Teicher: Waters thinks Chiefs don’t need offensive-line upgrade

[Tribal Warfare]

Waters thinks Chiefs don’t need offensive-line upgrade
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

To Brian Waters, the numbers speak with clarity. During the season’s final few games, the Chiefs became one of the league’s most explosive running teams while significantly reducing the number of times quarterback Matt Cassel was sacked.

There can be no better endorsement of the Chiefs’ much-maligned offensive line.

“They say stuff rolls downhill, and we’re at the bottom,” Waters said Monday as the Chiefs, who finished their 4-12 season with a 44-24 win over the Broncos on Sunday in Denver, cleared out their lockers and scattered for winter. “We take that burden because we’re big boys.

“But the last two years, I don’t think that some of my offensive linemates have been judged properly. I feel a lot of eyes that have been judging some of my teammates are unqualified eyes. There are a lot of people basing their opinions off what they know, and a lot of people don’t know football.

“In our position, everything is all about what other guys do. Everything is about how many times the quarterback got hit or it’s all about how many rushing yards we had. We’re pretty much (tied) to the numbers.”

His comments suggest that given Kansas City’s recent offensive improvements, Waters, a four-time Pro Bowl guard, believes the Chiefs don’t need to make upgrading their offensive line an offseason priority.

During the season’s final eight games, running back Jamaal Charles trailed only Tennessee’s Chris Johnson in rushing yards with 968. Charles averaged 6 yards per carry in that time.

Chiefs quarterbacks were sacked 37 times in the first 10 games, but Cassel went down only eight times in the final six. In Denver, he wasn’t sacked for the first time all season.

Some of the improvement has to do with changes on the line. On the right side, Ryan O’Callaghan replaced Ikechuku Ndukwe at tackle and Wade Smith replaced Mike Goff at guard.

The line also had time to adjust after the Chiefs abruptly changed their offense during the preseason when they fired coordinator Chan Gailey.

“That affected us greatly,” Waters said. “We’d be lying to ourselves to not think that the change in offense two weeks before the regular season started didn’t harm what we had already kind of got going. But that’s the head coach’s prerogative to make that type of change.”

The biggest reason for the line’s improved play was Charles, who is smaller and quicker than Johnson and doesn’t need as much space to be an effective runner.

“What we were trying to do offensively wasn’t to the strength of Larry,” Waters said. “We were trying to be a little more open-space, a little bit more no-huddle, a little bit more fast-hitting type of offense. We know Larry, and when he was in his greatest time, he was more of a pounder.

“We finally got comfortable in what we were trying to do. The idea of what we were trying to do from game to game has changed through the course of the year and we finally settled on who we are and we weren’t going to change that.

“Talentwise, I don’t think I’ve ever played with anybody as talented as (Charles) is, with the explosive ability he has. He has the ability to make a 5-yard run a 50-yard run just like that.

“He has the ability to make us look better.”

Monday’s interview ended Waters’ seasonlong silence. Waters asked to be traded last winter shortly after Todd Haley was hired as the Chiefs’ head coach.

Waters said his silence shouldn’t be interpreted that he was unhappy playing for the Chiefs.

“With the stuff I came back here with during the offseason, I just wanted to kind of stand out of the way and just do my job and allow this whole situation to show itself,” Waters said. “I didn’t want to get in the way. I know people are always trying to make it seem like you feel this way or you feel that way. I just wanted people to see this whole program for themselves. I didn’t want to be a distraction.

“It was just a good year for me to focus on my own job.”

Waters started 15 games this season, missing last month’s Cleveland game because of a sore hamstring. That ended a streak of 51 consecutive starts.

He also missed out on the Pro Bowl after playing in Hawaii the previous year,

“I think I had a solid year,” Waters said. “I don’t think I performed any worse than I’ve performed over the last few years.

“I feel I have plenty left in the tank.”

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by old_geezer

Not to be argumentive, but isn't it possible that Water's poor play early in the year was a result of his negitive attitude after his confrontation with Haley/Pioli ? If so, then he managed to straighten himself out and he might be servicable for 1-2 more years while we work on other areas that need immediate help.

I don't think so. He's not that kind of guy.

He's on the decline...I'd like to head the decline of an OL off at the pass for once.

