Teicher: Chiefs QB Thigpen gets the starting nod against Falcons

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs QB Thigpen gets the starting nod against Falcons
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star


Tyler Thigpen’s performance at quarterback in the first extended playing time of his NFL career Sunday was less than inspiring. He completed far less than half his passes, was sacked three times, tossed an interception and almost threw several others.

For many teams, that would bury a player deeper on the bench. But for the Chiefs, it earned him a promotion.

Thigpen will make the first start of his NFL career in Sunday’s game against the Falcons in Atlanta, replacing Damon Huard.

“We want to take a look at him,” coach Herm Edwards said. “He’s another young player at quarterback we want to look at and see where he’s at.

“We’re trying to look at young players, and this is part of the process. Is he a (second-string quarterback)? A one? Is he always going to be a three? You don’t know until you have an opportunity to play.”

That sounds like the move is everything about furthering the youth movement by replacing a veteran quarterback with one much younger. But Edwards indicated he believed that playing Thigpen gives the Chiefs their best chance to beat Atlanta.

“We’re not looking at this game as a preseason game,” he said. “We’re trying to win. We’re doing everything we can to do that, and this kid deserves a chance.

“If he struggles, guess what? We’ll do what we always do. We’ll bring Damon Huard off the bench. That’s how Damon Huard really plays the best, in my opinion, when he comes off the bench.”

Edwards said the move had nothing to do with the head or neck injury that knocked Huard out of last week’s game. Huard practiced Wednesday and was not listed on the injury report the Chiefs must file with the league.

“It’s just a decision we made as a staff,” Edwards said. “It’s week to week. Hopefully he can hang in there and play well and get us a win and then he stays in there.

“The thing the guy does is he always seems to move the team. He makes some mistakes … he generally struggles early and then all of a sudden he gets going and he makes some plays. That’s in every game the kid has played in since I’ve been here.

“Remember (last year’s San Diego) game? He drove the team down the field. He threw a pick at the end. This year he’s done the same thing in the preseason. He’s made some errors with the ball. He’s fumbled the ball. He’s thrown the ball to other guys. But guess what? Then he comes back and drives the team down the field. The Chicago (preseason) game, he didn’t play real good right away. Then all of a sudden at the end of the game he takes the team down and scores. He does the same thing last week. He struggles and struggles for a while and all of a sudden at the end, 6 minutes left, he takes the team down on a nice drive and we score.”

Edwards said the Chiefs would use Huard only if Thigpen plays poorly or gets an injury. He wouldn’t rule out the use of wide receiver Marques Hagans, who played quarterback for a handful of snaps against the Raiders.

“What we’ve got to do is try to make some first downs,” Edwards said. “However you can make some first downs and keep on the field, move the chains, that’s probably the most important thing. I’m not saying we won’t use (Hagans).”

Huard sent word through the Chiefs’ public-relations department that he wouldn’t answer questions. Thigpen said he would discuss the move today.

Thigpen quarterbacked the Chiefs on 10 possessions against Oakland. The first seven ended with a punt, four after only three offensive plays.

Thigpen then took the Chiefs on a drive that ended with his 2-yard touchdown pass to Tony Gonzalez. He then threw an interception and the final drive ran out of time.

Many of his passes were off the mark. Thigpen missed a possible touchdown to Devard Darling when his throw went along the sideline instead of down the middle of the field, where it needed to be.

Thigpen also had several passes that were thrown when receivers hadn’t turned around, an indication they have much more work to do before they’re comfortable playing together.

“I’ve been talking to him in-between plays … just letting him know what I’m thinking and he’s letting me know what he’s thinking,” Gonzalez said. “We’ve just got to get on the same page. That’s all it is.

“We’re going to go ahead and try to make that work. If Damon comes in, we know each other well enough that we’re going to make it work.”

Following Brodie Croyle in the season opener and Huard last week, Thigpen will be the third Chiefs starting quarterback in the first three games of the season. That’s happened only three times in a nonstrike NFL season since 1970.

“We’re very comfortable with Tyler in there,” guard Brian Waters said. “It’s really about him getting even more comfortable with his game and doing the things he feels really good about. It’s a week where we can prepare a game plan around his talents.”

Changing of the QB
The Chiefs will use their third starting quarterback in the first three games of the season when Tyler Thigpen starts Sunday’s game against the Falcons. Only three other teams have done that in a nonstrike season since the NFL and AFL merged for the 1970 season.


Team Year Quarterbacks Record
Chiefs 2008 Brodie Croyle, Damon Huard, Tyler Thigpen 0-2
Rams 1976 Pat Haden, Ron Jaworski, James Harris 10-3-1
Browns 1988 Bernie Kosar, Gary Danielson, Mike Pagel 10-6
Jaguars 1997 Mark Brunell, Rob Johnson, Steve Matthews 11-5

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

So, why was Tom Brady a 6th round pick?

Do you even watch football?

Behind this OL, a mobile QB gives us the best chance to win. Atlanta's front 4, on a fast track, and you want to put a statue back there?

As Tiny said:

Run for your life > Stop, drop and roll

Sorry dude, this is a HORRIBLE comparison.

