Herm defends run run pass punt

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http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chi...ry/368858.html

Edwards defends conservative approach to offense

Given any other team’s offensive players, Herm Edwards might have tried harder to match Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts point for point.

Edwards is instead coaching the Chiefs, who are doing nothing consistently well when they’ve had the ball. That being the case, Edwards defended his decisions in Sunday’s 13-10 loss, saying the considerable offensive shortcomings leave him no realistic choice but to be what most fans consider ultra-conservative.

“There’s no room for error for us,” Edwards said Monday. “We have more three-and-outs than anybody in football. We have more negative plays than anybody in football. It’s hard playing that way. You put a lot of strain on the defense. So you’re trying to protect them, too. You don’t want your defense out there the whole game.

“Do I want to play that way? Heck, no. But we have to play that way. I’m trying to play the best way for the Chiefs to win the game.”

The subject obviously frustrated Edwards, who at times raised or lower his voice to make a point. He never wavered from his stance that an inability to make yards when running the ball or adequately protect the quarterback means the Chiefs are realistically squeezing every point possible from their offense.

“You have all of these great ideas that you want to use,” Edwards said. “There are a lot of things other teams are doing that we’d like to do. But we know what we are whether we like it or not. It’s been 10 weeks. You’re not going to all of a sudden evolve into something like New England. You’ve got to do what you feel you’re capable of doing.

“You know what you’re capable of doing and at the end of the day, you’re always trying to do things the players can be successful at. You can’t do things that won’t let your players be successful. You have to take some chances once in a while. I understand that. But there are (only) certain things we’re capable of doing.

“Would we like to do some different things? Sure. But you have to play to the strengths of your players. It looks like we’re conservative at times.

“We’re doing things in a way we feel we’re capable of doing them. As a staff, we’ve been with these players every day. We coach them every day. We know what they’re capable of doing. Whether everybody else believes that, it doesn’t matter. It might look conservative, but it’s a way of playing football that gives us the best opportunity to win.”

The Chiefs may have been able to squeeze more points near the end of the first half.

They took over at their 23 with 1 minute, 15 seconds and three timeouts left. The score was 3-3.

The Chiefs ran out the clock rather than try for points. Edwards ordered quarterback Brodie Croyle to hand the ball twice to Kolby Smith, once for 4 yards and the next for 5, rather than attempt a pass.

“We decided we were going to run the ball on the first play,” Edwards said. “If we got a first down, if we got 15 yards or so, then we were going to go for it. But that didn’t happen. And at that point I didn’t want to give (the Colts) momentum. They had two timeouts left. If we had taken almost no time off the clock with three incomplete passes and then we punted, we would have given the ball back to Peyton Manning with two timeouts.

“Then they get the ball back to start the third quarter. I’m not giving them two shots at me without us having even one. That makes no sense to me. I’m looking at all of that and saying, ‘Wait a minute.’ We survived the first half.

“Yeah, I was playing it conservative at that point. I guess people think we should take a chance because we were 14-point underdogs. But I’m trying to win the game. We were backed up. It was noisy. There were too many variables in that one.

“If I’m somebody else, then maybe I do it differently. But I know what I am right now.”

Against the Colts, Croyle made his first start in place of Damon Huard. Edwards made the change in part because of Croyle’s superior passing skills.

But the Chiefs declined to use those skills. His longest completion of the game was 19 yards, not counting the lateral on the game’s last play that gave him a statistical 21-yard gain.

Edwards indicated the Chiefs might try to throw more down the field in Sunday’s game against Oakland at Arrowhead Stadium.

“(The Colts) play a lot of cover 2,” Edwards said. “They’re not going to let you throw the ball down the field. They’ve only given up 10 plays of 20 yards passing. They don’t give up those plays.

“You’ll see the ball go down the field more against Oakland because they play more man to man. If we can get some one-on-one matchups we like, we’ll do it. That’s the next thing you try to do the next six weeks. This was his first game, and we had to get a feel for him emotionally and where he’s going to be. Now we can build on that.”

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

mmmmm ... enigma

Before you swoon, that's not the word for shooting liquids up your butt.

[Bowser]

Honestly, that's probably as close to hearing a coach say "my team sucks" without them actually saying it.

[KC Dan]

Originally Posted by GOATSE

You're painting again.

Tony G just signed a huge contract. He's un-tradeable.

I would bet you every penny I have that if Herm went to Tony and said "we want to trade you to NE or Ind or GB and have you work a new deal with that team" that TG would jump all over it. He is flustrated as all of us are at the inept play calling and shackles put on whomever is at QB. That 4th quarter showed me all I need to see. Herm does not play to win the game, he plays to HOPE that he wins the game. And TG and the guys are seeing right through his bu*****it mantra now. Don't be surprised if the tailspin get worse.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Before you swoon, that's not the word for shooting liquids up your butt.

