Teicher: Chiefs QB Thigpen gets the starting nod against Falcons
 

Chiefs QB Thigpen gets the starting nod against Falcons
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star


Tyler Thigpen’s performance at quarterback in the first extended playing time of his NFL career Sunday was less than inspiring. He completed far less than half his passes, was sacked three times, tossed an interception and almost threw several others.

For many teams, that would bury a player deeper on the bench. But for the Chiefs, it earned him a promotion.

Thigpen will make the first start of his NFL career in Sunday’s game against the Falcons in Atlanta, replacing Damon Huard.

“We want to take a look at him,” coach Herm Edwards said. “He’s another young player at quarterback we want to look at and see where he’s at.

“We’re trying to look at young players, and this is part of the process. Is he a (second-string quarterback)? A one? Is he always going to be a three? You don’t know until you have an opportunity to play.”

That sounds like the move is everything about furthering the youth movement by replacing a veteran quarterback with one much younger. But Edwards indicated he believed that playing Thigpen gives the Chiefs their best chance to beat Atlanta.

“We’re not looking at this game as a preseason game,” he said. “We’re trying to win. We’re doing everything we can to do that, and this kid deserves a chance.

“If he struggles, guess what? We’ll do what we always do. We’ll bring Damon Huard off the bench. That’s how Damon Huard really plays the best, in my opinion, when he comes off the bench.”

Edwards said the move had nothing to do with the head or neck injury that knocked Huard out of last week’s game. Huard practiced Wednesday and was not listed on the injury report the Chiefs must file with the league.

“It’s just a decision we made as a staff,” Edwards said. “It’s week to week. Hopefully he can hang in there and play well and get us a win and then he stays in there.

“The thing the guy does is he always seems to move the team. He makes some mistakes … he generally struggles early and then all of a sudden he gets going and he makes some plays. That’s in every game the kid has played in since I’ve been here.

“Remember (last year’s San Diego) game? He drove the team down the field. He threw a pick at the end. This year he’s done the same thing in the preseason. He’s made some errors with the ball. He’s fumbled the ball. He’s thrown the ball to other guys. But guess what? Then he comes back and drives the team down the field. The Chicago (preseason) game, he didn’t play real good right away. Then all of a sudden at the end of the game he takes the team down and scores. He does the same thing last week. He struggles and struggles for a while and all of a sudden at the end, 6 minutes left, he takes the team down on a nice drive and we score.”

Edwards said the Chiefs would use Huard only if Thigpen plays poorly or gets an injury. He wouldn’t rule out the use of wide receiver Marques Hagans, who played quarterback for a handful of snaps against the Raiders.

“What we’ve got to do is try to make some first downs,” Edwards said. “However you can make some first downs and keep on the field, move the chains, that’s probably the most important thing. I’m not saying we won’t use (Hagans).”

Huard sent word through the Chiefs’ public-relations department that he wouldn’t answer questions. Thigpen said he would discuss the move today.

Thigpen quarterbacked the Chiefs on 10 possessions against Oakland. The first seven ended with a punt, four after only three offensive plays.

Thigpen then took the Chiefs on a drive that ended with his 2-yard touchdown pass to Tony Gonzalez. He then threw an interception and the final drive ran out of time.

Many of his passes were off the mark. Thigpen missed a possible touchdown to Devard Darling when his throw went along the sideline instead of down the middle of the field, where it needed to be.

Thigpen also had several passes that were thrown when receivers hadn’t turned around, an indication they have much more work to do before they’re comfortable playing together.

“I’ve been talking to him in-between plays … just letting him know what I’m thinking and he’s letting me know what he’s thinking,” Gonzalez said. “We’ve just got to get on the same page. That’s all it is.

“We’re going to go ahead and try to make that work. If Damon comes in, we know each other well enough that we’re going to make it work.”

Following Brodie Croyle in the season opener and Huard last week, Thigpen will be the third Chiefs starting quarterback in the first three games of the season. That’s happened only three times in a nonstrike NFL season since 1970.

“We’re very comfortable with Tyler in there,” guard Brian Waters said. “It’s really about him getting even more comfortable with his game and doing the things he feels really good about. It’s a week where we can prepare a game plan around his talents.”

