Originally Posted by BossChief:
As a rookie with poor coaching, he flashed the ability to be a good player. He plays with similar style as Suggs and is built like him. But will never be as talented.
Once Speaks gets the techniques down, he’s going to be a good player. Daly seems to know exactly what he’s doing and had Speaks playing in front of KPass, Oakafor and Ogbah.
Speaks and the coaching staff will have to pick a position before he will do anything in this league. He is too large to play LB, and not really big, strong, and more importantly fast enough to play DE.
But thank goodness that Sutton is gone, because I got so damn sick of watching Speaks drop back in zone, or trying to cover a RB or TE. Let's hope Spags has already reviewed all the tape, and can find a way to use him effectively.
Originally Posted by :
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In his 17th season, Terrell Suggs made plenty of veteran moves Wednesday even before he stepped on the field for his first practice with the Chiefs.
Suggs, signed by Kansas City earlier this week, wanted to listen to his new coaches and teammates rather than talk often. He chose to not have a formal news conference. He let coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the rest of his teammates answer questions from reporters before he entered the locker room. Even in his short chat with a throng of reporters, Suggs said he enjoyed watching players such as defensive tackle Chris Jones and wide receiver Mecole Hardman play basketball.
Suggs never thought he would join the Chiefs when the Arizona Cardinals did him a favor in the twilight of his career by releasing him Friday. His initial desire was to rejoin the Baltimore Ravens, with whom he won a Super Bowl and starred for 16 seasons, and who are leading the AFC with a 12-2 record. The Chiefs, however, were awarded Suggs on a waiver claim.
Before Reid called him Monday, Suggs recognized the benefits of his new circumstances.
“Well, it’s hard to turn down the reigning MVP, a playoff team and just the exciting things that they’re doing in this atmosphere,” Suggs said of Mahomes and the Chiefs. “It was kind of hard to turn down. I was really uncertain about my future last week. I talked to Coach (Reid), and it was a brief conversation. I was like, ‘OK, let’s see.’”
Suggs, known for his No. 55 jersey with the Ravens, didn’t bother defensive end Frank Clark about wearing that number in red and gold. He picked No. 94, an inconspicuous number in Chiefs history.
“When he first got in the building, I was like, ‘Oh snap!’” defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi said. “I went ahead and introduced myself and welcomed him to the team.”
Suggs spent most of Wednesday studying the Chiefs’ defensive playbook and learning his new role, defensive end, from coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and defensive line assistant Brendan Daly. As an outside linebacker with the Cardinals, Suggs played 64 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in 13 games this season. He recorded 35 tackles, 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.
“Off of the tape, he still can play and he loves to play the game,” Reid said. “Arguably a future Hall of Famer, so we’re glad to have him here. I coached him before at the Pro Bowl and coached against him.
“He’s a meticulous studier. He’s very passionate about making sure he knows everything. He was digging in this morning and getting everything down.”
With just three practices to get a grasp of Spagnuolo’s system before the Chiefs face the Bears on Sunday, Suggs acknowledged he planned to play with his new teammates before the postseason begins in January.
“I think I can come in and contribute,” Suggs said. “This is the team that was a penalty away from the Super Bowl last year. You’re not really missing much, but hopefully I can add that extra addition that we can potentially do something special.”
When the week began, the Chiefs were in need of a veteran pass rusher. Alex Okafor, a seven-year veteran, tore his right pectoral muscle in the win Sunday over the Denver Broncos. The injury occurred when Okafor sacked quarterback Drew Lock and fell hard and awkwardly on his right shoulder. In 10 games, Okafor produced 22 tackles, five sacks and one forced fumble.
Okafor is the second defensive end to finish the season on injured reserve as Emmanuel Ogbah sustained the same injury in early November in a loss to the Tennessee Titans.
The New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks made claims for Suggs on waivers, but he was awarded to the Chiefs since they had the worst record among the three teams at 10-4. General manager Brett Veach discussed the opportunity for the Chiefs to acquire Suggs — and his $352,941 salary-cap number, according to Over the Cap — with Spagnuolo since the two worked together in Baltimore for two seasons.
“He’s fearless that way, and he’s trying to do what’s best for the team,” Reid said of Veach. “He made sure he checked with Steve, and Steve goes, ‘The guy loves football, and he’s a great teammate.’ That’s all Brett needed to hear.”
Mahomes was thrilled when he learned the Chiefs acquired Suggs. Mahomes also reflected upon the time he played against Suggs last season, when the Chiefs rallied in overtime to defeat the Ravens. Suggs hit Mahomes often, sharing a sack in the second half. Suggs also hit Mahomes on another play, preventing him from potentially throwing a 62-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson.
But the biggest play Mahomes remembers from that game occurred in the second quarter. Before the ball was snapped, Mahomes recognized, based on watching film, the Ravens were going to blitz from the right side. Mahomes audibled to a different play, one designed for a quick bubble screen to wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
Suggs made an adjustment, too, taking two steps to the perimeter to increase the width of what appeared to be his pass-rushing lane. When the play began, Suggs never rushed Mahomes, instead moving into Mahomes’ passing lane. Suggs almost had an came away with teh interception.
