Chiefs Play it Safe, One More Time

Many people have half-jokingly posed the question of whether the Chiefs could trade their currently held number one overall Draft pick for last year's number one pick (Lucky 2 Sucky) or even next year's top choice (anybody who isn't in this Draft, please!). Instead, the Kansas City Chiefs did the 89th (Jason Dunn!) next best thing, by trading for the number one pick of 2005, Alex Smith.

Now I've been asked by, literally, handfuls of people what I think about this trade. "Are you okay with getting Alex Smith?"

Naw man. I'm pretty fuckin' far from okay.

I'm interested in one thing above all else when it comes to today's NFL… Aggression. That's all I want. In all aspects. On the field, off the field, in the bedroom. Everywhere.

Think about the playoffs that recently concluded. Both teams that advanced to the Super Bowl were aggressive on offense, on defense, and in their decision making.

The Baltimore Ravens were considered somewhat of a laughingstock entering the playoffs, somewhat because people wrote them off after they fired their Offensive Coordinator following Week 14. Bold move.

The 49ers were sparked by a midseason change at Quarterback. Their young gun, Colin Kaepernick, was a big play waiting to happen for them. They erased three score deficits in the playoffs twice (or, rather, a 2-point conversion away from twice), because of The Kaep's abilities.

The 49ers lost the Super Bowl, a game they had no business losing, because Joe Flacco and the Ravens were the aggressors from the beginning, making play after play downfield. They had the arm (Flacco), the mind (John Harbaugh/Jim Caldwell), and the balls to do so, in my opinion because Jim Harbaugh thought he had the better team that night, backing his team into a conservative corner.

I believe this philosophy extends past last season. Bill Belichick's Patriots have long been the most aggressive team in the NFL when it comes to forward thinking (no huddle, spread, 4th downs), as well as the league's most successful team (or, at the least, the most consistent). Jeff Fisher's Titans back in the day. Vermeil's Rams. The Saints' onside kick. Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning are both second tier Quarterbacks, who have garnered the game's top prize multiple times. What similarity do they share that separates them from their peers? Their knack for the big play! Big Ben scrambles around to find open receivers down field more than anybody, while Elijah throws a gorgeous deep ball and has the right group of receivers to compliment that.

Be aggressive. Be, be aggressive.

"So what in god's name do your ramblings about aggression have to do with Alex Smith and the Chiefs?"

Oh yeah, sorry.

This trade for Alex Smith is all about playing it safe. People have spun it by saying the Chiefs got the "Best QB available." That's inaccurate. What they mean, is that the Chiefs got the QB with the lowest risk of being a failure. They traded for the most known quantity. They went with the safest bet, the best chance they had to win 9 games.

Alex Smith was a terrible QB the first six seasons of his career. His numbers turned a corner in 2011, with the arrival of Jim Harbaugh. Under his tutelage, Smith was asked not to lose games. Basically, he was what Chiefs fans hoped Matt Cassel would be. His handoffs went up and his interceptions went down. His completion % went up. His times sacked went up. So long as he stayed out of the way, the NFL's best defense and bruising running game would win a majority of the games for them. Harbaugh maxed out Alex Smith this way.

Enter Andy Reid, who carries two very well documented flaws with him, tucked away somewhere in his pantalones. He loves to pass (or maybe I should say, he hates to run). And he doesn't know what the hell's going on with this clock, these timeouts, and whatever the hell challenges are. Lets deal with the former for now.

If you support this trade, you're probably thinking one of two things:

One, Alex Smith will thrive in Andy Reid's system. Hey, I believe in The Giant Child as much as anyone, so this seems logical. But this means you're putting Alex Smith in a position where he is asked to win you games. That is Reid's system. He puts the onus on the QB. This is a direct contradiction to Harbaugh's strategy to get the most out of Smith these last two seasons, thus salvaging his career. And maybe you think Smith and Reid are capable of pulling off this transformation.

Well, I'mma go to work on that argument with a pair of pliers and a blow torch:

~Alex Smith has thrown for three 300 yard games in his 80-game career (psst, Matt Cassel has seven).

~The highest an Alex Smith led offense has finished in 3rd down conversion rate (perhaps, the most telling stat of a QB?) is 25th. The complete rundown: 32nd, 26th, 32nd, 29th, 29th, 31st, and 25th.

~In Alex Smith's 2011 breakout season, he was sacked a league leading 44 times, behind arguably the best offensive line in football, and the 20th most passing attempts in the NFL.