Changing of the QB
The Chiefs will use their third starting quarterback in the first three games of the season when Tyler Thigpen starts Sunday’s game against the Falcons. Only three other teams have done that in a nonstrike season since the NFL and AFL merged for the 1970 season.


Team Year Quarterbacks Record
Chiefs 2008 Brodie Croyle, Damon Huard, Tyler Thigpen 0-2
Rams 1976 Pat Haden, Ron Jaworski, James Harris 10-3-1
Browns 1988 Bernie Kosar, Gary Danielson, Mike Pagel 10-6
Jaguars 1997 Mark Brunell, Rob Johnson, Steve Matthews 11-5

What could anyone have looked at during the Oakland game and thought "Yeah, THAT GUY should start next week?..."

is there any other option? Croyle is hurt and Huard is old..might as well give the guy a chance and see if he can improve

This is going to be TRULY ugly.

b/c we are NOT in "win now mode" if Thigpen has an upside.. lets find out and if not then lets find out and then replace him. i didnt like last weeks debacle at arrowhead but i gotta .respect herm for sticking to his youth movement. i would rather have a piss poor season than having a 8 - 8 season. lets use who we have and let them have the chance to play. if he sucks.... well were probably going to lose as is so lets at least get the questions we NEED answered ..answered.

yes i know tyler wasnt fantastic last week but... imho its better than seeing damon in there.

trust me atm in NOT a tyler fan but if herms starting him or martin...then i can bite my tongue and support my team as i pray for the exile of CP. :shrug:

QFT btw

In complete agreement there...

I find it interesting that Herm has no problem rotating QB's this year (The year of 16 preseason games) to find out what the Chief's will have for next year but, has thus far, refused to replace the RG and RT to see what the youngsters could do there..

I have no problem with this being an experimental year but honestly, why are there not changes at other positions?

Herm said himself you play to win the game but doesn't want to start the best man.

As if we don't have enough youth projects going on at tons of other positions, we don't need to answer questions about Tyler Thigpen right now, we need to win some damn games.

Thin-pen is all we have .... Ugly isn't the word ....

Win games? According to Herm, they have been 'trying' to win games for quite some time now. That has not worked thus far.

This year is nothing more than an audition for next year. If so, then go ahead and play all the youngsters and see where we stand before draft day...But do not tell me we need to see what Thigpin has, all the while leave old and broke dick o-lineman on the squad. Play the youngsters at every positon if this is truly a rebuilding year...

The right decision... going to be an ugly game to watch but it is the right decision.

Gee, I wonder if it will be on TV in Seattle...........

This team has no direction whatsoever and no leadership.

I thought we figured that out a long time ago.

Oh I know, it's just mind numbing. There is no plan by Herm. He doesn't know what the hell he's doing. Any team he's had that has been good is because of the previous coach's hand-me-down players and schemes. While trying to build his own team in NY, the same thing happened there, as it is here right now.

I don't think anyone told Herm that in rebuilding you are expected to atleast be competent if you are 0-16 or 1-15 bad you are still subject to getting fired even in a rebuild.

When he does get fired, he will be up there with Gun and Frank Ganz as one of the worst coaches to lead this team.

Here's the real question, some people think he's in no danger of getting fired...if that actually happens we'll know all we need to know about Clark.

I agree. I will still be a fan of this team, but I will have no faith in the direction of it.

When we are actually having a convo about if 0-16 will get a coach fired or not that's pretty bad.

REAL bad and REAL sad.

If Herm gets fired, can it be after next Aprils draft? He is a great drafter, and we need that more than anything else at this point.

Explain to me how he's great, I'm not trying to be an asshole here I'm just saying I don't think he's great, he's better than Vermiel but a reeruned monkey could accomplish that.

I believe you were ecstatic on draft day with how he drafted. The young guys are almost all looking to be major contributors to this team. The last draft went pretty well too. This is the best drafting of Carl's tenure since his first couple with Marty. I think that is pretty good basis for my opinion.

This past draft was good but it should have been, 2 first round picks, picks at the top of each round....and we'll really see how good it was in 2 years.

Right now we can start to judge the 2006 class and as of now it looks like a stinky pile of shit.

