How concerned should Chiefs Nation be after the first two preseason games? Well, the skys not falling yet but its getting awfully claustrophobic out there. Kansas City players and coaches would have you believe the two losses are irrelevant. Its exhibition, its second-stringers, its not a true test of a team.
Ok, sure. Ill give ya the exhibition part of things. December wins and playoff berths are not decided by the third-string safety getting beat by the fifth wide receiver for a 36-yard TD as time expires. But sitting inside in the swamps on a late-summer night in Northern Jersey Thursday night, something was painfully clear. At least one enormity had not changed since the Grandpa Dick era ended and the Uncle Herm started.
The defense still couldnt stop anybody.
I mean, anybody.
Giants Stadium turned into a 76,000 person Jersey kegger, complete with the Springsteen and Bon Jovi soundtrack. The Giants fans partied as the first team New York offense raced down the field like it was chasing a PATH train. Not only did Eli Manning have plenty of time to pick apart the secondary with short underneath passes, the wide receivers were getting clean breaks off the line of scrimmage.
Most alarming, though, was the Chiefs complete inability to stop the run.
What happened to payback for Tiki Barbers effortless 200-yard output on national TV nine months ago? Whether it was Tiki, backup Brandon Jacobs or the legendary James Sims (not Billy), the Giants backs found more open space than Western Kansas. Even some guy named Jemison carried the ball ten times for 37 yards. This dude is so far from making the team the team roster didnt list him and the Giants official yearbook makes no mention of him. Heck, he might not even exist. He could be the Blair Witch of Giants running backs.
In all, the G-men rushed 36 times for 154 yards and a score, an average per carry of 4.3 yards. Once New York head coach Tom Coughlin realized the success his team was having on the ground, he kept feeding those backs the rock. Why not? Easiest way to avoid having your quarterbacks killed before the season starts. Assuming the opponent can get to the quarterback.
Last years Chiefs starters at defensive tackle, Lional Daulton and Ryan Sims, have been demoted to second string. Thursdays starters, Ron Edwards and James Reed, were completely invisible. The defensive ends, Jared Allen and Eric Hicks provided no push from the outside and blockers stoned the linebackers all night.
Once is a mistake, twice is a pattern. Six years? Well, thats a decent sample size. Last year the Chiefs ranked 31st in a 32-team league in stopping the pass. If the KC front seven continues its play, Chiefs Nation could watch the same thing happen to the rush defense. Why bother throwing when you can run at will? Thats what the Bengals are asking as September 10th is now all too close. In fact, things are a little claustrophobic out there.
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DA LOVES THE KIDS: Part 2 Not everyone is thrilled with the hiring of Eric Spoelstra. INSTANT CLASSIC: Free-agent Joe Horn blasts his old coaches and asks for Dolphins forgiveness, all live on the show! INSTANT CLASSIC: The man who took down Kimbo Slice: overnight celebrity Seth Petruzelli talks about the fight that stunned the fight world. BEST OF: Author Jeff Pearlman on the controversial Cowboys dynasty. Uh, ew. BEST OF: Heat rookie Mario Chalmers needs help hot-boxing. Cough, cough.. BEST OF: DA is named a Godfather. Can he handle the responsibility or will he sleep with the fishes? BEST OF: DA witnesses the greatest kids game ever. Rock, paper, scissors, space! STAR WARS GEEKS: Part 1 DA goes where no sportstalk host has gone before: Star Wars premier night.
