12 posts tagged “gonzalez”
The Kansas City Chiefs have now lost their eighth straight game on the season. Also making it 19 losses in the last 20 games. Herm Edwards, Carl Peterson and Gunther Cunningham somehow maintain to keep their jobs. As much as I love Cunningham as a coach, it seems like he's not the good defensive coach he once was. It could be because of the lack of talent, however, giving over 400 total yards four times in the last five games and giving up 54 points to a struggling Buffalo Bills offense, is unacceptable. I realize the Chiefs defense had to go take over the field because of the turnovers, but I don't think this defense cannot allow 54 points. Most points allowed in Chiefs history.
Forget about the nice touchdown grab by Dwayne Bowe, forget about Kolby Smith scoring the touchdown with Larry Johnson out, forget about the trick play with Tyler Thigpen catching a touchdown and forget about the fact that we now have a kicker. The Chiefs put up 27 points against a team that was second in the NFL in points allowed this season. “It just shows what our offense can do.” Thigpen told me. “It really feels good going up against a tough defense and moving the ball. We need to look at that and build on it.” That was not expected from the Chiefs. Thigpen played a great game against the Jets, but would he do it against a defense that is in the top 10 in every major defensive statistical category? He did, in the first half. The Chiefs were in full control in the first half as the offense chose to do whatever they wanted to do as they were leading 24-3. The Chiefs forced three fumbles and Brandon Carr also got an interception, giving him a total of two on his rookie season. However, when things were looking bright in Arrowhead, the light began to fade away.
With five minutes remaining in the first half, the Buccaneers kick returner, Clifton Smith, came through with a 97 yard kick return for a touchdown. Matt Bryant also kicked another field goal to decrease the deficit to 11 points heading into halftime. After a very quiet first quarter, the Buccaneers began to strike as they reached the redzone. The Chiefs were able to force a fumble inside their five as they recovered. But rookie running back Jamaal Charles fumbled without any force, giving the Buccaneers field position at the two yard line. Tampa Bay got the easy touchdown with a trick play as Earnest Graham threw the touchdown pass to Alex Smith. Jamaal Charles did make up for his error by taking his team to the redzone allowing Conner Barth to extend the lead to eight in the fourth quarter. Charles also got over 100 yards (106 to be exact) for the first time in his career as Kolby Smith left the game early due to a knee injury and will not return this season. Tampa Bay was able to strike back yet again and succeeded on a two point conversion, giving the Chiefs only 14 seconds after the kickoff to win the game. After Thigpen was forced to throw the ball away with seven seconds left, Herm Edwards decided to knee the ball and send it into overtime. Maybe he doesn’t realize that in overtime, the winner of the coin toss scores on the first drive. The snake bit Herm as the Buccaneers won the toss and closed the game up with a chip shot field goal by Matt Bryant.
I don’t know where to go with this. I really don’t. It’s frustrating enough when this team has a 1-15 record in their last 16 games heading into this game. Fortunately, that goes back to last season. But there is a good chance for the Chiefs to have a one win season. Everyone in the locker room felt that this team was un-conservative in the second half. In this game, the Chiefs were not as conservative as usual, but they didn’t succeed in the fourth quarter with the lead. Yes, there was another awful call on Tony Gonzalez by the one and only, Ed Hochuli. Hochuli is having a more difficult than season than Herm Edwards. He had to correct himself three times in overtime for a ball placement. And to be fair, he even threw some bad flags on Tampa Bay. Hochuli deserves a fine/suspension, however, it’s really hard to blame the officiating of the game when you win the turnover battle, fumble at your own two yard line, give up an easy kick return for a touchdown and when your team simply cannot tackle. The Buccaneers created the biggest comeback in franchise history and I applaud them. They show why a team should never give up no matter what the scoreboard says. But in the end, it’s the Chiefs who beat themselves and just like Tony Gonzalez said, “It’s starting to get old.”
Arrowhead Stadium was 90% full. However, fans did not bother coming early to tailgate despite the bueatiful weather on a November 2nd. Will this be the last time we see Arrowhead that full? Here is what I want to know. How will fans take this? Have the fans lost faith after blowing a 21 point lead, or do they see signs of improvement with Thigpen after two very good starts? The only game that will host a full house at Arrowhead will be the Kansas and Missouri game later this month. That tells what path the Chiefs are on.