Of course, silly, that's an anemone.

[the Talking Can]

It feels like we're all arguing right past each other...

I fault Herm for being a coward in the 4th quarter. And this is not the first time he has done it.

I fault Herm for deciding - before a game is played - that we can't win. That is chickenshit.

That doesn't negate the good things he has done with our defense and most of our personnel. But it is worrisome because it points to a critical flaw...a Marty type flaw, something Chiefs fans are innately aware of and afraid of.

And Herm does himself no favors when he speaks. He does throw people under the bus. He just threw Tony, Bowe, and Croyle under the bus by saying he didn't trust them enough to let them try and win. They are prideful players and that has to sting.

Honestly, if it weren't for Croyle's presence on this team I think I would have reached a breaking point with this franchise. My ability to care is almost gone.

I can only hope that Herm doesn't ruin Croyle by turning him into a coward. But it could easily happen.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

Willie Roaf? Gone.
Will Shields? Gone.
Trent Green? Gone.
Eddie Kennison? Almost 35 years old and breaking down.
Priest Holmes? 2 years removed from football and 34 years old.


Beyond LJ, Waters and TonyG, what high caliber players did Herm inherit on O?

You need to re-read my post. I did not say high caliber exclusive to the offense. The whole team was full of "profile" guys, that was my point.
It was full of guys like Rison and Dan Williams when Dick took over. Got it?

But since you bring it up, Willie Roaf decided to retire after Herm took over. It was a very sudden change of heart, I wonder why?

Trent Green spoke up about the offensive play calling, gone.

[Baby Lee]

Evidently this was the most important game the Chiefs have EVER played.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by the Talking Can

And Herm does himself no favors when he speaks. He does throw people under the bus. He just threw Tony, Bowe, and Croyle under the bus by saying he didn't trust them enough to let them try and win. They are prideful players and that has to sting.

He doesn't mention any players by name in his comments you're referring to. How do you know he's not talking about Weigman, Welbourne, Terry and Turley? Their performance directly affects what Brodie, Bowe, TG and any other skill position player can do.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Evidently this was the most important game the Chiefs have EVER played.

EVAR!

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

But since you bring it up, Willie Roaf decided to retire after Herm took over. It was a very sudden change of heart, I wonder why?

You heard it folks! Herm Edwards caused Willie Roaf to retire!

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

But since you bring it up, Willie Roaf decided to retire after Herm took over. It was a very sudden change of heart, I wonder why?

Because his wife closed her poonanny and threatened to keep it closed unless he stayed home.
Roaf was high on the season and high on the new regime in the OTAs, then he tweaked his wounds again at the end of OTAs and his wife said enuff'zenuff.

This is the shit that burns me, there is no evidence that Roaf had any problem with Herm, but that doesn't stop the innuendo.

[the Talking Can]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

He doesn't mention any players by name in his comments you're referring to. How do you know he's not talking about Weigman, Welbourne, Terry and Turley? Their performance directly affects what Brodie, Bowe, TG and any other skill position player can do.

doesn't matter, he's not letting a great player like Tony have a chance to make a great play...he's not repaying Bowes's awesome self-confidence by having the confidence to throw him the damn ball....

if you won't even try you are disrespecting the work, effort, and talent of some fine players....they know that...that's why Tony is pissed, and he has the seniority, unlike Brodie and Bowe, to say something...

[Chiefnj2]

If you read between the line Herm is saying:

" I watch these guys in practice all week. I'm shocked that in a game situation they can jog from the bench and onto the field without hurting themselves or getting lost along the way. Last week we had an 11 on 2 drill. Only 2 defensive players - Bell and Kershaw and the offense still lost 3 yards on first down before turning it over on the next play. I can't risk that in a game."

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

You need to re-read my post. I did not say high caliber exclusive to the offense.

Lets go over the D. The players left on D when Herm took over:

Jared Allen (2yr experience)
Derrick Johnson (1yr experience)
John Browning
Lionel Dalton
Carlos Hall
Eric Hicks
Junior Siavii
Ryan Sims
Shawn Barber
Kendrell Bell
Key Fox
Kawika Mitchell
Will Bartee
Sammy Knight
Dexter McCleon
Benny Sapp
Pat Surtain
Eric Warfield
Dewayne Washington
Greg Wesley
Jerome Woods


Yep, that's pretty talent-heavy.

[FAX]

Let's burn the stadium and roast marshmellows.

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