Whitlock: Blame Moe, Larry and Curly for this Chiefs mess

[Tribal Warfare]

Blame Moe, Larry and Curly for this Chiefs mess
By JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star

There’s no mystery here. Teams lacking an adequate amount of talent eventually collapse under the weight of trying to play perfectly.

Four days before Thanksgiving, inside two-thirds-full Arrowhead Stadium, the Buffalo Bills snapped the back of the Chiefs, thrashing and humiliating the home team 54-31.

There’s no reason to blame Tyler Thigpen, Glenn Dorsey, Tamba Hali or any of the nameless, faceless jerseys masquerading as starting NFL linebackers. It’s not their fault. They didn’t assemble this team.

Carl “Moe” Peterson, Herm “Larry” Edwards and Bill “Curly” Kuharich put together the worst team in Chiefs history, a squad with a two-year, 19-of-20 losing stretch.

For a solid month, the Chiefs feigned competitiveness by avoiding turnovers and penalties. Error-free football allowed the Chiefs to keep games close and fool some of us into believing they were making real progress.

Sunday, against a Buffalo team that had lost four straight, the disgusting truth reared its head like Putin staring down Sarah Palin’s lake house. The Chiefs jumped offside, picked up a personal foul, turned the ball over five times and played like the inexperienced, talent-deficient team they truly are.

The result was a franchise-record, 54-point meltdown that all but ensured Arrowhead will be less than half filled when the Dolphins and Chargers visit later this season.

It also ends the debate about whether the Chiefs are on the right path being blazed by Moe, Larry and Curly.

No way.

You could see in July that they had constructed a roster more capable of finishing 1-15 than 8-8. In fact, when I arrived at training camp, a Chiefs official told me that Herm should be praised if he took this team to a .500 finish.

I laughed out loud and said, “Herm should be coach of the year if this team wins four.”

I’m sure the Chiefs employee thought I was being flip. Allegedly, I’m prone toward bluster. I was dead serious. Without Jared Allen, the defense didn’t have a proven playmaker. On offense, I had no faith in Brodie Croyle, thought the QB depth chart was midmajor, assumed Larry Johnson wouldn’t handle the adversity and figured the offensive line would get exploited.

We have no reason to be surprised. The lone surprise of the season was Kansas City’s 33-19 trouncing of the Denver Broncos. Twenty years from now, football historians will still be trying to determine how these Chiefs won that game convincingly.

This team just isn’t built to win football games. It’s built to be $32 million under the salary cap while Arrowhead Stadium undergoes renovation. The season is a success. We’re getting exactly what Clark Hunt was willing to pay for and what Moe, Larry and Curly could conceive given their operating budget.

That in no way excuses Moe, Larry and Curly. They drafted Glenn Dorsey with the sixth overall pick. He has been completely ineffective. His rookie season has been far worse than Ryan Sims’ rookie season.

We knew the loss of Allen would destroy the Chiefs’ outside pass rush. The theory behind drafting Dorsey was that he would give Kansas City an inside push. He is supposed to disrupt the pocket from the inside. It just hasn’t happened.

Opposing quarterbacks don’t even need to wear a helmet and shoulder pads when playing the Chiefs. Bills coach Dick Jauron so enjoyed playing against KC’s front four that he left his struggling QB, Trent Edwards, in the game well into the fourth quarter just so Edwards could pad his passing stats.

“They kept throwing the football because they wanted to get their quarterback going,” Edwards acknowledged.

Kansas City’s defense is a confidence-builder for opposing quarterbacks. Runners, too. The Bills ran for 171 yards and averaged 4.5 yards per carry.

Dorsey hasn’t helped Kansas City’s run or pass defense.

This is a horrendously bad football team. Lucky for the Chiefs, they play in the equally horrendous AFC West. It’s going to be tough for the Chiefs to win just one more game this season. They get to play the Raiders, Broncos and Chargers again. The Chiefs also have a season-ending date with the Cincinnati Bengals. And the Dolphins are beatable.

Kansas City will win — in my estimation — two games down the stretch. But the inevitable victories will not excuse the game plan that put this roster together.

[FringeNC]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Which is exactly why I'm not looking to crucify Dorsey, Hali, McBride and Tyler just yet.

Have they disappointed based on their draft position?

Absolutely.

But when the only two constants regarding your starting DL are:

a) All picked in the first 3 rounds;

b) All coached by Tim Krumrie;


Then forgive me for being a little more patient before calling them busts.

We've had ONE defensive lineman have ONE great season in the time Krumrie has been the DL coach.

That speaks volumes, IMO.

Yes. This is exactly right. Saying that they are busts at this time is ridiculous, especially given the coaching staff, but saying that they haven't disappointed given their draft position is homerism. [Although Hali IS approaching bust status.]