The 2007 class right now will get a slightly above average grade, that is subject to change.

The way things are going,I really think we will end up seeing Ingle Martin starting a game for us this year

Hairy Ingle Martin.....Hairy Ingle sounds like a medical condition.

2006 Picks

Tamba Hali: C-
Bernard Pollard: C-
Brodie Croyle: C-
Herm Edwards: F-
Marcus Maxey: F
Tre' Stallings: D-
Jeff Webb: C-
Jarrad Page: B+


2007 Picks

Dwayne Bowe: A-
Turk McBride: C-
Tank Tyler: C
Kolby Smith: B+
Justin Medlock: F-
Herb Taylor: B
Michael Allan: C

I can't give Taylor a grade till he plays in a real game.

For the most part we agree on those grades though.

I give him a B just for making the roster for two years and appearing as though he was competent in the preseason. Optimistic perhaps.

Wait a sec with all of the negative talk - look at the records of the other teams that started three QBs in a season.................

Rams 1976 Pat Haden, Ron Jaworski, James Harris 10-3-1
Browns 1988 Bernie Kosar, Gary Danielson, Mike Pagel 10-6
Jaguars 1997 Mark Brunell, Rob Johnson, Steve Matthews 11-5


Playoffs here we come baby!! Print-Em!!

And you guys laughed at me because i liked (David?) Terrell, the guy from the Ivy league. He could at least throw the touch pass and orchestrate drives.

Tyler will get better, but for heaven's sake, bring back the playbook we started to use in PS such as what we saw in the Bears game. It seemed dumb to use Huard's sets when Thiggy was under center. let him bootleg, sprint out, and do those counter/trap thingys. Even Huard ran for a 15 yd gain against the Raiders.

That's very unfair to Dustin Colquitt.

:D

Mine

Tamba Hali: C-
Bernard Pollard: B
Brodie Croyle: C-
Herm Edwards:D-
Marcus Maxey: F
Tre' Stallings: f
Jeff Webb: C-
Jarrad Page: B+


2007 Picks

Dwayne Bowe: A-
Turk McBride: C
Tank Tyler: B
Kolby Smith: B+
Justin Medlock: G-
Herb Taylor: C
Michael Allan: D

We laughed at you because you are reeruned. Terrell isn't even in the league. I love how you latch onto these losers when you have no leg to stand on in an argument as to why they are good.

He's not alone, there are people wishing we still had Casey Printers...

Yeah, the Casey Printers who, in 8 games with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats this year, has:

3 TD's

9 INT's

5 Fumbles

And a QB rating of 64

I have no problem with this move by Herm

IF

they run the offense they said they were going to run in preseason. If they keep running LJ up the center's butt and dropping back to pass in obvious passing situations, it doesn't matter who is back there.

I think this is the right call. Huard sucks, he's old, at least give the snaps to a young guy. Thigpen would not be the first guy to look bad in his first real action in the NFL regular season.

I know, there's not really a good reason to suspect he'll suddenly be an NFL starting QB kind of player. It's a longshot.

But Huard quarterbacking that game does nothing for us. At least if we put Thigpen in there we can learn more about him. If he does better, hey maybe he can play. If he gets more snaps and still plays poorly, well, at least we know.

We should have been playing Croyle last year out of the gate for the same reason.

I agree. The coaching staff is not putting anyone in a position to succeed with this three-play play calling. (will it be run up the middle, 5 yard pass patterns, or a screen pass?)

That sounds like the move is everything about furthering the youth movement by replacing a veteran quarterback with one much younger. But Edwards indicated he believed that playing Thigpen gives the Chiefs their best chance to beat Atlanta.

“We’re not looking at this game as a preseason game,” he said. “We’re trying to win. We’re doing everything we can to do that, and this kid deserves a chance.




Sorry Herm, but Thigpen does NOT give us the best chance to win. There's a reason why he was a 7th rd draft pick. Huard gives us the best chance to win.........Thigpen gives you the best chance to evaluate to see if he's good enough to even play in this league.

One problem.........THESE GAMES ACTUALLY COUNT NOW!!!!!! This isn't the ****in preseason.

God I hate this team sometimes.

