Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Offense Through 5 Games:
QB Palmer---seems to be laboring and forcing the issue---needs to settle down and play the percentages.
QB Stanton---hopefully an improved second half versus 49ers will boost his confidence
RB Johnson---carrying the offense---can he hold up week after week?
RB Ellington---a bust on STs, still shows flashes at RB, but can he hold up with increased roll?
RB Taylor---ran hard versus 49ers, has not stood out on STs
TE Fells---team missed him this past week---best TE on roster
TE Gresham---generally speaking he's been a huge disappointment, but did rally up versus 49ers
TE Momah---made the STs cover team play of the year thus far, needs to emerge in the offense
TE Valles---made immediate rookie mistakes, doesn't quite seem ready
LT Veldheer---starting to return to old form, carrying less weight helps
LG Iupati---seems like every time he cuts it loose, he gets injured---out 2-4 weeks with ligament tear
LG Wetzel---stepped up big-time filling in for Iupati
C Shipley---high in effort, but up and down in performance
C Boehm---will he get his shot?
RG Watford---wildly inconsistent, but coming off best game versus 49ers
RG Toner---may get some action soon coming off good pre-season
RT Humphries---has been inconsistent, but is showing talent and promise
WR Fitzgerald---just keeps turning heads
WR Floyd---losing favor with coaches, must show a willingness to catch balls over the middle
WR John Brown---is starting to look like the John Brown of old, needs to adapt better to the deep passes
WR Jaron Brown---high effort player who produces in the clutch
WR Nelson---looks like he's getting healthy at a very good time
WR Golden---no question he adds tenacity to the STs, but can't have PF penalties
IR:
RB Chris Johnson---was having a very good game versus Rams---this is a big loss for him and the team
TE Niklas---was not getting it done and now another injury
RG Mathis---really tried his best and played through pain, but has been fighting injuries for months
Defense Through 5 games
DE Campbell---big game versus 49ers was needed after so-so start (good versus run, not versus pass)
NT Peters---has come up big in goal-line situations---otherwise, has not been a consistent factor
DE Rucker---battling injuries again---just like Iupati just when he is cutting it loose, he gets injured
DE Gunter---not holding up at the point of attack and not providing pass rush
DE Mauro---good start but has tailed off due to injury
DE Stinson---injured now, but wasn't producing anyway
DE X. Williams---getting close as run stuffer, but not finishing
DE Nkemdiche---injured and not in favor with coaches
DE Pierre---has some pass rush ability, but remains inactive each week
LB Bucannon---starting to heat up after very slow start
LB Minter---has blitzed well, but has not been as steady a tackler as the team needs
LB G. Martin---has been solid on STs
OLB Golden---might be defensive MVP thus far for his tenacious pass rush---but, loses contain too much on options, bootlegs and reverses
OLB Jones---starting to impose himself in pass rush now that he has been moved around, loses contain and doesn't defend the run as well as he should---he's out of position as an OLB
OLB Okafor---had best game versus 49ers---looks like a good addition to the new 4 man rush (Golden, Okafor, Campbell and Jones)---showed this week he can finish off tackles
OLB K. Martin---just returning from knee rehab
CB Peterson---has been superb in coverage (the holding call versus Austin hurt, as did the fair catch on the 5 yard line)
CB Cooper---who would have thought he would have 3 interceptions in 4 games? Has made some mistakes, but has played good, close coverage and has shown an ability to tackle when he sets his mind to it
CB Williams---lost job to Cooper and had stronger second half versus pats after rough first half.
CB Bethel---has only has one good game and is only playing STs
CB Simon---could be seeing more of him in sub packages in weeks ahead
SS Jefferson---another MVP candidate to date---leads team in tackles, but is not a good FS in coverage, needs to stay at SS
SS/CB Mathieu---was out of position playing FS and looks motivated to return to form as nickel CB
FS Swearinger---runs the alley in a flash and tackles well---but is not a good deep cover FS
IR:
LB Fua---just never got on track this year due to injuries and loss of speed
CB Jenkins---was a tough blow because he was looking solid in camp
FS/CB Branch---was playing super hard, but not quite as fast as he was in KC last year
Waived:
FS Christian---no reasonable explanation has been given yet, especially for keeping an injured, ineffective punter and holder another week
Special Teams Through 5 Games:
K Catanzaro---has been very good and has extended his range to 60 yards
LS Brewer---only one off-target snap on XPT (to the right of holder), otherwise very good
P Quigley---has been an upgrade as punter and holder
IR:
P Butler---high effort guy, good team guy, inconsistent performer
Waived:
LS Canaday---got the yips which is not uncommon for rookies, especially ones from small schools
Current Needs:
Offense:
RB---a tough runner behind David Johnson who can pound the ball 3-5 times in a row when needed. How about Elijhaa Penny?
TE---a solid veteran like Jim Dray could help if Valles isn't quite ready.
Defense:
DE---hopefully Rucker will get back to full strength, but the drop off after him has been steep.
FS---the team needs a deep cover FS for nickel and dime packages---it is a glaring weakness.
