What will you be looking for when the Chiefs and Cardinals square off tonight in the preseason opener?
KCCD Editor: Jason Madson
Tonight is the night Chiefs fans have been looking forward to for months. It’s not a meaningful football game in the wins or losses sense, but there is so much that we can take from it. Although the starters won’t play more than a series or two, I want to see a few things from them. The rest of the game is where players will help or hurt their cause to make this team and order on the depth chart. To get ready for tonight’s game, head inside and check out a few things that I will be watching, based off my observations from Chiefs Training Camp.
Offense Gets On A Roll
At times in Training Camp, the offense has looked great. Matt Cassel has been accurate and made good decisions. Jamaal Charles looks like he hasn’t missed a snap. He’s running with speed and cutting without fear. The surprise of camp has been Jonathan Baldwin. He’s had an All-Pro first 2 weeks. The offensive line has been hot and cold, but with a couple new faces that’s expected. Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll has been a great addition to this team. He’s full of energy at camp and seems to be great at exploiting mismatches. All those ingredients mixed together should create a strong offense for the Chiefs.
Coming out of the gate, I want to see the Chiefs drive the ball down the field on the outmatched Arizona Cardinals defense. Having watched many of the joint drills on Tuesday, this should not be hard for the Chiefs first team offense. I really don’t care to see Jamaal get more than a carry and receive a ball, then get him out. Give me a deep ball to Jonathan Baldwin as well. I think we need to let him show off what he’s been doing in camp. As long as the offense gets points on the 2 or 3 series that the first team plays and I think this is a successful beginning to the 2012 season.
Dontari Poe Plays A Lot
How many snaps should Dontari Poe play?
The Chiefs first round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft has had a surprising good camp in his role. He’s taken to rushing the QB in passing situations when the Chiefs are in their sub packages. He collapses the pocket, and makes it look easy. When watching Poe during drills and in scrimmages, he’s always working technique. He is taking to the coaching of Anthony Pleasant, as advertised after the draft. This role is one he has down.
I’m wanting to see him get a ton of work in is the spot he was drafted for, nose tackle. He hasn’t quite figured out the position, but to his credit he continues to work on it. This spot has so many responsibilities that Chiefs fans, despite his high draft spot, shouldn’t expect much from Poe yet. If he shows a few flashes in each game this preseason and continues the growth and development going into the season, Poe could be a contributor by late in the 2012 season. This game is the first step to his progress.
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Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Chiefs Training Camp, Devon Wylie, Dontari Poe, Jamaal Charles
