldn’t pass the ball, couldn’t stop the run, and generally looked like the worst team in the NFL. But none of that matters. The only thing we should be focusing on right now is the success of Kansas City’s ground game against the Falcons.

Remember, we all knew the Chiefs would lose with Tyler Thigpen under center. It was as close to a lock in the NFL last Sunday as any game. We can’t justifiably pass judgment on this team when they’re starting a practice-squad quarterback.

Now that Damon Huard (http://kan.scout.com/a.z?s=115&p=8&c=1&nid=3698859) is back under center, we should adjust that sentiment (there’s no excuse for KC’s offense resembling an NFL Europe attack now) but we’ll talk about that next week. For now, let’s dive into the numbers of Kansas City’s running game success.

The Chiefs piled up 184 yards against the Falcons. That’s the highest output from a Herm Edwards offense since the Denver Broncos were pounded for 223 yards by Larry Johnson and Michael Bennett (http://kan.scout.com/a.z?s=115&p=8&c=1&nid=3630508) on Thanksgiving night in 2006.

More importantly, those 184 yards blow away almost every rushing performance from the 2007 Chiefs. Save a late-season game against the Oakland Raiders last year that saw Kolby Smith (http://kan.scout.com/a.z?s=115&p=8&c=1&nid=3698874) pile up 150 yards, the 2007 Chiefs really had zero consistent performances from their ground game. Johnson had a few 100-yard outings early in the year (Cincinnati, Oakland, San Diego) but each was padded by a long run that skewed his yards per carry.

Yes, Johnson had a 48-yard run against the Falcons, but the Chiefs still racked up 136 yards at a 4.25 yards-per-carry clip if you throw it out. That’s impressive for a team that struggled to gain 100 yards against the New England Patriots in Week 1 and couldn’t find any significant running room whatsoever against the Raiders a week ago.

The fact the Chiefs had such a great outing running the ball this early in the season is significant. Last season KC’s running game was absolutely throttled in September and October, apart from a few long runs from Johnson. It was a preview of things to come, and Kansas City finished dead last in the league in rushing after 16 games.

This is important for our Herm-Edwards led Chiefs team. We know Edwards can’t field a successful offense or football team without a productive running game. His entire philosophy towards winning NFL games is dependent upon his team running the football well.

That’s why Edwards hired Chan Gailey this offseason, at least in my opinion. Gailey’s history of fielding successful ground attacks is well documented. Last season, when the Chiefs couldn’t run the ball, everything else broke down – pass protection, run defense, and of course, Larry Johnson, Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle (http://kan.scout.com/a.z?s=115&p=8&c=1&nid=3698850).

We know the Chiefs will never be a pass-first offense under Edwards. Right now, Gailey doesn’t even have the pieces to field such an approach, so forget it. Maybe the rest of the NFL has changed, with the Saints, Broncos, Colts, Bengals, Patriots, Cowboys, Packers, Eagles, Cardinals and a few other teams throwing the ball around the yard arena-league style, but not the Chiefs. Just accept it.

Instead, we should be happy that Gailey, at least for one week, found a way to get Johnson and rookie speed demon Jamaal Charles (http://kan.scout.com/a.z?s=115&p=8&c=1&nid=3723954) loose. It’s the first real sign of progress from the 2008 Chiefs we’ve seen thus far. In fact, every other aspect of the team – passing offense, run defense, pass rush, special teams – looks about the same, or even worse.

We can’t be too happy, however, because the Falcons fielded the NFL’s 26th-ranked run defense last year and were gashed on the ground in Week 2 this season. Before we put Johnson back in the Pro Bowl, let’s see how KC’s running game fares over the next month or so. If what we saw in Atlanta wasn’t a mirage, the Chiefs should find running room against the Broncos and Panthers, but might struggle against the Titans and Jets.

And if the Chiefs do resurrect their ground game this year, there’s one man who will benefit more than anyone else – Brodie Croyle. If Kansas City is running the ball as they did in 2006 when Croyle returns from injury, the bootleg game should flourish, and we just might see improvement in other areas of the football team. Heck, the Chiefs might even win a game. Now there’s progress!

[FAX]

Although I agree with your premise that the Chiefs have to be able to run the ball in order to put together an offense of any sort, can one not make the argument that Atlanta essentially "gave" us the run on Sunday? I mean, besides their overall poor run D, we were behind most of the game and had to pass in order to come back. They were likely playing soft and well off the LOS. Do you not think that may have been a factor?

FAX

[TrickyNicky]

There is no man behind the curtain! We have a great running game now!

[Hootie]

alright these fluff pieces are even starting to make me want to vomit!

The Chiefs are an abomination...LJ is an abomination...Carl is an abomination...Herm is an abomination...the coaches are all abominations...

