Ten Things About Last Night's Game

[gblowfish]

Ten Things About Last Night's Game

10. I really love the new wide screen high def TVs. I've had my Panasonic 50" plasma for about two years now, and I never appreciate it more than I do when its time to settle in and watch a Chiefs game. Last night Mrs. Blowfish and I had a nice steak filet, BBQ shrimp on a skewer, corn on the cob, watermelon, fresh garden salad and home made fudge brownies. Shot of Crown Royal to start, Boulevard Wheat during, Roasterie coffee after. Regardless of what was about to transpire, you gotta love watching pre-season football on a big ass TV in the comfy AC with a big meal and a good adult beverage, kicked back in the leather La-Z-Boy. That's couch potato perfection. I just wish we would actually win one of these practice games every once in a blue moon.

9. Looked like the crowd in Tampa was a bit sparse, lots of empty seats upstairs and in the corners, announced attendance was around 41,000, but it looked smaller than that. I think the rotten economy is really starting to reflect itself around the league. It's hard for a family of four to pay $120 to $400 or more just to watch these guys practice. I also wonder if any Chiefs home games -including the upcoming pre-season games- will be blacked out locally? I haven't heard anything about this Friday's game vs. the Eagles, but I doubt if its a "sellout." Wonder if TV5 will have to buy up the extras to be able to broadcast it? Has there been any discussion about that on the Chiefs Planet this week?

8. No team in the NFL has wasted as many high picks and dollars on the defensive line as the Chiefs. Hali, Dorsey, Jackson all drafted as first round, big bucks D-Lineman. Still, the team has NO SACKS in two games, and no threatening pressure on the line that other teams really worry about. We're getting no inside pass rush, and less than average run defense from these guys. I'm convinced that we should NEVER draft a D-Line player with anything greater than a third round pick. Skill position players are much more critical and valuable with higher picks. Looks like the only way we'll get to the QB this year is by blitzing, and that's going to put a lot of pressure on the D-Backs, which can lead to serious toasting ala Flowers last night.

7. Looks like Studebaker will be a legit player this year. They should have played him more last year. Kendrick Lewis looks like he'll be a starter at safety with Berry. With two rookie starting safeties this year, we'll have some growing pains in pass coverage, but in the long run, we'll have a great solid foundation for a top notch secondary. Chiefs should deal Page right now and wipe him off the books. Derrick Johnson disappeared again last night. Did he have even one tackle?

6. Can Cassel accurately throw a pass over 15 yards? Looks like he's going to be the king of the five and six yard pass again this year. Dink. Dunk. Dink. I know we'll have a bit more speed available if Horne makes the 53 man squad - but can Cassel hit an open receiver over 15 yards? I really question his accuracy. Bowe looked OK last night, he seemed to be all business. Leonard Pope still sucks. He's Morris Stroud with worse hands (if that's possible). Brokieaki needs to get his Iowa ass out off the trainer's table and out on the field. If you can't get on the field, you don't matter.

5. If Cassel gets hurt we're hosed. Brokie is already on the shelf, just two games into pre-season, and this Palko guy is a poor impersonation of Tyler Thigpen. I'd much rather have Thiggy. He's looking pretty decent with Miami right now. Palko did some really stupid stuff last night. He's going to get receivers killed if he doesn't learn to look off a DB. And that series by the goal line at the end of the fourth quarter? Terrible. That's perhaps more on Charlie Weis. 3rd and goal from the two and you pass? Then get Illegal procedure on 4th down to go to 4th and goal from the seven, then you don't even get the pass into the end zone? I know Palko didn't have time to get the ball out under a blitz, but if you're going to dump the ball off short of the end zone, you might as well just kneel on the ball. Same results. Should have rolled him out and given him a pass or run option.

4. Arenas could be a game changer. It makes a world of difference to get a kick return back to the 35 or 40 yard line vs. what we've been getting over the last few years, which is nada. Teams will have to account for him the same way teams have to account for Hester in Chicago or Cribbs in Cleveland. Coaches always say special teams is a third of the game plan. This guy makes that part of the equation relevant again, and makes kick and punt returns exciting to anticipate, like Hall and Vanover used to do.

