Limping into the bye

I remember a few shutouts and horrid games in my twenty years. 2006 against Pittsburg. 2002 against Oakland. But I would have to say Carolina was the worst game I’ve seen in my tenure traveling with the club.

I think what makes this so disappointing is the loss of momentum and confidence gained from the Denver victory. Had the Chiefs just lost a tough fought battle to the Panthers on Sunday, our record would be identical to what it is now. However, mentally it is a completely different place!

Regardless, I’ve been preaching you can’t know until you review film…so here it is. I reviewed the first 10 offensive plays. Let’s face it. Defense doesn’t matter for this game – because you can’t win if you don’t score!! Here is the first series:

1. 1st and 10 from the 18 – Jones flinches. (False start -5 yards)
2. 1st and 15 from the 13 - Jones doesn’t punch down enough on the DL for Niswanger to seal an angle. McIntosh plants his feat and loses his block on the DE. Hole closes and 27 falls over backwards when he runs into it. Johnson misses the cut-back. (-2 yards)
3. 2nd and 17 from the 11 – Jones is so slow off the ball that the DL runs straight through the A gap and sacks Huard (for those non x’s & o’s…that’s the worst place to leave open…as it is the closest most direct path to the backfield). Huard doesn’t fumble… Johnson recovers. (loss of 8 yards)
4. 3rd and 25 from the 3 – Screen pass under the goal post. Jamaal doesn’t do much to slow down the DE, but it is a screen pass. Huard waits to long looking left and by the time he turns to throw the screen the DE is there to knock it down.
   The second series is not much better, but the same 4 players struggle all day.
   

Adrian Jones
In general Jones is not quick enough. In situations where he progresses from a chip block to the linebacker, he just can’t get there to seal the linebacker. And because he can’t get to the linebacker quickly, he is unable to spend enough time chipping or punching down coming off the line. This extra half second of double team is what it takes to get a defensive linemen turned and sealed.

Damion McIntosh
Slow feet. Slow feet. Slow feet. Slow feet. No feet!!! Whenever a linemen stops moving his feat…he’s done! Damion is too slow to get up and turned in. Then when the DE starts to move left or right, he just leans with him until he slides off….and WHOOP! Slow feet!

Damon Huard
Beside the obvious freight, I noticed a few mechanical items with Damon. First he carrys the ball low. This requires a lot of time to bring the ball up and throw it. Furthermore, he pats the ball just before doing this. These two habits combine to around ¾ of a second. And that is enough time for the defense to react. Three of the Panthers front four were 6’4” or better. But I question if this wasn’t a factor in the batted passes all day.

LARRY JOHNSON
Despite Larry’s previous stats, he isn’t running well in my opinion. He isn’t making good reads. He isn’t running efficient routes. He isn’t selling the fake. And he isn’t sure footed! Several times including the first play of the game (second after the penalty), the cut-back is open. He just missed it. And this offense requires he make reads.

I also think he is taking some wasted extra steps, either bending routes or shifting left and right. This is drawing the linebackers straight into the gaps. It also makes it difficult for the offensive linemen to set their blocks as they can’t tell where Larry is going. Good running backs excel at setting their blocks and making clean – sharp cuts around them. Larry isn’t doing that right now.

And it is almost eerie how easily this 230lb running back comes down. He often gets one foot swept out and he falls forward. Or he runs into a pile and falls backwards or sideways. Michael Turner is only 10lbs heavier, but he would not come down. Barry Sanders was 30lbs lighter, and he would not come down. 2 yards rushing? As our Director of Master Control Eric Townsend said, “that’s not rushing, that’s falling forward!”

WHAT NEXT
Having to play Tennessee next feels like starting the season in NE all over again. I do know this. What veterans are left (a.k.a TG!!!!!) need to stop worring about being on a great team…and start making THIS team great. The veteran playmakers have to become stronger leaders. The have to show these young men how to WIN in the NFL.