[Simply Red]

alright these fluff pieces are even starting to make me want to vomit!

The Chiefs are an abomination...LJ is an abomination...Carl is an abomination...Herm is an abomination...the coaches are all abominations...

.

[Deberg_1990]

QUIT BLOWIN SMOKE UP EVERYONES ASS.

[Skip Towne]

Yeah, I'm thrilled you blowhard.

[rambleonthruthefog]

yes, we've progressed to sorrier than the week before.

[sedated]

yes, we've progressed to sorrier than the week before.

wouldn't that be considered "congressed"?

[Mr. Flopnuts]

wouldn't that be considered "congressed"?

If pro is the opposite of con, what is the opposite of progress?

[old_geezer]

Chiefs Make Progress in Atlanta


That's a hell of a lot more than I can say about your writing.

[cdcox]

This isn't the story true fans want to read. We want to hear how the Atlanta debacle is one step closer to Herm and Carl's demise. That's the only purpose of this season.

[Deberg_1990]

If the Chiefs were truly getting better, they might ya know.......

Ummm....win a few games every now and then...

[Bwana]

ROFL

[Mecca]

Oh for the love of christ, running the ball in the 2nd half down by 3 scores is not a consistent dependable run game.

In the first half when the game was close....they couldn't run the ball.

[kc rush]

Although I agree with your premise that the Chiefs have to be able to run the ball in order to put together an offense of any sort, can one not make the argument that Atlanta essentially "gave" us the run on Sunday? I mean, besides their overall poor run D, we were behind most of the game and had to pass in order to come back. They were likely playing soft and well off the LOS. Do you not think that may have been a factor?

FAX

Please Mr. FAX, you must be out of line. If WPI says that we've made progress, then by damn, we must have. We all know that they do not write fluff pieces in order to keep their press passes.

[Skip Towne]

Although I agree with your premise that the Chiefs have to be able to run the ball in order to put together an offense of any sort, can one not make the argument that Atlanta essentially "gave" us the run on Sunday? I mean, besides their overall poor run D, we were behind most of the game and had to pass in order to come back. They were likely playing soft and well off the LOS. Do you not think that may have been a factor?

FAX

See, FAX, this is the kind of tripe I was talking about when you were defending WPI the other day.

[Rain Man]

Oh for the love of christ, running the ball in the 2nd half down by 3 scores is not a consistent dependable run game.

In the first half when the game was close....they couldn't run the ball.

You have to admit, though, that Herm's system was really working there at the end. When we were down by three touchdowns with 12 minutes left, he launched a long, time-chewing drive that kept the defense off the field and almost even scored. I suspect that he was quite proud of that.

[Skip Towne]

You have to admit, though, that Herm's system was really working there at the end. When we were down by three touchdowns with 12 minutes left, he launched a long, time-chewing drive that kept the defense off the field and almost even scored. I suspect that he was quite proud of that.

Herm was right. He always told us it would work.

[Simply Red]

nothing positive should've been drawn by that ****ing ass-beatin we got from the birds! NOTHING!

[the Talking Can]

You have to admit, though, that Herm's system was really working there at the end. When we were down by three touchdowns with 12 minutes left, he launched a long, time-chewing drive that kept the defense off the field and almost even scored. I suspect that he was quite proud of that.

ROFL:cuss:

[orange]

GoChiefs,

Damn! Everytime I begin to believe you get a bad rap around here, you put up something like this! You actually took a paycheck for writing this? That leaves only one question unanswered - vaseline or K-Y?

[the Talking Can]

GoChiefs,

Damn! Everytime I begin to believe you get a bad rap around here, you put up something like this! You actually took a paycheck for writing this? That leaves only one question unanswered - vaseline or K-Y?

Carl likes throat gagging

[the Talking Can]

Claython wanted to become whitlock, took a wrong turn and ended up Bob Gretz.

[Mecca]

Claython wanted to become whitlock, took a wrong turn and ended up Bob Gretz.

He thinks if he keeps it up he can get the Rufus Dawes gig.

[The Bad Guy]

Claython wanted to become whitlock, took a wrong turn and ended up Bob Gretz.

These articles are old anymore.

He's not even Bob Gretz- he's Eileen Weir.

[Otter]

You're becoming highly annoying again GoChiefs.

[Portlantis]

Big Brother says:

War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.
Getting blown out by the Falcons is progress.

[TrickyNicky]

Whats funny is every team we've played has taken Herm's gameplan and shoved it down our throats. By that I mean, ideally, what Herm would LOVE to be able to do, is what is being done to us in spades. QB manages the game and the running back drills us.

[the Talking Can]

Big Brother says:

War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.
Getting blown out by the Falcons is progress.

bingo

[orange]

Whats funny is every team we've played has taken Herm's gameplan and shoved it down our throats. By that I mean, Ideally, what Herm would LOVE to be able to do, is what is being done to us in spades. QB Manages the game and the running back drills us.

