Chiefs Mellinger: In the Jets, there's a lesson for Chiefs fan about taking the safe route - Page 4

Deberg_1990 · 10-30-2014, 07:49 PM

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...le3481340.html

In the structure of the modern NFL, the most important decision a franchise can make is who plays quarterback. Two years ago, two franchises walked away from this decision on two very different paths.

The Chiefs played it safe, were largely criticized for it, then made the playoffs and have a chance to do it again this season. The Jets took the gamble that many in Kansas City had been screaming for, and are now 1-7 in what is a virtual certainty to be a fourth consecutive season without the playoffs.

They will play this weekend at Arrowhead Stadium in what for Chiefs fans could be fairly called The Upside of Boring.

Boring hardly ever plays well with sports fans, right? We want bold, we want daring. We want to toast those with enough guts to go for it all and laugh at the cowards who don’t.

But when it came time for the Chiefs’ new power structure to choose a quarterback, they did it with all of the flair of a ham sandwich.

They traded for a known commodity in Alex Smith, a man who had demonstrated what scouts often call “a high floor” but also “a low ceiling” which is often translated by fans and media as “weak sauce.” Then, when Smith performed well in their system and with their coaches, they signed him to a long-term extension for a higher salary than two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning, among others. Solid, logical, conservative thinking.

This has always been the Chiefs’ way. Trading for the 49ers’ backup quarterback is a time-honored tradition here.

One of the byproducts of this approach is a fan base that often clamors for bold, for daring, for, come to think of it, what the Jets sometimes do.

Two years ago, the same offseason when the Chiefs traded for Smith, the Jets were coming off 6-10 and also needed a quarterback. They’d drafted Mark Sanchez four years earlier with the fifth overall pick and watched him deteriorate from promising to an unplayable mess. They felt a compelling need to upgrade, to find the quarterback of their future.

Many around Kansas City wanted the Chiefs to draft Geno Smith, the three-year starter at West Virginia who completed 67 percent of his passes for 98 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.

Full disclosure, I was in that crowd, at least until hearing from league insiders who questioned his drive, personality and ability to read defenses, among other things. Every draft prospect is questioned, obviously, but there was something different about the tone and scope of the criticism of Smith. It’s one reason he fell into the second round, and surely one reason the Chiefs went with a different Smith at quarterback.

Coincidence or not, Geno Smith has been fairly terrible in his short time in the NFL. He’s thrown 19 touchdowns and 31 interceptions. By passer rating, Total Quarterback Rating, and the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus and Football Outsiders, Smith is either the worst, second-worst, or third-worst quarterback this season.

He was benched this week. Michael Vick, who has completed 26 of 56 passes this season, will start instead.

Think the Jets would like that pick back?

Alex Smith was the top overall pick in the 2005 draft, but generally lacks the type of elite, obvious, natural ability that fans and scouts like in brand name quarterbacks.

The story about the Chiefs’ Smith is often the story about what he isn’t. He’s a good athlete with a great feel for the pocket, but can’t really be called elusive. He reads defenses well and is usually quite accurate, but has occasional lapses and doesn’t throw the best deep ball.

The Chiefs lost at the goal line as time expired in Denver, and with an interception on their final drive in San Francisco. The quarterback is the one who gets the most credit when things go well (like the two-minute drill that won a game in San Diego) and the one with the most blame when things fail. That’s part of the job description.

But in Smith’s case, it misses the point that the Chiefs are 11th in the league in scoring with a flimsy group of receivers and an offensive line that struggles in pass protection.

Jamaal Charles is the star of the offense, obviously, the one defenses plan for every week. But Smith makes enough good decisions, and is reliable enough with short and medium-range passes, to keep the offense moving and — through a season and a half in Kansas City — the Chiefs winning.

Now, clearly, the Chiefs would love to draft and develop their own quarterback. That has proven to be the most successful way to find a top passer and win Super Bowls.

But the Chiefs picked first overall the year after Andrew Luck. They went boring, and traded for a guy who led them to the playoffs. The Jets reached, and drafted a guy they just benched.

Boring is better, sometimes.

**RealSNR** · 10-30-2014, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wazu

This has truth in it. He comes out and says getting a top QB is how Superbowls are won. In this case, it wouldn't have worked. We were wrong about Geno. Be thankful for that.

