You know what they say about winning curing everything….

Most fans aren’t happy with LJ due in part to the “incidents” to which you’re referring and the fact that he’s the highest paid offensive player on an offense that has been largely underwhelming in 2008 as a whole.

No, you shouldn’t envy our situation. We went backwards and signed the running back before squaring around the line.

Because they’re legit. But it’s always nice to beat the Raiders (haven’t lost at McAfee since 2002).

I liked our chances better with Croyle in there to be honest, Thigpen has really stepped up.

Our?

I think we will win it so long as we play like we did against the Jets and not like we did against the Raiders.

We?

Are you sure you’re being “forced” to watch? :)

Really, it doesn’t matter if Croyle performed like Peyton Manning or himself. He couldn’t stay healthy and never demonstrated the ability to complete passes. His college stats weren’t overly impressive so his past performance doesn’t indicate that he’ll improve anytime soon (especially with the injury history part).

As for playing the Jets vs. the Raiders….what’s the biggest difference between those two games? Croyle/Huard/Thigpen in the first Raiders game and just Thigpen in the Jets game.

Who decides what games get shown in my area?
The networks, with some guidance from the NFL. The league sets “primary markets” and “secondary markets” for most teams, and those markets are required to show all road games involving the “local” team. Primary markets are required to air home games too, unless they don’t sell out. The “primary market” is the market in which the team is physically located (i.e. Boston for the Patriots). The “secondary markets” are adjoining markets assigned at the discretion of the league (again using the Patriots example, Providence). Secondary markets are not required to air home games, and if there’s another team nearby, they don’t. Not all markets are designated by one team or another as a secondary market (in fact, most aren’t), usually only the ones closest to the stadium — the ones that would be blacked out if not a sellout. Other markets can air one team’s games more often than not, but that rule isn’t set in stone. Some stats about airing patterns: 2005, 2006.

Harrisburg PA is a good example. Because Baltimore is the closest team, the NFL has designated it a Ravens secondary market. However, the stations there have noticed there are more Steelers fans. So the CBS affiliate there, despite having to air Ravens road games in case of a Steelers conflict (and enduring the wrath of the local fans every time it happens), they do air the Steelers whenever the Ravens play at home.

Outside of these primary and secondary markets, and even in them if the local team isn’t playing, the network is the sole arbiter of what game gets shown where, but usually after taking input from the local affiliates. Affiliates can request a particular game be shown to their market, and the network will (usually) agree unless it runs against the secondary market rules. The CBS affiliate in Orlando in 2005, after several desperate attempts, couldn’t show a Dolphins-Buccaneers game because, for some reason, the NFL said Orlando is a Jaguars market.

As I said earlier, stations in the 32 team markets are not allowed to air a game if the other network has a local team’s home game at the same time. Instead, they have to air one in the other timeslot. The rule does not specifically apply if the local team is on the road, but that’s on the doubleheader network, the singleheader network usually airs a game in the opposite timeslot. This is usually how those Raiders-Texans duds end up on the air in Cleveland.

Personally I’m not sure Thigpen is the answer. I’m a Bronco fan though, so that doesn’t mean as much. I definitely think that the Cheifs need to draft a QB or try to pick up a decent one in the off season through trade or FA.

as the long term starter yet. I think he’s definitely earned a spot to compete for the starter next year.

A lot of it depends on how he ends this season.

If he isn’t producing a competitive team by then, he needs to go. Carl Peterson is under contract for two more years I believe. He’ll leave the GM spot after that but stay affiliated with the Chiefs.

I would think he needs to show something next year if he is going to stick around. I like KC giving him an opportunity (multiple years to right the ship), but so far they haven’t made much progress.

Branden Albert…turning out to be an excellent pick as a LT in the first round.
Brandon Flowers…CB who is playing excellent in the cover 2 (early 2nd round).
Jamaal Charles….complementary back who looks good so far. Super fast (3rd round)
Brandon Carr…5th round CB out of a D-II school. Already starting.

all of our rookies are unhurt at the moment, which is definitely the first time we can say that this year. With that said, primetime picked out every draft pick that I would have. I would, however, like to add in a couple of undrafted rookies – Dantrell Savage and Maurice Leggett. I think Savage was doing a better job on returns than anyone else, but the coaches seem to see something in Kevin Robinson (whatever that may be – he hasn’t yet shown it in a game). Savage also offered more to the offense, as he’s a good runner and receiver. Robinson (another rookie) only does returns. Leggett may be a good fit at nickel corner, which would be simply amazing – has any other team ever found its top 3 corners as rookies in the same year?

Eh…uniforms are uniforms. At least we’ve kept a nearly identical logo on the side of the helmets for all these years.

the uniforms. I see no real reason to change them.

which they just may…

This is just my opinion (and you’ll find plenty others at AP) but a DE is the only position that warrants the top 5 pick we’re looking at. LT…already have one. QB…Thigpen’s “emergence” may have allowed us to wait a bit (2nd-4th) on that front. We desperately need a RT but that doesn’t warrant a top 10 pick.

So, my pick is DE because it’s quickly becoming the 2nd most important position on the field sans QB.

if we don’t/can’t trade down, should be either DE or MLB. No other team need comes close to these two. And, like primetime, I’m leaning more toward DE because we’ve been able to provide absolutely no pass rush whatsoever – just in case you hadn’t noticed (but you should have by now; it’s mentioned every time the Chiefs come up in the media anymore) we’re on pace to set a new record low for sacks in a season.

Wow, that was a long sentence. Anyway, we need a rush DE.

When will we legitimately compete for a playoff spot? Hopefully 2009 but maybe more realistically 2010 assuming the QB situation works out in our favor (Thigpen, FA, draft pick or whoever).

If Thigpen continues to play well, then this rebuilding process will be much easier from here on out. We still have major issues on defense, basically all over sans the secondary. Defensive line has two 1sts, a 2nd and a 3rd invested into it in the last 3 years and has played miserably….so, basically what I’m saying is that I have no freakin’ clue!

no pass rush to speak of whatsoever. For a while, it looked like we could blame that on injuries, but not anymore – McBride is not a rushing DE, and Hali seems to only rush well when he’s got a better pass rusher on the other end of the line. In other words, he’s not the guy you want as your premier rush DE.

Secondly, injuries and lack of talent at LB. Johnson has been in and out all year, Edwards is 35, Harris is gone, Thomas is hurt, Williams (like Johnson) isn’t playing up to his potential, and we’ve been manning the position with backups and their backups all season. More talent is desperately needed here, especially at MLB. If we could get a stud MLB (Malauga or Laurinitis) and get Willams & Johnson to play like they should be playing, the LB corps would be awesome.

Really, the only spot where we have no real problems on defense is at CB, where our three rookies (Flowers, Carr and Leggett) are playing well and improving fast. Safety is slightly concerning, since Pollard and Page like to try for the big hit on a ball-carrier instead of wrapping up and making the tackle. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

We really don’t have an identity. Our defense was ranked in the top half of the league last year so many expected that unit to improve even more. We were wrong.

Our offense was expected to be awful this season. And we were for the first half of the year but they’re improving very quickly and actually putting points on the board.

So, basically…your guess is as good as mine. I’ve stopped trying to figure this team out.