Chiefs Michael Ash discusses expectations, Derrick Johnson and thanksgiving...

Hammock Parties · 11-27-2009, 05:13 PM

http://kan.scout.com/2/923799.html

It’s amazing how one win can suddenly change expectations.

A week ago, we were looking ahead to late-season contests with the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns, hoping the Chiefs would be able to scrape together an additional win or two by the end of the season.

But now?

If the Chiefs don’t win both those games, it will be disappointing. Heck, if they can’t beat the Denver Broncos next week, it’ll feel like something of a letdown. That’s the kind of boost a victory over the defending Super Bowl champions can provide. In a season where winning four games once seemed like too tall a task, that number no longer seems like enough.

After all, if the Chiefs are capable of beating the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers, why can’t they rack up another two or three wins before it’s all said and done?

Of course, it’s easy to get carried away with those sorts of thoughts in the aftermath of the win. But after Sunday’s game with the Chargers, things might not look quite as rosy.

After their usual early-season slumber, San Diego has now won five straight, including last month’s 30-point demolishing of the Chiefs inside Arrowhead Stadium. The Chargers have the potential to wipe away the sweetness of last week’s victory by putting a sour taste in all our mouths.

We should remember what that feels like. Last year, the Chiefs earned their biggest win of the season – the 33-19 “let’s build on this” victory over the then-unbeaten Broncos – and then followed it up with a humiliating 34-0 road loss to Carolina. Any hope that actual progress was being made quickly gave way to the cold sting of reality.

With two straight wins and a victory over the Steelers, there’s no question this year’s Chiefs have made some degree of progress. How much of it they’ve made will be clearer after their second game with the Chargers.

For Derrick Johnson, Sunday’s game with Pittsburgh was his entire career in a nutshell.

Twelve weeks into the NFL season, there are Chiefs fans who still believe Johnson’s demotion is some kind of head game by Todd Haley. They simply can’t fathom that the former first-round pick isn’t one of the two best inside linebackers on the team. His performance Sunday should have cleared all that up.

Though it was ultimately erased by a penalty, Johnson made one of the game’s more spectacular plays with his leaping sack of Ben Roethlisberger. However, he spent most of the afternoon whiffing on tackles, including one particularly bad miss during overtime.

With the Steelers facing 2nd and 10 on the Chiefs’ 43-yard line, they called an outside run with Rashard Mendenhall that the Chiefs’ defense appeared to have bottled up. Unfortunately, Johnson over-pursued the play and provided Mendenhall with a cut-back lane.

As Johnson extended his arm in a fruitless attempt at making the tackle, Mendenhall charged past him and picked up eight yards, moving the Steelers into field-goal range.

Thanks to a great play by Jovan Belcher, Pittsburgh moved backwards on the next play and opted to punt the ball away. But had that negative play not occurred, the eight-yard run Johnson single-handedly allowed might have cost the Chiefs the game.

A vast collection of errors and forgettable performances peppered by a handful of dynamic, highly-athletic plays summarizes Johnson’s pro career. He’s never managed to put things together for an entire season, but always manages to make two or three plays that are flashy enough to make us ignore the games where he disappears while we hope that he’s finally getting it all figured out.

The Chiefs could do worse than having Johnson around as a backup. But even if they attempted to re-sign him, he’d be crazy to take a modest contract extension in Kansas City when there are surely a few teams willing to throw starter money at him.

With as much playing time as Johnson saw Sunday, he might have had the opportunity to force himself into the team’s future plans. Instead, he only showed why he’s likely to be gone next season.

Looking for things to be thankful for this year?

Be thankful for Tony Gonzalez’s misery.

That’s harsh, but as we all know, the worse Atlanta does this year, the higher the Chiefs will pick with the draft choice they obtained for Gonzalez. The Falcons are currently on the outside of the NFC playoff picture at 5-5. That translates to the Chiefs having the 16th pick of the second round, giving them three of the draft’s first 48 picks.

Atlanta still has three or four more winnable games on their schedule, so it’s unlikely the Chiefs will actually be picking that early. Still, since Atlanta was thought to be a serious contender this season, it’s going to end up being a higher pick than anyone expected when the Gonzalez trade was announced.

Be thankful that Scott Pioli didn’t trade for Richard Seymour or Braylon Edwards.