The article is a big steamy pile of Captain Hindsight's pet elephant's diarrhea

RunKC · 10-30-2014, 08:57 PM

and if SNR, clay or Sac ran this franchise they'd be fired in shorter time than Pioli.

Discuss Thrower · 10-30-2014, 09:00 PM

The Hunt family went 1 of 2 in Super Bowls and earns a playoff bid once every fourth or fifth year with veteran QBs acquired from another team.

Drafting a first Round QB risks that kind of run. That's why you'll never see the Chiefs draft a Geno Smith or an Andrew Luck.

That and they're afraid of investing a guaranteed 70 million in one guy.

Shag · 10-30-2014, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detoxing

It DOESN'T mean that they're afraid to take a QB.

The past 30 years would indicate otherwise.

**RealSNR** · 10-30-2014, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunKC

and if SNR, clay or Sac ran this franchise they'd be fired in shorter time than Pioli.

Signing Carson Palmer, starting him, and drafting a QB in 2013 with Andy Reid as my QB guru/HC = fired?

I probably wouldn't have made the playoffs in 2013, I guess. Oh no. What would this team ****ing do without that playoff berth?

Oh, that's right. We'd have a better LT, would have had the money to afford Emmanuel Sanders, and would be up two 2nd round picks over two drafts.

I TOTALLY would have run the team into the ground

keg in kc · 10-30-2014, 09:03 PM

This article would make more sense if the Jets had taken Geno in the first round rather than the second. That pick was not New York making some "bold move". They had not one but two chances to take him early, and went for Milliner and Sheldon Richardson instead. So it was pretty clear they weren't all that high on Smith. He happened to fall to the second and they took a flyer.

Maybe the lesson we should take from the Jets, even if it hasn't worked for them yet, is to keep trying. Although maybe the Chiefs already are, picking up Bray and then Murray.

Hammock Parties · 10-30-2014, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunKC

and if SNR, clay or Sac ran this franchise they'd be fired in shorter time than Pioli.

I BET YOU COULD HOLD DOWN THE JOB BRO

**RealSNR** · 10-30-2014, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

Signing Carson Palmer, starting him, and drafting a QB in 2013 with Andy Reid as my QB guru/HC = fired?

I probably wouldn't have made the playoffs in 2013, I guess. Oh no. What would this team ****ing do without that playoff berth?

Oh, that's right. We'd have a better LT, would have had the money to afford Emmanuel Sanders, and would be up two 2nd round picks over two drafts.

I TOTALLY would have run the team into the ground

And let's say you buy into the narrative that Clark and Andy decided in the Philadelphia airport meeting that Alex Smith would be the starting QB going forward and that was that.

If that happened, I would have burned our 1.1 pick on Alex Smith and a gift card to Subway. You know... used the undesirable draft stock to work for our benefit and get the necessities done so we wouldn't be tied down with that shitty trade going into the NEXT draft as well.

And that's not hindsight, either. I said that in the weeks following the Smith trade before the draft. Go look it up.

I, at least, have some testicles, unlike 90% of this dumbass forum that sticks their fingers up their butts all day and say stupid shit like, "I probably would have aimed for Hitler if I were a WWI Allied commander"

Chief Roundup · 10-30-2014, 09:22 PM

Chiefs4TheWin · 10-30-2014, 09:29 PM

So the Jets bet the farm, and get to 2 AFC championship games. We "play it safe" and lose to the frackin Ravens in Arrowhead.

Not sure what this piece is trying to prove. We have had no better luck with Smith than we have with Cassel. Suck it out a year, Make playoffs once our sched. goes to Cleveland and Jacksonville. Suck it out another year or 2. Make playoffs when our Sched goes back to Cleveland and Jacksonville. We get hope. They get crushed.. Rinse repeat till I'm 72. Win Superbowl 99

If we make the playoffs this year it's a bit of a better sign, we at least had some form of competition. If we make it we deserve it, but we gotta win a damn playoff game. If we make the playoffs this year at least Smith an the coaching staff is an improvement in my estimation.

I wanna win more than anything, but it's just the same crap over and over. I wanna break the cycle.

ToxSocks · 10-30-2014, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shag

The past 30 years would indicate otherwise.

Didn't realize Dorsey and Reid have been running the franchise for the last 30 years. Where the **** have i been.

