Preaseason Unit Discussions: Offensive Line

[Rain Man]

Per the discussions earlier this week, I wanted to offer an experimental concept. During the preseason, let's discuss each of the units on the Chiefs in a particular thread.

Post your thoughts during the games or between games about individual performances.

This thread is for offensive linemen. How they doin'?

[SeeingRed]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

What I see out of Stephenson has been very good in Fischers absence. IMO.

agreed...Stephenson looked pretty good actually

[YayMike]

Originally Posted by milkman

I had some errands to run after work yesterday, so I didn't get home to watch this game last night.

I did read some if the early responses in this thread when I got home, so I was expecting to see an absolute train wreck from LDT when I watched this game this morning.

I didn't go through it as closely as I did the first game (I'll probably do that tomorrow morning).

What I saw, however, wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting.
LDT did get schooled by Brandon Mebane, one of the best interior D-Lineman in the game, and did show he isn't ready.

He looked absolutely lost on the screen pass tackle he made.

He did, however, still show the potential and promise that he has through much of his night.

Part of the problem I saw is that Morse showed his inexperience is making line adjustments pre-snap.

Morse is more talented than Kush, but he isn't ready to take over the responsibility at center playing alongside an an inexperienced right guard.

Right now, given talent and experience, the best combination to start would be Kush and Fulton.

I agree with this, And once you go back I think you will agree that with both Morse and LDT the reasons that looked bad at times was pure inexperience, They both will get better with more reps.

Kush just doesn't wow me. I don't see enough of an upgrade to start him over Morse. Let Morse learn on the job.

Yes, start Fulton if we don't get Mathis. LDT will be fine as a backup.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by YayMike

I agree with this, And once you go back I think you will agree that with both Morse and LDT the reasons that looked bad at times was pure inexperience, They both will get better with more reps.

I absolutely agree with this.
The question is, however, are you ready to suffer the growing pains to start this season.

Kush just doesn't wow me. I don't see enough of an upgrade to start him over Morse. Let Morse learn on the job.

Yes, start Fulton if we don't get Mathis. LDT will be fine as a backup.

I think the drop off from the mental aspect of the position at center between Kush and Morse is substantial.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by jonzie04

Jesus, I'm clearly all for bringing in Mathis but what in the shit.

To clarify, the guarantees are reportedly in ballpark of $20 mil, not contract.

— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) August 22, 2015

Haha ...yeah, right.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by milkman

I absolutely agree with this.
The question is, however, are you ready to suffer the growing pains to start this season.



I think the drop off from the mental aspect of the position at center between Kush and Morse is substantial.

Part A - No. Have NO TIME for the growing pains. Must win at Houston...(as much as any 1st game can be) Lose that one and the season can get out of control in a hurry...

Part B - Totally agree. The drop off is substantial.

[Mother****erJones]

Originally Posted by BossChief

All bright tweeted that he heard a lot about Mathis to KC

And Mathis told him he was on drugs lol just seen it

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Mother****erJones

And Mathis told him he was on drugs lol just seen it

He made that comment about the guaranteed money.....not the fact that KC was interested.

[YayMike]

Originally Posted by milkman

I absolutely agree with this.
The question is, however, are you ready to suffer the growing pains to start this season.



I think the drop off from the mental aspect of the position at center between Kush and Morse is substantial.

i think I'd certainly give morse ALL of game 3 with first offense and see what happens.

Let me know what you think after watching. And yes, I think I'd let the growing pains happen with Morse. I'd let LDT be a backup for now.

[Mother****erJones]

Originally Posted by O.city

Chiefs fans think the 2003 ol should be the standard. Well never see that level of play again

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Stephenson seemed to play well.

A lot of you guys owe Donald an apology. Talking bout he was gonna be a surprise cut. **** wrong witchu?

We don't owe him shit. He's been a dumbass and has issues. His potential is still there so I hope he gets it together.

