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There's less harm in new arms
May 30, 2006, 5:14:58 AM by Jonathan Rand
As Herman Edwards looks for ways to improve the Chiefs’ defense, he might find help where he least expects it – from his AFC West rivals.
The Chargers, Raiders and Broncos have made major off-season moves at quarterback and the bottom line appears a plus for the Chiefs.
The Chargers and Raiders have become weaker at quarterback and the Broncos have stayed the same. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan will stick with Jake Plummer, the league’s seventh-ranked passer in 2005. Yet, Shanahan applied heat to Plummer by trading up in the first round and drafting quarterback Jay Cutler from Vanderbilt.
The Chargers ended a quarterback logjam by allowing Drew Brees, who was coming off two strong seasons, to leave as a free agent. They’ll go with Philip Rivers, the fourth overall pick of the 2004 draft but who’s thrown just 30 passes in two seasons.
Even if Rivers lives up to the potential that made him such a high pick, it’s hard to see him playing nearly as effectively as Brees while Rivers gets his feet wet as a starter. The Chiefs have lost three of their last four games to the Chargers and won’t be sorry to see Brees in New Orleans.
That move could help the Chiefs twice because Brees’ signing led to Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks winding up in Oakland. Brooks has had his moments but hasn’t developed into a star, and his 70.0 passer rating last year ranked 32nd in the league.
Brooks had to be dragged down by the Saints’ hurricane-wrecked season, yet he’s less accomplished than former Raider quarterback Kerry Collins. Brooks’ signing appeared at first to be a short-term move, which surely would be followed up by the Raiders drafting a hotshot quarterback. But that didn’t happen, and coach Art Shell will start his second stint with the Raiders with a question mark at quarterback.
This should be old hat for Shell. His Raider quarterbacks from 1989-94 were Jay Schroeder, Steve Beuerlein and Jeff Hostetler. As weak as the Raiders were last year, the Chiefs barely squeaked by them twice, and a lingering quarterback problem for the Raiders has to be welcome for the Chiefs’ defense.
The Chiefs will get no such relief from the Broncos. They’ve been bedeviled by Plummer’s rollout magic, and in week two this year will be trying to win in Denver for the first time since 2000. Plummer enjoyed a breakthrough regular season in 2005 and, with just seven interceptions, seemingly kicked his habit of forcing ill-advised throws.
But then came his two lost fumbles and two interceptions against the Steelers in the AFC championship game, and the old knocks on Plummer resurfaced. Considering that Plummer is only 31, Shanahan seemed to add a knock of his own when he drafted Cutler.
The Chiefs need to make hay in their division, where a 4-2 record last season helped keep them in the playoff hunt. To match or improve upon that success, the Chiefs’ defense will have to make the most of its opportunities when it faces Rivers, who’ll still be learning, and Brooks, who’ll be trying to prove he’s more than just a journeyman.
The shoe will be on the other foot soon enough. Trent Green turn 36 this summer and Edwards will be making a major quarterback move of his own before too long.
The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.
http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2006/05/30/rand_theres_less_harm_in_new_arms/
May 30, 2006, 5:14:58 AM by Jonathan Rand
As Herman Edwards looks for ways to improve the Chiefs’ defense, he might find help where he least expects it – from his AFC West rivals.
The Chargers, Raiders and Broncos have made major off-season moves at quarterback and the bottom line appears a plus for the Chiefs.
The Chargers and Raiders have become weaker at quarterback and the Broncos have stayed the same. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan will stick with Jake Plummer, the league’s seventh-ranked passer in 2005. Yet, Shanahan applied heat to Plummer by trading up in the first round and drafting quarterback Jay Cutler from Vanderbilt.
The Chargers ended a quarterback logjam by allowing Drew Brees, who was coming off two strong seasons, to leave as a free agent. They’ll go with Philip Rivers, the fourth overall pick of the 2004 draft but who’s thrown just 30 passes in two seasons.
Even if Rivers lives up to the potential that made him such a high pick, it’s hard to see him playing nearly as effectively as Brees while Rivers gets his feet wet as a starter. The Chiefs have lost three of their last four games to the Chargers and won’t be sorry to see Brees in New Orleans.
That move could help the Chiefs twice because Brees’ signing led to Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks winding up in Oakland. Brooks has had his moments but hasn’t developed into a star, and his 70.0 passer rating last year ranked 32nd in the league.
Brooks had to be dragged down by the Saints’ hurricane-wrecked season, yet he’s less accomplished than former Raider quarterback Kerry Collins. Brooks’ signing appeared at first to be a short-term move, which surely would be followed up by the Raiders drafting a hotshot quarterback. But that didn’t happen, and coach Art Shell will start his second stint with the Raiders with a question mark at quarterback.
This should be old hat for Shell. His Raider quarterbacks from 1989-94 were Jay Schroeder, Steve Beuerlein and Jeff Hostetler. As weak as the Raiders were last year, the Chiefs barely squeaked by them twice, and a lingering quarterback problem for the Raiders has to be welcome for the Chiefs’ defense.
The Chiefs will get no such relief from the Broncos. They’ve been bedeviled by Plummer’s rollout magic, and in week two this year will be trying to win in Denver for the first time since 2000. Plummer enjoyed a breakthrough regular season in 2005 and, with just seven interceptions, seemingly kicked his habit of forcing ill-advised throws.
But then came his two lost fumbles and two interceptions against the Steelers in the AFC championship game, and the old knocks on Plummer resurfaced. Considering that Plummer is only 31, Shanahan seemed to add a knock of his own when he drafted Cutler.
The Chiefs need to make hay in their division, where a 4-2 record last season helped keep them in the playoff hunt. To match or improve upon that success, the Chiefs’ defense will have to make the most of its opportunities when it faces Rivers, who’ll still be learning, and Brooks, who’ll be trying to prove he’s more than just a journeyman.
The shoe will be on the other foot soon enough. Trent Green turn 36 this summer and Edwards will be making a major quarterback move of his own before too long.
The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.
http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2006/05/30/rand_theres_less_harm_in_new_arms/