Psyko Tek · 10-30-2014, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detoxing

The Seahawks lucked into their QB. The Colts, Giants and Steelers all took QB's that had a higher floor and less questions than Geno Smith.

Naturally, a lot of you failed to realize that the point of the article was not to dismiss the idea of taking a 1st round QB, but to reinforce the idea that blindly drafting one just because you want one isn't always the best idea.

so Mellinger is callin Gochiefs out

go get him count, this is a personal attack

**The Bad Guy** · 10-30-2014, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Count Zarth

One example proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt!

Mellinger wrote a dumb ****ing blowjob article. He should be ashamed.

Why? You're the one who was firmly in the Sanchez and Geno camp. You write dumb blowjob posts all the time. Are you ashamed?

Of course they should try to find a franchise QB in the draft. However, if they don't deem one worthy of a high pick, they should just spend it anyway?

Yes, we all want them to try, but it shouldn't be blind trying and hoping to strike gold. It should be they have confidence that the player can turn into that caliber, not forcing the issue.

Hammock Parties · 10-30-2014, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

Why? You're the one who was firmly in the Sanchez and Geno camp. You write dumb blowjob posts all the time. Are you ashamed?

I was not in the Sanchez camp.

Very ashamed of my Geno love affair, however.

Embarrassing, but I'm not going to crawl into bed with game managers.

They gave me herpes.

**Dave Lane** · 10-30-2014, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rausch

Do they mention at any points the Jets went to two AFCC games while the Chiefs (safe) route won us 2 playoff games in 20 years?...

Sorry you are wrong.

2 playoff wins in 43 years...

10-30-2014, 07:49 PM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $2514454	Mellinger: In the Jets, there's a lesson for Chiefs fan about taking the safe route http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...le3481340.html In the structure of the modern NFL, the most important decision a franchise can make is who plays quarterback. Two years ago, two franchises walked away from this decision on two very different paths. The Chiefs played it safe, were largely criticized for it, then made the playoffs and have a chance to do it again this season. The Jets took the gamble that many in Kansas City had been screaming for, and are now 1-7 in what is a virtual certainty to be a fourth consecutive season without the playoffs. They will play this weekend at Arrowhead Stadium in what for Chiefs fans could be fairly called The Upside of Boring. Boring hardly ever plays well with sports fans, right? We want bold, we want daring. We want to toast those with enough guts to go for it all and laugh at the cowards who don’t. But when it came time for the Chiefs’ new power structure to choose a quarterback, they did it with all of the flair of a ham sandwich. They traded for a known commodity in Alex Smith, a man who had demonstrated what scouts often call “a high floor” but also “a low ceiling” which is often translated by fans and media as “weak sauce.” Then, when Smith performed well in their system and with their coaches, they signed him to a long-term extension for a higher salary than two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning, among others. Solid, logical, conservative thinking. This has always been the Chiefs’ way. Trading for the 49ers’ backup quarterback is a time-honored tradition here. One of the byproducts of this approach is a fan base that often clamors for bold, for daring, for, come to think of it, what the Jets sometimes do. Two years ago, the same offseason when the Chiefs traded for Smith, the Jets were coming off 6-10 and also needed a quarterback. They’d drafted Mark Sanchez four years earlier with the fifth overall pick and watched him deteriorate from promising to an unplayable mess. They felt a compelling need to upgrade, to find the quarterback of their future. Many around Kansas City wanted the Chiefs to draft Geno Smith, the three-year starter at West Virginia who completed 67 percent of his passes for 98 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. Full disclosure, I was in that crowd, at least until hearing from league insiders who questioned his drive, personality and ability to read defenses, among other things. Every draft prospect is questioned, obviously, but there was something different about the tone and scope of the criticism of Smith. It’s one reason he fell into the second round, and surely one reason the Chiefs went with a different Smith at quarterback. Coincidence or not, Geno Smith has been fairly terrible in his short time in the NFL. He’s thrown 19 touchdowns and 31 interceptions. By passer rating, Total Quarterback Rating, and the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus and Football Outsiders, Smith is either the worst, second-worst, or third-worst quarterback this season. He was benched this week. Michael Vick, who has completed 26 of 56 passes this season, will start instead. Think the Jets would like that pick back? Alex Smith was the top overall pick in the 2005 draft, but generally lacks the type of elite, obvious, natural ability that fans and scouts like in brand name quarterbacks. The story about the Chiefs’ Smith is often the story about what he isn’t. He’s a good athlete with a great feel for the pocket, but can’t really be called elusive. He reads defenses well and is usually quite accurate, but has occasional lapses and doesn’t throw the best deep ball. The Chiefs lost at the goal line as time expired in Denver, and with an interception on their final drive in San Francisco. The quarterback is the one who gets the most credit when things go well (like the two-minute drill that won a game in San Diego) and the one with the most blame when things fail. That’s part of the job description. But in Smith’s case, it misses the point that the Chiefs are 11th in the league in scoring with a flimsy group of receivers and an offensive line that struggles in pass protection. Jamaal Charles is the star of the offense, obviously, the one defenses plan for every week. But Smith makes enough good decisions, and is reliable enough with short and medium-range passes, to keep the offense moving and — through a season and a half in Kansas City — the Chiefs winning. Now, clearly, the Chiefs would love to draft and develop their own quarterback. That has proven to be the most successful way to find a top passer and win Super Bowls. But the Chiefs picked first overall the year after Andrew Luck. They went boring, and traded for a guy who led them to the playoffs. The Jets reached, and drafted a guy they just benched. Boring is better, sometimes.
Posts: 66,914