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by FringeNC

Yes. This is exactly right. Saying that they are busts at this time is ridiculous, especially given the coaching staff, but saying that they haven't disappointed given their draft position is homerism. [Although Hali IS approaching bust status.]

That train is pulling up to the station as I type. Completely unimpressed with that guy.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by kcchiefsus

He's still on par with how almost every other rookie DT ever plays. He comes from playing at a level of competition where he can simply out-muscle everybody to the NFL where everybody is as strong or stronger than him. He is facing the same problem as every other young DT. He needs to learn technique and then his game will come. He has the tools to be a dominant DT. Those who are dissapointed in his play are those who expected too much out of him.

That's NOT what i was talking about. What i was talking about is this year up to this point. He's not been good or even average. He's been getting bitch slapped around. I am not going to say he's a bust or anything, but as of right now. He's not playing any better then Sims did his rookie year thats for damned sure.

[Coach]

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

Chiefzilla,

Please stop posting. Every post shows how much of a complete idiot you are.

Turk McBride a good player? Since ****ing when? Teams get quality starters out of 2nd round picks. You get depth in the 4th, 5th and 6th rounds.

Turk McBride is a fringe player on most 53-man rosters.

And you have an amazing habit of putting words in people's mouths to make your argument sound better.

I didn't say Turk was a good player. I said they did pretty good in picking him up. You act as if picking a late 2nd round draft pick gets you a surefire starter, nevermind that there are only two players out of the next 10 drafted have made any major impact on the teams they play for (Ryan Kalil and Sampson Satele). And neither has lit any fireworks so far.

The statement that Turk is a fringe roster player on other teams is a joke. No team would give up on a player like that in only his 2nd season (first major season of action) for one, and secondly, unlike you, most teams don't cut players just because they don't start. Ryan Denney of the Bills was offered a multi-million dollar contract to serve in a similar role that Turk SHOULD be playing--as a rotational lineman.

Turk McBride has 41 tackles in 9 games, which means that he would finish the season with probably about 75 if he stayed healthy. And you think he would be cut by most teams? Bullshit. McBride would be a huge asset to this team if he was a rotational player in the mold of a Jimmy Wilkerson or a Ryan Denney. He should be a run down DE and a nickel tackle. If you have a stud DE on one end and a rotation of Hali and Turk on the other end, our ends would not be in terrible shape.

I stand by my position that in the late 2nd round, we have seen PRETTY good value out of McBride. I don't agree at all that you can call him a bust just yet.

[Mecca]

If you are comparing someone to Ryan Denney that is not something to be excited about...

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Mecca

If you are comparing someone to Ryan Denney that is not something to be excited about...

Shit, I'm sorry. I meant to say Chris Kelsay.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Shit, I'm sorry. I meant to say Chris Kelsay.

I know some Bills fans and for the record they hate Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney and have wanted the Bills to draft a DEnd for years to pair with Schobel.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I know some Bills fans and for the record they hate Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney and have wanted the Bills to draft a DEnd for years to pair with Schobel.

It's because fans don't care about players who don't tally up a ton of sacks. Turk, like Kelsay, is not supposed to be a playmaker. He's supposed to be a guy that sets up opportunities for other players to make plays. He can hold his own in the run game and he bruises, batters, and exhausts his linemen so that the person behind him can benefit. Not much different from having a big bruising RB batter up the defense so the quick scatback can run wild against an exhausted defense. I think Turk still makes mistakes, but I've also seen lots of plays where he has just mauled his blocker into the backfield.

The problem is, he's playing as a primary DE when he should be used more rotationally. I still believe that if you rotate Turk and Hali on one end opposite a stud pass rusher, our DE situation will not be that terrible. Hali was a big-time reach, but I don't think you can say that about Turk just yet. Turk will do just fine when he's rotating.

[MahiMike]

Jags have same problem with their high D-line picks. It's almost like picking a QB at those positions. Crapshoot. Combine that with the players next to them and the schemes, etc. Even the Bucs made Ryan Sims look competent. Haynesworth is in his 3rd or 4th year and just coming into his own. Also, the kid in Houston - Mario someone. Same deal.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

What about Jeff Terrell?
Kris Wilson as a feature back?

You exist on this forum only to show the bottom of the abyss when it comes to fan stupidity.

Donnell Bennett, FTW!

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

And you have an amazing habit of putting words in people's mouths to make your argument sound better.

I didn't say Turk was a good player. I said they did pretty good in picking him up. You act as if picking a late 2nd round draft pick gets you a surefire starter, nevermind that there are only two players out of the next 10 drafted have made any major impact on the teams they play for (Ryan Kalil and Sampson Satele). And neither has lit any fireworks so far.