Tony Gonzalez has finally let it out. He asked for a trade this Friday. Good for Gonzalez. He has been hiding in the shadows for too long. He has given this team way too many chances and has been very loyal. Carl Peterson decided to blow off those chances and abused his loyalty. It is rumored that the Giants, Packers, Eagles and Bills all have interest in getting the Pro Bowl tight end who has shattered many records, including most receiving yards by any tight end which was broken last week. It’s a win-win situation for everyone except for Carl Peterson. Fans will have to accept the fact that Gonzalez is not here just to put a smile on the fans. He came to the NFL to win something every NFL player dreamed of winning since they were a kid, a Super Bowl. Gonzalez will go after his ring and the organization will get more young guns. However for Carl, he doesn’t win. The fact that it had to come to the point where Gonzalez asked for a trade shows that Peterson just blew it! Look at who he’s traded: Trent Green, Jared Allen and soon to be traded, Tony Gonzalez. There is a chance that Larry Johnson gets traded. Carl Peterson continues to show that the only way to solve someone’s problem is to trade them to another team to make them a happy player. Shame on Carl.
I have a lot of respect for Trent Green. And lets not forgot how Carl Peterson handled the Trent Green trade. I can only wonder how he plans to deal with the Gonzalez trade.
My message to Tony Gonzalez: Your not just the best tight end in NFL history, your one of the best football players in NFL history. On the field, I saw a guy who always worked hard and was a mentor to young players on the team. Gonzalez never had an attitude about anything and he always did what he was told to do. I’m surprised the Chiefs gave Pat Thomas the role of a captain, but Tony does not. Off the field, Gonzalez was a great man. Always involved in charities and visited children in the hospital who were struggling. All we heard about this summer was how Chad Johnson is running his mouth and how Cedric Benson can’t stay out of trouble and many more. We finally heard something positive this summer. Tony Gonzalez saves a man who was choking on his food in a restaurant. With his work ethic on and off the field, Chiefs fans around the world loved Tony Gonzalez. Arrowhead Stadium will never be the same without the best tight end in NFL history. Thank you Tony and good luck on your quest on finding your Super Bowl ring you deserve!
The Top Ten
1-Titans (1): This team continues to win games because of their defense.
2-Giants (2): Survive a really close one. Without a question, this is the best team in the NFC.
3-Redskins (6): This team has really done great. They’ve defeated the Cowboys and the Eagles, two very tough teams in their division. Should the Giants watch their back?
4-Cowboys (3): With the Redskins hot streak, the Cowboys will go down. I applaud their victory over the Bengals, although they gave up 22 points.
5-Bills (3): After a hot ride, the ride came to a stop as the Cardinals stopped the AFC East leaders.
6-Chargers (6): A bye week in hand, this team will come out strong defensively and hope to have a bye week this year in the playoffs.
7-Panthers (7): This team shut out Kansas City. Something they were expected to do.
8-Steelers (8): The Steelers hold off the Jaguars in another close prime time game.
9-Colts (-): After a rough start, this team looks like they have found their rhythm.
10-Patriots (-): After an awful performance against the Dolphins, this team looks like they have found a way to make plays with Cassel.
Goodbye to the—
Jaguars: Lost to a good team, but it was a close one.
Eagles: Just like the Jaguars, they lost to a good team in their division.
Nice week last week hope to get double digits in the win column.
Last week: 8-6
Season: 36-36
CHI @ ATL—ATL
MIA @ HOU—MIA
BAL @ IND—IND
DET @ MIN—MIN
OAK @ NO—NO
CIN @ NYJ—CIN
CAR @ TB—CAR
STL @ WAS—WAS
JAC @ DEN—DEN
DAL @ ARI—DAL
PHI @ SF—SF
GB @ SEA—GB
NE @ SD—SD
NYG @ CLE—NYG
I’m going to open this by admitting that I was wrong. I was wrong! It seems Tamba Hali cannot even win against a back up offensive tackle. And it also seems Larry Johnson is being paid millions of dollars because he earned two whole yards. Yet he’s upset that the Chiefs put Charles as the running back in the fourth quarter. I have a lot I want to get off my mind, so I’m not wasting any time.
Let’s all admit the fact that today the Chiefs were awful on all three phases of the game. Offensively, this team either turned the ball over, or went three and out. The only time this offense began to get things going was in the fourth quarter in which the game was already over and the Panthers were just playing prevent defense. I won’t get on Gunther Cunningham’s back because this defense had to play for nearly 39 minutes and it’s been like that all year. While Dustin Colquitt competes with Tony Gonzalez to be the team MVP, Dantrell Savage gets a -10 yard punt return. Savage can make players miss, but he tries too hard as he keeps going side to side.
