Gretz:Offensive Problems? … Weekend Cup O’Chiefs

[Tribal Warfare]

Offensive Problems? … Weekend Cup O’Chiefs

June 13, 2009 - Bob Gretz |

With four OTA practice sessions to go, many things could change around the Chiefs before they head off to start their summer vacation late next week.

But who would have believed back in early February that come the middle of June the Chiefs defense would be ahead of the offense in its development under Todd Haley and the team’s new coaching staff?

Wasn’t offense the strongest of the three phases of the game for the Chiefs last year? Obviously the biggest weapon in that attack is gone: TE Tony Gonzalez. But everybody else that mattered in the offense last year returned, including coordinator Chan Gailey. Because of that, the playbook was altered only slightly. It seemed like the offense was set to welcome its big new addition in QB Matt Cassel (right, with WR Bobby Engram) and was ready to roll.

That hasn’t been the case, or at least it hasn’t been in the practices that have been open to the media. Right now the defense is ahead of the offense. Haley has talked about the problems of his passing game in the last week. Obviously, those four remaining practices allow the offense time to catch up. And let’s remember we are still three months away from the regular season opener.

I provide that note of caution because from e-mails and comments that have come in, I sense grave concern among some in the Chiefs Nation about what’s been coming out of mini-camp and these OTAs when it comes to the offense.

Folks, it’s way too early to push the panic button. Remember, these sessions are barely football. These are guys running around in their underwear and there’s no contact allowed. Now, the linemen butt heads during practice, but it’s not with the ferocity of real football since they are not wearing pads.

And that makes perfecting the running game very difficult. Working the run game requires blockers blocking and defensive players pushing back and going after the ball carrier. That work will not begin until training camp.

So, one hand of the offense is tied behind its back. That leaves only the passing game to work on, something the defense knows from play to play in these sessions. The other guys are working on their own situations over there, but it’s always easier when they know the ball is going to be thrown, rather than run. That gives the defense an edge and they are able to take more chances in coverage.

Right now Tyler Thigpen seems to be throwing the ball with more efficiency than Cassel and that should not come as a surprise. He’s spent all of last year working with these same guys. Thigpen knows their speed, their quickness and how soon they will get to a certain point on the field. Cassel is still learning those traits and 10 OTAs and five mini-camp practices hasn’t been enough time to make things click flawlessly in June.

Should there be concern? It’s way too early for concern. Is it something to watch? Absolutely.

Haley wants to win as many games as he can in the 2009 season. There are no delusions of a rebuilding season coming from him. He saw what happened with Herm Edwards, who believed he had a year to rebuild from Clark Hunt. That proved to be incorrect. Haley is looking for victories and that’s not going to happen if the passing game isn’t successful.

An NFL season is a series of postcards that are strung together creating a movie. What we see in June is one part of the plot, a chapter so to speak. It should not be taken out of that context and blown up bigger than what it really is.

Come November, if the Chiefs are still struggling on offense, we’ll know where it started. If they are getting the job done, we’ll know June was just part of the growing pains.

TRENT GREEN DECIDES TO HANG’EM UP

The decision wasn’t so much his, as it was made for him. Nobody in the NFL was very interested in signing Trent Green to play for the 2009 season.

So Green has decided to retire, ending a 15-year career that started poorly and ended poorly, but in the middle he had great success as the starting quarterback of the Chiefs.

“I feel this is finally the right time,” Green told FoxSports.com. “I’ve talked about it with (the family) for a while, especially with the concussions over the last few years. We all felt it was the time to do it.

“The way I approached the game the amount of work I put into my preparation and being someone guys can turn to in the locker room, I don’t want to be a guy who waits for someone to get hurt to get a job.”

Green entered the NFL in 1993 as an eighth-round draft choice of the San Diego Chargers out of Indiana. He spent that season as the No. 3 quarterback with the Chargers and never saw the field. He was out of the NFL the next year, but landed in Washington for the 1995 season. Green spent four seasons with the Redskins, finally getting to play in 1998, starting 14 games.

He signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Rams in 1999, but then suffered a season ending knee injury in the pre-season. Green came back the next season and served as a backup to Kurt Warner.

In 2001, he was traded to the Chiefs and for five years he never left the lineup, starting 80 consecutive games and had three consecutive seasons throwing for more than 4,000 yards (2003-05).

By the time he left Kansas City in a trade with Miami, Green was second only to Len Dawson in the club record book for the major passing categories: attempts, completions, yards and TD passes. Green hit 1,720 out of 2,777 attempts for 21,459 yards and 118 scoring throws.

Over his entire career, Green was 2,266 out of 3,740 attempts, for 28,475 yards, 162 TD passes, 114 interceptions and an 86.0 career passer rating. He’s 39th in the all-time passing yardage list and 13th in the all-time passer rating list.

MICHAEL VICK IS A FREE MAN … IN THE NFL

Several teams were interested, but nobody in the NFL was willing to make a deal with the Atlanta Falcons for the rights to QB Michael Vick.

So the Falcons released him on Friday. Vick is now a free agent, free to negotiate with any NFL, Canadian Football League or United Football League team.

“It’s a situation that we have been thinking about for quite some time,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff told the Atlanta media. “We did our due diligence. We’ve been searching around the league and were looking for some interest as far as a trade. In the very end, we came to a conclusion that it was time. It was best for both us and Michael Vick to move on, to turn the chapter.”

Dimitroff said teams were interested in Vick, but felt the timing wasn’t right. The Atlanta GM delivered the news to Vick with a phone call.

“He was accepting of it,” Dimitroff said. “He was expecting it, I’m sure. We respect him as an individual and as an athlete in this profession. It was the right thing to do.”

Vick remains suspended by the NFL.

SIGNINGS & MOVEMENT AROUND THE LEAGUE

BRONCOS – signed seventh-round choice C Blake Schlueter.

REDSKINS – signed sixth-round draft choice LB Robert Henson and seventh-round WR Marko Mitchell; released WR James Trash, LS Jeremy Cain and LB Tyson Smith.

STEELERS – signed third-round draft choice CB Keenan Lewis and fifth-round picks CB Joe Barnett and FB Frank Summers; waived P Dirk Johnson.

SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY …

June 14

Born on June 14, 1962 in Pittsburgh was LB Scott Radecic
(right). He was the team’s second-round pick in the 1984 NFL Draft out of Penn State. Radecic played in 48 games with the Chiefs, starting 31 times and had four career INTs, including one he returned for a TD. He currently still lives in Kansas City and works for the stadium-arena design firm formerly known as HOK.

Born on June 14, 1962 in Whittier, California was C Mark Cannon. He played 11 games with the Chiefs during the 1989 season.

Born on June 14, 1966 in Albuquerque was OT Ricky Siglar. He played in five different seasons with the Chiefs (1993-96, 98.) He appeared in a total of 68 games with 50 starts in the Kansas City offense.

[DTLB58]

It's only June and everyone has to be very patient with all the new players, coaches and schemes.

But I can't help thinking how Boldin would help this offense come together alot quicker, IMO.

I thought when we traded Gonzo it was a no brainer.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by PGM

It is going to take some time as timing is a critical part of the passing game. You can't really expect Cassel to start hitting his recievers in stride and have everyone be on the same page this early in the offseason.

I fully expect this to be like DV's first two years here.

Year 1 DV seemed to get rid of the people that wouldn't work and add 2 or 3 pieces he knew would. A foundation to build around. Right now we know what some players think and feel but we don't know how all of them will play under/for Haley.

Year 2 you can add more of your guys into an enviornment that's nearly 100% your way.

Year 3 you see the results.

I'll be patient. I completely agree with Haley's way of doing things. I just don't know that I like Haley himself...