~In Alex Smith's best, albeit shortened, season in 2012, his Total QBR on 3rd downs was 33.1. Matt Cassel's was 44.5. (I'm harping on 3rd downs, because it's a strong indicator of what life will be like if Reid continues with his pass happy offense.)

Two, you foresee a philosophy change coming from Andy Reid. He will play to the Chiefs' strengths by running the ball, and continue to get the most out of Smith by limiting his impact, a la Jim Harbaugh. 

To which I say, what's the point? Why are the Chiefs giving up valuable Draft picks for a guy we're asking not to lose games? This formula will not bring the franchise a Super Bowl. It won't happen. I'll tattoo Smith's head on my ass and run naked down 39th street if it does happen. Seriously. Hold me to it. (Note: I probably would have done this anyway.)

I'm tired of seeing the Chiefs aim for their best chance at sustaining mediocrity. I want them to make their bold move. I'm not crazy about Geno Smith, but take a damn chance on him! Shit, draft anybody! Give Nick Foles a shot. Or Ryan Mallett. Or Chase Daniel. Anybody who I don't already know to be average.

This (lack of) aggression will not stand, man.

His Dirkness

Congratulations Chiefs Fans: 3-0

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"The End of the Dark Ages"

In the immortal words of Joe Namath on that painfully repeated NFL Network commercial, "We did it...We did it." Fans that stuck with the Chiefs through these last three seasons have paid their dues and can now sit back and enjoy relevancy once again. We have seen mountaintop (or maybe in this case, mountainbottom) and it was pretty bleak. Ten wins in three seasons (or more specifically. a 3-30 stretch from '07-'09) is enough to turn off even the most devoted of fans. I ask, though, does it not make it all the sweeter? Is success really that enjoyable without the proper context of what failure feels like? For example, ask a Colts fan how much fun the regular season is nowadays. It's more of a process and a waiting period for the playoffs for them. It's like preseason. So I'd like to personally (Dirkally) dedicate this 3-0 start to those fans that stayed loyal to the Chiefs, who gutted out the tenures of Eddie Drummond, Lance Long, Rocky Boiman, and Mike Goff and games like the 2007 13-10 OT loss to the Jets (maybe the worst played game ever), giving up 54 points to the (now unemployed) Trent Edwards led Bills in 2008, and last year's 44-13 home defeat to the hated Broncos (which I don't even remember). Enjoy everything all this week, all bye week, and all season because the Chiefs are back, and most likely here to stay for a while.

The great part about our situation is that the players have gone, and are going, through much of the same things that us, the fans, are. We have this young nucleus of talent that has all gone through the growing pains of the last three seasons together and are now growing up together. Together. And we have Scott Pioli to thank for a lot of that, but we also have to give a secondary thank you to Dr. Herman Edwards for that 2008 draft class (Dorsey, Albert, Flowers, Charles, Carr- Wowza). Combine that with the quickest impacting draft class I HAVE EVER SEEN (Berry, McCluster, Arenas, Moeaki, Lewis), and you might be looking at the most young talent on any team in the league. They seem to all like playing together and seem to feed off each other's energy, which is a unique quality that most great teams have. And it's all happened so unbelievably quickly, that it's hard to remember just how disjointed our team looked at times last year. We went from a faint resemblance of an NFL team to what will be one of three remaining undefeated teams after tonight (KC, Pitt, GB/Chi).

If anybody out there still doubts how important coaching in the NFL is, then they need to closely examine what the Chiefs have been doing this year. Todd Haley took his lumps last year, but he painted Mike Singletary's face white yesterday in the 31-3 victory (wait, they scored a TD?). He embarrassed Singletary by taking advantage of his old school beliefs with a little new age strategery. He played mind games with him on a 4th and 1 before, surprisingly, just going for it (get that man a Guinness!) and converting easily. His next move was a surprise onside kick that would've worked to perfection if not for an offsides penalty. Haley then capped it off with a Wildcat reverse flea-flicker executed beautifully. Checkmate! People have criticized him for his use of the JamaAL/Tom Jones duet this year, but I'd say the #1 rushing offense in the NFL is proof of proper management (he's clearly saving Charles so he can last the whole season while feeding the workhorse that is Jonesy). Haley has grown up as an NFL coach at the same rate as his young nucleus of players. Like a perfect storm.