I have to credit the defense for their play. They gave up two some touchdowns early in the game, but they made up for their errors by forcing a fumble and intercepting a pass in the endzone while the Chiefs still had a chance to get back in the game. However, the Chiefs offense could not come up with anything as the score speaks for itself.
Let me start with Larry Johnson and let me remind you that he is coming off of a successful week while gathering 198 yards. Herb Taylor stepped up for Branden Albert as well. I felt that Carolina’s defense was as similar to Denver’s. It didn’t seem that way as Johnson only gained two yards off of seven carries. Johnson had tripled the amount of carries compared to the yardage he earned. Heck, Tony Gonzalez had more receptions than Johnson had total yards.
Damon Huard didn’t like he was prepared in this game as he threw two interceptions for 86 yards as he got beat up by the Panthers defensive line as well.
The only highlight in this game was Tony Gonzalez setting the record for most receiving yards by any tight end in NFL history. I have yet to see a congratulatory statement from Shannon Sharpe, even though we should not expect one out of him.
Overall, this team was just awful. This is the first time the Kansas City Chiefs got shut out since December of 2002 against the Oakland Raiders in the season finale. And there could have been a possibility that the Chiefs could have been shutout more than once this year. I have a lot on my mind to share throughout the week with you all. One thing I will say is, Herm Edwards no longer earns the right being the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. I’ll talk more about Edwards tomorrow. But for now, this is an embarrassing loss and Herm Edwards could find himself out of town before the next game as the Chiefs head into the bye week. I’ll have more tomorrow.
Huge win last week for Kansas City Chiefs fans. However, the Chiefs are 1-3 and have won one of their last 13 games. It’s time to get back on track as the Chiefs are getting ready to face a very fierce Panthers team as they currently hold a 3-1 record. Let’s see if the Chiefs can build off of what they did last Sunday.
Jake Delhomme has been the story for the Panthers so far this season. Despite only completing 60% of his passes, he has only thrown one interception. Delhomme also has four receivers with at least 10 receptions who all have over 100 yards. The hottest receiver, Steve Smith who is coming off of a two game suspension, has really been good as he has 10 receptions for 166 yards. He has an average of 16.6, better than anyone on the team. However, Delhomme may realize that he will need to get the ball out of his hands quickly as offensive tackles Jordan Gross and Jeff Otah are both out for this game. This gives the Chiefs defensive line to step up and put Delhomme under pressure. Quarterbacks realize that it’s safer to take the sack rather than throw the ball way. But they do it anyway. In Delhomme’s case, he is dealing with a minor thigh injury. Therefore, chances of him taking the sack are low as he’ll most likely throw the ball away, and you know what happens next. The rookie corners, Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr have a chance to take over the spot light again. Don’t forget about Demorrio Williams either, who is replacing Donnie Edwards. Williams did a great job applying pressure on Jay Cutler forcing him to get rid of the ball quickly forcing incomplete passes. Expect a play from Gunther Cunningham’s play book which has Williams going after the QB. The Chiefs scored 13 points off of three of their four turnovers against the Broncos. The Chiefs have a very good shot at repeating what they did last week.
As much as I like Damon Huard and the way he comes through, I feel he will be limited in this game as Carolina as one of the best in the league against the pass. But never doubt Huard as he has Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez. However, like last week, the key to victory will be running with the football. I don’t know if we should expect another 198 yard performance, but we should very well expect another great game from LJ.
If both defenses have a hard time containing the offense, we may be in for a shoot out in Charlotte.
Key to victory:
--Turk ‘N’ Tank ‘N’ Tamba and Dorsey. Defensive line needs to take advantage as the Panthers offensive line is banged up.
--LJ. Despite Branden Albert is out, Herb Taylor has shown that he will make sure the value of this offensive line does not go down. Expect the Chiefs to run a lot. Herm won’t give the ball to LJ 30 times, at least I hope not. So expect Kolby Smith and Jamaal Charles to be involved in this game.
Chiefs win 34-31
I will be doing power rankings a little bit differently this time. Instead of ranking all 32 teams, I figured it’d be more interesting to just do the top 10 teams.
(last week)
1-Titans (2): This team is on fire right now and it’s going to take a lot of fire power to beat this defense. They are leading the NFL in interceptions and forced fumbles and third in sacks. The offense earns credit as well as the passing game is currently in an incipient phase.
2-Giants (3): Despite a no show last week, this team will move up since no other team really deserved this spot.
3-Bills (5): You really have to show the Bills some love as they’ve yet to lose a game when many predicted that this team would be on bottom of the AFC East.
4-Cowboys (1): The Cowboys are no longer the best team as they lost to a divisional opponent, who seems to always have the Cowboys number. The Redskins.
