Quote:
Originally Posted by RunKC
Hate this argument.
Without Eric Fisher’s excellent block on Bosa, Wasp never happens. Without Sammy’s excellent route on Sherman, that big gain never happens. Without Matheiu’s excellent tackle in the first drive, Deebo Samuel gets a TD (he actually had 2 TD saving tackles). Without Breeland’s awesome play beating Kittle’s block for a big TFL, SF gets a 1st down and maybe gets a TD instead of a FG. I didn’t even mention Damien Williams either.
So many examples here. It’s a team game. So many guys played a big part.
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Sure.
Which is why the idea that a losing a 'mere defensive tackle' falls apart upon any reasonable scrutiny. We have a guy who does his job better than all but ONE defensive tackle in football and in the process of doing that job he made at least 3 crucial individual plays. Without those plays, we don't win a championship.
And because of his overall excellence, it's fair to presume that his replacement would not have made those plays or enough other excellent individual plays to offset them.
Khalen Saunders isn't going to make those plays. Nor is he going to be able to make the impact on the other snaps of the game to overcome the fact that he's a less dynamic player than Jones. Had Jones gone out on the first snap of that game - we lose.
I recognize that doesn't close the book on whether or not keeping Jones is feasible, but the idea that the team is a Super Bowl champion with or without him is just folly. Without him, and with his replacement taking his snaps, the 2019 Chiefs aren't NFL champions.