Productivity or Favoritism

[Wallcrawler]

With the Chiefs defensive struggles, it has been painfully obvious to everyone but the coaching staff, that we are much more productive with certain players on the field over others.

A big part of this is that Steve Spagnuolo seems to play who his favorites are, over who can actually play.

As of right now, there is no way in hell any sane person moves Nick Bolton from where he is now. However, I'd be willing to bet significant amounts of money that as soon as Hitchens is available, Steve will waste no time ousting Nick Bolton from the spot he's become a wrecking machine from.

The fact that Dan Sorensen is even allowed to dress for games is an indictment on Steve Spagnuolos judgement. His continued insistence on playing Sorensen deep is absolutely mind numbing. The guy is done.

Niemann runs slower than old lady Jenkins down the street putters along behind her walker. I'd say she has better eyesight as well, even behind her blacked out oversized terminator glasses.

At a point, someone needs to pull rank on Steve and just demand that unless there's multiple injuries these guys don't see the field.

Is Melvin Ingram going to get significant snaps? Or will he have to earn his way into Steve's good ol boy network over a few weeks before he supplants one of Steve's boys?

With the stretch of games we have coming, Steve needs to get his head out of his ass, and get the best athletes on the field.

Even if they're not "his guys".

[ChiefBlueCFC]

It definitely seems that they favor guys who "know the system" and are "savvy" even if those guys are inferior athletes than the guys who "don't know the system". I mean, I would rather have the best athletes on the team on the field than the savvy system guys who are slow as shit and miss tackles and blow coverages - as wild of a statement that might seem to be to the coaching staff.

[Wallcrawler]

Does Spags not watch practices or something? I mean I just can't imagine that Dan Sorensen or Ben Niemann look any different on the practice field.

Like how do you watch this dumbass lead footed jackass do what he does all week in practice and then make a decision on game day that THIS is the guy that needs to be the deep safety here?

Or THIS is a guy I trust in single coverage?

I just don't get it. The only place Sorensen can't really do any damage to us is in the box, as a Blitzer.

Even then, he likely doesn't get home and if by some miracle he does, odds are he's gonna miss the ****ing tackle anyway.

I mean what are the guys numbers this year? He's given up like 350 yards and 3 tds with like maybe 3 incompletions.

That #49 is a giant flashing billboard that advertises free yards, points, and amazing qbr.

[ToxSocks]

Just makes you wonder what's going on with DoD and Watts. Those dudes have been on this team for years, there's not a chance in hell they dont know the system by now. I'd imagine they're here specifically because they know the system.

[Hammock Parties]

Gay makes DoD a non-issue. DoD isn't a base set linebacker and he's not replacing Bolton in the nickel.

Watts is a conversation we need to have. But they seem to be adamant Sorensen gets his 20 snaps a game at this point.

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by Hammock Parties

Gay makes DoD a non-issue. DoD isn't a base set linebacker and he's not replacing Bolton in the nickel.

Watts is a conversation we need to have. But they seem to be adamant Sorensen gets his 20 snaps a game at this point.

This is more about DoD replacing Neiman. I refuse to believe Neiman is more athletic than DoD. And maybe im mistaken, but doesn't DoD have more time with the Chiefs than Neiman?

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

Bolton has been great at run stuffing but he struggles in pass coverage. People were giving Niemann shit for allowing the TD on Sunday, but that was Bolton's guy and he stepped up instead of dropping. Bolton will get there and gay is obviously getting better in pass coverage. It would be great if they could both become 3 down backers. However, folks need to understand with the salaries we have on this team, that you need guys like Niemann, at the league minimum and good at special teams, on the team. I agree that they should have limited snaps and be primarily back ups.

[arrwheader]

I have basically lost all faith in spags, usually when you see so many head scratching bullshit, just trust your eyes.

I fully expect him to slow walk ingram in like this ****ing team does with any acquisition it makes, which fully neuters the signing in the first place. See the grave yard of acquisitions this teams made and done jack and shit with. Even though it can't be hard to bring Ingram in on obvious passing downs and get after the passer.

I saw Ingram was pissed the Steelers were mis-using him there and one of the reason he wanted out. Well, I can bet you he is going to have the same issues here either he won't be playing enough or something else unless spags just gets out of his own way.

[arrwheader]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

Just makes you wonder what's going on with DoD and Watts. Those dudes have been on this team for years, there's not a chance in hell they dont know the system by now. I'd imagine they're here specifically because they know the system.

At this point i wonder if those guys are better than what we got playing now. It is absolutely ridiculous that spags trots sorenson out there to get toasted every time. It a national joke right now, he literally could throw any one out there and it would be understood because some one has to be better than that.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

This is more about DoD replacing Neiman. I refuse to believe Neiman is more athletic than DoD. And maybe im mistaken, but doesn't DoD have more time with the Chiefs than Neiman?

This. Why not give him a chance? Obviously you can't go replacing players every time they have a bad game like the fans want. But when a player is consistently getting burnt, you have very little to lose in giving someone else a chance. We obviously should have been starting Ward over Scandrick all of 2018.

For the first 5 games of the season all the pundits and fans clamored for Thornhill over Sorenson. In the back of my mind I thought Spags must know something we don't. Nope - turns out he's just stubborn and plays favorites.

Sometimes I wonder if our coaches get entrenched in their positions, and worry that they'll look bad when the replacement outperforms. Which would really suck if that's what's happening.

[The Franchise]

Maybe we’re thinking about this all wrong.

Why can’t DOD replace Sorenson when he’s up close to the LOS. Dude was basically a S/LB hybrid in college. Don’t ask him to cover deep, like we shouldn’t be asking Sorensen to do and let him use his athleticism.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

Maybe we’re thinking about this all wrong.

Why can’t DOD replace Sorenson when he’s up close to the LOS. Dude was basically a S/LB hybrid in college. Don’t ask him to cover deep, like we shouldn’t be asking Sorensen to do and let him use his athleticism.

I think this would be a great idea. Particularly because DoD is great vs RBs.

[Dunerdr]

I thought this thread was going to be about my boss.

[ChiefBlueCFC]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

Maybe we’re thinking about this all wrong.

Why can’t DOD replace Sorenson when he’s up close to the LOS. Dude was basically a S/LB hybrid in college. Don’t ask him to cover deep, like we shouldn’t be asking Sorensen to do and let him use his athleticism.

Wasn't the reason we drafted this dude his supposed ability to stick with guys coming out of the backfield and to play that type of role? I feel like we saw some flashes of this his rookie season but now we basically never see him besides special teams.

[Wallcrawler]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

Maybe we’re thinking about this all wrong.

Why can’t DOD replace Sorenson when he’s up close to the LOS. Dude was basically a S/LB hybrid in college. Don’t ask him to cover deep, like we shouldn’t be asking Sorensen to do and let him use his athleticism.

This idea is money. Guarantee DoD wouldn't whiff so many easy ****ing tackles also.

The biggest problem is that Steve is so comfortable in his spot with Andy, he's not being forced to make these decisions that bench guys he likes in favor of better athletes.

Any other D coordinator, on any other team, you can bet your ass the guys that aren't producing aren't seeing the field, because they will lose their job for not utilizing all of their resources to field a better unit.