Road Warriors?

The Chiefs displayed another good road performance, beating the raiders 20-13. Be aware however, the Raiders are a poor team top to bottom, they have been in a permanent re-building mode for the past five years. Jamarcus Russell has turned into a complete bust and wide receiver acquisitions Javon Walker and Ashlie Lelie have been inconsistent at best. Rookie running back, Darren McFadden has been battling injuries all year, and his only good game was Week 2 against the chiefs. But a win on the road is a win on the road, and complaints seem empty after a win. Here's my take on the big players of this past week's games.

On Maurice Leggett...
You may not have heard of this Valdosta State product before this week, but this kid has been playing well since he was forced to play due to injuries to Patrick Surtain and Brandon Flowers. He has now earned starting rights at the nickel (the third corner), and will most likely be here next year. With rookies Brandon Carr, Brandon Flowers, and Maurice Leggett suring up the defensive back position, it's one less thing to worry about in the draft.

On Tyler Thigen...
Thigpen has done something Brodie Croyle never did as a starter, win a game. Thigpen did not have a touchdown pass for the first time in his seven starts, but did complete several third & long passes to lengthen drives and put LJ in position to score his fourth rushing TD of the year.

On Herm Edwards…
Unfortunately Herm will probably be here for another year after this win. This is more instinct talking, but I get the feeling Clark Hunt (owner of the Chiefs) will not let Herm go. Herm managed the clock horribly when closing the half. They seemed to not be able to decide whether they wanted to run out the clock or get into position for a score to end the half. They ended up punting. He managed to keep this game close, when we had the ability to turn it into a blowout consider how poor the Raiders played. Fire Herm or not, we’ll be in for a ride this next season and the rest of this season.

On Tony Gonzalez…
Tony had another good week, and helped Thigpen to complete crucial third down conversions. Keep your fingers crossed that he stays in KC next year, because when Thigpen gets in trouble he throws the ball to Tony. We’re going to need him.

On the hard hits…
A punishing defense is what Gunther Cunningham (Chiefs Defensive Coordinator) is known for, and he proved they he can turn things around. With Derrick Johnson, Brandon Flowers, and Bernard Pollard all make bone-jarring hits, Gunther saved his job. If he can continue to get turnovers, pressure on the quarterback, and hard hits out of his defense, he’ll be around for a while.

On a couple of kids from this upcoming draft…
James Laurinaitis ILB (Ohio State)
This kid would fill a much needed hole in the middle of the field, and brings more discipline then USC middle linebacker, Rey Maualuga. He displays good instincts, and a great ability to tackle. He is a playmaker and has never been prone to injury.

Chase Coffman TE (Missouri)
This 6’6”, 245 pound athlete can plain play football. If Tony G. is bound for a contender (like the Giants or Packers), this second-coming of Kellen Winslow can be the next Missouri TE to be the best in the AFC west. Good hands, good vision, and great athleticism makes this guy a NFL pro that can make an impact right away. The only downside is his inability to show proper pass and run blocking technique. He also has been injured this year, but has never shone the tendency to be injury prone.

Duke Robinison OG (Oklahoma)
This gigantic interior lineman has tremendous power and quickness off the snap. He could potentially sure up a weakness in the right side of the offensive line. He has good technique, but has some footwork problems. We’ll see how good he does against Ziggy Hood this Saturday at the Big 12 championship game.

Good football watching everyone, Go Mizzou and Go Chiefs!