No impact yet from Star players
JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star
I’m as guilty as anyone. We’ve spent too much time focusing on the coaching errors that have contributed to the Chiefs’ 0-2 start and not nearly enough time examining the performances of the players.
Last I checked, the football players Herm Edwards sends out onto the field are on full-ride scholarships — some of them even receive lots of extra benefits. Herm, Mike Solari, Gunther Cunningham and Carl Peterson didn’t dig an 0-2 hole all by themselves.
Two weeks in, I’ve identified three big-time playmakers who have yet to make a big-time play. Had any of the three made a Pro Bowl-caliber play in Denver, the Chiefs would be .500, and we’d be praising Herm and his coaching staff for surviving Trent Green’s concussion.
The three players I’m about to mention have not played poorly. They just haven’t contributed at a level equal to their resumes, salaries or reputations.
1. Dante Hall: The X-Factor actually had a decent game at Invesco Field. He had a 21-yard punt return and averaged 14.4 yards on his five punt returns. He averaged 29.5 on his two kick returns.
But in a game like Sunday’s — a defensive struggle — the Chiefs were counting on Hall to single-handedly put them in field-goal position at least once. It never happened. Hall’s best return, a 27-yard punt return that went to the Denver 46, was wiped out by an illegal block below the waist.
Kansas City’s best field position all afternoon was when it started the game at its own 34. That drive ended with Larry Johnson’s fumble.
I was a big fan of former Kansas City Chiefs special-teams coach Frank Gansz Jr., the son of a special-teams guru. Edwards chose to bring in his own coach, Mike Priefer, who is the son of longtime Detroit Lions special-teams coach Chuck Priefer. This is Mike Priefer’s first crack leading a special-teams unit. He worked for the Giants and the Jaguars as an assistant.
With Green out and the Chiefs employing a conservative strategy, Priefer’s return teams must give Damon Huard a short field once or twice a game.
2. Ty Law: My favorite player is a significant upgrade over Eric Warfield. But that’s the equivalent of saying Toledo football coach Tom Amstutz looks better at a nude beach than me or Mark Mangino.
Law is one of the best corners in the league. He’s paid to break up passes and create turnovers. He hasn’t done either in two games. I had no problem with the reception he gave up in overtime at Denver. Law had terrific coverage. Jake Plummer made a poor pass, and the receiver came back to the ball.
My problem is that Law hasn’t broken up a pass yet. Kansas City’s scheme has him lined up off the ball much too often for my liking.
Given the Chiefs’ pass-rush difficulties, Law and Patrick Surtain should be mugging receivers at the line of scrimmage so that the Chiefs can send six defenders at the quarterback.
I’ll be highly disappointed if Law doesn’t make a play or two against San Francisco’s Alex Smith in a couple of weeks.
3. Patrick Surtain: Right now, Surtain and Law are being outplayed by third corner Lenny Walls. That’s unacceptable. Walls is actually rotating with Surtain and Law on the first unit. When I noticed this early in the Denver game, I was completely shocked. By the end of the game, I could see why Cunningham was doing it.
Walls made a play, and I never saw him out of position.
It’s nice to have a capable third cover corner. But Surtain and Law are supposed to be James Hasty and Dale Carter. On Denver’s game-winning drive, Plummer opened it going right at Surtain. Then Denver ripped off a run right up the gut of KC’s defense. Then Plummer completed the prayer in Law’s direction.
A run through the heart of the defense and completions against KC’s two best defenders — at crunch time — spell trouble for the Chiefs’ defense. Just imagine if Jake Plummer were good.
Again, Hall, Law and Surtain are not primarily responsible for KC’s 0-2 start. The blame can be spread in a number of areas. But these three players can and should play a big role in stopping the Chiefs from falling to 0-3.