Yes, the entire NFL missed on Tom Brady. In retrospect, he'd be the number 1 pick overall in the 2000 draft. Bottom line.

To expect the entire NFL to miss on such a player again, especially so soon, is asking way, way, way too much.

The only other 6th round QB that won the Super Bowl was Mark Rypien and there's no way in the world that he'd have been the number one pick overall in his draft year and by no stretch of the imagination is Rypien a HOFer.

Brady, like Montana, are players the NFL missed in draft. That usually happens only once a generation, especially with today's scouting and ten million amateur draft sites.

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Boy genius:

Not ONCE did I compare Thigpen to Brady.

Merely pointing out that draft position alone is a dumbass way to judge a QB, as well as where he went to school.

Hilariously deceived and blind is thinking that Damon Huard is the best QB to run an offense with a porous OL, than depends on being able to run nakeds, bootlegs and misdirection. Huard can do NONE of these things.

BTW, good job on completely ignoring the rest of my post. Waiting for an response:



Well?

Oline has to block better, plain and simple.

Btw - pretty sure you were comparing Brady to Thigpen in regards that Brady was a late rd draft pick. Just sayin

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Sorry dude, this is a HORRIBLE comparison.

Yes, the entire NFL missed on Tom Brady. In retrospect, he'd be the number 1 pick overall in the 2000 draft. Bottom line.

To expect the entire NFL to miss on such a player again, especially so soon, is asking way, way, way too much.

The only other 6th round QB that won the Super Bowl was Mark Rypien and there's no way in the world that he'd have been the number one pick overall in his draft year and by no stretch of the imagination is Rypien a HOFer.

Brady, like Montana, are players the NFL missed in draft. That usually happens only once a generation, especially with today's scouting and ten million amateur draft sites.

Thank you.......OntheWarpath58 is a moron.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Sorry dude, this is a HORRIBLE comparison.

Yes, the entire NFL missed on Tom Brady. In retrospect, he'd be the number 1 pick overall in the 2000 draft. Bottom line.

To expect the entire NFL to miss on such a player again, especially so soon, is asking way, way, way too much.

The only other 6th round QB that won the Super Bowl was Mark Rypien and there's no way in the world that he'd have been the number one pick overall in his draft year and by no stretch of the imagination is Rypien a HOFer.

Brady, like Montana were two players the NFL missed in draft. That usually happens only once a generation, especially with today's scouting and ten million amateur draft sites.

You're missing the point as well, Dane.

His comment was this:

There's a reason why he was a 7th rd draft pick.

I'm in no way comparing him to Brady, just asking WHY he feels it necessary to judge players based on draft position.

Hell, why even HAVE rounds past the 3rd? Can't be any serviceable players past then, right?

Then he goes on to mock Coastal Carolina. Is it impossible for a guy to be serviceable if he comes from a small school?

Please don't make me spend the time it would take to list all of the serviceable players that came from small schools. I'm positive you're with me on this...

[Chiefnj2]

Huard was able to win 4 games last year with a team with less talent than they have now. Plus he had Solari as coordinator. If Gailey can't come up with a gameplan to utilize what little strengths Huard has then Gailey is a step below Solari as a coordinator.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Oline has to block better, plain and simple.

Btw - pretty sure you were comparing Brady to Thigpen in regards that Brady was a late rd draft pick. Just sayin

So now you know what I was thinking, but I don't?

Right on, Ms. Cleo.

Back to the discussion:

Sure the OL needs to block better. But since they've shown NO progress in doing so, why continue to put a statue back there that lacks the mobility to at least ATTEMPT to make a play when blocking breaks down?

Is playing Huard going to make the OL block better?

Nope. In fact, it's going to make them look worse than they actually are.

[keg in kc]

It's hard to judge Gailey's gameplans when the starting quarterback has gone down relatively early in both games. The gameplan is geared to the starter and teams don't give the backup a whole lot of reps during the week. When he goes down, the plan goes out the window.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

Huard was able to win 4 games last year with a team with less talent than they have now. Plus he had Solari as coordinator. If Gailey can't come up with a gameplan to utilize what little strengths Huard has then Gailey is a step below Solari as a coordinator.

Why should they come up with a gameplan for the odd man out?

In the PS, Huard was the #3 guy, for a reason.

Unlike the other 2 QB's, he can't run. Period. The entire offense was designed around nakeds, bootlegs and misdirection - things Huard CANNOT do.

Changing your entire offense just for the sake of playing Huard is reeruned.

And again, I'll ask:

Behind this OL, a mobile QB gives us the best chance to win. Atlanta's front 4, on a fast track, and you want to put a statue back there?

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Why should they come up with a gameplan for the odd man out?

In the PS, Huard was the #3 guy, for a reason.

Unlike the other 2 QB's, he can't run. Period. The entire offense was designed around nakeds, bootlegs and misdirection - things Huard CANNOT do.

Changing your entire offense just for the sake of playing Huard is reeruned.

And again, I'll ask:

Behind this OL, a mobile QB gives us the best chance to win. Atlanta's front 4, on a fast track, and you want to put a statue back there?

