Chiefs buzz: Ryan is catching on at tight end
 

Chiefs buzz: Ryan is catching on at tight end

Ryan leads KC receivers

In his first five NFL seasons, tight end Sean Ryan had all of 12 catches and didn’t score a touchdown.

Four games into the 2009 season, he’s almost matched his career receptions while already topping his career touchdowns. Ryan caught five passes, including one for a touchdown, in Sunday’s 27-16 loss to the Giants.

That gives him 11 receptions and two touchdowns. Not bad for a guy who had been little more than a situational blocker until now.

“All the good things I did, I made just as many mistakes,” Ryan said. “A costly penalty put us back in first and 15, a missed block and not communicating right on the one there was some pressure.

“I also had a drop, so there’s plenty to work on.”

Ryan is the Chiefs’ leading receiver this season. He has one more catch than Mark Bradley, Dwayne Bowe and Bobby Wade. The two TDs tie him for the team lead with Wade and Bowe.

New York is a road Giant

The Giants played their third straight road game Sunday and won them all. According to New York coach Tom Coughlin, the Giants are the 107th team in NFL history to be dispatched on a three-game trip and emerge victorious in all three.

Long fall for Ndukwe

Ikechuku Ndukwe started the first three games at right tackle, but the Chiefs thought so little of his play that they didn’t even allow him to suit up for Sunday’s game. Ndukwe was among the inactive players. Ryan O’Callaghan made his first start at right tackle. Wade Smith and Andy Alleman were the available backup offensive linemen.

Two of the three players acquired by the Chiefs during the week suited up and played. Tight end Leonard Pope played as a reserve and caught one pass for 0 yards. David Herron, a linebacker by position, played on special teams.

The third new player, cornerback Mike Richardson, was inactive.

Back in training-camp mode

The Chiefs resumed their training-camp habit of assigning punishment during practices for players who commit penalties, an effort by coach Todd Haley to cut down on the 10 times Kansas City was whistled last week at Philadelphia.

Haley said this last week that he was reverting to the River Falls, Wis., custom of forcing players to run if they committed a penalty.

On Sunday, the Chiefs were flagged seven times for 55 yards.

Another persistent problem is that the Chiefs continue to struggle on third downs. Kansas City converted just two of their 15 chances on third downs, yet another area that troubled Haley.

“Awful,” Haley said.

Familiar face burns Chiefs

Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes didn’t take it easy on his former team, making two of three field goals.

Tynes was originally signed by the Chiefs in 2001 and was their kicker during 2004-06. The Chiefs traded Tynes after the 2006 season.

Tynes made kicks of 25 and 40 yards and missed from 38 yards.

Glad that’s over

Haley has consistently referred to the Chiefs’ opening stretch as the “first quarter” of a season of change, and things couldn’t have gone much worse in those first games.

Haley has yet to get a victory as the team’s head coach, going 0-7 in preseason and regular-season games. But Haley said he is concerned neither with the past nor what lies far in the Chiefs’ future. Instead, he’s focusing — and hoping his team focuses — on the immediate future.

“That’s behind us,” he said. “We’re starting the second quarter of the season. We obviously have to improve in a lot of areas.

“The second quarter of the season starts tomorrow. And we’ve got the Dallas Cowboys.”

This and that

•Outside linebacker Tamba Hali’s forced fumble in the first quarter gave him 13 in his four-year career, tying him with Kevin Ross and Jared Allen for third on the Chiefs’ all-time list. He trails only Derrick Thomas (45) and Neil Smith (29).

•Cornerback Brandon Flowers’ interception was his third in two seasons and his first in 2009.

•Running back Larry Johnson now has 1,315 career carries, the second most in Chiefs history. Only Priest Holmes, who had 1,321 carries during 2001-07, has more than Johnson.

Through 4 games, Sean Ryan is the Kansas City Chiefs leading receiver. Unbelievable.

And to think that some of us were expecting Bowe's breakout season.

Instead, he's on pace for 44 catches and 472 yards.

Awesome.

He's 10 pounds lighter, though.

Awesome!

Ryan's #'s are just a reflection of how pathetic the Chiefs WRs and TEs have been this season. Ryan has dropped multiple passes and had at least two false start penalties today.

Yep, he'll have his worst numbers of his career definetely. Losing Tony Gonzalez has really hurt him, I noticed Bowe getting doubled all day today.

This team is spinning out of control. Haley seems to have a different plan of what to do every week, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the moves and decisions he makes.

This lack of forethought makes me wonder if he's in over his head. Hopefully, he gets his shit together, because the tough guy act is already wearing thin with the players.

If only we had Herm, running out the same gameplan every week.

There's a middle ground between the obstinacy of Herm and the kitchen sink approach that Haley is throwing out.

Herm's approach was insanity (doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result), but Haley's flippancy is madness in its own right.

I don't really agree with what you're saying. We came out and tried to establish the run again today. Like last week. We're trying to make that our identity. It worked, somewhat. The passing game is just such utter ****ing chaos we can't even convert third and short situations right now.

We have one offensive playmaker and we can't get him the ball...it's lovely.

If he can't get open to get the ball, be it due to injury or coverage, exactly how is he a 'playmaker' right now?

no man Sean Ryan had a TD

What's all this rubbish? Bowe had TWO touchdowns today. But we still lost...to the Raiders..oh wait, that was in Madden. (I thought something was fishy when Pollard got an interception)

:cuss:

I thought he already broke out with 70 and 86 catches in his first two seasons, huh. The most catches of any Chiefs player in their first two seasons.

"Ryan is the Chiefs’ leading receiver this season."


I think our coaches should have that phrase tattooed on their foreheads as punishment.

Man - this is beyond funny. We sign players off the scrap heap and they start for us the same week.

Wade?

Tony Gonzalez spent last year getting doubled and TRIPLED, yet managed 90+ catches and 1000+ yards with TYLER THIGPEN delivering the ball.

If Tyler Thigpen can consistently get the ball to guys being double and triple covered, why can't Cassel, who supposedly is a superior QB?

Cassel is the Superior QB and if Gonzalez were still here, I'm sure Cassel would be forcing him the ball just like Thigpin did last year.

:hmmm:
:thumb:

Haha. I was talking about this yesterday with an unnamed person. He said, "They're taking this guy who has had like 5 career catches prior to this year, and trying to pretend that he's a replacement for Tony Gonzalez."

So why can't he do the same with Bowe?

I'm looking forward to being at Arrowhead in person Sunday, so I can see for myself whether guys are getting open or not. I think it's become a convenient excuse for people wanting to defend Cassel.

And as I (and others) pointed out last week - there are ways to beat double coverage, and that's Haley's job as the OC.

Calvin Johnson spent all day yesterday against a CB with safety help, and racked up well over 100 yards.

Why?

Detroit moves him around, and puts him in a postition to break the coverage - and Stafford actually LOOKS for him.

Bowe isn't a Hall of Famer, and he isn't as talented as Calvin Johnson. Johnson is a 6'5 Wr with hands and speed. Bowes best asset is his strength. I do blame Haley for not game planing better. There are ways to get Bowe the ball.