Newz Forum: FOOTBALL: Kansas City Chiefs Preview 2004

How is it that a team can win 13 games with the NFL's 29th-ranked defense? Just ask the Kansas City Chiefs, who pulled off that miracle in 2003, with most of the credit going to its explosive offense. It all starts with amazing RB Priest Holmes, who is regarded by most as the best player in the NFL today. In the past three years, Holmes has a combined 4,590 rushing yards, 206 receptions, and 61 touchdowns, including an NFL record 27 TDs last season. The running game isn't the only strong point for the Chiefs, as they also hail QB Trent Green, who, despite having a lackluster receiving-core, managed to throw for over 4,000 yards, en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.

Some credit should also go to TE Tony Gonzalez, arguably the best player at his position, as he has hauled in over 70 balls in four of the past five seasons, and Dante Hall, who had four TDs on kick-offs and punt-returns, tying the NFL record. Oh yeah, then there's that atrocious defense, which was anchored towards the bottom of most defensive statistics. Unfortunately for KC, not much was done to improve it, except the hiring of new defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham, so if he can improve the D', then there's no reason why the Chiefs won't be Super Bowl-bound.

Football About.com

The Chiefs' weaknesses on defense were largely to blame for last season's late collapse, as Dick Vermeil's team, once 9-0, stumbled to four losses in its final eight games including a stomach-turning home defeat to Indianapolis in an AFC divisional playoff game. The scapegoat of the operation, defensive coordinator Greg Robinson, was sent packing, and the franchise appointed former head coach Gunther Cunningham to resurrect a unit that ranked 29th in the NFL in 2003. Cunningham, Vermeil, and a Kansas City fan base that has waited 35 years for a return to the Super Bowl are all hoping that it was the scheme, not the players, that were responsible for last year's meltdown. The Chiefs have made no significant personnel changes on defense via the draft or free agency. If the starting corps falters again, that lack of movement will be, in a word, indefensible.

Veteran Trent Green, who appears to be in the prime of his career at age 34, will once again start for Dick Vermei's club. He does a nice job of distributing the football, goes through his progressions well, and is good at finding check downs when under pressure. Green is also a very consistent and durable QB, starting every game the last three seasons and passing for more than 3,500 yards in each since coming over from the Rams. Priest Holmes continues to be one of the best backs in the league. He scored an NFL record 27 touchdowns in 2003 on top of the more than 2,100 total yards he produced. Holmes doesn't have great top-end speed, but he is quick and possesses great instincts. He's also a huge receiving threat out of the backfield. Despite the problems at wide receiver, I doubt the Chiefs offense will miss a beat. Green should continue to do a good job distributing the ball and, barring injury, Holmes will carry the load on the ground again as his offensive line continues to open big holes. This offense will continue to go through the running back and tight end, as it has during Dick Vermeil's tenure in Kansas City, and there is no reason to think those areas of the team are suddenly going to be weak. As they did last year, the Chiefs will probably outscore a lot of teams on their way to the playoffs, but how far they go from there depends on how well Cunningham shapes the defensive unit. They have got to show the ability to slow down the run from time to time and they have got to create turnovers. Otherwise, Kansas City's championship hopes might end in disappointing fashion again this season.

The Chiefs were not as good as their 9-0 record of last November indicated, but they were the best team in the AFC West and that should remain the case this season. Green and Holmes are first-class NFL players, and the receiving corps, though aging, should still have enough in the tank to be effective. Defensively, it's up to Cunningham. The objective is to do more attacking, which should force turnovers and help compensate for a unit that doesn't have enough marquee players. Even without a complete turnaround on defense, Kansas City should again win 10 or more games, beat out Denver for the West crown, and make a playoff appearance. Where the team goes beyond that will be determined by how much progress Cunningham makes in his area.

[Edited on 13/9/04 by TRD]

This seems to be a team bent on giving thier fans heartbreak every year. So much promise, so little delivered. It will be another offensive explosion from them, but the defense just won't be good enough, once again. They'll be in the playoffs, for sure, but how far wil they go? Only as far as when they play another top-tier team (Indy, New england, Tennessee, Blaatimore)

Sadly, another year of heartbreak for Cheifs fans.

griffen unloaded on the cheifs with 150 odd some yards and 3 td's!!!!! looks like the cheifs need something anything to stop the run, if they cant its going to be a long season.