Huard was the #3 guy in preseason because Herm wanted to see what the young guys had. When push came to shove, who got the nod originally Huard or Thigpen? Why? Because Thigpen sucks.

Nobody but you is advocating changing the entire offense.

A mobile QB who can't hit the side of a barn doesn't give the team the best chance to win. Putting a TE next to McIntosh might help.

When Thigpen wins a few games we can talk about whether or not he's better than Huard.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

Huard was the #3 guy in preseason because Herm wanted to see what the young guys had. When push came to shove, who got the nod originally Huard or Thigpen? Why? Because Thigpen sucks.

Nobody but you is advocating changing the entire offense.

A mobile QB who can't hit the side of a barn doesn't give the team the best chance to win. Putting a TE next to McIntosh might help.

When Thigpen wins a few games we can talk about whether or not he's better than Huard.

Yet an immobile QB that can't throw the ball more than 20 yards can?

Sorry, but after stepping into his throw, giving it all he had, and STILL underthrowing Charles down the sideline (who had beat his man) by 15 yards, Huard proved he has nothing left.

We don't KNOW if he's better or worse than Huard.

Huard has had 10+ years to prove his suckage. Thigpen has had half of a game.

Boy, the true fans are out in full force on this one...

[Micjones]

We can adjust the offense to allow for maximum protection on Sunday.
That would be the smart thing to do regardless of who starts at QB.

Having Thigpen run around with the ball to avoid pressure is a bad idea.
That just gives Atlanta more opportunity to force turnovers.
You will never beat NFL defenses that way. Not consistently.

He's not a Michael Vick. He's not a Vince Young.
He can scramble a bit, but his legs aren't an effective way for this team to be competitive on Sunday.

This is the NFL. Not College or High School football.

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

So now you know what I was thinking, but I don't?

Right on, Ms. Cleo.

Back to the discussion:

Sure the OL needs to block better. But since they've shown NO progress in doing so, why continue to put a statue back there that lacks the mobility to at least ATTEMPT to make a play when blocking breaks down?

Is playing Huard going to make the OL block better?

Nope. In fact, it's going to make them look worse than they actually are.

Really, because in the whole scheme of things the ONLY times we've been remotely successful on offense is when Huard has been in the game.

And thats a FACT.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Yet an immobile QB that can't throw the ball more than 20 yards can?

I've seen Tom Brady underthrow a wide open Randy Moss.
You're making too much of 1 underthrown ball.

I've seen Huard throw the ball longer than 20 yards.
More than once...

Huard has had 10+ years to prove his suckage.

Why do we keep getting hung up on this fact?
He's never proven in 10 years that he deserves to be a starter in the National Football League. Some of that has to do with who he was playing behind. Some of it does not.

At the end of the day his past has no bearing on whether or not he's the best QB on this team. His Chiefs tenure has proven he's clearly the most productive and effective QB. That should count for something.

I'm not clamoring for him to be a long-term answer.
I want the organization to make a play for Brady Quinn.
For right now though... Huard is the team's best option to produce offensively and have a chance to be competitive. Really and truly. No emotions involved.

Thigpen has had half of a game.

He's also had the off-season to have shown himself worthy of an opportunity to play more often. He didn't do that on the field. Why do you keep glossing over this fact? His own Head Coach said 1 week ago that he DID NOT give this team the best chance of winning a game.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Really, because in the whole scheme of things the ONLY times we've been remotely successful on offense is when Huard has been in the game.

And thats a FACT.

That's not true CoMo.
Thigpen threw a garbage TD against a soft Raider defense.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Micjones

We can adjust the offense to allow for maximum protection on Sunday.
That would be the smart thing to do regardless of who starts at QB.

Having Thigpen run around with the ball to avoid pressure is a bad idea.
That just gives Atlanta more opportunity to force turnovers.
You will never beat NFL defenses that way. Not consistently.

He's not a Michael Vick. He's not a Vince Young.
He can scramble a bit, but his legs aren't an effective way for this team to be competitive on Sunday.

This is the NFL. Not College or High School football.

Who said that?

Our offense is DESIGNED to get the QB out of the pocket.

DESIGNED.

The difference between Huard and Thigpen is that Huard cannot do what the offense is DESIGNED to do.

No one is advocating Thigpen run around for the sake of running around.

But when the blocking breaks down, and it will, at least Thigpen has the ABILTY and POTENTIAL to make something happen with his legs - instead of standing in the pocket like a statue waiting to become Abraham's 5th sack of the day.

People are bitching and moaning about how vanilla the offense is, yet they want us to go max protect to save Huard's ass? Yep, that's a great way to get away from the dink-and-dunk offense.

You bring a TE to help with McIntosh and you've solved 1 problem, but created another and left yet another unanswered.

A TE will help McIntosh, but that doesn't solve the problem of the RG or C getting beat like a drum.

You've just taken another receiver away from the QB by keeping a TE in to block.

And you've done all this for a guy that can't move outside the pocket, when you have a guy that can sitting on the bench.

You'd think the way people are bitching, that Edwards named Thigpen the starter for the rest of the year. This is a short term thing, folks, or at least until Croyle gets hurt again...