5-Chargers (4): They won, but it wasn’t a pretty win.
6-Redskins (16): I’ve been wrong about the Redskins and it’s time I give them credit. Jim Zorn has really done a great job so far as he’s lead this team to three straight victories.
7-Panthers (18): Now with Steve Smith back into action, this Panthers team is more dangerous as Jake Delhomme has a complete set of weapons.
8-Steelers (6): What seemed like a second straight loss, ended up being a comeback win into overtime.
9-Jaguars (13): The Jaguars look like they’ve found a rhythm after a slow start to the season.
10-Eagles (7): Tough loss to the Bears who were able to limit Donavon McNabb.
Goodbye to the—
Colts: What happened to this team? Is age really starting to get them? Let’s see how Tony Dungy used the bye week.
Vikings: The pass defense has improved, but it’s not enough as this team has only one win this year.
Patriots: This team looks desperate without Tom Brady
Another tough week for me as there were a lot of close games, here are my predictions.
Last week: 7-6
Season: 28-30
TEN @ BAL – TEN
KC @ CAR – KC
CHI @ DET – CHI
ATL @ GB – GB
IND @ HOU – HOU
SD @ MIA – SD
SEA @ NYG – NYG
WAS @ PHI – PHI
TB @ DEN – DEN
BUF @ ARI – BUF
CIN @ DAL – DAL
NE @ SF – NE
PIT @ JAC – PIT
MIN @ NO – MIN
Hope you guys enjoyed the read. I’ll post after the Chiefs game with some post-game comments.
Tony Gonzalez was frustrated he could not break the record for most receiving yards by any tight end in NFL history. Gonzalez was three yards shy and was too irritated to speak to reporters following the game. Despite snapping the 12 game losing streak against their bitter rivals who were undefeated, at home, Gonzalez wanted to break the record. He later realized that if the Chiefs were to attempt a pass, then the Chiefs are risking the game as they were in the redzone with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
On CBS before the NFL games, there is an NFL breakdown show called “The NFL Today.” The show consists of several NFL experts who make their predictions and give opinions on current events around the league. One member who is part of the cast is former tight end, Shannon Sharpe. No one ever said Sharpe is a classy person weather it’s on or off the field. Despite the level of class he has, he holds a huge grudge against Tony Gonzalez and the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs. The years I’ve been watching the program, I rarely hear him make any positive comments about the Chiefs. He is heavily biased towards the teams he played for. Don’t get me wrong, the other panelists favor their teams as well, but they never come on and bad mouth other teams, and they’re not always biased.
Dan Marino a couple years ago congratulated Peyton Manning on air when Manning broke Marino’s record for most passing touchdowns thrown by any quarterback in NFL history. When Tony Gonzalez broke Shannon Sharpe’s record for most touchdowns by any tight end in NFL history, Sharpe had no positive things to say.
Was he jealous? Was he too upset to congratulate Tony for breaking the record? The fact is Shannon Sharpe cannot accept the fact that Gonzalez is the better player. On “The NFL Today,” before the end of the program, a couple questions are asked and the panelists vote either true or false to the question. One question this past Sunday was, “Is Tony Gonzalez the best tight end in NFL history?” Surprisingly enough, Sharpe voted false and claimed he is the better tight end because he “has the jury” (jewelry, meaning Super Bowl rings.) So if this is the case, then I guess hundreds of tight ends are far more superior because they have a Super Bowl ring while Gonzalez has yet to win a playoff game.
I respect the hell out of Gonzalez because of the fact he chose to stay in Kansas City. He deserves a lot more than this. Despite Gonzalez has never won a playoff game, he has shattered a majority of Shannon Sharpe’s individual records. The better player is not usually determined by who has more Super Bowl rings. Sharpe is trying to hide from the fact that Gonzalez continues to break his records. The fact is Tony Gonzalez is better than Shannon Sharpe not only on the field, but off the field as well. When we hear so many NFL players get arrested, we finally hear a story of a player who saves a mans life, that life savor is Tony Gonzalez, the best tight end in NFL history who will continue to prove Sharpe wrong as he continues to run his mouth and hide from the truth. Sorry Shannon, but when Tony gets his three yards, you will be looking up to him!
So this was the scene heading into week four. The Chiefs were 0-3, coming off of a 12 game losing streak since last October and the Broncos were 3-0. However, the Chiefs were able to win against all odds while hosting their bitter rivals. And anytime you pull the upset against your bitter rivals in front of your fans, the level of confidence will sky rocket. I’ll tell you what, as a die-hard Chiefs fan, yesterday felt like Christmas in Kansas City. I almost forgot what winning felt like until yesterday afternoon.