So, why was Tom Brady a 6th round pick?

Do you even watch football?

Behind this OL, a mobile QB gives us the best chance to win. Atlanta's front 4, on a fast track, and you want to put a statue back there?

As Tiny said:

Run for your life > Stop, drop and roll

Jesus Christ stop with the Tom Brady comparisons, that happends once in a very great while. Tom Brady also didn't go to East Costal Carolina school of the blind deaf and dumb. He went to ****in Michigan. Thigpen will not ever be Tom Brady.....some people on here are just ****in stupid and are hilariously decieved and blind.

Brady earned his spot on the depth chart. Thigpen orignally was listed as the #2 guy not because of what he showed, but because Herm decided he wanted to go with youth....period, even though its clear that Huard is 10x better QB than Thigpen.

Thigpen may be off this roster if we had 2 decent QB's

Boy genius:

Not ONCE did I compare Thigpen to Brady.

Merely pointing out that draft position alone is a dumbass way to judge a QB, as well as where he went to school.

Hilariously deceived and blind is thinking that Damon Huard is the best QB to run an offense with a porous OL, than depends on being able to run nakeds, bootlegs and misdirection. Huard can do NONE of these things.

BTW, good job on completely ignoring the rest of my post. Waiting for an response:

Well?

Sorry dude, this is a HORRIBLE comparison.

Yes, the entire NFL missed on Tom Brady. In retrospect, he'd be the number 1 pick overall in the 2000 draft. Bottom line.

To expect the entire NFL to miss on such a player again, especially so soon, is asking way, way, way too much.

The only other 6th round QB that won the Super Bowl was Mark Rypien and there's no way in the world that he'd have been the number one pick overall in his draft year and by no stretch of the imagination is Rypien a HOFer.

Brady, like Montana, are players the NFL missed in draft. That usually happens only once a generation, especially with today's scouting and ten million amateur draft sites.

Oline has to block better, plain and simple.

Btw - pretty sure you were comparing Brady to Thigpen in regards that Brady was a late rd draft pick. Just sayin

Thank you.......OntheWarpath58 is a moron.

You're missing the point as well, Dane.

His comment was this:

I'm in no way comparing him to Brady, just asking WHY he feels it necessary to judge players based on draft position.

Hell, why even HAVE rounds past the 3rd? Can't be any serviceable players past then, right?

Then he goes on to mock Coastal Carolina. Is it impossible for a guy to be serviceable if he comes from a small school?

Please don't make me spend the time it would take to list all of the serviceable players that came from small schools. I'm positive you're with me on this...

Huard was able to win 4 games last year with a team with less talent than they have now. Plus he had Solari as coordinator. If Gailey can't come up with a gameplan to utilize what little strengths Huard has then Gailey is a step below Solari as a coordinator.

So now you know what I was thinking, but I don't?

Right on, Ms. Cleo.

Back to the discussion:

Sure the OL needs to block better. But since they've shown NO progress in doing so, why continue to put a statue back there that lacks the mobility to at least ATTEMPT to make a play when blocking breaks down?

Is playing Huard going to make the OL block better?

Nope. In fact, it's going to make them look worse than they actually are.

It's hard to judge Gailey's gameplans when the starting quarterback has gone down relatively early in both games. The gameplan is geared to the starter and teams don't give the backup a whole lot of reps during the week. When he goes down, the plan goes out the window.

Why should they come up with a gameplan for the odd man out?

In the PS, Huard was the #3 guy, for a reason.

Unlike the other 2 QB's, he can't run. Period. The entire offense was designed around nakeds, bootlegs and misdirection - things Huard CANNOT do.

Changing your entire offense just for the sake of playing Huard is reeruned.

And again, I'll ask:

Behind this OL, a mobile QB gives us the best chance to win. Atlanta's front 4, on a fast track, and you want to put a statue back there?

Huard was the #3 guy in preseason because Herm wanted to see what the young guys had. When push came to shove, who got the nod originally Huard or Thigpen? Why? Because Thigpen sucks.

Nobody but you is advocating changing the entire offense.

A mobile QB who can't hit the side of a barn doesn't give the team the best chance to win. Putting a TE next to McIntosh might help.

