Second-year nobody Tyler Thigpen licked his palms at the ten-yard line and extended his forearms into the warm San Diego air, preparing his hardcount in shotgun formation. Gonzalez was in motion yet again, Bradley staggerred back a yard or two off the line of scrimmage, and Bowe stood wide, motionless as he eyed Thigpen's cadence.
I was in my correct stance, too: jack-knifed over the television set, squeezing my fists so tight my knuckles exploded. The classic Sunday afternoon of a Chiefs fan. The intensity rarely relented over four thrilling quarters in Qualcomm Stadium.
It was in these final moments of the game, however, that presented the most dramatic departure of the past two seasons for Chiefs fans everywhere: Tyler Thigpen's emergence as a potential force in the NFL. Statistically, he has torched two decent-to-good defenses and one downright superior one. Competitively, he has kept all three of his most recent starts winnable.
But his immense field presense was the most dramatic change of pace for a squad that's endured, for three seasons, low-key, frail quarterbacks (Brodie Croyle), elderly, frail quarterbacks (Trent Green, Damon Huard), quarterbacks who aren't actually quarterbacks (Ingle Martin), and pure, downright incompetent quarterbacks (Tyler Thigpen against the Falcons). But above all, the Chiefs endured quarterbacks who have struggled to provide the feeling that Thigpen exuded against the Chargers this afternoon: that come hell or high water, he was the leader under center (kind of) who can will this team to succeed.
Now, to be clear, we didn't succeed. Not today. But Thigpen left no doubt that it was possible. He played today like he owned the place.
But hopes were only high amongst the most blindly patriotic that Croyle could ascend to QBotF status after six sorry losses in 2007. Few believed that Huard could make chicken salad out of YouKnowWhat when he took the reigns. Heck, few believed Green had a final run in him when he returned to lead this team in 2006.
Really, the last time a Chiefs fan felt this good about his starting quarterback... may be beyond my ability to remember. Huard inspired in his short run in 2006, but he was accepted as a stopgap. The last time Green was his splendid self was in the 2005 season, the last of his heyday, and that doesn't compare to the QBotF feelings Chiefs fans are starting to generate towards Thigpen. No, the best I can do is 2000, when it was clear we had wisely traded for Green, and that we'd reap the benefits for years.
Thigpen's performance of potential yesterday, boosted by the sure hands of Bradley, Bowe, and Gonzalez, was the potential stuff that potential dreams are potentially made of. His decision-making was uniformly superb. He made brilliant decisions with ball placement, pocket manuvering, and trusting his receivers to make a play. His arm is impressive. His unflappability was remarkable. His passion is obvious.
It's possible that defenses start to figure him out, that his hot streak fades, that he's not cut out for the under-center style of football that prevails in December.
But like this entire team, he's starting to get it and it shows. He is a one man distillation of what this team is growing capable of. And he's already commanding a completely new enthusiasm for Chiefs fans for Sundays to come.
0 recs | 12 comments
Almost a true believer
I feel like he can make the throws and he is making the correct reads from what I can tell. He is not forcing it, if it is not there, he just finds the open man and places it where it needs to be. I think as long as we don’t see a prolonged regression this year he should get the nod next season. And good lord if he somehow improves, hard to be better than a +100 QB rating, then we have found our QBoTF.
tevans96 - November 10, 2008
I love him.
Absolutely love him.
Each and every week, my expectations are growing and my thinking that this is merely a feel-good ride that will run out decreases.
I’m fine with cautious optimism, but it doesn’t make too much sense to give Croyle as much time as some (including me) were willing to give him (all of this year), when he never played a single game as well as Thigpen has played three weeks straight.
He has everything you want from a QB. Sure, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions just yet. But his lack of actually winning a ball game shouldn’t alter anyone’s opinion of him. The way he has played, he deserved to win at least one-or-two of those games.
We are still an awfully young team at all of the other positions, and they’ve been the reason, along with the coaching staff and officials, for losses. Not Bones. And leaving that statistic out there, he has been damn-near perfect these past three weeks.
I love him.
rockchalk - November 10, 2008
nice I know exactly how you feel!
great article! You did bring up a good point about how defenses could figure him out and that he might not be fit for an actual under-the-center qb in the nfl. It got me thinking that it is a possibility and lord knows that i hope this doesnt come true. But then again this is only his fourth start and chan gailey and herm never planned on him being the starting qb until the jets game. So im thinking they probably have just been kind of throwing together playbooks that work for him in a quick fashion. They are utilizing his mobility which is smart. So hopefully if he continues to play like this the rest of the season he will earn the perminant qb position going into next year and over the offseason and training camp chan and herm will train him to be a more complete quarterback. I don’t want to get my hopes up but i find myself not being able to help it!
KCLoyalty - November 10, 2008
Reminds me of Tom Brady
When Brady first took over starting in NE they played to his strenghts and limited the plays that he was not that great at. Over time he became more and more confident and they started working in plays that he could get better at over time. Eventually he was considered a all time great QB, and on top of that he had a better all around team he played for.
If the Chiefs will take the long slow approach with Thigpen that NE took with Brady, I think we will have very similar results. I don’t see a throw that Thigpen can’t make, so once he is comfortable under center and reading while dropping back then he will have no limits that I can see.
tevans96 - November 10, 2008
true
thats a good point. i hope we get similar results…wasnt brady a 7th rounder as well?
KCLoyalty - November 10, 2008
He was a 6th rounder
tevans96 - November 10, 2008
and Brady
didn’t play for Coastal Carolina
PVChiefsfan - November 10, 2008
He has shown the game isn't too big for him.
Something worth noting is that during this three game run, two have been on the road. I can’t wait to see him play this week against the Saints. There pass defense is not good and I am making the trip up from Florida for the game.
cmpotter - November 10, 2008
I'm Looking Forward To It Too
Although it’s not that the Saints are a terrible pass defense (they’re middle of the pack in the league) but they’re so inconsistent you’re never sure which will show up. Hopefully it will be the bad Saints next week.
UCrawford - November 10, 2008
The Saints are underachievers this year
I really hope the team that played against the Falcons shows up. I will be with Saints fans so it will make it that much better. They like to talk trash about the Chiefs. They usually shut up when I bring up that they didn’t get the first play off win until three years ago.
cmpotter - November 10, 2008
also Mike Mckenzie is out
He fractured his knee cap. He is the best corner that they have. That leaves Gay and Jason “burnt toast” David. I just hope we can take advantage of them.
cmpotter - November 10, 2008
son of beech
ouch…
PVChiefsfan - November 10, 2008
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