Thursday Morning Cup O’Chiefs
It was once a proud division that played some of the best defense in pro football.
In the 70s it was Willie Lanier, Buck Buchanan, Bobby Bell, Emmitt Thomas, Randy Gradishar, Willie Brown, Fred Dean and Jack Tatum In the 80s there were names like Mike Haynes, Ronnie Lott, Deron Cherry, Ted Hendricks, Albert Lewis, Lester Hayes, Randy Gradishar, Louie Kelcher, Gary “Big Hands” Johnson, Art Still and Karl Mecklenberg.
In the ’90s it was Derrick Thomas, Junior Seau, Leslie O’Neal and Steve Atwater.
But in 2008, the AFC West is a defensive graveyard. All four teams rank among the league’s worst in all the important defensive stats. Problems abound from the division leading Denver Broncos, to the last place Chiefs. So upset was San Diego with defensive production that coordinator Ted Cottrell was fired.
There are some obvious reasons for what’s happened. San Diego lost LB Shawne Merriman for the season with a knee injury. The Broncos are trying to switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 during the season. The Chiefs have had seven new starters in their unit and Oakland is, well, they are the Raiders and how does anyone explain what’s happened there.
Here’s a look at some of the brutal numbers and NFL rankings for the defenses in Denver, San Diego, Oakland and Kansas City:
| Â Team | Yards Allowed |
Rush Allowed |
Pass Allowed |
Scoring Zone |
3RD Down |
1ST Down |
| Broncos |
30 |
30 |
28 |
23 |
21 |
26T |
| Chargers |
38 |
16 |
32 |
20 |
8 |
24 |
| Raiders |
26 |
26 |
19 |
29 |
27 |
15 |
| Chiefs |
31 |
32 |
17 |
18 |
31 |
26T |
As any Chiefs fan already knows, the team has the worst run defense in the league. San Diego has the worst pass defense in the league. Denver has the worst combined rankings against the run and the pass. Opponents are completing 72.9 percent of their passes and running for 5.4 yards per carry against the Broncos.
It’s not like these teams haven’t invested in defensive talent along the way, especially through the draft. That’s what makes things so odd. The Chiefs start two first-round, a second-round and a third-round pick on the defensive line, with a first-round pick at linebacker and they can’t stop the run. The Chargers have three first-rounders and a second-round pick among their top five defensive backs and they can’t stop the pass.
San Diego hopes a correction comes with the naming of Ron Rivera as its new coordinator, replacing Cottrell during this bye week.
“I’m not saying my way is any better than his,” Rivera said. “I just believe that because we’re different personalities and different people; that’s going to be the big difference. It’s the same players. It’s just a matter of them getting used to my style, the way I am, and I think they have a pretty good feel for me right now. But we’ll find out. I feel pretty good about it, I really do. I just like our situation. They’re the same guys, with the exception of one, who finished out the year with us.”
The one missing is Merriman. Without him, the Chargers haven’t been nearly as effective especially when it comes to rushing passers and covering receivers. Tackling has been a problem.
As bad as Denver’s defense has played, it could get worse. They lost starting LB Boss Bailey for the season and All-Pro CB Champ Bailey will miss probably the next month with an injury.
The injuries will likely force the Broncos to go back to the 4-3, rather than the 3-4 they’ve been using recently.
“We’ve got to cut down the amount of what we’re doing,” said Broncos coordinator Bob Slowik. “That’s the easiest way of saying it. There’s a little more confidence in knowing what to do – language, familiarity, maybe with some of our other schemes.”
It’s all come together to leave a once proud division on the bottom when it comes to defense.
FROM THE PAGES OF CHIEFS HISTORY
On October 30, 1960, the Dallas Texans beat the Broncos 17-14 in front of 13,102 fans in Denver. Behind 114 yards on the ground by RB Abner Haynes and four interceptions on defense, the Texans grabbed the victory. Haynes ran 15 times and scored on a three-yard run. WR Chris Burford had three catches for 75 yards, while RBs Johnny Robinson and Curley Johnson caught TD passes from QB Cotton Davidson. The interceptions came from LBs Ted Greene and Bob Hudson and DBs Jimmy Harris and David Webster.