They do score heavily but is that enough?

If they come up agaisnt a real good defense i don't think it will be...

They just don't have enough to make it to the big dance.

Things have started bad enough for the 0-2 Chiefs. Are their problems about to get worse?

The Kansas City Star reported Monday that the Chiefs might play Sunday's game against Houston without their most explosive offensive weapon -- halfback Priest Holmes. Holmes missed the last half of the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to Carolina with what the club is calling a sprained left ankle.

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The play calling is currently what is hurting the Chiefs. They no longer blitz on defense and they were not using Priest very much at the beginning of the game vs Carolina.

The defense will come around, hopefully sooner than later.

As far as the Holmes injury... That is not good for the Chiefs. At least they have a decent backup, Larry Johnson, first round pick a year or so ago out of Penn State.

It should be Johnson, I'd think, but as I heard on Sportzcenter tonight -

Holmes questionable with sprained ankle

Things have started bad enough for the 0-2 Chiefs. Are their problems about to get worse?

The Chiefs might play Sunday's game against Houston without their most explosive offensive weapon -- halfback Priest Holmes. Coach Dick Vermeil said Tuesday that Holmes is questionable because of a sprained left ankle.

Holmes missed the last half of the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to Carolina. Derrick Blaylock would be the starter and featured halfback if Holmes can't play.

"I know it's not a serious ankle sprain," coach Dick Vermeil said Monday. "I don't know if he's had one before or how long it takes him to recover. Every guy is a little bit different, and every ankle is a little bit different.

"We're prepared to go without him if he can't go. Obviously, we want him to be ready. It's not serious. It's just how quickly he can mend."

Holmes ran for 1,420 yards last season. Over the past three-plus seasons, Holmes has amassed 4,807 yards rushing, 6,797 yards from scrimmage and 65 touchdowns.


I wonder why they don't go with Johnson? Hes one of only a handful of players who've rushed for over 2,000 yards in a NCAA season.

its going to hurt them big time if he is out, if he is out look at 0-3

Talk about your disappointing teams! After last season, when the ofense was all but unstoppable in KC, they can't get anything going there. A win in Baltimore 2 weeks ago may pick up the spirits of the team, but they have a decent sized hole to dig themselves out of this year.

Priest Holmes and the Chiefs' physical offensive line shredded the NFL's top-ranked rushing defence to pieces on Sunday as Kansas City stormed to a 56-10 rout of the Atlanta Falcons.

Led by Holmes and Derrick Blaylock, who each collected four touchdowns, the Chiefs set an NFL record with eight rushing touchdowns on their way to their second win of the season.

Chiefs RB Priest Holmes soars into the end zone for one of his four rushing TDs Sunday in Kansas.

They finally found thier offense this year, and how!

On a day dominated by offense, it took a defensive back to settle things.

Indianapolis star Peyton Manning had already thrown five touchdown passes when he lofted the ball into Kansas City's end zone with just under 2 minutes left Sunday. This time, the catch in the end zone belonged to Chiefs safety Greg Wesley, who returned the ball 65 yards to seal Kansas City's 45-35 victory.

Kansas City's win broke a seven-game losing streak against the Colts (4-3), who didn't even have to punt in their 38-31 AFC divisional playoff victory over the Chiefs last season. Before Sunday, Kansas City (3-4) hadn't beaten Indianapolis since 1985 and had lost five straight to the Colts at Arrowhead Stadium.

Kansas City won back-to-back games for the first time this year, while Indianapolis lost its second straight.

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I dont think there's any doubt right now that Holmes is the best back in the league. He's ahead of last year's record-setting TD pace.

Originally posted by ProudAmerican
I dont think there's any doubt right now that Holmes is the best back in the league. He's ahead of last year's record-setting TD pace.

I hadn't even realized that

He has 13 TD's through just 7 games.

Priest mentioned something to the KC media before the season started and hinted that he wanted to break the record again. I believe he wanted to get 30 rushing TD's this year.

13 in 7 games ~= 1.86/game
16 games => 29.8

He is on a great pace, but to get 30, he needs a few more 3+TD games.

That would be a great feat if he could achieve it, it certainly looks like he is trying. The way the Chiefs are playing now they could still have a great season.

crayon, they obviously have Priest playign well, so why do you think they are holding on to Johnson? He would have been a great trade bait for Miami, they probably could have got a ransom for him.