Do you remember all the complaining and hand-wringing amongst Chiefs fans when the Seymour-to-Oakland and Edwards-to-New York deals were announced? How are those trades looking at the moment?

Seymour, who cost the Raiders a future first-round pick, has four sacks this season as a starter. Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ Wallace Gilberry – who, prior to the season, no one envisioned would play a significant role – has 3.5 sacks as a backup to Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey.

Then we have Edwards, who not only cost the Jets two draft picks, but two players. In six games with his new team, he has 281 yards and two touchdowns. Bobby Wade, who the Chiefs signed off the street, has 243 yards and two touchdowns in seven games with the Chiefs. Better yet, Chris Chambers – who also cost the Chiefs nothing – has 249 yards and three touchdowns in only three games with Kansas City.

None of this is to suggest that Seymour and Edwards aren’t talented players, of course. But to this point, the Chiefs have managed to match their production without losing a single draft pick.

LaChapelle · 11-27-2009, 05:24 PM

Towards the end of the game the Chiefs made a tackle and was laying on the ground, not moving. DJ came in over estimated the distance and missed the pile.

TRR · 11-27-2009, 05:34 PM

A pretty good article! It truly is funny what a win will do for you...suddenly everything and everyone isn't so bad after all.

I would like to see Chambers re-signed to a two year deal. He and Bowe would be a decent combo for the next 2 years IMO. A threat in the slot and a pass catchin TE to go with Pope would be great in later rounds as well.
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RustShack · 11-27-2009, 05:35 PM

I think Long will grow into that threat in the slot.

TRR · 11-27-2009, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustShack

I think Long will grow into that threat in the slot.

You may be correct, but I would rather have a slot guy initially that could blossom into a starter opposite Bowe in a couple of seasons...I don't envision that for Lance Long.
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LaChapelle · 11-27-2009, 05:40 PM

Did Edwards turn back into the Browns' Braylon Edwards?

It's a point to keep in mind. Will Chambers turn back into the Chargers' Chambers?

Marcellus · 11-27-2009, 05:48 PM

His take on DJ is dead on and I am amazed there are still people here who cant grasp it.

stormtrooper · 11-27-2009, 05:57 PM

egad!! i really like DJ too. he has a lot of skill but i admit he isnt helping himself. DAMN it DJ!!

Demonpenz · 11-27-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcellus

His take on DJ is dead on and I am amazed there are still people here who cant grasp it.

i don't think there are many, or atleast can you point out some people who still think DJ is good. We now have some talent up front and it exposes DJ more and more now that he has space to make plays. GC has the vids to prove it

Marcellus · 11-27-2009, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

i don't think there are many, or atleast can you point out some people who still think DJ is good. We now have some talent up front and it exposes DJ more and more now that he has space to make plays. GC has the vids to prove it

Prior to Sunday's game there were many people screaming Haley was an idiot for benching him and DJ should be playing because he was our best LB.

I was a DJ fan and thought he would improve this year with some different coaching. While other players have been coached up, Hali, Studebaker, Dorsey, etc...same old DJ.

**BigMeatballDave** · 11-27-2009, 06:29 PM

DJ has all the physical tools to be a great LB, but he's just reeruned.

**BigMeatballDave** · 11-27-2009, 06:31 PM

I'd kinda feel sorry for TG, but it would be funny if the Falcons and Chiefs both finished 6-10.

**Gonzo** · 11-27-2009, 06:37 PM

I still think 4-5 wins will be a fairly successful season. I've said this since July.
I too was one of those fans thinking not starting DJ was a head game by Haley...
Not anymore
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Mr. Laz · 11-27-2009, 06:47 PM

it's good to see yet another writer using CPlanet for his source material.

we should get royalties or something

Coogs · 11-27-2009, 06:49 PM

I just finished rewatching the game on TiVo. I pretty much just watched the offensive plays to focus on the offensive line. I'm most definately no offensive line guru, but it looked to me like Smith at RG was by far our best O-lineman last week. Albert and O'Callaghan were just average at best in pass blocking, but decent in the run blocking game. Waters was overpowered quite a bit in pass blocking. Same for Rudy. When all five of them gave Cassel time, Cassel was pretty darn good. But on most of the pass plays at least one of the 4 not named Smith was overpowered back into Cassel.

