Thread: Taking Stock of the Schedule at the Bye

Originally Posted by Buff

I couldn't possibly disagree with you anymore. They are a veteran group with an innovative coach, a QB who minimizes mistakes, speed at RB and WR, a weapon for a TE - and one of the league's best pass rushers. Their DBs are solid. About the only thing working against them is that Berry is out for the year. They were underrated last year and they were underrated coming into the season. They can win on the road and have one of the best home field advantages...

They are absolutely beatable - not like some of the juggernaut #1 teams in years past... But they are also the most complete team in the NFL if you ask me. I'd be willing to bet they finish as a #1 or #2 seed, and then good luck beating them in Arrowhead in January.

I hate the Chiefs - but they have my respect.

Sadly, I agree with all of this. Though it would be incredible if they were the one seed and then lost their first home game - their playoff record historically is not good.

One other quarter pole observation - I've been very pleased with the competency of this coaching staff. VJ is aggressive. The new offensive scheme is a throwback to the Manning days where we could attack teams multiple ways. The defense hasn't missed a beat. Not easy to step in and hit the ground running with such an established team, but they've done a great job.

Originally Posted by Buff

One other quarter pole observation - I've been very pleased with the competency of this coaching staff. VJ is aggressive. The new offensive scheme is a throwback to the Manning days where we could attack teams multiple ways. The defense hasn't missed a beat. Not easy to step in and hit the ground running with such an established team, but they've done a great job.

Hmm... I may quibble over the word "aggressive" when describing VJ. He's made some aggressive moves (fake punt lolz), but our 4th quarters (other than a slanted Cowboys game) have had us playing extremely soft.

I'm not saying I'm unhappy with the coaching, but aggressive simply isn't the word I'd use. I guess compared to Fox and Kubiak... ok.

Originally Posted by Buff

One other quarter pole observation - I've been very pleased with the competency of this coaching staff. VJ is aggressive. The new offensive scheme is a throwback to the Manning days where we could attack teams multiple ways. The defense hasn't missed a beat. Not easy to step in and hit the ground running with such an established team, but they've done a great job.

I could nit-pick a couple of things on VJ (clock management probably being the biggest), but for a 1st-time head coach he has done a tremendous job. Any criticism is most likely a function of learning on the job.

Now we'll see how he navigates and utilizes a bye week. Hopefully we can tweak and fix a couple of things.

Originally Posted by wayninja

Hmm... I may quibble over the word "aggressive" when describing VJ. He's made some aggressive moves (fake punt lolz), but our 4th quarters (other than a slanted Cowboys game) have had us playing extremely soft.

I'm not saying I'm unhappy with the coaching, but aggressive simply isn't the word I'd use. I guess compared to Fox and Kubiak... ok.

I think we may not have defended leads very well, but there are indicators that I think are promising and hint towards an overall aggressive philosophy - fake punt in an unconventional spot, aggressively calling a timeout to preserve time at the end of the half (that turned out to be an error, which he admitted because he misjudged the yardage, but I appreciate his intentions there), going for it on 4th and short, staying aggressive on defense, etc.

Originally Posted by Buff

I think we may not have defended leads very well, but there are indicators that I think are promising and hint towards an overall aggressive philosophy - fake punt in an unconventional spot, aggressively calling a timeout to preserve time at the end of the half (that turned out to be an error, which he admitted because he misjudged the yardage, but I appreciate his intentions there), going for it on 4th and short, staying aggressive on defense, etc.

When did he go for it on 4th and short? I don't remember that.

I remember last game putting the offense out there twice, trying to draw the defense offside and ultimately taking a penalty and punting both times. Thinking to myself, that isn't very aggressive, Coach.

Originally Posted by Slick

When did he go for it on 4th and short? I don't remember that.

I remember last game putting the offense out there twice, trying to draw the defense offside and ultimately taking a penalty and punting both times. Thinking to myself, that isn't very aggressive, Coach.

I stand corrected, I think I was giving him credit for sending the offense out there on 4th... Perhaps I'm premature in praising his aggressiveness, but we've also been playing with leads and with the best defense in the league, and I have gotten an aggressive vibe from him between the fake punt and the willingness to calling timeouts to preserve time for his offense (plus competent and attacking offensive and defensive schemes).

