The pieces have all fallen into place for Dwayne Bowe this season, and we’re seeing the results.
There are plenty of reasons why Bowe has 14 touchdown receptions. By and large, he’s benefactor of the league’s best rushing attack, a coach who has a proven track record with receivers and an improved quarterback in Matt Cassel.
It’s no secret the Chiefs have the league’s best rushing attack. They’re the current version of the New York Jets from last season.
Defending the Chiefs is really about picking your poison. Do you load up to stop the running game, like the Seahawks did last week, or leave a player back and double-team Bowe? The Seahawks didn’t, and when you leave Bowe in man-to-man coverage with a single high safety that can’t help out, he’ll kill you. Bowe is facing defenses that are geared to stop the run, and he’s winning his one-on-one battles. He had a monster game last week, and every week he’s seeing a team that’s undecided on how to pick their strategy against the Chiefs.
Bowe could easily have more than 20 touchdowns this season if the Chiefs continue to run the ball the way they have.
Another of the main reasons Bowe has put it all together is Todd Haley‘s influence the last two seasons. Haley entered the league as a wide receiver coach under Bill Parcells, and he’s proven himself everywhere he’s been: Dallas, Chicago and Arizona. He’s a very demanding coach on receivers, and he makes guys better.
Haley has delegated many of his responsibilities to his coordinators, allowing him to oversee the entire game. If you watch Haley before games, he spends all of his time with Cassell and the receivers going over routes, throws and situations. He’s right in the middle of them, coaching them up.
Very quietly, Charlie Weis has done a great job in getting Cassel to understand what type of routes Bowe will run, where he’ll be, and the timing of those routes. Bowe has never been able to put it all together, but I also don’t think he’s ever had a very disciplined quarterback while the Chiefs have juggled multiple starters.
Now that Bowe is healthy, the Chiefs have settled on Cassell, they have a staff that really knows football and a head coach who specializes in receivers — plus leaders on both sides of the ball — it all makes sense.
The Chiefs are putting it all together offensively, and Bowe probably will get a Pro Bowl out of it.
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