Three upgrades on the O-line at least seem to be in order. C, LG, and one of the tackle spots.

11-27-2009, 05:13 PM
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $830478	Michael Ash discusses expectations, Derrick Johnson and thanksgiving... http://kan.scout.com/2/923799.html It’s amazing how one win can suddenly change expectations. A week ago, we were looking ahead to late-season contests with the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns, hoping the Chiefs would be able to scrape together an additional win or two by the end of the season. But now? If the Chiefs don’t win both those games, it will be disappointing. Heck, if they can’t beat the Denver Broncos next week, it’ll feel like something of a letdown. That’s the kind of boost a victory over the defending Super Bowl champions can provide. In a season where winning four games once seemed like too tall a task, that number no longer seems like enough. After all, if the Chiefs are capable of beating the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers, why can’t they rack up another two or three wins before it’s all said and done? Of course, it’s easy to get carried away with those sorts of thoughts in the aftermath of the win. But after Sunday’s game with the Chargers, things might not look quite as rosy. After their usual early-season slumber, San Diego has now won five straight, including last month’s 30-point demolishing of the Chiefs inside Arrowhead Stadium. The Chargers have the potential to wipe away the sweetness of last week’s victory by putting a sour taste in all our mouths. We should remember what that feels like. Last year, the Chiefs earned their biggest win of the season – the 33-19 “let’s build on this” victory over the then-unbeaten Broncos – and then followed it up with a humiliating 34-0 road loss to Carolina. Any hope that actual progress was being made quickly gave way to the cold sting of reality. With two straight wins and a victory over the Steelers, there’s no question this year’s Chiefs have made some degree of progress. How much of it they’ve made will be clearer after their second game with the Chargers. For Derrick Johnson, Sunday’s game with Pittsburgh was his entire career in a nutshell. Twelve weeks into the NFL season, there are Chiefs fans who still believe Johnson’s demotion is some kind of head game by Todd Haley. They simply can’t fathom that the former first-round pick isn’t one of the two best inside linebackers on the team. His performance Sunday should have cleared all that up. Though it was ultimately erased by a penalty, Johnson made one of the game’s more spectacular plays with his leaping sack of Ben Roethlisberger. However, he spent most of the afternoon whiffing on tackles, including one particularly bad miss during overtime. With the Steelers facing 2nd and 10 on the Chiefs’ 43-yard line, they called an outside run with Rashard Mendenhall that the Chiefs’ defense appeared to have bottled up. Unfortunately, Johnson over-pursued the play and provided Mendenhall with a cut-back lane. As Johnson extended his arm in a fruitless attempt at making the tackle, Mendenhall charged past him and picked up eight yards, moving the Steelers into field-goal range. Thanks to a great play by Jovan Belcher, Pittsburgh moved backwards on the next play and opted to punt the ball away. But had that negative play not occurred, the eight-yard run Johnson single-handedly allowed might have cost the Chiefs the game. A vast collection of errors and forgettable performances peppered by a handful of dynamic, highly-athletic plays summarizes Johnson’s pro career. He’s never managed to put things together for an entire season, but always manages to make two or three plays that are flashy enough to make us ignore the games where he disappears while we hope that he’s finally getting it all figured out. The Chiefs could do worse than having Johnson around as a backup. But even if they attempted to re-sign him, he’d be crazy to take a modest contract extension in Kansas City when there are surely a few teams willing to throw starter money at him. With as much playing time as Johnson saw Sunday, he might have had the opportunity to force himself into the team’s future plans. Instead, he only showed why he’s likely to be gone next season. Looking for things to be thankful for this year? Be thankful for Tony Gonzalez’s misery. That’s harsh, but as we all know, the worse Atlanta does this year, the higher the Chiefs will pick with the draft choice they obtained for Gonzalez. The Falcons are currently on the outside of the NFC playoff picture at 5-5. That translates to the Chiefs having the 16th pick of the second round, giving them three of the draft’s first 48 picks. Atlanta still has three or four more winnable games on their schedule, so it’s unlikely the Chiefs will actually be picking that early. Still, since Atlanta was thought to be a serious contender this season, it’s going to end up being a higher pick than anyone expected when the Gonzalez trade was announced. Be thankful that Scott Pioli didn’t trade for Richard Seymour or Braylon Edwards. Do you remember all the complaining and hand-wringing amongst Chiefs fans when the Seymour-to-Oakland and Edwards-to-New York deals were announced? How are those trades looking at the moment? Seymour, who cost the Raiders a future first-round pick, has four sacks this season as a starter. Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ Wallace Gilberry – who, prior to the season, no one envisioned would play a significant role – has 3.5 sacks as a backup to Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey. Then we have Edwards, who not only cost the Jets two draft picks, but two players. In six games with his new team, he has 281 yards and two touchdowns. Bobby Wade, who the Chiefs signed off the street, has 243 yards and two touchdowns in seven games with the Chiefs. Better yet, Chris Chambers – who also cost the Chiefs nothing – has 249 yards and three touchdowns in only three games with Kansas City. None of this is to suggest that Seymour and Edwards aren’t talented players, of course. But to this point, the Chiefs have managed to match their production without losing a single draft pick.
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11-27-2009, 05:24 PM	#2
LaChapelle Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Casino cash: $10004900	Towards the end of the game the Chiefs made a tackle and was laying on the ground, not moving. DJ came in over estimated the distance and missed the pile.
Posts: 8,588