While the Denver Broncos were the hottest offense, they also had the coldest defense. This past Sunday, they were cold on both sides of the ball. After a huge block by Damien McIntosh, an offensive lineman who hasn’t been so bright for Kansas City, Larry Johnson earned himself 65 yards, the longest of his career. The Chiefs got a field goal off of that long run. Not bad so far.
After a nice pass to Brandon Marshall, Turk McBride’s hustle forced Marshall to fumble to football to allow rookie Brandon Carr recover the ball. The Chiefs were able to get another field goal following the turnover. Jay Cutler did not let the Chiefs smile for long as he started to get the Broncos going on a hot drive, which eventually lead to a Brandon Marshall touchdown over Brandon Carr. Cutler tried to get the offense to click again after a short pass to Marshall, but Derrick Johnson tackled Marshall hard popping the ball out as the other rookie cornerback, Brandon Flowers picked up the ball and took it to the two yard line. The Broncos were able to bounce back and get themselves a field goal before halftime.
The score was 13-10 heading into the half as the Broncos should have tied the game if it wasn’t for a chip shot missed field goal by Matt Prater. After a field goal by both teams, the action picked up in the boring third quarter as Derrick Johnson picked off Cutler. Despite Larry Johnson fumbling right after the Derrick Johnson fumble, Cutler threw two straight interceptions, this time to rookie Carr. The Chiefs were able to pull off a victory with a Tony Gonzalez touchdown, who is three yards shy of breaking Shannon Sharpe’s record for most receiving yards by any tight end in NFL history. Larry Johnson also got back into the endzone twice for the first time since 1/1/07 in Dick Vermeil’s final NFL game. “It felt good,” said Johnson. “At first I was thinking I should have been in there the first couple of drives. But we kept fighting and T Herb Taylor did an excellent job coming in filling in for T Branden Albert. To be able to put the ball in there twice, especially at that crucial time in the game, that’s how you want to end the game.”
Johnson also had a total of 198 rushing yards off of 28 carries with a 7.1 yard per carry average. This is the old Larry Johnson all the fans wanted to see, and their money was worth it as Larry Johnson is leading the entire AFC in rushing yards. LJ also is third overall in the NFL in rushing.
Larry Johnson did an outstanding job, but he didn’t do it all alone. The rookie cornerbacks and the rest of that defense were on fire as well limiting Jay Cutler to his success despite his 361 yards passing. “I thought our corners did a pretty good job on the receivers,” said head coach Herm Edwards. “Denver passed the ball some but (CB Brandon) Carr and (CB Brandon) Flowers – two rookie corners – did a good job. The one touchdown pass (by Denver) in the end zone was a big time catch and the young (corner) came back and intercepted one later.” Brandon Flowers was also going up against a close friend of his from college, Eddie Royal.
The locker room was full of smiles as the music was playing during the celebration. Even former Chief who got cut this past week, Jason Dunn, showed up to visit his teammates.
Like I said earlier, many Chiefs fans including myself forgot what it felt like winning a game. Kansas City finally won by snapping our 12 game losing streak against our undefeated rivals at home. Larry Johnson is now on top of the AFC in rushing. Could this have played out any better?
Winning was a huge Christmas gift that came early for Chiefs fans this year. The reason Kansas City hasn’t won a game in a while is because of the dull performances of Tyler Thigpen and Brodie Croyle. Anytime Damon Huard starts a game and finishes, the Chiefs find success. Unlike last year, Huard is working with improved and better football players than last year. This was his first time starting a game and playing all the way until the end. There is no question in my mind that if he started and finished the games against New England and Oakland, that this team would be in talks of possibly winning a division. I never want to hear Herm Edwards say that “Tyler Thigpen gives us the best chance to win.” That is not the truth as we all know. I would be really stunned if Croyle replaces Huard if this team continues its success.
Overall, awesome win for Kansas City and I hope each and every Chiefs fan is smiling right now.
—I normally don’t tell you what I will write about next time, but this will be one of few times. Tomorrow I’m going to write about Shannon Sharpe and why I’ve had enough of his pompous attitude.
This has been an ultra busy week for me and I apologize for you readers. This is my first year trying out a writing blog. I use to be active with doing video blogs on youtube, until I learned how to do a podcast/internet radio shows. But I’m trying to expand myself as much as possible and I appreciate you guys bearing with me. And some good information you might want to know: There is a possibility I may begin blogging for a certain website that I will not name incase things do not go as planned.