... And they've all been basically protecting rookie quarterbacks, too...

... just like the Chiefs, only with success.

[TEX]

This is such total shit.

[Simply Red]

You're becoming highly annoying again GoChiefs..

[FAX]

See, FAX, this is the kind of tripe I was talking about when you were defending WPI the other day.

For crying out loud, Mr. Skip Towne, you know darn well I wasn't defending WPI in its entirety. I merely stated that several of their more recent articles were pretty good and I stand by that claim. This particular effort's kind of loopy, but some of the other ones have been informative and interesting.

For example, the one about Herm's bathroom habits was insightful. Who knew that he squats to pee and wears ladies' underpants and a garter? And the one about Dick Curl's secret addiction to dwarf, Asian prostitutes that he developed during his tenure with NFLE was a very well written piece. You never get stuff like that from one of those Oklahoma papers.

FAX

[Phobia]

So here we have a man who has gone through Jehovah's Witness deprogramming only to subscribe to this silliness. Will the brainwashing ever end?

Please, somebody intercept the Carl Peterson and Herm Edwards press conferences before it's too late.

[kcxiv]

To be honest they could have made this running the ball progress had they rushed Larry to the outside against the Patriots. For some wild ****ing reason, they refused to let LJ stretch the field.

[Fairplay]

I will be completely honest here. I have only watched maybe 20 minutes of a total game this year.

They sicken me that much.

I hate Herm. If losing every game this year means that it will get him ousted, then so be it.

[SBK]

WPI gargles Carl's balls.

The only progress that happened in Atlanta is we were 1 game closer to the end of the year.

[kstater]

Wow,

just Wow.

[Moobs]

Jesus Christ was a laughable excuse for an article.

[BigRock]

Jesus Christ was a laughable excuse for an article.

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/228/majorleaguepd7.jpg

Are you trying to say Jesus Christ can't write a good article?

[petegz28]

What does herm's cock taste like Claythan?

[Farzin]

We should be absolutely thrilled over Kansas City’s 38-14 loss in Atlanta. ---

We should be absolutely thrilled for starting 0-3?

We should be absolutely thrilled for a 12 game losing streak, which has been the largest active losing streak since week 17 of last seasos?

[triple]

they were able to run the ball BECAUSE A TEAM WITH ANY BRAINS WOULD BE THROWING TO TRY TO GET BACK INTO THE GAME

NOT PLAY CONTROL THE POSESSION FOOTBALL WHEN YOU'RE DOWN TWO SCORES

they defended the damn pass and let us run the clock out for them.

we're the only team in the NFL that when you get a big lead will run the clock out for you.


You call getting smoked by 24 by one of the 3 worst teams in the NFL last year "progress"?


This is the stupidest thing i have ever read.

[Brock]

Die.

[L.A. Chieffan]

Goat, are you forced to write lies or are you just clueless?

[Rooster]

I couldn't even finish this garbage. If you want to be a writer find a Junior College and take a class.

[Skip Towne]

they were able to run the ball BECAUSE A TEAM WITH ANY BRAINS WOULD BE THROWING TO TRY TO GET BACK INTO THE GAME

NOT PLAY CONTROL THE POSESSION FOOTBALL WHEN YOU'RE DOWN TWO SCORES

they defended the damn pass and let us run the clock out for them.

we're the only team in the NFL that when you get a big lead will run the clock out for you.


You call getting smoked by 24 by one of the 3 worst teams in the NFL last year "progress"?


This is the stupidest thing i have ever read.

Herm just can't figure this whole thing out.

[Hammock Parties]

You're becoming highly annoying again GoChiefs.

That's OK. I'm sticking by my guns. I said I would be positive before the season and I'm not going to change my tune just because Tyler Thigpen made Herm look bad for a couple weeks.

It takes courage to stand up for something when Chiefs fans everywhere are screaming the opposite. I will weather the storm.

[Goapics1]

That's OK. I'm sticking by my guns. I said I would be positive before the season and I'm not going to change my tune just because Tyler Thigpen made Herm look bad for a couple weeks.

It takes courage to stand up for something when Chiefs fans everywhere are screaming the opposite. I will weather the storm.

U at Starbucks again or you just get back from filling out job applications?

[Rausch]

Die.

From the ass cancer...

[CoMoChief]

Consistent running game? We couldnt score within 5 yds, most running took place in the 2nd half when they were up 3 scores and they were expecting us to pass.

[the Talking Can]

That's OK. I'm sticking by my guns. I said I would be positive before the season and I'm not going to change my tune just because Tyler Thigpen made Herm look bad for a couple weeks.

