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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Last edited by Freyaka; 10-04-2017 at 07:28 AM.
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.
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.
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!
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