We are getting worse at a slower rate than we were before. Therefore, we are near the bottom and will be improving soon.

Seriously, the roster was so bad that I'm giving Pioli/Haley 2 full years of free ride. I also don't think they got the benefit of a full off season because of the lateness in which the staff was assembled (I blame Clark and his insistence to evaluate Herm Edwards for that). I won't try to determine if we are on the right track until regular season of 2011. My major gripe so far is Cassel over Sanchez.

2001 Chiefs:

Offense: #5 overall in points averaging 20 points per game (320 total)
#5 overall in yards per game (354 per game)

Defense: #23 overall in points at 21.5 (344 total allowed)
#23 overall in yards at 331 per game

The same offensive line that got Bledsoe killed and everyone said was horrible Brady rode to a super bowl. Brady changed their whole team.

Those first two years under Brady the Pats scraped and clawed their way to victory. No huge blowouts or anything. Brady and co. just always found a way at the end...

That was DV's first year? You sure?

I remember a lot of sacks, INT's, and Holmes didn't even really come on until about week 4 or so...

That is not true about their OL. You are correct about clawing their way to victories.

2000 Final OL

• 78 Bruce Armstrong T
• 72 Sale Isaia G
• 70 Adrian Klemm G/T ^R
• 62 Josh Rawlings T ^UR
• 77 Greg Robinson-Randall T ^R
• 67 Grey Ruegamer C/G
• 76 Grant Williams T
• 65 Damien Woody C

2001 Final OL

• 63 Joe Andruzzi G
• 77 Mike Compton G
• 74 Kenyatta Jones T/G ^R
• 72 Matt Light T ^R
• 61 Stephen Neal T/G
• 64 Greg Robinson-Randall T
• 67 Grey Ruegamer C/G
• 76 Grant Williams T
• 65 Damien Woody C

They replaced 3 out of their 5 starters in 01.

They were 16th in scoring, not 5th as Dane posted:

http://www.pro-football-reference.co...s/kan/2001.htm

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorysta...true&Submit=Go

They've played three teams that may contend for this year's superbowl, two of them on the road. That's not the September 2008 versions of New England, Oakland, Atlanta and Denver. Yeah, I'm shocked that they don't look worlds better.

As far as the 2001 comparison goes, that team was 1-3 at this point and had only shown the flashes of the offense to come in later years against the Redskins. Priest Holmes would have less than 250 yards rushing in four games, with 150 of that coming against Washington a week ago. And yesterday's game would have been highlighted by TrINT Green, as we knew him then, tossing four picks to Deltha O'Neal.

Ahh, the good ol' days.

:clap:

Bledsoe got knocked out (after getting beat around) and Brady rode that team to a SB. IIRC Brady even missed a game (or most of a game) that Bledsoe had to fill in for during the run due to injury.

I'm just saying that Brady's first year that was no super front 5 he played behind but his play did chance the whole dynamic...

Positive.

That team started 1-6 and finished 6-10. They didn't know how to use Priest until the Redskins game.

If you want to get into serious stats like those that OTWP broke out, here's a link:

http://www.databasefootball.com/team...lg=NFL&yr=2001

Haley's trying to send a message.

There were still some flashes. Not many, things did not look good, but Holmes did make one wonder.

I think with the (limited) talent this team has we should run the ball (and no, not 5 draw/shotgun handoff plays in a row) and use playaction. Our WR's are sub-par, our o line is teh sukh, and our QB is new to everything here.

Instead we're running a spread/pistol-similar offense 1/2 the time...

I hated Vermeil's tenure. But you wanna see something really sick?

3-13 (75) - Eric Downing, Syracuse, DT
3-15 (77) - Marvin Minnis, Florida State, WR
4-12 (107) - Monty Beisel, Kansas State, DE
4-13 (108) - George Layne, Texas Christian, RB
5-10 (141) - Billy Baber, Virginia, TE
5-19 (150) - Derrick Blaylock, Stephen F. Austin, RB
6-13 (176) - Alex Sulfsted, Miami (OH), G
7-12 (212) - Shaunard Harts, Boise State, DB
7-43 (243) - Terdell Sands, Chattanooga, DT

The ONLY guy still in the league, including Vermeil and Green. is Terdell Sands.

That is just downright pathetic.

IMO, the Chiefs should be running the spread 90% of the time, excluding goal line situations.

This line sucks ass and The Spread at least gives Cassel a chance to complete passes.

I don't think going pro-set or I-formation would work any better. Cox isn't very good and we don't have a tight end who can block worth a shit. And I don't think they'd slow down the pass rush an iota on playaction unless the running plays started to actually work.