Ah... it's good to be back.
I hope all of you are having a wonderful New Year thus far, watching as much college football as humanly possible, and taking care of all those resolutions.
Which brings me to my two of my own resolutions:
1. Start a new site to cover all the news and rumors in the NFL
- Got that one done on day one with my new site - NFL News & Rumors
2. Finish the transition from my stand alone version of KC Chiefs Fanatic to the standout site currently being built for me at the Most Valuable Network
- Not quite but we're almost there
Yep... you heard right. We're on our way to becoming a sponsored site at the Most Valuable Network, which has become one of the top rated sports blog teams in the country. We'll still be the awesome site you know and love, unafraid to take on any topic surrounding the Chiefs, so don't shy away once we finally hit the road.
And let's not forget my new baby, NFL News & Rumors. I've been wanting to start a site up to cover all the league's rumors for some time now, and I finally mustered up the courage to get it done over the New Year holiday. Hopefully we'll be able to build it into a major force throughout the year, and as usual we'll rely on your help to get it done.
I took the past week or so off, mostly to spend time with my family during the holidays, and while I did watch most of the Chiefs' disappointing loss in Cincinnati in the last game of the season, I decided to wait until now to post anything to the site, so I could collect my thoughts after an atrocious season in Kansas City.
Speaking of collecting thoughts, what in the name of Ed McCaffrey did the Broncos think they were accomplishing in dumping Denver head coach Mike Shanahan last week? Obviously I'm no Bronco fan and I cannot stand Shanahan whatsoever, but he's no slouch when it comes to his offensive play calling, and I guarantee that Denver will regret this move sooner or later, especially if their offense struggles mightily next season.
Back to the actual topic at hand...
This season gave us new franchise marks for ineptitude in Kansas City, with the Chiefs putting forth a pathetic 2-14 record and a last place finish once again in the AFC West. Nothing can rectify this absolute disgrace in my mind, and heads should most definitely roll in both the coaching staff and the roster.
The offense picked up steam about halfway through the season, but could not find a way to put opponents away late in games, which resulted in a multitude of close losses at home and on the road. Tyler Thigpen was a bright spot for the team, running a version of the spread offense that simultaneously worked to his strengths and minimized his weaknesses, while Tony Gonzalez was his usual self, dominating opposing defenses with his relentless pass catching ability.
The Chiefs defense was once again the soft underbelly of this team, showing up at times to get a crucial stop, but too often they disappeared in the second half, allowing opposing offenses to cruise up and down the field at will to score the game winning points. The only saving grace for this unit was the play of their trio of rookie cornerbacks, as Brandon Flowers, Brandon Carr, and Maurice Leggett each had a solid season in the secondary.
This team failed to garner much in the way of passing grades in my book, as should be expected in a 2-14 team. There were many lackluster performances this season by players that came into the season carrying high expectations, and while the players I mentioned above deserve credit for their solid season, overall the Chiefs came away with many more terrible plays than good ones.
With that being said, here is my end of the season grades for the Chiefs offensive starters. I'll breakdown the Chiefs defensive starters tomorrow and then move on to special teams and backups later in the week.
As usual, I spare no one my wrath, especially after being forced to endure throughout this pitiful season, so you can expect to see plenty of scathing remarks and witty sarcasm hurled at the guilty parties.
Offense
TE Tony Gonzalez - A+
- No one on the Chiefs (or any other team) works harder and puts up bigger numbers consistently throughout a season than Gonzalez. That's all that needs to be said here.
QB Tyler Thigpen - A
- Raise your hand if you thought Thigpen would accomplish half of what he did this season after the Atlanta game.... you and me both. Although he couldn't get us a few more wins, Thiggy Smalls did more than his fair share, and earned his spot near the top.
LT Branden Albert - B+
- Albert came to the Chiefs with high expectations, after the team traded away their best defensive end Jared Allen to get him. After struggling a bit with injuries early on in the season, Albert caught fire and solidified the left side of the Chiefs line, allowing Thigpen enough time to make plays downfield.
LG Brian Waters - B+
- Waters teamed with Albert to form a solid duo on the left side, consistently pushing defenders back from the line of scrimmage. Too bad the right side of the Chiefs O-line forgot to pick up the same memo.
WR Dwayne Bowe - B
- The DBowe show hit a few minor bumps in the road this year after our favorite WR forgot how to use his hands to catch the damn ball. That being said, he still went over 1,000 yards this season, so he gets a bit of a reprieve instead.
WR Mark Bradley - B
- Injuries limited him somewhat late in the season, but who can forgot the throwback touchdown pass he tossed to Thigpen against Tampa Bay? If he's healthy next year, the Chiefs offense can only get better.
FB Mike Cox - B
- It's hard to get a high grade when you play fullback, but Cox earned this and then some. He was consistent in his lead blocking and when he got a chance to catch the ball out of the backfield, he made the most of it. That's why he ended up this high.
RG Adrian Jones - C
- The fact that I don't remember ever having to hate on Mr. Jones is enough for me to keep him this high. That being said, the Chiefs have to upgrade this spot next season if they ever want to run the ball to the right side of the line.
RT Damion McIntosh - D+
- I'll be the first to admit that I was a bit hard on McSack earlier in the season, and he started to prove me wrong down the stretch with some solid play. Still, he makes way too many mistakes to rank any higher than this, and he had better hit the weights hard this off-season instead of spending his time plowing through the buffet lines while he's on vacation.
RB Larry Johnson - D+
- Man I wish I could give LJ a better grade. He's got all the talent in the world, but everytime he makes a few plays, he goes out to a club and smacks a money grabbing honey up. When you combine that with his complete unwillingness to block on passing downs, it's time that Jay Z lite hits the road outta town.
C Rudy Niswanger - D
- Last but not least is Dr. Niswanger (as Mitch Holthus is want to call him). Undersized and low on the strength meter, Niswanger consistently gets eaten up by the massive DTs that seem to permeate the NFL these days, and as such the Chiefs would be wise to send him packing back to med school.
There's the offense for you. Don't forget that we'll be back tomorrow with the defensive side of the ball, which should be a riot, given how bad they played down the stretch. Until then, enjoy the new year and get ready for an amazing off-season in KC.
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