We just need to jell

Originally Posted by Buff

I couldn't possibly disagree with you any more. They are a veteran group with an innovative coach, a QB who minimizes mistakes, speed at RB and WR, a weapon for a TE - and one of the league's best pass rushers. Their DBs are solid. About the only thing working against them is that Berry is out for the year. They were underrated last year and they were underrated coming into the season. They can win on the road and have one of the best home field advantages...

They are absolutely beatable - not like some of the juggernaut #1 teams in years past... But they are also the most complete team in the NFL if you ask me. I'd be willing to bet they finish as a #1 or #2 seed, and then good luck beating them in Arrowhead in January.

I hate the Chiefs - but they have my respect.

The Chiefs are a team that show up strong early. They won't be there come January... They will get their first loss this week and then I wouldn't be shocked if they drop 2-3 more with their upcoming schedule (steelers, raiders, broncos, cowboys) I think too many people have bought into the hype. I guess we'll find out in coming weeks if the hype is real, but I don't buy it.

This is what Kansas City does, they suck you into the hype with strong early games and then disapear midseason.

Originally Posted by Buff

One other quarter pole observation - I've been very pleased with the competency of this coaching staff. VJ is aggressive. The new offensive scheme is a throwback to the Manning days where we could attack teams multiple ways. The defense hasn't missed a beat. Not easy to step in and hit the ground running with such an established team, but they've done a great job.

I think my big complaints are red zone TD efficiency and special teams, both of which can be fixed. We have the personnel for both so it comes down to schemes and coaching which I am confident in. I remember being very high on getting Shanahan in here but I am more than impressed with Vance Joseph. Joe Woods was also a homerun, that dude is keeping Wade's basic concepts and putting in enough wrinkles to make it his own. He got a little cute in Buffalo but he learned from his mistakes. I can't even tell you how impressive the turnaround on run defense has been.

Offense - B
Defense - A
Special Teams - C
Coaching - A

I see room for improvement everywhere but no gaping holes that make me super nervous.

I'd probably swap special teams and offense on those grades, but otherwise agree.

Originally Posted by wayninja

I'd probably swap special teams and offense on those grades, but otherwise agree.

Yeah I thought about it, but the running game and movement between the 20's is really good. The Red Zone issues can be fixed, but I am seeing more problems on special teams with penalties and missed Field Goals. I guess if I lumped in Pass Protection on the offense it would bump down to a 'C' as well.

Originally Posted by MasterShake

Yeah I thought about it, but the running game and movement between the 20's is really good. The Red Zone issues can be fixed, but I am seeing more problems on special teams with penalties and missed Field Goals. I guess if I lumped in Pass Protection on the offense it would bump down to a 'C' as well.

Fair point. For some reason, I don't think of FG's as special teams, but you are right, they are. I guess I lumped those in with "offense" and took them away from ST's (which made me want to reverse your grades). Our punt/kick coverage has been really good, and we've had a few nice returns resulting in good field position.

Originally Posted by Freyaka

The Chiefs are a team that show up strong early. They won't be there come January... They will get their first loss this week and then I wouldn't be shocked if they drop 2-3 more with their upcoming schedule (steelers, raiders, broncos, cowboys) I think too many people have bought into the hype. I guess we'll find out in coming weeks if the hype is real, but I don't buy it.

This is what Kansas City does, they suck you into the hype with strong early games and then disapear midseason.

I mean, I'd like to believe this, but the Chiefs are 16-2 in November and December the last two seasons.

Originally Posted by MOtorboat

I mean, I'd like to believe this, but the Chiefs are 16-2 in November and December the last two seasons.

In 2015, they started the season 3-5. They clicked off a string of wins against an easy schedule to finish 11-5. Last year, the schedule was a bit more difficult, but with losses to the titans and bucs in November/December. They only decisively won one game (against us in Kansas City in December, we historically struggle at arrowhead in december) Most of those wins were less than a single touchdown. Yes, I understand a win is a win and you are right, that is their record during that time, but this talk of them being the top AFC team... They haven't hit the meat of their schedule yet, it's coming up, when they do, we'll see what they are really made of. I don't think they are the top team in the AFC. I don't think we are either, but I think that we've got a great chance of going into to KC and beating them and then following up at home.

They are a good team, but they aren't nearly as good as people think they are in my opinion. I've been wrong before, I can be wrong again, but that's how I feel about them.

Plus screw them, I hate those guys!