Who Was That Masked Man?

I have a lot of different thoughts today, so expect several blog updates soon. Here's the first one to get out of the way - I feel obliged to write about my favorite football team.

So, like everyone else, I was astounded at how well Tyler Thigpen played yesterday. Wow! As I wrote earlier, he makes good decisions with the ball. But yesterday he finally was able to get his arm to work in conjunction with his brain, and the results were both impressive and inspiring. If he can continue to develop and they build the offense around his abilities, the rest of the year may not be lost after all. Perhaps Brittle Croyle getting hurt will turn out to be a major blessing for the team.

The fact that they went with a no-huddle spread offense was very encouraging. There had been a lot of talk of allowing Brodie to roll out of the pocket, employing bootlegs and so forth, but then it just didn't seem to materialize. I've long felt that you have to play to the strength of the players that you have (in any sport - and I think that is part of what makes Tjeerdsma a great coach) and maybe the Chiefs will actually do that now. It is interesting, however, that the spread doesn't fit in with Herm's idea of a ball control offense. I wonder how that will play out if Thigpen continues to start and perform well enough to keep the job.

Related to Thigpen's good game were two "breakout" performances by previously unknown Brad Cottam and Mark Bradley. Bradley is a former second round pick of the Bears who put up pretty good numbers in ten starts for the Oklahoma Sooners. I would love for him to emerge for us like another team's castoff - Eddie Kennison. Cottam isn't so much of an unknown, as the Chiefs took him this year in the third round of the draft, but he made his first receptions of the season and showed that he can be a legitimate weapon. It's probably no surprise that Bowe and Gonzalez had good games as the ball was actually spread around to other players. It sure would be nice to see it happen again.

It was also nice to see our young defensive backs play well. I've been saying all along that they're the strength of our defense and I'm a big fan of both Flowers and Carr. Unfortunately our run defense is so bad that teams rarely have the need to pass the ball (and we just about NEVER have a lead late) and therefore we don't often force teams into major passing situations. I'm glad they played well yesterday, even though reserve nickel back Patterson gave up the game winning TD.

All of those positives being said, I feel like the near-win was a bit of a mirage. The Chiefs were plus three in turnovers - one of those was returned for a TD and the other set one up. Without those it may have been a blowout. I know Derrick Johnson dropped a pick six, but so did one of their guys. Furthermore, the Jets had some bizarre play calling ... that deep bomb on third and one was mind boggling. Why do that? And really, why did they go so pass happy? I guess they weren't afraid of our pass rush, which actually led to one (or more?) of those turnovers. Yes, the gunslinger pulled it out in the end, but it was a questionable game plan against a team that gives up over 200 yards (!!!) rushing a game.

We still have problems with the run, both offensively and defensively. The big third down run for a TD came when we were in a nickel defense, I wonder how often that has been the case this season. Larry Johnson might be our best smash mouth runner, but I think Jamaal Charles is best suited to run out of the spread offense. I hope his injury doesn't keep him out for next Sunday, I'd really like to see what he can do.

Overall I was very pleased with the game and that's about all I ask for any more. It's there for my entertainment, and I was entertained. And more than anything else, I'm glad I didn't have to use the phrase "cover-your-eyes-awful" anywhere in this post!