(Photos via kcchiefs.com)
Our 3-0 New York Giants face the 0-3 Kansas City Chiefs this week. With that in mind, I turned to 'Arrowhead Pride' to find out about Kansas City. Or, really, just to have some text to go along with the cheerleader pictures. You can believe whatever you want.
Anyway, below is my chat with Joel Thorman, part of 'Pride's' amazing Thorman Brothers blogging duo.
Joel Thorman: QuestionNo.1:TheChiefshaveabelowaverageoffensivelinethathastroubleprotectingthequarterback.AretheGiantsnormallyabletogetpressureonthequarterbackbyrushingjustfourlinemen?
Ed: TheGiants havejustthreesacksinthreegames,butthatismisleading.Theyhaveaterrific,deepfrontfourthatisalittlethinrightnowbecauseofinjuriestoChris CantyandJustin Tuck.Theywillcomewithfourandtrytoharassthequarterback,whichtheyhavedonewelleveniftheyhaven'tpiledupsacknumbers.Theyareadefensebuiltonpressure,andtheywillbecoming.
Ed: Hereisoneforyou.TobehonestIthoughtthehiringofTodd Haleyasheadcoachwasahugemistake.YourthoughtsonHaleythusfar?isheuptothisjob,orinoverhishead?
Joel Thorman: It'shardtotell.Forthemostpart,alotofthekeyplayershaveboughtintowhathe'stryingtoheresoIthinkthat'sagoodsign.It'stooearlyforanyrevoltinganyway,inmyopinion.Haleyhasbeenpreachingconsistencyandtoughnesswhich,frankly,theChiefshaven'tshownmuchof.So,whileIthinkplayersdowanttobuyintothesystem,andmanyhave,they'veyettodemonstratethatonthefield.Haley'sdemeanoristheexactoppositeofourpreviouscoach,Herm Edwards,soIexpectedtheretobesomebacklash(andtherehas,likeBrianWaters,butnotasmuchasIpreviouslythough).
Me: AMatt Casselquestionforyou.Therearerumblingsthatmaybebringinghiminandgivinghimahugecontractwasamistake.Tooearlytotell?Whatareyourimpressionsthusfar?
Joel Thorman: Definitely tooearlytotellforme.Ithinkit'sreallypeoplebeingupsetthattheChiefsarecurrently0-3.Cassel'snumbersaren'tfantasticbyanymeansbuthe'sstillcompleting67%ofhispasseswhich,evenwiththesmallsamplesize,isagoodnumber.Remember,thisoffensivesystemwasbasicallybroughtonaweekbeforetheseasonwhenourpreviousoffensivecoordinator,Chan Gailey,wasrelievedofhisduties.Theoffensiveline,morethananything,istoblameforthepooroffensiveshowing.
Ultimately,though,theoffenseasawholeisstrugglingandthequarterbackwillalmostalwaystaketheblameforthat.
Joel Thorman: EliManningobviouslygotabigextensionovertheoffseason.Whatwasthereactiontothat?Basedoffhis2008numbershedeserved,butprioryearswouldindicateotherwise.
Me: Well,therearesomepeoplewhowillnevergiveElicreditnomatterwhat.He'saSuperBowlMVPcomingoffaProBowlseason -- a franchise guy the Giants want to lead them for the next 7-10 years.Theypaidwhattheyhadtopaytomakethathappen.Eliisplayingtremendousfootballrightnow-- hehasa104.1QBrating,the(third)-highestintheleague.LikeIsaid,hewillnevermakeeveryonehappy.But,theGiantsareluckytohavehim.
Me: So,tellme.At0-3areyouoptimisticthatthingswillgetbetterfortheChiefsthisseason,orresignedtothisbeingaroughyear?
Joel Thorman: Tobehonest,Ithinkit'llbealongyear,whichisreallyfrustrating.Theoffensivelineis,inmyopinion,thebiggestproblematthispointandthechancesoftheChiefsfindingasolidoffseasonlinemaninSeptemberorOctoberisslim to none.Untilthat'sfixed,Idon'tseethisteamdoingawholelot.Thestrideswe'vemadeondefenserelativeto2008willhelp,butthisteamstillhasalong,longwaytogo.Myearlyseasonpredictionofsixwinsisn'tlookinggoodatthispoint.
IsitSuperBowlorbustthisyearforyouguys?
Me: Somefanswouldprobablysayyes,butIhatethatthinking.EventhoughI'malsoaYankeefan,it'screepingSteinbrenner-ism,anditsetsyouupto be permanantlymiserable.TheGiantshaveagoodshotatthebigprizethisseason,butsomanythingscanhappen.IwillbedisappointedwithoutanNFCEasttitle,andwithoutadeeprunintheplayoffs.Butthatdoesn'tmeantheseasonisafailure.Insomeways,itisalreadyasuccess.TheGiantshavealreadyfoundseveralexcitingyoungplayerswhoshouldhelpthemforalongtime.
Me: Tell meaboutplayersontheChiefswemightnotknowaboutwhoweshouldwatchoutforonSunday?
Joel Thorman: Thereareahandful. Tamba Haliwaskindoflostintheshuffletothe3-4buthe'sreallystartingtobecomeadecentplayerinthisscheme,whichissurprising.We'rebecomingpleasedwithhim.Brandon Flowersisanotheryoungonethat'simpressive.He'soneofthebetteryoungcornersintheleagueandplayedwelllastseasondespitetheChiefsNFLrecord(forfutility)10sacks.He'sbeen alittlebangedupthisyearbutwillbeready. Jamaal Charlesisanotheryoungonewe'reexcitedabout.He'squickerthanadartandhashelpedthisoffense.
Me: Here'sonelastquestionforyou.Ilovetoaskthisone.IfyoucouldtakeoneplayerofftheGiantsrosterandputinyourlineup,whowoulditbe?Why?
Joel Thorman: That'sadifficultquestionbecauseIthinktheGiantsareanexampleofthe"right53" notnecessarilythe"best53"soIwillgowithBrandon Jacobs.WiththeChiefsoffensiveline,weneedarunningbackthatcangetsomeyardsonhisown.Plus,IwouldverymuchenjoyliningupwithJacobsontheChiefsinMadden.
Samequestionbackatya....ifyouknowanyChiefs!
Me: Honestly,atrickyquestionformetoanswer.Itruthfullydon'tknowyourrosterthatwell.IfyouarethathighonFlowers,Imighttakehim.TheGiantsaredepletedbyinjuriesinthesecondary,andasmuchasIlikethecornerswehavetheonlyguyIam100%soldonisCorey Webster.