The statement that Turk is a fringe roster player on other teams is a joke. No team would give up on a player like that in only his 2nd season (first major season of action) for one, and secondly, unlike you, most teams don't cut players just because they don't start. Ryan Denney of the Bills was offered a multi-million dollar contract to serve in a similar role that Turk SHOULD be playing--as a rotational lineman.

Turk McBride has 41 tackles in 9 games, which means that he would finish the season with probably about 75 if he stayed healthy. And you think he would be cut by most teams? Bullshit. McBride would be a huge asset to this team if he was a rotational player in the mold of a Jimmy Wilkerson or a Ryan Denney. He should be a run down DE and a nickel tackle. If you have a stud DE on one end and a rotation of Hali and Turk on the other end, our ends would not be in terrible shape.

I stand by my position that in the late 2nd round, we have seen PRETTY good value out of McBride. I don't agree at all that you can call him a bust just yet.

If you aren't drafting to get a solid starter in the 2nd round you either have:

A) a deep team
B) a stupid GM

I can't believe anyone would say we've gotten any value out of McBride. 41 tackles? You don't say. I must have missed the memo where defensive end tackle stats mean shit. This defense can't get off the field, but leave it to you to praise the tackle stats of a completely non-existant defensive end.

Please take a poll on other websites and see what other fans say about 2nd round players. Do they expect to get a rotational player, or a guy they can plug into the lineup?

Turk McBride will bounce around more than the marbles in your head during his career. I'll even bet 5 years down the road that he's not even in the league.

He's an awful player who can't rush the passer, can't stop the run, and can only hit a QB about 50 seconds late.

You can shove your comparisons to Ryan Denney. If Ryan Denney is your benchmark, you keep lowering the NFL IQ bar.

Carlton Gray was given a multi-million dollar contract to do nothing. I guess we should start judging cornerbacks by his standard.

[chiefzilla1501]

It's pretty stupid for GMs to draft players who aren't solid starters in the second round. What was I THINKING. What a bunch of morons in Jacksonville, drafting Maurice Jones-Drew to be a RB who can only carry the ball 170 times in a season. What a bunch of morons to draft nickel backs. What a bunch of morons in Tennessee to draft Jason Jones to be a backup to Van den Bosch in the late second round. Bill Parcells is a stupid GM because he went for a backup QB in the 2nd round. The Giants were reerunED to draft Mattias Kiwanuka in the late first round to back up Strahan and Omienyura. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? IDIOTS!!!!!

Your idea that the late second round is this breeding ground for solid starters is laughable. Nevermind that well over half the teams that picked after the Chiefs in the first round have gotten little to no contribution from their draft picks and that late second round players tend to bust at over a 50% clip.

Bernard Pollard is a bust unless proven otherwise. His only role is to start games. Turk McBride can serve as a role player and still play well over half the snaps, and just as many snaps as a Jones-Drew or a Jamaal Charles or a Justin Tuck or a Mattias Kiwanuka. Speed rushers who weigh less than 260 lbs are drafted all the time to get 8 sacks and complete suck it up against the run--those are rotational linemen too, but I'm sure you'd argue that's a great pick in the 2nd round because sacks are the only thing a DE is supposed to do.

Turk has not lit up the world, but he's a solid value pick in the late 2nd round. His job is not to rush the passer--he's only being asked to because the Chiefs, unlike most teams, only have 2 legit DEs. You can dance around it all you want, but 41 tackles in 9 games is extremely above average for a DE and an indication that he's getting to the ball carrier (unless, you're going to suggest to me that he's making tackles 20 yards downfield). Teams have run toward Hali, who is a huge liability against the run, the tackles have been inconsistent, and the LBs have been horrific at filling in gap control. But I guess it's much easier to pin the blame on everybody.

Turk has done fine as a bookend DE. And if that's his role and he plays it well, he is a good value pick in the late 2nd round.

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

If you aren't drafting to get a solid starter in the 2nd round you either have:

A) a deep team
B) a stupid GM

I can't believe anyone would say we've gotten any value out of McBride. 41 tackles? You don't say. I must have missed the memo where defensive end tackle stats mean shit. This defense can't get off the field, but leave it to you to praise the tackle stats of a completely non-existant defensive end.

Please take a poll on other websites and see what other fans say about 2nd round players. Do they expect to get a rotational player, or a guy they can plug into the lineup?

Turk McBride will bounce around more than the marbles in your head during his career. I'll even bet 5 years down the road that he's not even in the league.

He's an awful player who can't rush the passer, can't stop the run, and can only hit a QB about 50 seconds late.

You can shove your comparisons to Ryan Denney. If Ryan Denney is your benchmark, you keep lowering the NFL IQ bar.

Carlton Gray was given a multi-million dollar contract to do nothing. I guess we should start judging cornerbacks by his standard.