To answer your first question, yes I am still very sick and trying everything I can to get myself healthy for the game tonight. However, due to the late start time and my inability to talk for more than 5 seconds without sneezing or hacking up a long, there will be no Post-game Podcast tonight.
Now, onto a matter of business before getting to Joel Thorman's answers to my Chiefs questions. Joel and I have a little wager on tonight's game, and you guys are involved. The wager is simple, whichever blogger represents the winning team gets to write a front-page post at the community of the losing team and say anything he wants. This means that if the Chargers blow this game, tomorrow Joel will be here to rub salt in all of our wounds. If the Chargers win.....well, let's just say I'll have some fun over at Arrowhead Pride.
Now, onto Joel's answers.
1. With the Chiefs focusing on building up the running game, are you concerned that this may be a one-dimensional team?
Kind of, yeah. If the opponent puts eight in the box and dares Matt Cassel to beat them, I think the Chiefs are in trouble. Cassel hasn't demonstrated that he can consistently make a defense pay for doing that. That said, I think the Chiefs running game can be successful regardless of what the defense does. They've got unique running backs that will present a challenge whether it's six or ten in the box.
2. Considering the Chargers' run defense in 2009 mainly consisted of getting big leads and forcing the opposing team to start throwing for big plays, do you think the Chiefs would continue to run the ball even if they were down by 2 or 3 TDs?
Last year against the Eagles the Chiefs got down big early and Todd Haley continued to run the ball. He said it was because they had to establish what kind of team they're going to be while others suggested it meant he quit in the second half. I think it means that Haley's going to want to run the ball as much as he can because that's where the Chiefs strengths are. Cassel and Co. will run some no-huddle offense and try to move the ball in the event they go get down big. But if the Chiefs are down 2-3 touchdowns, they're in big, big trouble.
3. Why is everyone convinced that Tamba Hali will be significantly better in 2010 than he was in 2009?
I don't think it's so much that he'll be significantly better but that he'll continue to be very good. Hali was near the top of the league in quarterback hurries last year. FootballOutsiders.com predicted that Hali would turn in a better season than Elvis Dumervil (before Dumervil's season-ending injury). Not many people have heard of him because he gets a lot of hurries and not a lot of sacks (8.5 last year) and he doesn't speak to the media so there's no feel good stories about him. This is only his second year in his position so I think he'll take another step and hopefully more people know about him.
4. Since there are more cases of coaches failing than succeeding after leaving Bill Belichick, is there any concern that Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel won't be as good as they were with New England?
You're talking head coaches not being good in other places but I do think people realize both coordinators aren't likely to be as good as they were in New England. That was a Super Bowl team and this is not so logically speaking I think we all know that. But these guys are being asked to stay in their specialty area -- offense for Weis and defense for Crennel -- so I think that gives them a better chance at success. They're not worried about all the other stuff that comes along with being a head coach.
5. What is the Chiefs biggest weakness?
Probably the run defense or getting to the quarterback. I think the Chiefs can run on the Chargers and that's a reason this game will be competitive all the way throughout. Whether they actually can or not, we'll see.
Thank you Joel, aka the hardest working man at SB Nation, for taking the time to answer my questions. Hopefully we don't see your writing around these parts again until Week 14.