| B_Ambuehl |
09-10-2010 12:45 AM |
Seriously, I'm a fan of both teams, they're the only 2 teams I follow each and every week, and they have a considerable amount in common. Both teams have hard assed front offices that in recent history routinely make terrible personnel decisions. Both teams run 3-4 defenses and both have practice squad caliber defensive fronts and undermanned inside linebackers. Both have lackluster offensive tackle play. Both teams have pretty good corners and both have (or should have) 1 good safety. Both have a scheme built around a strong running game.
The main difference is QB, TE, scheme, and things a QB allows them to do in scheme. I'm sure Haley would love to get down the field but Cassell can't throw anything deeper than 10 yards. Rivers is accurate with the deep ball, has Gates to draw congestion to the middle, has a dynamite safety valve in Sproles, and all that allows Norv a lot of versatility in play calling.
The other main difference I see is D coordinator. Ron Rivera schemed the chargers D to a top 15 ranking in points allowed with nothing to work with other than smoke and mirrors. That team defensively had no business being 13-3 last year. They've been dead last or 2nd to last in QB pressures the prior 3 years and gave up nearly 5 yds/carry on the ground to at least one rusher in the majority of games they played, the majority of their defense grades out at well below average, but they were still able to make enough plays when it counted because of the way Rivera used them.
I saw nothing in preseason to indicate any major change in scheme or approach for the Chiefs 3-4. Crennell still has Ron Edwards playing a 2-gap role but he can be effectively blocked with just a center. Tyson Jackson is a 4-3 left defensive end playing out of position. Dorsey tries but he's not big enough to effectively be a force doing what they're asking him to do. The end result is an easy ~5 yards thru the a-gaps on the majority of inside runs.
The Parcells 3-4 (which Romeo runs) is outdated and has been for a couple of years now. That's why Miami brought in Mike Nolan. That's largely why the Pats got gutted for 250 on the ground against the Ravens and knocked out of the playoffs.
For an alternate 1-shade/1-gap approach (which the personnel is better suited for) watch the Cowboys under Phillips.
When your front line is overmatched you concede yards on the ground, concede TOP and generally have to get a lot of quick scores to win. The Saints & Pats can get away with it because of their offense.
The basic problem with the chiefs is their approach offensively doesn't match up to what they can do defensively. They might be able to pressure the QB a bit and hold up on the back end in the passing game, but being a team that runs to win they need to be able to stop the run and force teams into consistent 3rd and long situations so they can get after the QB and let their secondary fly around and make plays.
Notice around the league virtually all the teams that run the ball for high yardage are generally very good at stopping the run. Most of the teams that throw the ball for big yardage are good at pressuring the QB. Until the Chiefs get to the point where their O and D complement each other opposing teams will be able to play day 1 install and drive the ball, run the clock, play conservative D and know that Cassell & the passing game will eventually shit the bed. Last year it generally didn't take much longer than a quarter or so for that to happen. We'll see.
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