11-27-2009, 05:34 PM	#3
TRR The Priest and I Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: CO Casino cash: $9420185	A pretty good article! It truly is funny what a win will do for you...suddenly everything and everyone isn't so bad after all. I would like to see Chambers re-signed to a two year deal. He and Bowe would be a decent combo for the next 2 years IMO. A threat in the slot and a pass catchin TE to go with Pope would be great in later rounds as well. Posted via Mobile Device
Posts: 7,370

11-27-2009, 05:35 PM	#4
RustShack **** That Noise Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Jack Trice Casino cash: $3046954	I think Long will grow into that threat in the slot. __________________
Posts: 15,125

11-27-2009, 05:40 PM	#6
LaChapelle Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Casino cash: $10004900	Did Edwards turn back into the Browns' Braylon Edwards? It's a point to keep in mind. Will Chambers turn back into the Chargers' Chambers?
Posts: 8,588

11-27-2009, 05:48 PM	#7
Marcellus Diablo Negro Join Date: Sep 2003 Casino cash: $-477338	His take on DJ is dead on and I am amazed there are still people here who cant grasp it.
Posts: 74,394

11-27-2009, 05:57 PM	#8
stormtrooper Starter Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Boise Idaho Casino cash: $10004900	egad!! i really like DJ too. he has a lot of skill but i admit he isnt helping himself. DAMN it DJ!!
Posts: 226

11-27-2009, 06:29 PM	#11
BigMeatballDave GBM 8-12-15 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Dayton, Oh. Casino cash: $10052154	DJ has all the physical tools to be a great LB, but he's just reeruned.
Posts: 59,997

11-27-2009, 06:31 PM	#12
BigMeatballDave GBM 8-12-15 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Dayton, Oh. Casino cash: $10052154	I'd kinda feel sorry for TG, but it would be funny if the Falcons and Chiefs both finished 6-10.
Posts: 59,997

11-27-2009, 06:37 PM	#13
Gonzo Stuff & Things Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Yukon Casino cash: $10126924	I still think 4-5 wins will be a fairly successful season. I've said this since July. I too was one of those fans thinking not starting DJ was a head game by Haley... Not anymore Posted via Mobile Device
Posts: 21,498

11-27-2009, 06:47 PM	#14
Mr. Laz Don't Tease Me Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: KS Casino cash: $11047037	it's good to see yet another writer using CPlanet for his source material. we should get royalties or something __________________
Posts: 95,626

11-27-2009, 06:49 PM	#15
Coogs In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Northern Kansas Casino cash: $-2235651	I just finished rewatching the game on TiVo. I pretty much just watched the offensive plays to focus on the offensive line. I'm most definately no offensive line guru, but it looked to me like Smith at RG was by far our best O-lineman last week. Albert and O'Callaghan were just average at best in pass blocking, but decent in the run blocking game. Waters was overpowered quite a bit in pass blocking. Same for Rudy. When all five of them gave Cassel time, Cassel was pretty darn good. But on most of the pass plays at least one of the 4 not named Smith was overpowered back into Cassel. Three upgrades on the O-line at least seem to be in order. C, LG, and one of the tackle spots.
Posts: 21,905