Moral Victories

I’ve heard a lot of people talking about how moral victories mean nothing in the NFL. While I agree, I refuse to believe the Chiefs are not a better team flying home from New York, than flying out. As I said last week, the Chiefs falling to 1-5 at the hands of Titans would have been no different as a 13-17 final versus a 10-34 final. What was most disappointing about the Tennessee (and Atlanta, and Oakland) game was our lack of competitiveness.

Fast forward to the Meadowlands. Now we’ve lost a game, we could have won. Yes, I find that to hurt. It should hurt! But on Sunday!

On Monday, we should revel in the fact we were competitive. This is a rebuilding year, in which we have now been competitive in almost half our ball games.

COMPETITIVE
New England
Denver (Obviously)
New York

NON COMPETITIVE
Oakland
Atlanta
Carolina
Tennessee

Look at 3 of those 4: Tennessee is the number one team in the country right now. Carolina is number three. And Atlanta is developing into a top 10. That leaves only Oakland as a performance not worthy. Our second game of the year – in a rebuilding year.
Unfortunately, coming to town this weekend is the number 9 team in the league. And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense appears to be as strong as the Tennessee Titans.

TYLER THIGPEN
Personally, I like the mechanics of Tyler Thigpen. His footwork is faster. His fakes are stronger. He just draws cleaner lines with his actions. Last week as he was scrambling for the first down out of bounds at the end of the game, he took a quick step right, as if to cut back to the middle of the field. These caused the d-back to stop pursuing and start to reverse direction. Without this move, I’m not sure Tyler makes it out of bounds to stop the clock before the d-back’s initial full pursuit would have caught him.

It was a great day for Thigpen. I believe there may have been an element in the play calling at the end of the Jets game that was an effort to protect the confidence of this young man – helping to build a player that the Chiefs can utilize for nine more games. As a fan, building a good quarter back is worth a loss IMHO.
Expect the Bucs to test that confidence.

CORNERBACKS
The play of our two rookie cornerbacks, the Brandons!, continues to be a huge positive. I believe as a defense starts to come together, one of its first visible products is turnovers. If I’m right, this is the start of something great.

DEFENSE
The Jets games was Tamba Hali the best Hali has looked in 2008. I vote we make this change permanent. Also, the defense in general did a much better job of seeing the football - with one or two exceptions. I won’t (4) mention any (9) numbers though. Fundamentals!

BRAD COTTAM
Right here is where Tony Gonzalez should plant a legacy seed for after he has finished as a player. It was great to see Brad out there making plays. Imagine what Cottam and Bradley could do for Gonzalez and Bowe. Come on…that’s a little exciting to dream about.

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT
The Bucs are good. But if one thing impressed me about the Jets game it is this: the Chiefs had more fight in them. The Jets knocked them to the ground early. Chiefs bounced back. The Jets knocked them down again, and just before the half we landed a huge blow. Then again - but much like the grains of sand that make up a beach, each players small increase in fight and effort is beginning to make a difference.