In this entry, I will have my Chiefs and Broncos preview as well as my power rankings and week four predictions.
So the Chiefs have lost their first three games of the season. Going back to last years nine game losing streak, they are on a 12 game losing streak. No matter who starts at the quarterback spot, it seems they either get hurt, or they are just awful, or in Brodie Croyle’s case, both. And they are going to host their bitter rivals, the Denver Broncos who are 3-0 and the hottest team offensively. Do I expect the Broncos to win like most people? Yes, however, I think this will be somewhat of a respectable game.
While the Chiefs defense has not been able to keep games close, they haven’t really gotten blown out yet. They’ve played against teams who have young and inexperienced quarterbacks. This week is not the case as Jay Cutler, who is second in passing yards with 914 and has a QB rating of 110.6 which is the third best in the NFL after three weeks. Bernard Pollard and Jarrad Page better be ready to play good coverage, because if they can’t, then this will be a long game for the defense. And if you thought their performance against Matt Ryan was awful, just wait until you see this game.
The Chiefs offense currently is under construction as they’ve had three QB’s start in three games. Damon Huard will get his second start of the season as he started in week two against Oakland. Huard went two for four and threw a pass to Devard Darling, who could not contain possession of the ball as it got intercepted by the Raiders. Huard left the game early because of an injury. No one knows what the injury really was because it seems everyone in the locker room is saying something different. Huard as the quarterback puts a smile to many faces in Kansas City, and it also gives Tony Gonzalez some faith as he as stated before that he has a decent history playing with Huard as they have a ‘connection’ on the field. While the Broncos have been impressive on offense, their defense has been ugly this year. Denver is the worst team against the pass, and with a quarterback like Huard, I expect Huard to have an easy time getting the ball to Gonzalez and Dwayne Bowe. The Broncos are 15th in the NFL against run, so the Chiefs will need to work hard on creating holes for Larry Johnson.
Overall, I can see this game turning into a shootout as Damon Huard and Jay Cutler show off their arms at Arrowhead Stadium. Despite the poor play of the Chiefs lately, I think Chiefs fans who plan to attend the game this week are in for a good one. I don’t expect the Chiefs to pull an upset, but I do expect them to make this a close contest. If they end up getting throttled by the Broncos defense, then that will send a message that this team will not be able to capture a victory. Broncos win it 38-31.
( ) = Last weeks ranking
1-Cowboys (2): Welcome to the number one spot Dallas! The Cowboys have stepped up as a team as all their playmakers have been playing with a swagger. The Cowboys went to Green bay and defeated the Packers as they’ve made it clear that they are the best team in the NFC. Are they the best in the NFL? I think so.
2-Titans (4): I really have been impressed with the Titans this year. I’ve always been afraid of the defensive line, and with the addition of Jevon Kearse, this line is more freighting with Vanden Bosch and Haynesworth. While Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin combine for seven interceptions (best in the NFL), the guys in front have 11 sacks (third best in the NFL.) Offensively, this team has a great rookie at running back in Chris Johnson. Don’t forget about LenDale White either. As far as the QB position, as long as Kerry Collins is winning, there is no need to wait for Vince Young.
3-Giants (5): The defending Super Bowl champs have been doing the same thing all year as John Carney kicked the game winning field goal in overtime to continue the success.
4-Chargers (8): After two tough losses, the Chargers came out this week with a message against Brett Favre and the New York Jets.
5-Bills (9): This has been the team that has surprised me the most. I never ignored the fact that they have two very good running backs, but it seems many people, including myself, were not aware that this Buffalo team had a secret weapon in Trent Edwards.
6-Steelers (3): This defense is starting to slip after being the best last year. If you thought the Eagles and offense was good, wait until they meet Baltimore, Jacksonville and many others. The offensive line also needs to recover after that awful blocking game from last week.
7-Eagles (10): The Eagles have been very impressive as they were able to limit the Steelers last week. McNabb did not have his greatest game, but the defense was their to make up for it all.
8-Colts (6): When it seemed like they were about to win, Josh Scobee was the hero for the Jags. Peyton Manning also needs to regain himself as he has more interceptions than he has touchdowns at the moment.
9-Vikings (11): With Gus Frerotte leading the way, this team might begin to win some games. The defense is also starting to come together as well.
10-Patriots (1): At home, against the Miami Dolphins, the Patriots simply got beat up by Ronnie Brown. Is Matt Cassel going to be able to help the Patriots this year?
11-Packers (7): What was expected to be a big prime time game turned into a blowout at Lambeau Field. Aaron Rodgers suffered his first career loss as a starter.
