Babb: Chiefs’ success all starts up front
 

Chiefs’ success all starts up front
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star

Maybe it was the addition of two veterans. Or maybe familiarity from bygone years. Whatever the reasons, the Chiefs’ offensive line has been better this season.

In last week’s 31-10 victory against San Francisco, Matt Cassel wasn’t sacked, and Kansas City racked up 207 total rushing yards.

Those things didn’t happen by accident, and if anyone forgot what an effective offensive line looked like after the last two seasons, Sunday was a reminder.

“We may not be the biggest. We may not be the strongest. We may not be the fastest,” left guard Brian Waters said. “But as a group, we feel like we can do everything that we’re asked.”

Cassel has been sacked twice in three games. Dallas’ Tony Romo is the NFL’s only passer to have started three games and have been sacked fewer than twice. It’s a far different pace than Kansas City set last season, when Cassel was taken down 10 times in his first three games.

The Chiefs upgraded their offensive line in the offseason, signing center Casey Wiegmann and right guard Ryan Lilja. Both of them are starters.

But amid the change, the line has played well in spite of another adjustment: It has been without right tackle Ryan O’Callaghan, who hasn’t yet played because of a groin injury.

“We’ve got guys who are in tune with what’s going on,” left tackle Branden Albert said, “and it’s very helpful.”

Coach Todd Haley hasn’t said much about the status of O’Callaghan, who spent each of this week’s three practice sessions in the conditioning field.

However, Haley said he’s seen plenty of improvement elsewhere on the line.

“They’re getting better,” Haley said. “One of the things I was encouraged about last year was that progress was clearly made, in my opinion, and that led to some encouragement this year. They’re working hard at getting better.”

Haley said that linemen are occasionally used with mobility and quickness in mind, often to keep defenses off balance. He said that coaches recognized interior movement as a promising attribute of Kansas City’s linemen, and they have since taken advantage.

“Part of being a good coach and good game planner,” he said, “is understanding what your players do best and playing to those strengths.”

Wiegmann and Lilja not only are veterans with plenty of success on their resumes, but they also fit that profile of versatile, if undersized, blockers. Wiegmann was with the Chiefs for seven seasons — including a period in the early 2000s that he calls the “glory years” — before signing with Denver in 2008. Lilja was a rookie free agent in 2004 among a group of talented linemen when the team waived him. Indianapolis then signed him, and Lilja played in three Super Bowls and helped protect Peyton Manning.

The Chiefs, in efforts to not only improve their line but also to perhaps correct old mistakes, signed both this offseason. Waters, who also was on those teams with Willie Roaf, Will Shields and Wiegmann, said Kansas City was wise when it went shopping.

“Our coaches did a great job of picking certain types of guys,” Waters said. “Casey has been gone for two years, but he was here for such a long time, we were able to play with him; we knew exactly what we were getting.

“Even a guy like Ryan, he fits in perfectly with what we do, based off his personality, based off the way he works, based off his physical talents and being able to do a lot of things good.

“Are we the youngest? No. Are we stacked with these humongous talents who just maul people off the ball? No, but one thing we do: We do everything well, and that’s something that our coaches can use to their advantage.”

Barry Richardson has played well at right tackle in O’Callaghan’s absence, and Haley said the Chiefs’ start is owed to the line as much as any other position group.

After Sunday’s victory against the 49ers, it was the linemen to whom Haley gave game balls as a sign of excellent performance.

“Anytime you have that kind of production and physically get rolling like we were able to in that game, which was the plan, that’s a good thing,” Haley said. “They will be at the core of that, most of the time.”

Fixing the Oline is not important.

How long did I hear that shit?

Glad to see the protection and seams.

I probably missed it, but who got game balls week 1 & 2?

Shaun Smith.

Also, on a serious note, Cassel haters will never admit it, but part of the reason we've only allowed two sacks is because of his mobility. He's avoided several sacks this year and done a good job of throwing the ball away.

He's not throwing the ball away, he just misses his throws that badly./CP

The line could be very good for years if Asamoah takes over from Waters whenever he's done, they draft a decent center to groom under Wiegman, ready for 2012, and Richardson continues to improve at RT.

**** O'Callaghan.

You know Lilja will be fired up for this game, I think he's done a nice job so far.

I see Waters having one more year after this...maybe two...Casey has one, maybe. As someone said above, mid to late round center that has similar skills (pulling, etc.). By 2012, hopefully Richardson is solidified, Lilja moves to left guard, Asamoah to right guard w/ the new center and Albert and we're solid for the years when we should be competing for a championship.

i wanna know the dumbass who said fixing the oline was not important, that clearly was a HUGE hole last season.

I seriously do not think anyone said that. People were just very against drafting a T at 5. Unless someone has a link proving otherwise............

I beg to differ
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You just haven't been paying attention. This has been been pointed out many times by myself and some of his other biggest haters in game threads as well as the thread I started titled Matt Cassel.

I dont think a single person ever said that.

We just never wanted a OL in the first round, or our first 2nd rounder...there were guys that some of us would have been ok with at 51 even.

Dont confuse Okung hate with hate for linemen that could have been had later on in the draft.

Yep. Not a soul said the o-line didn't need work.

Not possible, they don't have 5 1st rounders on the line yet.