3. Pioli came on the broadcast in the fourth quarter for a Q and A, just so happened he was on when Leggett got hurt and was laid out on the field. He is SO much NOT Carl Peterson that it's refreshing. I just like his style. He's unassuming, not self promoting, in sort, pretty much the opposite of King Carl. Haley seemed to be on much better behavior last night. At the end the fourth quarter he was giving high fives to his defensive players for getting a three and out on Tampa to get the ball back one last time. He still has a lot of negative body language, where he stands with his arms folded and glowering at players, but he's not going bat-shit crazy with F-Bombs like he did last year. Hopefully he's grown up a bit since last year. We'll see if that holds true once the regular season kicks in.

2. We still aren't winning. I know pre-season doesn't "matter." But I think developing a culture of winning does matter. To turn the team around, you have to expect to win, and have such a distaste for losing that it becomes simply unacceptable. Tampa Bay is not a good team. They''ll probably be one of the worst teams in the NFC this year. Our number one's didn't match up well against their number one's, and most of the first half Tampa was being led by their number two QB.

1. Biggest difference in this game was the same as the last game. Tampa had two sacks, no turnovers, scored TDs. Chiefs had no sacks, fumbled three times, lost one, had two picks, and kicked field goals instead of TDs. We lost many close games last year because we settled for three instead of seven. That was, and is, the difference between winning and losing, and we're still not over that hump yet.

[KCUnited]

Derrick Johnson had 0 tackles.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Great post, George. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and agree whole heartedly.

[Red Brooklyn]

Very nice post.

I didn't watch the game so I don't have anything to add or detract. Just wanted to say it was a good read and I look forward to the next one.

[the Talking Can]

i didn't see much of the game, thanks for the report

[Mr. Flopnuts]

It's so awesome living in a place that I know will have Chiefs games on TV every week. I'm hoping that next year once things get settled for us here, that I'll be buying some season tickets.

[Red Dawg]

I think you are a little rough. Losing a worthless pre season game to TB is meaning less to be pissed about. Oak beat the Cowboys, but hardly means they are better. Our team is in bad shape, no doubt, but they are getting better and will continue to get better. Alot of us on here have forgotten just how much this team was gutted. Scott has had to start alsmostbn completely from cratch. Not a single position was good but TE and maybe Guard when he got here. The one huge mistake Pioli has made in my opinion is T jackson. Bad pick then an it looks like it now.

Just for shits and giggles: Who cares if Matt can throw down the field real great all the time? He needs to hit the open man, not throw int's and move the chains. If he make reads and get first downs I don't care how far the ball is traveling.

[Red Brooklyn]

Sure. Not turning the ball over is more important than throwing a deep ball all the time - or even ever, really. But having a limited QB means having a limited offense. How much do you think we're going to be able to move the chains once defenses realize that we have no deep threat?

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Derrick Johnson had 0 tackles.

No wait there are STILL STILL Chief fans who say he's our best linebacker with the most talent and all that horseshit........

[gblowfish]

The thing about DJ is potential. He has shown flashes of brilliance. But his level of play is all over the board. Hard to know what you're gonna get week to week. Derrick Thomas was accused of the same thing, disappearing during playoff games and such.

One other thing I forgot to say was, penalties were down, which was encouraging. We had a couple, the one at the end of the fourth quarter on fourth and goal was a bad one, but overall not a lot of holding in pass protection and such. Of course, we're throwing the ball mostly on a quick three step drop, so we'll have to see if the line can protect on longer routes. Charles got totally blown up trying to block a blitzer in the first half last night, he needs to work on this blitz pickups.

[Deberg_1990]

Its hard to believe the Pioli hasnt drafted a QB in his two drafts. Considering how fragile everyone knew Croyle was......

[Simply Red]

Props, GBlow.

[Red Brooklyn]

I'd say so far Pioli's faith in and/or obsession with Cassel has been his biggest flaw. Cassel might be Pioli's Achilles' heel.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Thanks George, I always enjoy these.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn

I'd say so far Pioli's faith in and/or obsession with Cassel has been his biggest flaw. Cassel might be Pioli's Achilles' heel.

What else do you expect Pioli to do. I'm sure that if the Colts offered to trade us Peyton for cassel and 5 draft picks he'd do it. I would have to think we'll be looking QB in next years draft.