[Delano]

I get a raging boner when I think of Iupati pulling out and dropping some jealous bitches as Jesus 'mother-****ing' Charles explodes into the open field.
Posted via Mobile Device

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Delano

I get a raging boner when I think of Iupati pulling out and dropping some jealous bitches as Jesus 'mother-****ing' Charles explodes into the open field.
Posted via Mobile Device

I just came.

Anyone that says Iutapi wont be a impact player hasnt seen him play once.

[Blick]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

He was terrible early in the year and he's going to be 33 next season. His physical skills are eroding fast. He'll probably decline even more.

Well like I said, we don't have anybody to replace him, and a rookie wouldn't be better.

He could be better if the team is better.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

I don't think so. He's not that kind of guy.

He's on the decline...I'd like to head the decline of an OL off at the pass for once.

It is no mistake that Waters play got better on the same timeline as Albert was coming out of his adjustment period.

I dont buy that age is taking hold quite yet.

I may be wrong.

time will tell

[HonestChieffan]

Waters is not a factor. He had his run and after his performance this year it is clearly over. They need to give him a game ball and a golden microphone with a ticket out of KC.

[ChiTown]

Teicher's Article for Tomorrow: Brown Says Chiefs Don't Need Safety Upgrade

.........................

[jidar]

This O Line is a lot better than the people on this board give it credit for. I've been seeing their improvement week to week and they were pretty respectable the last few weeks.

Of course it takes awhile for word of something like that to get out so the media isn't really onto it yet... I guess this article is a start. When we get a few more of these types of articles from media members then all the parrots on this board can get their opinions caught up to reality.

[KCUnited]

A Center is a must in the draft, not moving a guy to Center, but a bona fide Center that mans this line for years to come. A Guard is needed as well, but maybe the most important thing for this line is a legitimate competition for RT, RG, and LG in camp amongst the guys we already have.

I don't follow college and the draft nearly as much as others. Whats the report on Brandon Carter, maybe some character issues, the spread? Guy seems big and nasty enough to have a career in the league.

[Slainte]

"We've got to protect our phony baloney jobs, gentlemen."
--Brian Waters, Jan 4, 2010

[jspchief]

I'm not sure I'm ready to buy that the pass protection is better.

The biggest thing that changed there is we found an effective running game that kept teams from just teeing off on Cassel.

I still believe we need to improve the interior of the line. You don't just suddenly stop getting your ass pushed 5 yards back into the pocket. That said, I'm not sure it's something that commands a high draft pick. Get a utility lineman in round 3 or later, a guy that can play guard or center then let him win a spot on the line.

[Bwana]

Waters, Ray Farmer wants to see you and bring your playbook!

[wild1]

It is crazy that Cryin' Waters thinks Charles has something to do with him. O'C and Smith improved the right side, but 90% of it is that Charles has a different running style, and the guy before him was run down and used up. He needs to be careful about patting himself on the back so hard.

[HemiEd]

Somewhere in the middle is reality.

Of course Waters is going to say they don't need upgraded, but to ignore the facts that he mentions is stupid, they are reality.

The team did change offenses at the worst possible time.

They did re-train Albert on proper technique and it took a while.

Goff and Ndukwe were obvious failures. Colin Brown and Barry Richardson should start being a factor next year.

Even the great OL of 2003 and 2004 took a little time to develop some cohesiveness.

I am very encouraged by the state of the OL, and two months ago it looked pathetic.


Kudos to Bill Muir and Joe D’Alessandris, they have things clearly going the right direction IMO.

Spend the picks on playmakers please, Jamaal Charles is clear evidence of the difference they can make.

[Mr. Laz]

of course waters doesn't want any changes on the Oline because he MIGHT be one of the changes.

i would say virtually every position along the Oline improved over the year except for Center and left guard. Both waters and niswanger were a weakness this year ... even at the end.

shit ... we need just about every position on the Oline upgraded.

start with center then ...

left guard
right tackle
right guard
left tackle.

maybe if we sign Iupati we can put him at left guard and move Waters to center where he can use his experience to help make line calls and direct the Oline.

Albert
Iupati
waters
wade
O'callaghan

if Albert continues to improve the left side of the Oline would be solid and the right side passable.