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Road warriors Chiefs need to win on road to crawl back to .500
Updated: Tuesday August 07, 2001 3:05 AM
As I walked around River Falls, Wis., the fans and the media gave off the impression that this was a lost year for the Kansas City Chiefs. The fan attendance was low for the team that averages over 76,000 at home games in Kansas City, and the media people covering the team didn't exude any confidence about the team's chances in a division with the Broncos and Raiders. But no one told Dick Vermeil and the outstanding staff he has assembled to fold up the tent and go home. In fact, the year Vermeil's Rams won the Super Bowl the same sentiment was in the air. Vermeil was on everyone's hot seat list and the Rams weren't expected to do anything as usual. Don't get me wrong, turning around the 7-9 Chiefs will not be easy, but I saw some things that led me to believe they won't finish last in the AFC West like most so-called experts have predicted. If you are waiting for offensive coordinator Al Saunders to roll out a duplicate of the Rams' high-speed, four wide receiver offensive attack, forget about it for this season. Sure, the Chiefs traded a first-round pick for quarterback Trent Green partially because he knew the Rams' system, but the problem is the Chiefs don't have the other components of St. Louis' offense. There is no one in a Chiefs uniform that can duplicate the Marshall Faulk component of Vermeil's St. Louis-style attack. With Sylvester Morris out for the year, there's no way Kansas City has enough fire power at the wide receiver position to duplicate Issac Bruce, Torry Holt and Az-zahir Hakim.
In fact, when I was at practice they didn't even have three healthy, legitimate receivers on the field. But all is not lost, and if you remember back to the early days of the 49ers' success in the West Coast offense, it was achieved with regular personnel in the game. Bill Walsh created a high-scoring offense with Tom Rathman and Roger Craig in the backfield, Brent Jones at tight end, and just two wide receivers on the field -- Jerry Rice and John Taylor. After watching practice I am convinced the Chiefs will play to their strengths by developing the same package. Recently acquired running back Priest Holmes will team up with underrated Tony Richardson in the backfield. Both Holmes and Richardson can run with the football and both have good hands. Look for the two backs to catch 80 passes between them and combine for 1,200 yards rushing. The best player on the Chiefs is tight end Tony Gonzalez. Gonzalez caught 93 balls last season and brings a very dynamic dimension to the attack that the Rams never had. A Jerry Rice clone isn't going to happen among the Chiefs' wide receivers, but Derrick Alexander caught 78 passes for 1,391 yards and scored 10 times last year and his 17.8 yards per catch was best in the AFC among the top 30 receivers. As for the other wide receiver spot, it's a toss-up. Some people feel third-round pick Marvin Minnis should get the nod, while others feel more comfortable with veteran Derrick Mayes. Personally, I don't feel the 170-pound Minnis will be ready for prime time and all the problems press coverage will present him. Mayes doesn't have much speed and will struggle against man coverage schemes. I expect Kansas City to either trade for another wide receiver or sign a speedy veteran off the last cut in August. Fortunately for the Chiefs, there usually are a few decent wide receivers that will be available and with Morris due back next year at 100 percent they can think short term and not be concerned about age or long term contract. On the defensive side of the ball, coordinator Greg Robinson is overhauling a Chiefs philosophy that was more conservative in nature. Robinson is a master of pressure packages, and if the practices I witnessed are any indication, the Chiefs will be coming after teams and forcing turnovers. The defensive linemen must have excellent quickness and Eric Hicks should flourish in this system. Hicks had 14 sacks last year in just 13 games and he could come closer to 18 this season, which would catapult him into the elite class of the NFL. The top Chiefs draft pick last April was third-round pick defensive tackle Eric Downing from Syracuse. Downing got lots of reps with the first unit but he is a work in progress at this point. He is not ready to play fast and still struggles to disengage from blockers, but Robinson will blend him in to his defensive line rotation on a limited basis until he develops all of his skills. Robinson loves to play linebackers who can run and he likes what he sees from his linebackers. Donnie Edwards, Marcus Patton and Glenn Cadrez all showed the ability to blitz and cover running backs in the man coverage schemes. As for the secondary, safeties Jerome Woods and Greg Wesley are big and tough. I have questions at the cornerback position. Veteran Ray Crockett has lost a step and is only adequate at this point in his career. On the other side, William Bartee looks like the best of an untested group. Bartee is big and probably needs to line up and learn from his mistakes. The team could still consider picking up a veteran in late August if one came available. As I go around to all the NFL camps, I like to pick out some long-shot candidates who have a chance to make the team. Look for 5-foot-6 free-agent wide receiver JJ Moses from Iowa State to make this team. Vermeil likes him and he didn't drop a pass while I watched practice. Another free-agent wide receiver, Dave Klemic from Northeastern, is creating opportunity for himself. After the morning practice in front of the whole team, Klemic beat Dante Hall in a 40-yard dash to settle who was faster. Then in the afternoon practice, Klemic reminded me of a young Ricky Proehl running precise routes and never dropping a ball. The Chiefs got off to an 0-2 start last year and finished up the season with a disappointing loss to the 4-12 Falcons to go 7-9. That record cost Gunther Cunningham his job. Vermeil won't lose his job if the same things occur this season, but there is a good chance this team will battle to be a .500 team. To improve from last season, Vermeil must get his team to continue winning at home in front of the most loyal fans in the NFL and fix the road woes where the Chiefs went only 2-6 last year. Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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