On October 30, 1977, the Chiefs lost to the Browns 44-7 at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. Only a late fourth quarter TD kept the Chiefs from being shut out by the Browns. RB John Brockington caught a 22-yard pass from QB Mike Livingston that found the end zone. Cleveland got 153 yards rushing from Greg Pruitt and another 96 yards from Mike Pruitt. Both Pruitts scored TDs. QB Brian Sipe threw a pair of TD passes and a pair of interceptions, as CB Gary Green grabbed both picks for the Chiefs.
OPPONENT NEXT/TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
The three former Chiefs – Ryan Sims, Jimmy Wilkerson and Michael Bennett – talk about their return to Arrowhead this coming Sunday.
AROUND THE NFL
Former Raiders coach Lane Kiffin has formally filed a grievance over his lack of continuing paychecks from Al Davis.Â
The Colts may have both Bob Sanders and Joseph Addai back for their game this weekend against New England.
New England DT Vince Wilfork met with the Commish, but didn’t get a suspension. Doubt L.J. will be as lucky.
AROUND THE AFC WEST
In this view fired defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell was the fall guy for Chargers problems.
Denver QB Jay Cutler is back and healthy after the bye week.
In Oakland, WR Ronald Curry is seemingly on the way out the door with the Raiders.
Wow…the Charges must REALLY be bad in yards allowed per game! 38th??? There must be 6 college and AFL teams that can beat them in that category! LOL (I’m sure Mr. Gretz meant 28th)
The Tampa article reminds me yet again about draft picks. Bob, don’t we have a couple of picks headed our way next year from Tampa for Sims and Bennett? I’m guessing another 7th for Bennett and maybe a 5th for Sims? Anyone know?
I thought we already received them for last years draft.
Also, it’s sad when the only way I can feel better about our teams defense is to look at the rest of our divisions…. can anyone say worst division in football?
Colby,
Nothing I’ve looked at indicates the Chiefs have any additional picks in the 2009 draft. For example:
http://www.walterfootball.com/nfldraftorder2009.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_NFL_Draft
I’m not sure about anything beyond that.
Yes its a shame eyePod do to we use to have one of if not the toughest division in the league.
eyePod says:
I thought we already received them for last years draft.
When they traded Sims back before the 2007 season, it was for a conditional pick in 2009. He’s still on the team so I imagine we are owed something. When we traded Bennett it was for two picks. A late rounder in 2008 and 2009. We used one of those picks on Mike Merritt. Since Bennett also is still with the Bucs, I’d think there’s a pick there as well.
I’ve been in touch with one of the guys who runs gbnreport. They don’t have any extra picks coming our way on their site, but he told me via email that he thinks the Chiefs are in fact, entitled to picks for both players in 2009. Haven’t heard back from him yet, that was a week ago. Since our drafts have been improving lately, the prospect of more picks is very exciting to me. We got a steal in the 5th when we got Brandon Carr, maybe we can get more steals like that with more picks.
We have 7 picks, and blew the opportunity to get a couple more holding onto Tony G and Surtain at the deadline.
We blew the deal with TB, and have no more pocks coming from them. We originally traded Sims for a conditional 7th. He made the team, and played quite well, so we were do a 7th. Then, when we traded Bennett to them, we got a 6th, but forgave the 7th, and there were playing time conditions that could have got us a 6th this year, but Bennnet is inactive almost every game. So in effect we traded them Bennett and Sims for a 6th last year.
We “may” get compensatory pick(s) for Wilkerson, Fox, and any other Unrestricted FA’s we lost that are contributing elsewhere. That’s decided by the NFL after the season, based on playing time, how much any FA’s we signed, like Williams, played, in comparison to what we lost.
Mark says:
We have 7 picks, and blew the opportunity to get a couple more holding onto Tony G and Surtain at the deadline.
We blew the deal with TB, and have no more pocks coming from them. We originally traded Sims for a conditional 7th. He made the team, and played quite well, so we were do a 7th. Then, when we traded Bennett to them, we got a 6th, but forgave the 7th, and there were playing time conditions that could have got us a 6th this year, but Bennnet is inactive almost every game. So in effect we traded them Bennett and Sims for a 6th last year.
Thanks Mark, this seems to be accurate info. I forgot that the extra 7th last year was for Lawrence Tynes, not Bennett. I wondered why Bennett has been getting virtually zero playing time this year. Warrick Dunn has been effective in tandem with Earnest Graham, but it’s been surprising that Bennett isn’t even activated half of the time. We really did blow that deal. Sims and Bennett for a measley 6th rounder. I guess I’m going to root for Bennett (after this week is over of course) to get on the field and produce. We need all the picks we can get!