QB Palmer---seems to be laboring and forcing the issue---needs to settle down and play the percentages.
QB Stanton---hopefully an improved second half versus 49ers will boost his confidence
RB Johnson---carrying the offense---can he hold up week after week?
RB Ellington---a bust on STs, still shows flashes at RB, but can he hold up with increased roll?
RB Taylor---ran hard versus 49ers, has not stood out on STs
TE Fells---team missed him this past week---best TE on roster
TE Gresham---generally speaking he's been a huge disappointment, but did rally up versus 49ers
TE Momah---made the STs cover team play of the year thus far, needs to emerge in the offense
TE Valles---made immediate rookie mistakes, doesn't quite seem ready
LT Veldheer---starting to return to old form, carrying less weight helps
LG Iupati---seems like every time he cuts it loose, he gets injured---out 2-4 weeks with ligament tear
LG Wetzel---stepped up big-time filling in for Iupati
C Shipley---high in effort, but up and down in performance
C Boehm---will he get his shot?
RG Watford---wildly inconsistent, but coming off best game versus 49ers
RG Toner---may get some action soon coming off good pre-season
RT Humphries---has been inconsistent, but is showing talent and promise
WR Fitzgerald---just keeps turning heads
WR Floyd---losing favor with coaches, must show a willingness to catch balls over the middle
WR John Brown---is starting to look like the John Brown of old, needs to adapt better to the deep passes
WR Jaron Brown---high effort player who produces in the clutch
WR Nelson---looks like he's getting healthy at a very good time
WR Golden---no question he adds tenacity to the STs, but can't have PF penalties
IR:
RB Chris Johnson---was having a very good game versus Rams---this is a big loss for him and the team
TE Niklas---was not getting it done and now another injury
RG Mathis---really tried his best and played through pain, but has been fighting injuries for months
Defense Through 5 games
DE Campbell---big game versus 49ers was needed after so-so start (good versus run, not versus pass)
NT Peters---has come up big in goal-line situations---otherwise, has not been a consistent factor
DE Rucker---battling injuries again---just like Iupati just when he is cutting it loose, he gets injured
DE Gunter---not holding up at the point of attack and not providing pass rush
DE Mauro---good start but has tailed off due to injury
DE Stinson---injured now, but wasn't producing anyway
DE X. Williams---getting close as run stuffer, but not finishing
DE Nkemdiche---injured and not in favor with coaches
DE Pierre---has some pass rush ability, but remains inactive each week
LB Bucannon---starting to heat up after very slow start
LB Minter---has blitzed well, but has not been as steady a tackler as the team needs
LB G. Martin---has been solid on STs
OLB Golden---might be defensive MVP thus far for his tenacious pass rush---but, loses contain too much on options, bootlegs and reverses
OLB Jones---starting to impose himself in pass rush now that he has been moved around, loses contain and doesn't defend the run as well as he should---he's out of position as an OLB
OLB Okafor---had best game versus 49ers---looks like a good addition to the new 4 man rush (Golden, Okafor, Campbell and Jones)---showed this week he can finish off tackles
OLB K. Martin---just returning from knee rehab
CB Peterson---has been superb in coverage (the holding call versus Austin hurt, as did the fair catch on the 5 yard line)
CB Cooper---who would have thought he would have 3 interceptions in 4 games? Has made some mistakes, but has played good, close coverage and has shown an ability to tackle when he sets his mind to it
CB Williams---lost job to Cooper and had stronger second half versus pats after rough first half.
CB Bethel---has only has one good game and is only playing STs
CB Simon---could be seeing more of him in sub packages in weeks ahead
SS Jefferson---another MVP candidate to date---leads team in tackles, but is not a good FS in coverage, needs to stay at SS
SS/CB Mathieu---was out of position playing FS and looks motivated to return to form as nickel CB
FS Swearinger---runs the alley in a flash and tackles well---but is not a good deep cover FS
IR:
LB Fua---just never got on track this year due to injuries and loss of speed
CB Jenkins---was a tough blow because he was looking solid in camp
FS/CB Branch---was playing super hard, but not quite as fast as he was in KC last year
Waived:
FS Christian---no reasonable explanation has been given yet, especially for keeping an injured, ineffective punter and holder another week
Special Teams Through 5 Games:
K Catanzaro---has been very good and has extended his range to 60 yards
LS Brewer---only one off-target snap on XPT (to the right of holder), otherwise very good
P Quigley---has been an upgrade as punter and holder
IR:
P Butler---high effort guy, good team guy, inconsistent performer
Waived:
LS Canaday---got the yips which is not uncommon for rookies, especially ones from small schools
Current Needs:
Offense:
RB---a tough runner behind David Johnson who can pound the ball 3-5 times in a row when needed. How about Elijhaa Penny?
TE---a solid veteran like Jim Dray could help if Valles isn't quite ready.
Defense:
DE---hopefully Rucker will get back to full strength, but the drop off after him has been steep.
FS---the team needs a deep cover FS for nickel and dime packages---it is a glaring weakness.
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