The Chief in the North Podcast

The Chief in the North is back! It's time to begin the "Beyond the Arm" series, in which I discuss the traits Patrick Mahomes demonstrates that make me believe he'll succeed in 2018 that DON'T include arm strength. This episode focuses on eye level and pocket presence, two intertwined traits that separate decent quarterbacks from good ones. After that, I talk about the move to The Athletic, what we'll be doing there, and what prompted me to move from a place I love so much. It's an exciting time! Finally, of course, we close out with a ton of mailbag questions ranging from parental advice to whether I think the running back group will consist of Kareem Hunt and all the Williamses.   It's a good week to be a Chiefs fan. 

On the show:  2:20 - Steven Nelson film review from 2017, with some thoughts on the corner group as a whole; 7:20- What I would do in the draft if I were Brett Veach; 16:30 - Mailbag

Thanks to Jon Ledyard for chipping in to help explain the issues with box score analysis and how we can fight it.? On the show: 2:45- The war on box score analysis: edge rushers 7:26- What do you miss when you count sacks to judge edge rushers? 15:05- Why value above replacement matters 17:05- What you miss when you use tackles to gauge an edge rusher? 23:10- What are some stats people could use that are a better gauge than sacks and tackles? 28:58- What are some things you can look for while you watch a broadcast to analyze a player? 35:32-  Mailbag

On the show: 2:20- Why we're feeling good about the Chiefs' offense, with one exception. 4:50- Discussing offensive line film review and Bryan Witzmann's film. 13:50- Talking about the safety market and why I can't believe the Chiefs aren't snatching up guys for nickels on the dollar. 19:30- Super Mailbag.

Seth explores the potential spread offense for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018. He reviews Andy Reid's comments, paying special attention to Patrick Mahomes' only career start. Seth finishes the podcast off by opening up the mailbag.

On the show: Seth reviews LB Anthony Hitchens' film and discusses the current status of the defense and the lack of free agency moves. Seth then names some Chiefs' FA targets before closing with some mailbag questions.

Host Seth Keysor explores what he saw on the tape of new Chiefs WR Sammy Watkins.

Now that the "legal tampering period" has begun, Seth thought it was a good time to jump into a free agency discussion.

Episode 33 of The Chief in the North marks the beginning of a long-in-the-making project: discussing the dangers of box score analysis.  In part 1, I walk through the quarterback position and how the way so many fans view it is... limited at best. Using what amounts to fantasy football stats (yards and touchdowns) or even slightly more in-depth stats like completion percentage or quarterback rating is a wildly inaccurate way to gauge an individual quarterback. I discuss what you miss when you limit yourself to basic stats, what are some better stats to look at if you don't have time to review film, and a few things to watch for in the broadcast to gauge a quarterback. I receive help from Mark Schofield, the best quarterback analyst out there, as he lays out some great tips on properly analyzing quarterbacks.  If you listen to only one thing I ever create, this is it. 

Another emergency episode of the Chief in the North, this time to discuss the stunning trade of All Pro cornerback Marcus Peters, a move that floored an entire fanbase. I spend time talking about what little information has filtered out to me and why I believe the Chiefs decided to make such a... questionable move. This includes an oddity for me, rumors from the "inside." Using what I've heard and what others have heard, I try to piece together a sensible theory as to how this happened. After that, it's time to move on, and I discuss what the defense may look like next year and how Brett Veach may try to compensate for such a huge loss to the defense. 

In an emergency edition of the Chief in the North, I discuss one of my all-time favorite players no longer being part of the Chiefs. Derrick Johnson is an incredible player and has been part of my life for 13 years, since the day I screamed "YES" at my TV when the Chiefs drafted him. I break down what made DJ so unique as a player, the end of a Chiefs era that is unfolding before our eyes, and what I think the future holds for the Chiefs. 

In the latest Chief in the North I take on the daunting task of turning the Chiefs into a Super Bowl contender during the offseason. Fortunately, given the current talent on the roster that task isn't quite as daunting as you'd think. I discuss Reid's decision to hang on to Bob Sutton and how that affects my plans for this offseason. After that, I discuss why my primary focus is on the defense. Then it's time to get into the tough talk of salary cap savings and who needs to be cut, followed by a discussion on what Chiefs free agents should be retained. Finally, I close with a discussion as to how the Chiefs should approach defensive free agency: namely, aggressively, with multiple big signings. We close up with a few mailbag questions.

In the first ever emergency edition of the Chief in the North, I take on the biggest news since the Chiefs traded up for Patrick Mahomes: Alex Smith being dealt for a 3rd rounder and Kendall Fuller.  I spend some time discussing the details of the trade, then talk about Alex's legacy as a Chief and why I appreciate him.  After that, it's a deep dive into Kendall Fuller's film, which I found to be absolutely exceptional (to the point that I can't believe Washington was willing to trade him).  

In Episode 28 of the Chief in the North, I try and digest the unbelievable new way the Chiefs found to lose.  There's a lot to digest right now, but my focus starts off on the game in general and what it told us about the Chiefs. More importantly, what it did NOT tell us about the Chiefs. I focus on Andy Reid's playcalling to a large extent, given the huge number of incorrect narratives that are floating around about that loss. After that, it's an extensive discussion as to why it's time to move on from Alex and hand the reins over to Patrick Mahomes. I also discuss why I think the Eric Bieniemy hire may be a good one, and plan for the future.  

The football gods smiled upon Chiefs fans and got QBOTF Patrick Mahomes on the field for Chiefs fans to see. They even got to watch him attempt (and succeed at) a game-winning drive in the 4th quarter.  In this episode, I dive deep into Mahomes' film against the Broncos and explain how he impressed me even more than I'd hoped in the 3 areas that matter to me the most: accuracy, pocket presence and progressions). I also take on some false narratives that have sprung from that game. After that, I take Chiefs vs Titans, the various matchups involved, and why I feel like I'm playing with house money at this point. I close with a lot of great mailbag questions from you fine people. It's a great week to be a Chiefs fan!