Picking your way out of trouble?
Trying to account for the Chiefs
disastrous season so far is a bit like trying to find an honest man
in politics – hard to do and over ripe with choices.
Having got egg all over my face (not
the only one I may add) in predicting a break-out season, what has
gone wrong?
Obviously, if I knew that I'd be the
General Manager or Coach or both.
But, I think I've got a handle on
something that might go some way to explain the terrible smell coming
out of Arrowhead at the moment.
You will remember that General Manager
Pioli has long advocated building the team through the draft. His
special talent is (or is supposed to be) identifying talent and
signing the right players. That's the way to success on the field,
he says.
So, how has he done and, more
importantly, how have the Chiefs done in the draft in general?
Lets go back to 05 for the starter.
Pioli wasn't around then but it's just 8 years ago and by now
something should have happened? Surely? I could have started in 09
when Pioli came on board but the picture would seem depressingly
similar – or even worse.
Starting on 05 allows some comparison
with what came before Pioli and what came after. And, all the first
round picks since 05 are still on the KC roster. So, it makes sense
that they should be the basis of the team and the team should be
winning a lot of games – at least that was the Pioli plan.
In 05 the Chiefs went for Derrick
Johnson, a line backer. Is he in the starting line up? Yes, quite
regularly. Is he making big plays and stuffing the run and
intercepting passes? A bit. Yes, just a bit. Give him a C+.
In 06 we got Tamba Hali – originally
a defensive end but now a line backer in the 3-4 defence. He has
made the pro-bowl and regularly features in the sack count. Give him
a B.
In 07 the Chiefs drafted Dwayne Bowe a
wide receiver. How's he done? He's made pro bowl appearances and
regularly leads the team in receptions and yardage. He drops too
many balls, everyone will tell you that. Can get a B-
08 was a big year – we had two picks
in the first round. Glen Dorsey and Branden Albert both came
on-board. Dorsey is a bit player, He starts at defensive end –
when he's fit. He has never shook off the number one pick disease
and gone on to stardom. He's barely adequate and gets a D.
This, incidentally, is the start of the
Pioli reign. Branden Albert is a starter on the O-line and has done
quite well. He's solid and dependable. His pass protection is
generally good and he can run block. He's a good player. Is he a
great one? No. He can have a B-.
In 09 Tyson Jackson was drafted in
round one. He's opposite Dorsey on the D-line. He's adequate. He
may get better. He is only a D+ on present form.
In 10 Safety Eric Berry was picked at
number one – fifth overall in the draft. He was going to be the
lynch pin around which the defence would solidify. Before he had a
serious knee injury and sat out all of last season he was living up
to the hype. Now he may struggle to regain the momentum. He's a
good player but the jury is out on whether he can be the world-beater
we hoped for. At present he's a C-.
Wide receiver Jon Baldwin was the 11
pick. So far this is a disaster happening before out eyes. His
numbers are poor. His play is poor. He has never really recovered
from a chequered start to his NFL career – as the speculation about
a pre-season injury never was cleared up satisfactorily. I had Bowe
and Baldwin as a real twin receiving threat. This has never
happened. He can only get an E.
Finally we took Dontari Poe, a real
nose tackle, in the 12 draft. I thought he'd be the final piece in
the puzzle. Now with three first round picks on the D-line, the
pieces all fit together. No-one could run the ball on us and we'd
get pressure on all QB's. Not happened. He may be a rookie but he
seems not to be a factor. He can only manage a D-.
Something really depressing is building
up. The Pioli picks are all bombing.
That's why we have never led in a game
this season and why we are 1-8.
I'd like to see the way back, but I
can't.
I'm depressed.
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