STAR WARS GEEKS: Part 2 Will DA make it out alive or turn into an extra from the Cantina Bar? INSTANT CLASSIC: Legend of the MMA Dan "Hendo" Henderson on the circus attraction to Kimbo and the rise of UFC. BEST OF: New UFC Champ Forrest Griffin on the belt and bouncing out of fighting while the gettin's good. INSTANT CLASSIC: Zo's youth clinic brings us immediate joy: Heat Kids Say the Darndest Things BEST OF: Miami boxer Joey "Twinkle Fingers" Hernandez found himself on the streets. How he got his mojo back. BEST OF: CBS4 Weather Wizard and Miss Florida Lissette Gonzalez on the jet-stream and the wave. BEST OF: Marino delivers a commencement speech and DA's own graduation horrors. INSTANT CLASSIC: Cats winger Nathan Horton is married to a Playmate? Oops. INSTANT CLASSIC: What does JoePa really mean at pressers? Ask Penn State 101. INSTANT CLASSIC: St. Patty's Day means celebrating Irish sports legends: DA Show style. INSTANT CLASSIC: Canes Big Man Dwayne Collins has his Aladdin DVD stolen. The Horror! INSTANT CLASSIC: Dontrelle says peace to South Florida with DA. Here's his Top-3 movies of all-time. SUPER BOWL XLII: NYG's Lawrence Tynes stops by after the ticker tape parade. INSTANT CLASSIC: Is Shaq becoming M.C. Hammer Jr? Say it ain't so. INSTANT CLASSIC: DA melts down as his alma mater brings brings back the dimwitted Greg Robinson for more SU pain. INSTANT CLASSIC: This placed DA squarely on the Chiefs blacklist forever. DA and King Carl in THE Battle Royale. BEST OF: Where it all started: Herm
and Carl agree... Damon is a nice name. SUPER BOWL XL: D.A. does his best investigative work ever. It's the field turf press conference from Detroit. INSTANT CLASSIC: The Mark Mangino Montage tastes better than ever! INSTANT CLASSIC: The 2007 Herm-Gasm. 'Nuff said. INSTANT CLASSIC: The Chiefs Dept. of Misinformation is at it once again. Are the Chiefs wearing white or not? Don't ask them. INSTANT CLASSIC: Chicago's legendary Mike North joins DA to preview Chiefs- Bears. Da Bears! INSTANT CLASSIC : The annual DA Show NBA Mock Draft is here... with a return from Stormbot. FEATURED AUDIO: Royals legend Denny Matthews has bought his first cell phone. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as 6-4-3. FEATURED AUDIO: A fond DA Show farewell to Buddy Bell. He really was "Our Buddy." FEATURED AUDIO
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one, the only, Zach Greinke from Royals Spring Training. The
2007 One NIT NIT Moment.
The 2006 Caller Hall of Fame Track One: Christopher Walken's legendary roast
of the new class
First the staff. Then listeners. Now LJ has the Herm-gasm? Crazy
Ray sings the Growing Pains theme song. The
Royals 70's jingle that puts a smile on your face during another horrid season
in KC. The
local TV anchors slip up on the broadcast and luckily the D.A. Show was rolling
tape. 6-6-06:
The Crypt Keeper's Holiday Crazy
Ray displays his talent for singing. Could he make a run at the next American
Idol? Oklahoma
takes it on the chin with this famous call from R.B. Missed
any of the NIT NIT action? Check out the recaps of the games and a special
edition of The One NIT NIT Moment. We
couldn't leave Alex the Intern out of the mix, check out the drunk dial message
Alex left for D.A. The
D.A. Show tribute to Alan Thicke.
Is
Crazy Ray really crazy? Take a listen to find out.
A
D.A. Show Investigation reveals color commentators handing out the pink slip
to local college coaches.
Quinner's
feeling a bit down. We ask, what's wrong with Quinn Snyder? Herm Edwards gave us quotable material right from jump street. He gets a montage based on his introduction presser. A
staple of any good office party. It's the Dick Vermeil montage XP: final edition.
Duh, ok.
DA's Hometown Hottie contest created controversy throughout KC. Radio superstar Johnny Dare stuck his nose in the middle of it. The
callers finally had their own chance to put their stamp on the Vermeil montage Why
do the sista's hate the show? It all started here: Yvette's call of the day The original D.A. Show parody of Jim Rome's smack-off (circa '04). The '05 D.A. Show parody of Jim Rome's smack-off, complete with a certain national columnist. The '06 smack-smack, which brought all the D.A. Show legends together for one fab event. You asked for it. We delivered. DA Show icon Alan Thicke's first appearance.
How concerned should Chiefs Nation be after the first two preseason games? Well, the skys not falling yet but its getting awfully claustrophobic out there. Kansas City players and coaches would have you believe the two losses are irrelevant. Its exhibition, its second-stringers, its not a true test of a team.