12-Broncos (15): Jay Cutler is emerging as the Broncos are one of the hottest offenses right now. But this team can be defeated if they play a team with a better offense.
13-Jaguars (16): When everything looked dim, Josh Scobee brought a bright light for Jaguar fans winning their first game of the season on the road.
14-Buccannears (19): Scored 27 points against a good Chicago defense and survived a close one.
15-Saints (12): It’s nice to see that Drew Brees can be a valuable fantasy player, however, it did not help the Saints this week against the Broncos. This defense needs to step up if they want to win.
16-Redskins (20): Won against an unproven Arizona Cardinals team, now lets see if they can beat Dallas, a team that has proven themselves.
17-Seahawks (18): A win is a win, but it may not be much to brag about. They beat the Rams after all.
18-Panthers (14): Blew a lead against the winless Minnesota Vikings, allowing them to win their first game of the season.
19-Jets (13): The future hall of fame QB, Brett Favre, has not been a big asset to the Jets so far. However, he is not the only one struggling.
20-Cardinals (17): Despite the tough loss, they are still on top of the NFC West along with the 49ers.
21-Falcons (23): Matt Ryan and Michael Turner continue to impress the world as they win two games. Do the Falcons have a nice future? I think so.
22-Ravens (25): The offense has been doing pretty well with Joe Flacco under center, but the defense deserves more credit for this strong start.
23-49ers (26): Great start to the season, lets see if they can keep it up.
24- Dolphins (30): This team has gone through so much pain and misery. For them to go at New England and destroy the Patriots is just huge. Ronnie Brown should be proud of himself and so should every Dolphin fan. But was this major luck, or are the Dolphins beginning to step up?
25-Texans (21): I guess I was wrong about this team, but there is no question in my mind that Andre Johnson is a monster when given a good QB.
26- Browns (22): Derek Anderson might have been a one year wonder. Is the Brady Quinn era about to be reticent?
27-Lions (29): A major loss to the 49ers, but Lions fans have a reason to celebrate as Matt Millen has finally been fired!
28-Bears (27): Chicago could not hang on against Tampa Bay. At least the Cubs won the division.
29-Bengals (24): Chad Johnson seems like he knows numbers in Spanish. Does he know how to say 0-3 in Spanish?
30-Raiders (28): Lost a very close one to the Bills. I just wanted to see the Raiders win so I can see everyone in the media freak out for the Raiders being above .500.
31-Rams (31): The Rams have Trent Green starting this week, who is very familiar with the Al Saunders offense. Last year with the Redskins, Todd Collins stepped up and had to play an offense he was familiar with as a backup and he succeeded. I expect Trent to help the Rams win a game.
32- Chiefs (32): This team needs a new coaching staff as the current staff really has no idea what they are doing. And they are the team with the best draft. What have any of the rookies done so far?
I recovered well after a nightmare the previous week
Last week: 10-6
Season: 21-24
ATL @ CAR—CAR
CLE @ CIN—CIN
HOU @ JAC—JAC
DEN @ KC—DEN
SF @ NO—SF
ARI @ NYJ—NYJ
GB @ TB—GB
MIN @ TEN—TEN
SD @ OAK—SD
BUF @ STL—BUF
WAS @ DAL—DAL
PHI @ CIN—PHI
BAL @ PIT—PIT
Damon Huard will start this Sunday against the Oakland Raiders as both teams are trying to avoid kicking off their season with an 0-2 start. Two years ago on opening day, Huard stepped in for Trent Green who got injured and was not having a good game. Huard came in and lead the Chiefs to the endzone. Throughout the season, Huard started eight games and threw for 11 touchdowns and one interception with a QB rating of 98.0. Huard played a total of 10 games, but the reason he did not start the entire season was because Herm Edwards emphasized that Green was “the starter.” Many Chiefs fans were disappointed Huard never started another game again that year. Edwards said if Green was struggling in the playoffs against the Colts, then he would pull Green out and put Huard in. Green struggled, but that never happened. Two years later, Brodie Croyle gets hurt, like always, and Huard gets the call. Huard finds the bright light by leading the Chiefs to the red zone twice and also had a touchdown pass to Dwayne Bowe. However, Huard also threw an interception into double coverage and got sacked twice. You guys know the rest of the story.
Many fans feel this is going to slow down the Chiefs. I want to know what you people have against Huard. Why is everyone addicted to Croyle? I’m going to make it clear right now that my patience with Brodie Croyle, our “future quarterback,” is gone.