10-30-2014, 08:57 PM	#47
RunKC Andy Reid Supporter Join Date: Apr 2012 Casino cash: $769611	and if SNR, clay or Sac ran this franchise they'd be fired in shorter time than Pioli. __________________ Mike Greenberg@Espngreeny I can’t fathom what it must be like to be a fan of the #Chiefs. Adopt a Chief: Jared Wiley
Posts: 47,702

10-30-2014, 09:00 PM	#48
Discuss Thrower "You like to drink?" Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: "I like to drink." Casino cash: $1756869	The Hunt family went 1 of 2 in Super Bowls and earns a playoff bid once every fourth or fifth year with veteran QBs acquired from another team. Drafting a first Round QB risks that kind of run. That's why you'll never see the Chiefs draft a Geno Smith or an Andrew Luck. That and they're afraid of investing a guaranteed 70 million in one guy. __________________ Chiefs 2016 Opponents: Home: JAX, TEN, NO, TB, NYJ. Away: HOU, IND, ATL, CAR, PIT Chiefs 2017 Opponents: Home: BUF, MIA, PHI, WSH, AFC North. Away: NE, NYJ, NYG, DAL, AFC South
Posts: 43,885

10-30-2014, 09:03 PM	#51
keg in kc oxymoron Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: OP/KC/Whatever Casino cash: $9556299	This article would make more sense if the Jets had taken Geno in the first round rather than the second. That pick was not New York making some "bold move". They had not one but two chances to take him early, and went for Milliner and Sheldon Richardson instead. So it was pretty clear they weren't all that high on Smith. He happened to fall to the second and they took a flyer. Maybe the lesson we should take from the Jets, even if it hasn't worked for them yet, is to keep trying. Although maybe the Chiefs already are, picking up Bray and then Murray.
Posts: 58,682

10-30-2014, 09:22 PM	#54
Chief Roundup Admitted Planet Junky Join Date: Oct 2000 Casino cash: $631627	__________________ Fanaticism is nowhere. There is no tenderness or humanity in fanaticism.
Posts: 19,375

10-30-2014, 09:29 PM	#55
Chiefs4TheWin Veteran Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hollidaysburg, PA Casino cash: $2922783	So the Jets bet the farm, and get to 2 AFC championship games. We "play it safe" and lose to the frackin Ravens in Arrowhead. Not sure what this piece is trying to prove. We have had no better luck with Smith than we have with Cassel. Suck it out a year, Make playoffs once our sched. goes to Cleveland and Jacksonville. Suck it out another year or 2. Make playoffs when our Sched goes back to Cleveland and Jacksonville. We get hope. They get crushed.. Rinse repeat till I'm 72. Win Superbowl 99 If we make the playoffs this year it's a bit of a better sign, we at least had some form of competition. If we make it we deserve it, but we gotta win a damn playoff game. If we make the playoffs this year at least Smith an the coaching staff is an improvement in my estimation. I wanna win more than anything, but it's just the same crap over and over. I wanna break the cycle.
Posts: 4,195