via NFL.com

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One player we haven't mentioned this week is Bills RB Marshawn Lynch, the second-year player from Cal. Lynch will face the Chiefs' 31st ranked defense (Did you hear that? We're not last anymore!) after rushing for 119 yards and catching 10 passes for 58 yards last week against the Browns. A solid day if I do say so myself.

That was the first 100-yard rushing day for Lynch this year and only the fourth of his career. He rushed the ball 23 times last week, after combining for 23 rushes the two weeks previous to that. When you check out the Bills stats this season, Weeks 9 and 10 exhibit terrible stats almost across the board. Lynch's stats and touches appear to be suffering right along with the rest of the Bills during their four game losing streak.

Why should the Chiefs expect a larger than regular dose of Marshawn Lynch on Sunday?

Well, for one, we're terrible against the run and everyone knows it. In fact, Gunther Cunningham is gloating at this moment, to anyone who will listen, about how in Weeks 9 and 10 the Chiefs didn't give up 100 yards on the ground. They're the only bright spots in the entire season for our run defense.

Also, we added Turk McBride, another starter, to the injured reserve list this week. Little known fact: Gunther Cunningham doubles as a triage nurse on game days, deciding which players are injured the worst.

The sad part about this weekend's defensive play is that even if we shut out the Bills, you still can't point to the game and say, "See? We're getting better." Because we're not. This defensive line is completely broken and I'm of the opinion that Glenn Dorsey may be the only one we should keep around after next year, based on potential alone.

I'm almost wishing for Marshawn Lynch to run over our defense, just so there's more evidence for its dismantling.

***

Here are some links for you this morning.

• One of my favorite Thigpen headlines: Chiefs’ Thigpen is packing heat in the shotgun.
• The Bills are hurting too: Bills’ secondary will be short-handed for Chiefs.
• Tyler Thigpen Q&A: "I think the biggest thing for our offense is just identifying what they’re going to try to run, whether they’re going to try to run man."
• Anyone think that Gunther Cunningham acts so tough to mask his now obvious short comings as a coordinator?
• Tony Gonzalez will play on Sunday and Dantrell Savage is on the practice squad now.

Poll

How many rushing yards will the Chiefs give up this weekend?

• Less than 100
• 100-125
• 125-150
• More than 150

  122 votes | Results

Primetime: "Nice, two throw away posts in a row." Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the sarcasm Primetime. I'm finally coming out of a hectic month at work and will be able to settle in before and after to write good stuff without having my mind obsess over what's happening at the office. Keep up the amazing job you guys do in the FanPost and FanShots.

Here's what little bit Herm had to say today about this weekend's game.

On Bills QB Trent Edwards...

They’ve got the perfect coach: Coach Jauron. I know Dick and he’s very patient and he understands that when you start a young quarterback like that there are going to be some growing pains. (Edwards) won five games for them out of the gate. He was hot and now he’s struggling a bit. We’ll find out more about him in how he reacts in the next six (games). But when you start young guys they have a tendency to have some games you wish they wouldn’t have. But that’s part of it.

On the Bills recent woes...

Those things, but they’re still in every game for the most part, kind of like us. In the fourth quarter they don’t make a play or two to find a way to seal it. Before that they were making those plays and weren’t turning the ball over as much.

Quick notes

• Tamba Hali will play this week
• Tony Gonzalez is "moving around pretty good."
• Did not practice today: Donnie Edwards and Adrian Jones
• Limited: Jarrad Page, Pat Surtain, Pat Thomas and Mark Bradley
• Full participation: Tony Gonzalez, Derrick Johnson, Brandon Flowers and Tamba Hali

This clip, courtesy of C.E. Wendler over at Warpaint Illustrated, is a fantastic example of what missing four games can do to you as a player. You want to yell at the screen and point out that huge gap on the left side of the line. Keep an eye out for plays like this during this weekend's game.

I didn't plan on it but it's been a Larry Johnson day here at AP. We'll mix it up with another post later tonight.

via NFL.com

Larry Johnson returned to the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend after missing four games. He was given 19 carries and ran the ball for 67 yards. He showed a few flashes of the "old" Larry Johnson but his performance was, for the most part, underwhelming.

If the Chiefs stick with the spread offense, what will Larry Johnson's role in that offense be?

Contrary to what your initial thoughts about the spread may be, there is room for a substantial running game within this offense. Maybe not 30+ carries a game but getting the ball to running backs 20+ times a game is a definite possibility. The Chiefs have rushed the ball 20, 36, 18, and 24 times the last four games. Keep in mind that 15 of those carries have been by QB Tyler Thigpen.