In 2007, Croyle played in nine games and started six. Croyle was 127/224 for 1,227 yards with six touchdowns and six interceptions and earned a QB rating of 69.9. Remember the game against the Titans last year? Croyle’s QB rating was over 100 and he had two touchdowns and no interceptions heading into halftime. Coming out of the half, Croyle blows the game by throwing two interceptions, costing the Chiefs the game. I’m not done yet. Remember the game against the Lions? Croyle throws an interception, an awful throw not to mention, and it got taken back for a touchdown. Croyle also hurt himself as he tried to tackle the defender with the ball. Following the injury, number 11 is called and he starts dominating by throwing for 24/36 for 305 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Yes, it was the Lions, a bad team defensively. But that doesn’t eliminate the fact that Brodie Croyle, Herm Edwards’ favorite player, cannot get the job done no matter who the opponent is. Despite Huard did great against Detroit, the Chiefs could not win as that was part of their nine game losing streak from last season, which has currently extended to 10 straight games. Croyle has started seven games and has never won a game as a starter. Croyle has played 12 games in his pro career. The first time Croyle played, the Chiefs won as Croyle kneed the football to wrap up a 41-0 victory over the 49ers. But in the 11 other games that involved a pass attempt from Croyle, the Chiefs have never won.
Brodie Croyle cannot take a hit and if he does, he’s injured. Croyle cannot score many points. Croyle cannot win. I don’t want to come out with a harsh manner, but please ask yourself if you really want Croyle as your starting quarterback. I remember when Kansas City drafted Croyle. I questioned the draft pick and I still do. Why did Edwards go for a QB who has had a history of injuries in his football career? With Huard as our leader, the Chiefs can win more games. He has a better offensive line, better receivers, Tony Gonzalez and Larry Johnson around him. Tony Gonzalez has even said that he likes Huard a lot and they’ve had a good connection in the past on and off the field. I guarantee you Huard will dominate against the Raiders. If Jay Cutler and the Denver Broncos offense, which was not expected to do so well, can do it, then so can Damon Huard and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs will beat the Raiders 24-10.
Last week I went 9-7. Hopefully I can bounce back this week.
CHI @ CAR – CHI TEN @ CIN – CIN GB @ DET – GB BUF @ JAC – JAC OAK @ KC – KC IND @ MIN – MIN NYG @ STL – NYG NO @ WAS – NO SF @ SEA – SEA ATL @ TB – ATL MIA @ ARI – MIA SD @ DEN – SD NE @ NYJ – NYJ PIT @ CLE – CLE PHI @ DAL – DAL BAL @ HOU – HOU
I just want to say, Christmas has arrived!
The Patriots will aim for their 20th straight win in the regular season. Their last loss in the regular season was at Miami in a 21-0 shutout. The Dolphins defense pounded Tom Brady all day as he played very poorly, which you rarely see out of the MVP. Coming off of a 16-0 season as Super Bowl runner ups after failing to go 19-0, the Patriots will come into this game with a statement to re-attempt their undefeated streak. Tom Brady has said that he will start tomorrow against the Chiefs. The Chiefs second first round pick, Branden Albert, has been practicing and will be ready to start as well.
Let’s face it as Chiefs fans. The Patriots will win the game and the main reason for that is because of the amount of inexperienced players the Chiefs have. Their will be many players starting for the first time in their career tomorrow at Foxboro. The Patriots have a strong defense and will put Brodie Croyle under a lot of pressure, unless this Chiefs offensive line can protect Croyle. If Croyle has the time and protection, then he will get the ball to Tony Gonzalez and Dwayne Bowe as Ellis Hobbs and Terrence Wheatley will have a lot to worry about. If the line can block, then that means Larry Johnson has a shot to get 100 rushing yards for the second time on opening day, his first against the Jets in 2005 with 110 yards rushing. However, my expectations are not very high for this offense line. It will be up to the offensive line if the Chiefs want to be a threat on offense.
Switching to the other side of the football, you have a young, but physical group of defenders against the number one offense. With Brandon Flowers making his debut, Tom Brady should not have a tough time getting the ball to Randy Moss. Glenn Dorsey and Tamba Hali will try to mimic the New York Giants into putting Brady under pressure. If they can do that, the Patriots offense might be in trouble. If Dorsey and Hali (and Turk McBride and Tank Tyler) continue to physically attack Brady, then there is a chance Brady might leave the game, giving the Chiefs a chance to win!
The Chiefs are 16.5 point under dogs and that should not come as a surprise to anyone. But if the Chiefs defensive line can put Brady under pressure and if the Chiefs offensive line can block, then we have ourselves a game at Gillette Stadium.