When Thigpen wins a few games we can talk about whether or not he's better than Huard.

Yet an immobile QB that can't throw the ball more than 20 yards can?

Sorry, but after stepping into his throw, giving it all he had, and STILL underthrowing Charles down the sideline (who had beat his man) by 15 yards, Huard proved he has nothing left.

We don't KNOW if he's better or worse than Huard.

Huard has had 10+ years to prove his suckage. Thigpen has had half of a game.

Boy, the true fans are out in full force on this one...

We can adjust the offense to allow for maximum protection on Sunday.
That would be the smart thing to do regardless of who starts at QB.

Having Thigpen run around with the ball to avoid pressure is a bad idea.
That just gives Atlanta more opportunity to force turnovers.
You will never beat NFL defenses that way. Not consistently.

He's not a Michael Vick. He's not a Vince Young.
He can scramble a bit, but his legs aren't an effective way for this team to be competitive on Sunday.

This is the NFL. Not College or High School football.

Really, because in the whole scheme of things the ONLY times we've been remotely successful on offense is when Huard has been in the game.

And thats a FACT.

I've seen Tom Brady underthrow a wide open Randy Moss.
You're making too much of 1 underthrown ball.

I've seen Huard throw the ball longer than 20 yards.
More than once...

Why do we keep getting hung up on this fact?
He's never proven in 10 years that he deserves to be a starter in the National Football League. Some of that has to do with who he was playing behind. Some of it does not.

At the end of the day his past has no bearing on whether or not he's the best QB on this team. His Chiefs tenure has proven he's clearly the most productive and effective QB. That should count for something.

I'm not clamoring for him to be a long-term answer.
I want the organization to make a play for Brady Quinn.
For right now though... Huard is the team's best option to produce offensively and have a chance to be competitive. Really and truly. No emotions involved.

He's also had the off-season to have shown himself worthy of an opportunity to play more often. He didn't do that on the field. Why do you keep glossing over this fact? His own Head Coach said 1 week ago that he DID NOT give this team the best chance of winning a game.

That's not true CoMo.
Thigpen threw a garbage TD against a soft Raider defense.

Who said that?

Our offense is DESIGNED to get the QB out of the pocket.

DESIGNED.

The difference between Huard and Thigpen is that Huard cannot do what the offense is DESIGNED to do.

No one is advocating Thigpen run around for the sake of running around.

But when the blocking breaks down, and it will, at least Thigpen has the ABILTY and POTENTIAL to make something happen with his legs - instead of standing in the pocket like a statue waiting to become Abraham's 5th sack of the day.

People are bitching and moaning about how vanilla the offense is, yet they want us to go max protect to save Huard's ass? Yep, that's a great way to get away from the dink-and-dunk offense.

You bring a TE to help with McIntosh and you've solved 1 problem, but created another and left yet another unanswered.

A TE will help McIntosh, but that doesn't solve the problem of the RG or C getting beat like a drum.

You've just taken another receiver away from the QB by keeping a TE in to block.

And you've done all this for a guy that can't move outside the pocket, when you have a guy that can sitting on the bench.

You'd think the way people are bitching, that Edwards named Thigpen the starter for the rest of the year. This is a short term thing, folks, or at least until Croyle gets hurt again...

Oh sorry I almost forgot...........let alone they were playing the softest prevent defense since the 2002 Chiefs.

That score a scant 56 minutes into the game is meaningful.
Please don't insult Tyler Thigpen.

The six interceptions he could've thrown aside.

I am with you on this: I really don't care about the fan's negativity surrounding Thigpen. The guy deserves the start. He played at a small school and didn't see the highest level of competition in college yet he drove the Chiefs down for a touchdown score last Sunday and he improved during the game. He may not win games for the Chiefs this year but any experience he gets this year will help him out in the future. And regardless of what some people think, it's way, way, way early to just "Cut him" after one game.

JFC.

This is going to be an incredibly difficult season as it is without the constant "Fire Herm, Fire Carl, Cut Croyle, Cut Thigpen, Cut Huard" crap for the next 15 weeks.

Play you who've got and head into the offseason with a better understanding of where help is required.

Really?

