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http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2006/09/06/gretz_focus_on__the_offense/Focus On - The Offense
Sep 06, 2006, 8:47:02 AM by Bob Gretz
Herm Edwards calls it “the vaunted offense” that he inherited when he took over as head coach of the Chiefs.
There’s no question that when the Chiefs have had the ball in the last few seasons, they’ve been very productive, whether it was in producing yards or touchdowns. And there’s also no question that one of the major reasons for that statistical success has been the continuity of the offensive roster, especially the starters.
This year there are three new starters on the offense: left tackle Kyle Turley, right tackle Kevin Sampson and fullback Ronnie Cruz. That’s major turnover for this group. The last time there were that many new starters came in the first year of the Dick Vermeil’s Era, when six new faces were in the opening lineup.
As the Chiefs begin the Herm Edwards Era, the offense is very much in a transitional phase in attitude and approach. The playbook and most of the weapons remain the same; the head coach and play caller are different and that will bring change. What was considered the unit’s major strength – the offensive line – now has question marks and some of those weapons are a year older.
A breakdown of the offensive roster:
QUARTERBACKS: The transition affecting the entire offense can be seen at quarterback. Trent Green remains the starter and he ranks among the league’s top 10 quarterbacks. His greatest strength has been his availability; Green has started 80 consecutive games, which is a franchise record. Todd Collins is gone, Damon Huard has moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 and this year’s No. 3 is a rookie Brodie Croyle.
Last year, the Chiefs were one of the few teams in the league that had a No. 3 QB that had actually started an NFL game. This year, the Chiefs have just six NFL starts behind Green, which will be one of the lowest totals in the league (San Diego has only two quarterbacks in Philip Rivers and Charlie Whitehurst and neither has started an NFL game.)
RUNNING BACKS: There are few teams that have two Pro Bowl backs on the roster, as the Chiefs do with Larry Johnson and Michael Bennett. That duo replaces the duo of Priest Holmes and Johnson. While Bennett has run for 1,000 yards in his career, he’s never produced like Holmes did in his time with the Chiefs. Because he joined them with a hamstring injury, the Chiefs are still feeling their way with what Bennett can do, but understand this: he’ll be active in a number of different offensive roles. The Chiefs have traded veteran Tony Richardson for the untested Ronnie Cruz in what is a diminishing fullback role in this offense.
RECEIVERS: There’s the “old” guys in Eddie Kennison (33), Jason Dunn, (33 in November) and Tony Gonzalez (30.) Then there are the youngsters like rookies Jeff Webb (24) and Chris Hannon (22.) In between are Dante Hall (soon to be 27), Kris Wilson and Samie Parker (both 25.)
At tight end the Chiefs have one of the best receivers and best blockers in the league in Gonzalez and Dunn. Wilson remains an unknown factor. On the outside, Kennison is a proven commodity, but the rest of the group has not made a place for itself as a go-to receiver. Hall remains a big-play option, but his snaps must be limited because of his value as a returner on special teams. Parker has gotten better each year he’s been in the league and that trend must continue.
This group is not fantasy football friendly, but they’ve gotten the job done well enough in the last three years that only Indianapolis can match the passing numbers the Chiefs have put in the books.
LINE: As Will Shields comes back from his sprained ankle, the interior trio of the starting group remains the best in the business. Shields, Casey Wiegmann and Brian Waters are the true engine of this offense, not only in the running game, but pass protection.
The question marks are suddenly at tackle. Kyle Turley is not Willie Roaf. But he’s a veteran NFL player, who has seen a lot of football action, albeit not in the last two years. The real question is at right tackle, where Kevin Sampson will open. He’s been inconsistent and troubled in pass protection. The first backup is Will Svitek, untested in the NFL. The next backup is Jordan Black, who has been tested at tackle and been found wanting. The only experience inside behind the starters is Black, who is a better guard than tackle, and Chris Bober, who struggled through the pre-season with extended playing time.
Like just about every other team in the league, the Chiefs problem is depth. Their vaunted offense may be on shaky ground already, but if they can keep their core on the field (Green, Johnson, Shields, Wiegmann, Waters, Gonzalez) they should remain productive, although maybe not nearly with as much explosion.
But, if Parker, Turley and Sampson can solidify their positions and Wilson and Bennett add some new wrinkles, this offense is capable of great production and capable of doing it within the concept of a full-team.
The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.
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