After 5 games, the Chiefs are 1-4 and last in their division. This week there’s been some controversy about whether the fans cheered the injury to Matt Cassel. What is the mood of the team going in to the game against Tampa Bay?
“I think they’re sick of losing. Whether they’re good enough to do anything about it, I don’t know. Many people are happy that they’re on the road. It’s ugly at home, where they’re 0-3. The fans are unhappy. It’s time for them to play on the road.”
Brady Quinn is starting at QB for the Chiefs. What are the strengths and weaknesses of his game, and how will the Kansas City offense change with Quinn under center?
“It’s hard to say how much the Chiefs will change with Cassel out. Last week, Kansas City ran the ball 51 times and only threw 17 passes. They try to run ball regardless of who’s playing quarterback; that’s their strength.
“Quinn has had trouble seeing the whole field. That’s not his strength. He may be one of those guys who blooms later in his career. He wasn’t overly impressive in training camp or preseason, but that was a different situation than it is now.”
What makes running back Jamaal Charles so dominating?
“Jamaal has a lot of ability. He’s pretty much the entire package. He is generally a pretty patient runner, and waits for things to develop. He’s got good vision. Seldom do you see him head for the wrong hole. He is fast and hard to bring down one-on-one in the open field.”
Besides Cassel, are there any injury or depth concerns for the Chiefs?
“Glenn Dorsey, a starting defensive end, doesn’t look like he’s going to play. He has a bad calf. Peyton Hillis has a bad ankle, and he probably won’t be ready to play either. Cassel, Dorsey and Hillis are the main concerns.”
How do you expect Kansas City to attack and defend the Bucs on Sunday?
“They’re going to run the ball; that’s what they do. This year they have run more than almost any other team. That’s a weird stat for a team that’s behind in its games, but they don’t give up on the run. It’s part of their DNA.
“The defense has been up and down this year. They started off poorly, but have played well at times. The defense had a nice game against Baltimore last week. The thing that’s hard with the Chiefs is you don’t know what to trust besides the running game. It is possible that they figured out things defensively. They’re ok, not great, against the run, but seem to have figured out how to rush the quarterback after a slow start. This team is so up and do that it’s hard to know what to trust with them.”
What kind of game do you expect to see on Sunday?
“That’s hard to say. Both teams have a lot of good young players. Kansas City matches up well with Tampa Bay, but they can’t turn it over. If the Chiefs turn the ball over like they’ve been doing, they have no chance. They have 19 turnovers in 5 games. That’s been the one constant this year. They’re not good enough to overcome that many. If they can stop the flow of turnovers – and changing quarterbacks to Quinn might help because Cassel has been the cause of many of the turnovers – it could be a pretty close game. But if the Chiefs keep getting hammered with turnovers, it will be a long day for them.”
– Bob Levine contributed to this report
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October 13, 2012
9:11 am