This week we at PhinsPhocus.com had the pleasure of speaking with Steph Roets of Chiefs360.com, a site dedicated at informing the rabid Kansas City Chiefs fans with the most coverage as possible. The site is awesome and features a news section that is fantastic!
Steph was kind enough to not take too many shots at us at PhinsPhocus.com and I was kind enough to share my thoughts about her beloved Kansas City Chiefs. Among the topics we discussed was the up and coming running back Knile Davis, key injuries affecting the Chiefs, Alex Smith as the quarterback, head coach Andy Reid’s offense, former Dolphin Sean Smith, and finally a score prediction.
1. Tell me about Knile Davis. What makes him a special running back?
Knile Davis is only in his second season of the NFL. He is young and strong and we can’t forget to acknowledge he has worked behind one of the greatest running backs in leaague, Jamaal Charles. Davis has been strong in his role as back up, but we were able to really see him shine in the post season last year when Charles left the game with a concussion. The similarities to the Colts game in January are eeriely similiar to the situation in Denver last week. The team is plagued by injuries and has to rely on second string to get the job done. Surprisingly, both instances showed young men ready for the challenege. They play with a passion and toughness that cannot be taught but runs bone deep. Davis is no exception. He is special because of that passion. Yes, he is strong and fast but many running backs and gloat such things. Davis worked hard in the offseason to think quicker when he has the ball. That was proven in his two touchdowns last week. He isn’t perfect and like most players has an area of opportunity. Fans know he has a tendency to get a little butter fingers and fumble the ball. Fortunately, he was out of bounds when he fumbled in Denver. It’s safe to say Davis will be the running the majority of snaps while in Miami.
2. How do both the injuries of Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry hurt the Chiefs this week?
Injuries can make or break a team. After mourning the devastating loss in Derrick Johnson and Mike DeVito in week one, Chiefs lost Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry week two. Both Berry and Charles suffered injuries during preseason and didn’t see much game play at that time. It’s not overly surprising they suffered injuries again. It is interesting the team seems to want mirrored injuries (two ruptured achilles, two ankle sprains). Perhaps the football gods have a sense of humor when it comes to Kansas City.
Losing Charles will hurt. He was the leading everything in offense for 2013. Many people use the term “Charles in Charge” when talking about the wins of 2013 (thanks, old school television!) because of his leadership and overall next level playing. Charles was shut down in week one and only saw one drive in week two. That let’s fans see two weeks of essentially, little to no Charles. The results? Two losses. He also didn’t play against the Colts in the postseason and that resulted in a loss. It does appear to bea bit of a trend that limited to no Charles doesnt result in wins. Should fans be nervous? Maybe. There are several other factors on the team that led to the losses. It is a team sport, after all. Losing Charles is a big blow to offense, but with a determined Knile Davis, a solid Cyrus Grey, and a healthy De”Anthony Thomas, the run game is anything but dead.
Losing Berry is just one more blow to the already weakened defense, There was no Berry in preseason and fans watched in horror as the fight for the cornerback and safety spots were borderline terrible. Of course there were some shining moments with Ron Parker and Sean Smith nabbing some interceptions, but there were more penalty flags raining down because of the new rules in place and the secondary not following them. Sure, things have gotten better with the start of the season, but you don’t forget the times you yell, “turn your head!”, “look for the ball!”, or “another missed tackle?” The team lost a veteran player in the secondary when Brandon Flowers was released this summer. Now the biggest play maker in the secondary sprained his ankle. Don’t forget the leader of the defense and huge impact player Derrick Johnson ruptured his Achilles week 1. Tamba Hali was limited in practice this week on top of it all. There is the old addage that defenses win and looking at the dilapidated defense in Kansas City does raise some flags and blood pressure numbers for the fans. The defense did keep the amazing Peyton Manning to only three touchdowns and a field goal without those playmakers. While there are clearly areas of opportunity for the defense, the fans and opponents shouldn’t count them out just yet.
3. Seeing as the Chiefs were demolished in the second half versus the Colts in round one last year, what kind of quarterback is Alex Smith? Does Alex Smith lead the Chiefs to the playoffs this season?
There is a huge debate between fans about Alex Smith. You are talking to a fan that is happy he received a contract extension so my response will shed a positive light on the man under center.
