MVN - Most Valuable Network

Chiefs’ Loss to Chargers Prompts More Questions Than Answers

Going into yesterday’s matchup against the Chargers, it did not seem that a loss would accomplish much, other than unofficially eliminating the Chiefs from the playoffs.  However, the Chargers’ 24-10 victory, which gave the Chiefs their fifth loss in a row and put them at 4-8 record-wise, left me asking more questions about the future of this franchise.

For instance, Damon Huard was nothing close to the answer at starting QB this year, and he did not make much of a statement yesterday to reclaim his job.  But the Chiefs were able to move the ball.  The yardage totals are not impressive, but that due in large part to turnovers and San Diego’s ability to establish their ground game.  Huard got Tony Gonzalez going again, and he and Dwayne Bowe rekindled their chemistry, but interceptions and sacks did him in, as they did so often in the first nine games of the season.   Question is, did Gonzalez miss Huard?  And why are the Chiefs able to move the ball so effectively in the middle of the field, but then come to a complete standstill once in the red zone?

Next question- should Larry Johnson start if he returns this year?  I don’t think there is any question that he will start, but should he?  Kolby Smith showed once again that he is perhaps the better fit with this offensive line.  Johnson is more of a smashmouth player; create a tiny hole, and he will barrel through it.  If he gets into the open field, then he is virtually impossible to tackle.  The problem, of course, is that this offensive line has had trouble creating even the tiniest of holes.  Smith, meanwhile, makes people miss, he has shown the ability to shift on a dime, and he does not need much time to gather some steam.  This offensive line requires a creative running back, and Smith has shown that ability more than Johnson.

Third question- why does this defense struggle so much against the run lately, especially in the second halves of games?  With an improved defensive line and stellar linebackers, it is hard to figure out why RBs have had such an easy time against the Chiefs lately.  Napoleon Harris has been a big disappointment so far, and Tamba Hali has been more susceptible to the run this year than in years past, but that shouldn’t explain the number of 7+ yard gains that RBs have constantly been accruing.

Finally- in what direction is this team headed?  Clearly, the season is headed in a downward spiral, but what of the future?  Dwayne Bowe is a fixture and should head up the WR corps for years to come, but Brodie Croyle is a different story.  Clearly, he has shown the ability, but can he do it consistently, and will injuries prevent him from proving so?  On both offense and defense, this team is also a bad mix of very young players and very old players.  Will the Chiefs have an opportunity to retool quickly, or do they need several years to replace their aging vets?

One answer we did get is that this team does not have a deep roster.  The Chiefs suffered an awful lot of injuries during the game, but it is still hard to justify the need to put Jon McGraw and Pat Thomas out there.  Another answer we got- Will Svitek has been a long-term prospect, and he still is.  He looked Winston-Justice-bad trying to block Shawne Merriman, which means there is no way he should see any action at left tackle again this year.

Jon and I have both been advocating the replacement of various assistant coaches, but will that even be enough?  Could Al Saunders direct a team with an offensive line in this condition?  In San Diego, the talent seems to be overcoming the coaching, but is Kansas City capable of the same?

This entry was posted on Monday, December 3rd, 2007 at 3:14 pm and is filed under Analysis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.