Did DJ look hampered?

[ChiefRocka]

I may have been too drunk Thursday night but I vaguely remember Derrick Johnson chasing a Patriot WR with the ball across the field and saw him heavily favoring (limping on) that same leg as the achilles.

Anyone else catch that?

[penbrook]

He wasn't hampering. He was just slow. That's what happens when you get older, you lose speed. However his instincts are still there. Heath Evans raved about how well DJ played

[Messier]

It was Cooks he was chasing. That's not the matchup you want.

[OldSchool]

Yes, he looked significantly slower. This might be his final year of being a good player.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

He's not 2011-2013 DJ anymore, but he's still almost always in the perfect position, he helps other guys be in position, and he makes plays when we need them.

Still a valuable piece of the defense.

[oldman]

Let's see -- 4 tackles, 4 assists, at 1 least pass defensed. Nope, looked fine to me.

[JakeF]

He limped around several times. Don't know if it was just a tweak or if it was leftover from achielles injury.

[ChiefRocka]

You guys are being very defensive of a single observation. Never said he wasn't still great.

Clay, the play GIF'd out, por favor?

[penbrook]

Let's see -- 4 tackles, 4 assists, at 1 least pass defensed. Nope, looked fine to me.

Exactly. As someone pointed out before he wasn't limping he was chasing Cooks. DJ had a excellent PB on Burkhead in the endzone

[New World Order]

I saw that too Chiefrocka.

My heart jumped a little bit because I thought he got hurt but he played great the rest of the game.

[Hoover]

No, but NE really forced him to cover a lot of deep sideline routes

[Sandy Vagina]

Yeah, just slow. Don't want him roaming the 2nd/3rd levels or playing man coverage. He's a run defending hammer in the box, but little more.

[Rain Man]

He sure seemed to outplay the Patriots running backs.

[penbrook]

He sure seemed to outplay the Patriots running backs.

That play he made on White for a loss of 6 yards I was like damn that's the old DJ.

[BWillie]

Looked very slow but he played well. You can get by as a LB just on wisdom, positioning & being a bad ass.

[kcxiv]

He's not 2011-2013 DJ anymore, but he's still almost always in the perfect position, he helps other guys be in position, and he makes plays when we need them.

Still a valuable piece of the defense.

He could have been 2011-2013 DJ and he would have still looked slow trying to chase Cooks.

[calichief1]

He didn't seem to be much slower to me. Bumbed people are seeing he is slower which makes sense at 35

[tmax63]

You also gotta realize that thurs night was probably the most stress to date on the newly repaired Achilles. There's no way you can simulate an actual full game of reps in rehab and preparation. He could of been getting tired and a little sore. I know I limp when I get tired and I haven't had either achilles worked on, just life in general.

[rico]

Much, much slower. I watched him probably more than I watched anyone else on the D all game. I'm guessing we only get 1-2 more seasons max from him.

[mcaj22]

he makes all the audibles for the defense, this team would be terrible without him. There isn't a ILBer on this roster out of the 753847 they kept that has the knowledge he has to win a chess match against Tom Brady like that.

DJ is one of the GOAT Chiefs players in my opinion. It doesn't matter how slow he is, he puts every guy in the right position 90 percent of the time. When he's not on the field way more big plays are given up.

[Best22]

What type of linebacker covers Brandin Cooks?

[Chiefnj2]

Yes, on the play you are talking about DJ looked like he was limping. There were a few other times in coverage where he looked like he lost a step. He's still great diagnosing plays but he isn't getting any younger.

[kccrow]

What type of linebacker covers Brandin Cooks?

Ryan Shazier.... and then... ummm.. ummm...

[Kiimo]

Week 6 I bet he looks a lot better

[rico]

he makes all the audibles for the defense, this team would be terrible without him. There isn't a ILBer on this roster out of the 753847 they kept that has the knowledge he has to win a chess match against Tom Brady like that.

DJ is one of the GOAT Chiefs players in my opinion. It doesn't matter how slow he is, he puts every guy in the right position 90 percent of the time. When he's not on the field way more big plays are given up.

This.

[Demonpenz]

A slow dj is still like bettee than That fool

[OldSchool]

What type of linebacker covers Brandin Cooks?

No one is expecting him to be able to cover Cooks. He just looked significantly slower out there compared to what he has looked like in the past.

[NJChiefsFan]

Let's see -- 4 tackles, 4 assists, at 1 least pass defensed. Nope, looked fine to me.

I'm sure plenty of LB's that don't play well can have decent stats for a game. I thought DJ was fine but those stats aren't a smoking gun proving it.

DJ did limp after a play. Seemed fine after that. There were at least 2 times that DJ lost his player in coverage. I thought he was fine and made some huge tackles but it was weird to see the confusion from him on a few coverages.

[penbrook]

I'm sure plenty of LB's that don't play well can have decent stats for a game. I thought DJ was fine but those stats aren't a smoking gun proving it.

DJ did limp after a play. Seemed fine after that. There were at least 2 times that DJ lost his player in coverage. I thought he was fine and made some huge tackles but it was weird to see the confusion from him on a few coverages.

DJ had excellent coverage on Burkhead. DJ is a ILB. He shouldn't be covering a WR such as Brandin Cooks. He should stick to RBs. Also there were several DJ specials that game. Heath Evans raved about how well he has played despite getting older

[NJChiefsFan]

DJ had excellent coverage on Burkhead. DJ is a ILB. He shouldn't be covering a WR such as Brandin Cooks. He should stick to RBs. Also there were several DJ specials that game. Heath Evans raved about how well he has played despite getting older

I'm not talking about his coverage of Cooks. He lost his assignment a few times. I'm not criticizing him. It happens. Just weird to see it happen to him.

[Best22]

No one is expecting him to be able to cover Cooks. He just looked significantly slower out there compared to what he has looked like in the past.

It was bound to happen. That's why I wonder how guys like Keenan Allen will be.

Same thing may be happening to Gronk

[OldSchool]

It was bound to happen. That's why I wonder how guys like Keenan Allen will be.

Same thing may be happening to Gronk

Gronk was never a burner. He always won with his physicality, ball skills, and body positioning.

[Best22]

Gronk was never a burner. He always won with his physicality, ball skills, and body positioning.

Gronk was still athletic. He lost some of that. Gradually

[OldSchool]

Gronk was still athletic. He lost some of that. Gradually

Bad back and knee injuries probably something to do with it.

[Buehler445]

I may have been too drunk Thursday night but I vaguely remember Derrick Johnson chasing a Patriot WR with the ball across the field and saw him heavily favoring (limping on) that same leg as the achilles.

Anyone else catch that?

He had Achilles on both legs. Didn't see it.

I will note here, that am the biggest DJ fan there is. I'll miss him when he's gone.

It was Cooks he was chasing. That's not the matchup you want.

I heard that on the radio, and thought, "Oh. Yay. :facepalm:"

[suzzer99]

The great thing about inside LBs is that it's mostly about instinct and positioning. So their careers can keep going after they lose a step. Same with safeties which is why I'm praying we can replace Berry with sub-talent.

[Nickhead]

i see this thread every time as 'did DJ look hammered' ROFL