Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Week 5 - Headlines

The Chiefs have been in headlines this week for all the wrong reasons. In the last two games we have turned the ball over TEN times, coming to a league-leading, grand total of 19 giveaways in just five games. Some teams will only turn the ball over around twenty times all season and we're now on pace to have over 60. While the offense is clearly struggling, most fans want to blame it all on Matt Cassel. While Cassel has thrown nine interceptions (only around half of which weren't bobbled by his receivers), we also have ten fumbles, which is by far the most in the NFL.

While I may not be a Matt Cassel fan, necessarily, I don't think he is the reason we are losing games. While he is not a stud quarterback by any means, I absolutely, let me repeat, absolutely do not think that Brady Quinn is a better option. Over the last five seasons Cassel has averaged 210.74 yards per game. That is far from upper echelon but a good number for the "game manager" that he has always been. He has also averaged just over two interceptions per game over that period. He does just enough to keep you in every game with an 81.1 quarterback rating. Brady Quinn, who hasn't played in a regular season game since 2009, has a career quarterback rating of 67.3 and averages just 128.9 yards per game. He has almost thrown an interception for every touchdown he's thrown with ten scores and nine turnovers. In comparison, Cassel has thrown 81 touchdowns and thrown just 54 interceptions. It is absolutely ludicrous to think that Brady Quinn has somehow shown that he is a more viable option to lead this team. To the fans saying "well we might as well give him a chance" take a look at his past. His former teams have chosen, Seneca Wallace, Colt McCoy, Jake Delhomme, Bruce Gradkowski, Ken Dorsey, Derek Anderson and even Tim Tebow as their starters over Quinn. Most people haven't even heard of most of them and there's a reason for that. Even with all of the evidence available for them, fans actually cheered when Matt Cassel was injured, lying motionless on the ground for minutes. It was pathetic and disgusting that fans actually cheered about a player being injured. Right tackle, Eric Winston, had a message for the fans about what they had done.


While this was what most of the media got from the game, there was actual play going on, on the field. The defense held a high powered Ravens offense to just nine points and had the best game they played all season. I think that the Ravens are one of the best teams in the AFC this year with a great defense, as always, and an improved offense that will lead them into the playoffs. In my eyes, a 9-6 loss to one of the best teams in the league was actually encouraging, especially when we had four turnovers. This year's offensive line looked dominant. Since the 2003 season our line has looked pathetic until now. Even against a defense like the Raven's they were able to give Jamaal Charles room to accumulate 162 total yards. If our offensive line and defense play this well all season we'll have a chance. If not, and Quinn plays as bad as I expect he will, expect a top three draft pick.

Players of the Game
Chiefs
Offense: Eric Winston - Not only did he stick up for his team after the game, he handled future pro-bowler Haloti Ngata for most of the game and led a MUCH improved offensive line to open up holes for Jamaal Charles all game.
Defense: Justin Houston - Just another very impressive game from the second year outside linebacker. Two more sacks brought his total to six (half a sack more than last season after just five games).

Ravens: Ray Rice - The running back had a good game, carrying the uncharacteristically unproductive offense for the day and sealing the game for them on a third down carry, diving for the last yard he needed. He always impresses me with how fast he gets through even the smallest holes.

4 comments:

  1. No Matt Cassel is not a great quarterback but I agree that he has been the Chiefs' best option. I also don't think it was right to cheer for his injury.

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  2. Yea the Chiefs fans really messed up, totally uncalled for. As for me on wether to start Quinn or Cassel, I personally want to see Quinn put in there, I know who the better quarterback may be but I believe the guy deserves a chance if Cassel is going to average 3 turnovers a game.

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    1. But his turnover to touchdown ratio is terrible haha. They're both bad. I'm just all for the lesser of two evils, and that's Cassel.

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