Originally Posted by O.city

Benjamin Albright

#Chiefs "definitely in play" for Evan Mathis. Offer qppears to be multi-year deal, bulk guaranteed (ballpark of $20 mil).

So I'm yes guessing a two year deal?

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

If Evan Mathis signs a $20 million dollar deal with the Chiefs, I won't post on Chiefsplanet until he's cut.

Guaranteed.

Originally Posted by Pestilence

He made that comment about the guaranteed money.....not the fact that KC was interested.

Oh ok just woke up and seen it.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by Mother****erJones

We don't owe him shit. He's been a dumbass and has issues. His potential is still there so I hope he gets it together.

When has he really let us down in game situations? They had him in the dog house for God knows what reasons last season but they were also starting Mike Mglynn so these idiots have no idea what they're doing.

People are bitching because camp reports haven't been good and he was drafted one pick before Russell Wilson but for all intents and purposes he's risen to the occasion when we needed him to. He's got hella potential and versatility.

[DJ's left nut]

So I think the Fanaika experiment can end now, yes?

That was awful. And really, it wasn't a fair request to make of him to be honest - we shouldn't have expected a guy that mauls his way to limited success at G to be even remotely credible at T. That said, he got abused badly enough to almost single-handedly limit what we were able to do offensively.

Then again, he definitely had a partner in crime with LDT. Bottom line is that we saw the difference in talent going against the 2s. LDT looked pretty damn outstanding against AZs second string; he was exposed pretty badly going against Seattle's 1s. Fulton should be the starting RG and I'd be shocked if that doesn't end up the case.

I don't get the Morse angst. Sure, he's a little inexperienced with the line calls but only time will straighten that out. In the meantime, he did a pretty damn decent job against a very good interior line. I really don't understand why everyone's ready to move on to Kush all of the sudden - I saw no notable increase in performance when Kush came in and he wasn't playing against nearly as tough a front as Morse was. There was one notable breakdown I can recall and that was when we were asking Morse to get out and pull to pick up KJ Wright; he missed and we lost 6. Now that's just poor scheming, IMO. If you're asking a C to go block KJ Wright, he's going to fail to get there more often than he succeeds. And when that result yields a 6 yard loss, it may just be time to take that out of the playbook. (Wright was a monster on Friday, for the record).

Grubbs was just quietly good - I'll take that. Stephenson was again very good out there. Maybe he's got his head screwed on straight because if he can play even 90% that well over at RT, he's a big time addition.

I expect Fisher - Grubbs - Morse - Fulton - Stephenson will be our week 1 setup and I think we'll have a damn nice OL for the effort.

[O.city]

I watched the kj wright play over and iver. He came from the back side and ran down charles. It was ****ing impressive. The Seahawks front 7 is just as good as its backfield.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

I watched the kj wright play over and iver. He came from the back side and ran down charles. It was ****ing impressive. The Seahawks front 7 is just as good as its backfield.

Yeah, that play was amazing, though it was a different play than the one that I'm talking about. He made a play where Morse got hung up in the wash and Wright just flew around the left side to smoke Knile Davis for a 6 yard loss right as Knile was getting the ball. The play just didn't have a chance in hell of working. I'm not sure how Morse could have ever gotten out there in time to even get a hand on Wright.

It's also possible that I'm just mis-reading how it was supposed to work and somebody else blew it. As the play is progressing, you see Morse stumble trying to get to the edge and fall. Even if he gets there clean, he probably doesn't get to Wright on time. He was just a missile on that play.

[Fish]

Call me crazy, but I really wouldn't mind seeing Stephenson - Grubbs - Morse - Fulton - Fisher.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by Fish

Call me crazy, but I really wouldn't mind seeing Stephenson - Grubbs - Morse - Fulton - Fisher.

Stephenson appears to be our best LT but I think they've invested too much in Fisher to turn like that.

Not only are we talking about the 1.1, but they also signed him to a pretty lucrative LT contract. With Stephenson in, or nearing, a contract year, the last thing they want is to be paying two guys LT contracts.