Every NFL offense needs a running game, no matter how well you pass the ball. You can make the argument that an effective running back in a spread offense has the potential to be exponentially better than what was originally planned for.

So, Larry Johnson can hypothetically get enough carries to be effective and keep him happy.

The next question involves Larry's running style, which requires more help from the offensive line and blockers than say Jamaal Charles' style or Kolby Smith's style.

This is where Larry Johnson doesn't appear to fit in the Chiefs' current offense. The spread offense, literally spreading players across the field, isn't conducive to allocating a lot of man power to aid the running game. And that's what Larry needs.

A great example of the difference between Larry Johnson and the Chiefs' other backs happened last weekend. A few minutes into the 4th quarter against the Saints, the Chiefs faced a 3rd and 10. Thigpen lined up in the shotgun, hiked the ball, shuffled his feet and quickly handed the ball to Jamaal Charles. Charles burned the Saints defense to the outside of the left hash marks and scampered 12 yards for a first down.

An effective running play, that would likely never be called for Larry Johnson.

If the Chiefs continue to use the spread offense in the future, a north-south, power runner like Larry Johnson is a liability. We won't be able to block appropriately for him and he's not exactly Priest Holmes coming out of the backfield to catch a pass. If he had better pass catching ability, then sure, he fits much better in this offense. You can put him in motion, in the slot, whatever Chan Gailey can think of.

Larry gets criticized for his pass blocking quite a bit and the running back's pass blocking skills are even more important in the spread offense. Larry needs to be able to line up next to Tyler Thigpen and block the appropriate player. Otherwise, the Chiefs will get sacked and drives will be killed. There can be no equivocation on this requirement of the running back. They must pass block very well.

The thing is Larry Johnson is a great running back in a system that is centered around him. His problem is that he's not adaptable to other styles of play. It's not that he's a bad player - just not versatile enough to change with Chan Gailey's offense. This post is less a criticism of LJ's potential and more about pointing how he's a square peg in a round hole.

The funny thing about this post is that Larry Johnson has the remaining six games of the season to prove me wrong. To prove all of us wrong about him. Maybe his pass blocking becomes fantastic. Maybe Chan Gailey comes up another offensive wrinkle that maximizes Larry's abilities in the spread offense. Maybe he becomes a respected player again.

The next six games will determine Larry Johnson's entire future with the Kansas City Chiefs. If he plays well within this offense, maybe there is a place for him on this team. Or maybe that strong play increases his trade value. Or maybe he plays poor enough that we cut our ties and forget about him.

Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.

If the Chiefs stick with Tyler Thigpen and take the spread offense into 2009, the Chiefs will have essentially chosen Tyler Thigpen over Larry Johnson.

To Carl Peterson and others- that's how you do it. Quarterback first, everything else second. Don't cater your offense to Larry Johnson. Cater to your starting quarterback.

Poll

Will Larry Johnson be a Chief next year?

• Yes
• No

  384 votes | Results

I...I...no words...H/T Chiefs Planet

• Kent Babb's been busy as he pens this article about Chiefs fans avoiding going to Arrowhead Stadium for the games.
  
  Question for this morning: Is attendance at the stadium, especially in a poor economy, the best gauge of fan interest? I'd put more stock in television ratings.


• Looks like the Bills are currently 3 point favorites over the Chiefs this weekend.


• Chiefs injury notes: Not working at all were receiver Mark Bradley (calf), tight end Tony Gonzalez (knee), linebacker Donnie Edwards (hamstring) and guard Adrian Jones (ankle). Working limited were defensive end Tamba Hali (ankle), safety Jarrad Page (groin) and linebacker Pat Thomas (thigh).


• Bills LB Kawika Mitchell returns to Kansas City this weekend and if came back to the Chiefs, he would easily be the best linebacker on the team.


• Some of The Star columnists- Jason Whitlock and Adam Teicher - have been going back and forth about whether the Chiefs need to pursue a QB or a DE in the first round of the '09 draft. Kent Babb says it should be neither. He wants a middle linebacker. It's really pretty cool how much debate we're getting out of those guys and it makes the conversation that much better.


• Kansas City Chiefs Draft Report II: The Trade Down for Maualuga.

Enjoy the links. I'll be back in a bit, talking about Larry Johnson's future role with the Chiefs.

Poll

Do you prefer to make fun of the Rams or AFC West opponents?

• Rams
• AFC West

  148 votes | Results