The biggest thing about signing a contract extension with Smith is the fact it gives the team a leader to build around. The Chiefs have not had a quarterback worth working around since Trent Green. Smith now has the opportunity to take a young offense and gel with them to make them run as smoothly as some of the greats like Green Bay, New Orleans, or New England. Those teams have all built an offense around their quarterbacks. The Chiefs may not make that list this year, but it is something that could be in the cards. Smith has also been able to read plays and isn’t afraid to run for yards when he sees his pocket collapse and his recievers in heavy coverage. He also finished with only 7 interceptions the entire season in 2013 which shows he has strong accuracy. Offense improved each game last season and it is safe to say those improvements will continue. The Chiefs dominated the game time in Denver by having the ball for over 36 minutes of the game. The majority of those minutes came in the second half. Yes, it is sad to see that number and still come up with a loss, but I say to the neighsayers out there, did you expect the game to come to a final second, goal line stand by Denver? Did you think the Broncos would only win by 7? The Broncos are currently number one in the power rankings, and the Chiefs held them to 24 points. Did Alex Smith contribute to that? Absoultely.
Smith isn’t given the credit he deserves by many people around the league. The sad fact is the offensive line in Kansas City is borderline terrible. Everyone knows that four of the starters for the O-line are no longer in Kansas City. That means KC’s line is young and inexperienced. The pocket collapses almost immediately. It would be nice to have Branden Albert back at LT. Smith is consistantly scrambling, dodging sacks, or on the ground. Throw any quarterback behind an O line like that and you will have the same problems. While Smith does have some throws that aren’t perfect, he also has little time to make plays happen. While it is great he is the top running quarterback of 2014 (yeah the top! He has 78 yards on 11 rushes), a quarterback shouldn’t have to run so much to keep play alive.
His biggest opportunity would be the times he overthrows his receivers. Dwayne Bowe can get up there for some of those, but Donnie Avery cannot. He was 26-42 for 255 yards in Denver. If he can make some more accurate throws, the Chiefs offense will be a force to be reckoned with. Keep your eyes on the TEs Travis Kelce and Anthony Fasano and FB Anthony Sherman. These are the playmakers I expect to see Smith start targeting more.
The Chiefs will make the postseason in a wildcard spot finishing 10-5 (whoa, such a bold prediction). Don’t give up on the Chiefs yet. They want the win and once they taste again, they won’t let it go.
4. What is it about Andy Reid that gives the Chiefs as a whole the best chance to win? How has he transformed this franchise?
Andy Reid will forever be the man that took KC from worst to first in just one season. He brought in a quarterback that can play, he traded players that were not a positive impact to the team, he brought in a new coaching staff, and is attempting to find the young guys to build into a strong, cohesive team. Reid is known for his ability to make a strong offense and that can be seen in Kansas City. He needs to work with the offensive line, but he has put together a group that can move the ball and get some points. That’s much different that the teams fans had to watch in 2012. Plus the man has a pile of experience in the NFL, and he’s seen both the good and the bad. He knows his football and he will find a way for the Chiefs to win.
He transformed the franchise by bringing in a new coaching staff with a new vision for the team. Reid went back to his roots and is very involved with offense while Bob Sutton works the defense. The two coachs that proceeded him were both defensive. Having the head coach be an offensive man had a positive impact last season. Once the Chiefs find their groove with this new offensive line, they will get back to winning under Reid’s leadership.
5. How has Sean Smith solidified the corner position? We saw what he can do with interceptions when he catches them, like last year at Buffalo; but how will he stop the Dolphins receivers this week?
Sean Smith brings experience to an inexperienced secondary. He hasn’t been able to snag a ball in the regular season, but we saw him get one during the preseason. It’s safe to say he’s hungry for a pick six.
With the injuries, the defense has suffered has helped Sean Smith snag a starting position, but his game play has been mediocre. After two games he only has seven combined tackles. He is in his 6th season of the nfl and should be making better plays.
He can still cause problems for the Dolphins this week. He knows how to make an interception and Tannehill has shown some struggles with accuracy. He is big and strong and once he has the ball he can move quick. He will be vital this week with Berry injured.
Your score prediction?
Final score 17-20, Chiefs. Both teams have been field goal heavy so I anticpate a continued red zone struggle for touchdowns keeping it low scoring. Hopefully Cairo Santos has the rookie kicker jitters out so we don’t have a third week with a missed field goal. I think it will be the Chiefs offense that wins the game. If they continue to control the clock and work down the field they will get the points needed to win.
We thank Steph Roets for her time to be able to convey a plethora of information about the Kansas City Chiefs, one of the most classic, classy, and historic franchises in the NFL. Please follow Steph as she publishes our conversation about the Dolphins a bit later @stephroets360. Be sure to check out www.chiefs360.com leading up to game time at 1PM this Saturday!
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