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showp...&postcount=224

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showp...&postcount=228

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showp...&postcount=244

The game is still 60 minutes long, correct? Or did I miss a rule change?

Didn't know that points scored in the last 4 minutes don't count. That's going to change the recordbook quite a bit...

QTF.

[QUOTE=OnTheWarpath58;5031832]Who said that?

Our offense is DESIGNED to get the QB out of the pocket.

DESIGNED.

The difference between Huard and Thigpen is that Huard cannot do what the offense is DESIGNED to do.

QUOTE]

Where was that DESIGN in week one when Croyle was getting clobbered behind center?

Cute.

Doesn't change my point. That was a garbage TD thrown against a defense that had softened.

Sure the points count. But if I'm not mistaken... We still lost.

[QUOTE=Chiefnj2;5031870]Cool.

You've not only shown your ignorance, you've shown you don't bother to read posts.

I've only mentioned, oh, say 10 times, that the bootleg is mostly ineffective against a 3-4 defense.

It would be even MORE ineffective when your QB rolls to the right, and meets Mike Vrabel in the backfield before your RT is even out of his stance.

That only means the offense can be adjusted.
Which is the point we were trying to make.
Huard doesn't have to run bootlegs to help this offense produce.

You never had a point. It was just more Clayton-like windbagging.

Refresh my memory, did Huard score late against a defense playing prevent?

Or did we "still lose?"

I look forward to your excuses.

Let's see...

Adjust the gameplan for your STARTING QB against a bad matchup...

Or give up the advantage rollouts and bootlegs give you against a 4-3 defense, just to play a statue at QB.

Spoken like a true fan...

:banghead:

Isn't it great being a Chiefs fan right now ?

Let's face it. No matter who anyone of us thinks should be the starting QB the common demoninator being used as support by any of us is 'My guy doesn't suck as bad as your guy'.ROFL


:deevee:

I look forward to seeing Thigpen roll out and horribly miss Devard Darling again.

whatever tools. thigpen will win us a game before croyle will.

There is such thing as garbage time.........don't shit yourself......it does exsist.

Does it count? Sure........but you also have to take into consideration the situation at the end of the game. There was no way the chiefs were gonna win or were even remotely close to coming close.

You must get your football knowledge from KCJohnny.

Allowing for maximum protection against a team that does well at getting the QB can't be considered an adjustment of the gameplan?
:rolleyes:

Even where the matchup is favorable the boots and rollouts will likely only comprise a very small part of the playbook.

This should tell everyone all they need to know about you.
When I speak in favor of playing the best football player at a given position over those who are clearly inferior my loyalty as a fan can be called into question.

You hold a monopoly on bullshit.
And I've heard you're in the process of building houses.

Part of the deal playing a young QB.

He made a poor decision. He should have set his feet and made that throw - we know he has the arm to make it.

Or, we can put Huard back there, who's feet are permanently set, and still underthrows an open receiver.

Dude, if I didn't know better, I'd think Mic is a multiple account of yours.

You two will defend that POS to the death over something he did in 2006.

No one is saying Thigpen gives us the best chance to win for the season, that would be ridiculous. But he does give us the best chance for THIS GAME, played on a fast track, against a team with a strong front 4.

To be perfectly fair, NEXT week will tell the story of what Herm thinks of Huard, IMO. BRC's source has never been wrong, and it wouldn't surprise me if Damon was in the doghouse. So:

While I wouldn't be a fan of the move, I could see why Herm might go back to Huard against Denver, at home, against a weak front 4. He'll have a ton more time to get the ball out against Denver than he would against Atlanta.

[QUOTE=OnTheWarpath58;5031875]Make up your mind. Is the offense DESIGNED to roll out or not? Or, does it mean that the OC can actually gameplan for a specific opponenet? You have proved through your ignorance and mammary thumping that the system isn't necessarily DESIGNED only for a mobile QB.

In YOUR opinion, Huard is the better player.

Over something he did in 2006.

I'm not calling your loyalty into question, I'm calling your judgment into question.

If you can't see why Thigpen is a better option for THIS team, THIS WEEK, then you don't WANT to see.

Clearly inferior?

Look again.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showp...&postcount=224

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showp...&postcount=228

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showp...&postcount=244