“I understand how tough of a matchup he is to play against,” Mahomes said. “Last year, you could tell by his film study of him knowing when I’m making checks (at the line of scrimmage).”
Suggs remembered the play, too.
“I like to think that with my mentors, I’ve had the highest education,” said Suggs, who learned from Hall of Famers such as Ray Lewis and Ed Reed during his time with the Ravens. “One thing I’ve always noticed is they were always writing stuff down and taking notes. When you can get the game to slow down for you, you can play a lot faster. You always want to give yourself an edge.”
The learning Suggs did Monday night was about the Chiefs. In speaking with Reid, Veach and Spagnuolo, Suggs heard about the Chiefs’ desire for him to a vital part in their pursuit of the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Suggs said the conversations made him feel wanted after the Cardinals (4-9-1) released him. Reid stressed to Suggs the Chiefs already had a locker room full of talented leaders that would make him feel comfortable. Suggs heard Reid’s words and responded with a sharp statement.
“A player like me,” Suggs said, “just don’t fit in anywhere.”
I tried to listen to the interview and jot down what I heard. I was almost done when I realized there was a much better audio version on the Star's website, so this probably isn't needed now. :-) But since I have it done, I'll throw it up here. Left out the "you knows" and "you know what I'm sayin's."
Originally Posted by :
Q: What made you want to be here after talking with coach and seeing the vision for this team?
A: Well, it's hard to turn down the reigning MVP and a playoff team. Just the exciting things that they're doing in this atmosphere. It was kind of hard to turn down. I was really uncertain about my future last week but when I talked to coach and just a brief conversation, I was like okay, okay, let's see.
Q: Was coach the only one you talked to?
A: I talked to coach. I talked to Spags. I talked to the GM. It was all really good. Really good conversation.
Q: What was your relationship like with Spags back in Baltimore?
A: Oh, it was really good. I always used to give him a hard time. He was the DBs coach. We was pretty knuckleheaded, hard-headed. So, it was always a good, fun atmosphere and it's good now I get to play for him as a- him being a DC.
Q: Two games of action this season and then the postseason. How much do you feel you can come in and contribute right off the bat?
A: I think I can come in and contribute right off the bat. This is a team that was what a penalty away from the Super Bowl last year, so you're not really missing much. Hopefully I can add that extra addition and we can kind of potentially do something special.
Q: Terrell, what did Andy and Spags and some of the others tell you that sort of made you feel like this was going to be the right place for you?
A: Well, you clearly see we got a 21 basketball game going on behind you so that's definitely my kind of atmosphere. I asked coach, I'm not- We just learned the hard way that you just can't- A player like me just don't fit in every- anywhere. And he was like- Andy, coach Reid, excuse me- he got on there and said trust me, he said you will fit in here. I took him at his word and it's been pretty, pretty exciting and been pretty fun since I got here.
Q: How much is different from- I know you have a familiarity with Spags, but how much is different from what you knew a few years ago when you look at the playbook now?
A: Well, of course, you always wanna get your football IQ higher and Spags is definitely a part- He's been a head coach, he's been a defensive coordinator before. I'm not sure there's any more he can learn. He's been doing a good job just evolving the defense, kind of evolving how players play and how to do certain calls, so that right there, that can help a guy in the seventeenth year.
Q: One of the things that Andy talked about was you're a meticulous note taker and you take this very seriously and Patrick, we just talked to him, and he said he remembered a play last year in the game here where he expected you to be somewhere else and you were where he didn't want you to be. Just talk about your study habits a little bit and how much you have to do that kind of stuff to stay in the game this long.
A: Well, I like to think that my mentors have had the highest of education and one thing I've always noted and they were always writing stuff down and taking notes and when you can get the game to slow down for you, you can play a lot faster. So, you always want to give yourself an edge. You want to help your team win and that's pretty much going to preparation and you don't want to lose games failing to prepare. So, you want to kind of be prepared for anything that comes your way. So, I've always took notes, watched sets of amount of films. It's just- It goes into the kind of player I am. I only know how to play one way.
Q: Looking at what you did in Arizona, in on over 73% of the snaps so far this season. At 37 years old, just what do you want fans to know about what you're bringing to this defense right now?
A: That I'm gonna play my heart out for you. It's going to be new for all of us, but it's going to be fun. You're getting a player that's going to leave it all out there.
Q: Do you expect to play Sunday?
A: I hope so. I'm planning on it.
I'm really looking forward to watching him play on Sunday. I'm actually excited to watch the defense destroy Trubisky's little burst of confidence. I think he's going to spend a lot of time on the ground.
Originally Posted by Talisman:
I tried to listen to the interview and jot down what I heard. I was almost done when I realized there was a much better audio version on the Star's website, so this probably isn't needed now. :-) But since I have it done, I'll throw it up here. Left out the "you knows" and "you know what I'm sayin's."
you missed the part where he said he wouldnt play against the ravens