It takes courage to stand up for something when Chiefs fans everywhere are screaming the opposite. I will weather the storm.

stupidity isn't courageous

it's just stupid


but you are great at kissing carl's ass and validating his every failure...you'll have gretz' old job in no time...

[ottawa_chiefs_fan]

This would look good in "Chimpanzee Weekly".

[CoMoChief]

That's OK. I'm sticking by my guns. I said I would be positive before the season and I'm not going to change my tune just because Tyler Thigpen made Herm look bad for a couple weeks.

It takes courage to stand up for something when Chiefs fans everywhere are screaming the opposite. I will weather the storm.

Thigpen made Herm look bad.

Herm's the ****ing idiot that thought it was a brilliant idea to start him in the first place. That was HIS decision......we all knew what the outcome would be if that happened and it did happen.

[Hammock Parties]

Thigpen made Herm look bad.

Herm's the ****ing idiot that thought it was a brilliant idea to start him in the first place. That was HIS decision......we all knew what the outcome would be if that happened and it did happen.

If you believe BigRedChief, the team wanted Thigpen to start.

Of course half this forum wants nothing to do with Huard. Make up your mind.

Basically this whole franchise is running in neutral until Croyle gets back.

[The Bad Guy]

If you believe BigRedChief, the team wanted Thigpen to start.

Of course half this forum wants nothing to do with Huard. Make up your mind.

Basically this whole franchise is running in neutral until Croyle gets back.

This whole franchise is running in reverse with or without Croyle under center.

Tyler Thigpen made Herm look bad? What a ****ing idiot you are.

Herm makes Herm look bad.

[triple]

'making herm look bad'? how about herm taking this team from a playoff appearance to, bar none, the worst team in the NFL is what is making Herm look bad?

he's the worst coach in the NFL, works for the worst GM in the NFL. We have the worst roster in the NFL. It all equals out to suckage. but you think all we need is damon huard and some more runs up the center's @$$ to make this into chicken salad

[Dylan]

There is no man behind the curtain! We have a great running game now!
Goat, are you forced to write lies or are you just clueless?
I couldn't even finish this garbage. If you want to be a writer find a Junior College and take a class.
U at Starbucks again or you just get back from filling out job applications?
You're becoming highly annoying again GoChiefs.
WPI gargles Carl's balls.
Claython wanted to become whitlock, took a wrong turn and ended up Bob Gretz.
He thinks if he keeps it up he can get the Rufus Dawes gig.
He's not even Bob Gretz- he's Eileen Weir.
QUIT BLOWIN SMOKE UP EVERYONES ASS.
Yeah, I'm thrilled you blowhard.
You have to admit, though, that Herm's system was really working there at the end. When we were down by three touchdowns with 12 minutes left, he launched a long, time-chewing drive that kept the defense off the field and almost even scored. I suspect that he was quite proud of that.
This would look good in "Chimpanzee Weekly".

Too funny! ROFL ROFL ROFL ROFL


i'm better run away.... Que Clayton 1-2-3 ROFL

this thread is priceless!

[FAX]

This would look good in "Chimpanzee Weekly".

Speaking of Chimpanzee Weekly, did you see last week's issue? That banana creme pie recipe looked great.

FAX

[kcxiv]

lol, It doesnt matter of Brodie is in there or not. He's just going to get hurt again behind that line.

[Hammock Parties]

lol, It doesnt matter of Brodie is in there or not. He's just going to get hurt again behind that line.

Then this whole season will have been a smashing success. We'll know we need to find a quarterback in the offseason to come. This will buy Herm three more years! Woohoo!

[Dave Lane]

Then this whole season will have been a smashing success. We'll know we need to find a quarterback in the offseason to come. This will buy Herm three more years! Woohoo!

Now even I want to kill you!! For even suggesting such foolishness! Seriously, Do you not finally admit what you knew when this whole thing started. Herm is a dolt!!!

Dave

[Simply Red]

The title alone makes me laugh.

[Skip Towne]

Who beat Claythan with the stupid stick?

[SBK]

Who beat Claythan with the stupid stick?

I think it happened when his dad put his stupid stick into Claythans mom.

[the Talking Can]

I think it happened when his dad put his stupid stick into Claythans mom.

ROFL

rough

[Monty]

Speaking of Chimpanzee Weekly, did you see last week's issue? That banana creme pie recipe looked great.

FAX

That was pretty good, but the article on "How to Fling Poo" on page 39 was very informative.

[FloridaMan88]

Vintage Wargarbage Illustrated trash

[kcxiv]

Then this whole season will have been a smashing success. We'll know we need to find a quarterback in the offseason to come. This will buy Herm three more years! Woohoo!

Most of us knew this last year though. Brodie is just to damn brittle. He's been hurt 3 times in 7 games. Wtf?