That paragraph was supposed to include some Romeo Crennel love, but instead, he'll have to get his own, along with the rest of the defense, the most surprising phase of the 2010 Chiefs. Obviously, Colonel Crennel has been the biggest difference maker, but the defensive line has been the most improved aspect of the defense. Ball grabbin' Shaun Smith might be my new favorite player (Check this), and might be in the process of taking Tyson Jackson's job too (more about Smith than Jackson). Ron Edwards seems like a new player and is much improved. Wallace Gilberry is a quarterback pressure waiting to happen. And, Glenn Dorsey, well, he's the best player on the line (hopefully a few years away from Seymour territory). We absolutely owned the line against the 49ers on both sides of the ball (rushing yards 207-43 in KC's favor) against a team with a top 5 fantasy Running Back along with (what was) the #6 rushing defense. Oh yea, and Brandon Flowers is playing at a rate of one outstanding play per game (he is Pro Bowl bound). But, the ring leader is Crennel, who has formed this near identical personnel grouping into the #2 scoring defense in the NFL.

The only thing that hasn't gone our way so far this year is the positioning of the bye week. Why why why can we not get back on the field next week? Can we just challenge another team on a bye to a pickup game to keep our momentum going? The Chiefs face their two toughest games of the year once returning from the bye, at Indianapolis and then at Houston. Nobody will be picking the Chiefs in either contest. But, this just in, the Chiefs haven't been favored in any of their three victories yet this year! If they can come away with a split from those two games, they will be good to go with the next seven games (Jac, Buff, @Oak, @Den, Zona, @Sea, Den) all very winnable. Plus, what if what we saw yesterday was a better representation of what the Chiefs really are, and the first two games were just examples of them winning games while not playing their best (a sure sign of a good team)? Regardless, the Chiefs are relevant once again, and while that carries some value for the casual fans out there, it has an indescribable value to those of us that have stuck around through it all.

His Dirkness

2010 NFL Preview: NFC West

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Arizona Cardinals- Lost a bevy of talent (Boldin, Dansby, Rolle) from a team that depended on one player (Kurt Warner-also gone) to give them any hope in the playoffs (worked four times) after coasting to easy division titles. So, tell Matt Leinart to hop out of the hot tub, put down the bong and the Cheetos (puffs of course), and email his ball dancing teacher, cause he actually gets to play this year. It's been hard for Art Leinmatt to stay motivated since his pay was cut in half going from USC to the Cards. In actuality, I theorize that he became complacent during that senior year at USC, living a celebrity's life in L.A. while taking only one class. No matter who drafted him, he was downgrading in lifestyle. I thought he was such a can't-miss prospect that I jumped up and cheered when the Raiders passed on him back in 2006.

St. Louis Rams- Way too many questions surrounding Samuel Jacob Bradford for me to believe in him. Is his shoulder all the way repaired? Is he injury prone? Can he adjust from the spread to a conventional offense? Why does he seem Indian with his helmet off and Asian with it on? What happens on Sam Bradford Day (seriously-January 13th) in Oklahoma City? I want to see Bradford fail because Suh should've been the unquestioned pick at numero uno. Keep a sliver of sight on 7th round draft pick, George Selvie, who I love coming out of South Florida.

San Francisco 49ers- Love everything about the 49ers this season except for Baby Hands, Alex Smith. They can always turn to the Revolving Door, David Carr, though. Keep your oculars planted on Patrick Willis, my pick for 2010 Defensive Player of the Year, as well as Ahmad Brooks, who had 5 sacks in the final five games last season. Throw in Michael Crabtree (could emerge hardcore), Frank Gore (love in fantasy), the suddenly realized potential of Vernon Davis, the young stable of first round offensive linemen, and even the late signing of Brian Westbrook, and the Niners are really heading places if they can just find a Quarterback. I put Mike Singletary in the top five head coaches in the NFL already.

Seattle Seahawks- The incredibly unwatchable Seabags grew interesting with the addition of Pete Carroll, who is still paying players, just doing it legally now. They curiously targeted former Charger backup Quarterback, Charlie Whitehurst (who I can only imagine looks like Charlie from Always Sunny in Philadelphia--nope, way creepier), giving up quite a bit in a trade to acquire him. Whitehurt's career stats are as follows: 2 rushes, 13 yards, 1 TD. That's it, that's the list. Zero career pass attempts. The price must've been too high on John David's Booty. 

This concludes the NFL Preview Extravaganza, having previewed 31 of the 32 teams, with obviously much more coming on the Chiefs before the season starts. Next week will be devoted solely to the Dirkness College Football Preview Extravaganza. I will be giving an individual preview of Nebraska, a Big 12 overview, and a Top 25 before giving my final predictions for the NCAA and NFL seasons. Continue to check back for everything you want to know before football gets under way this year.

His Panthaness