Whitlock: Herm covering Carl's gigantic blunder
 

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/16363662.htm

Herm covering Carl’s goof
JASON WHITLOCK
Kansas City Star

Well, Chiefs fans finally got their you-play-to-win-the-game moment from Herm Edwards, who always preaches with a purpose.

Less than 24 hours after qualifying for the playoffs, Edwards opened his New Year’s Day news conference ranting about how his Chiefs didn’t luck into or back into the playoffs.

“Let’s not get this thing twisted and think we backed into this deal,” Edwards preached with the necessary emotion to catch the eye of ESPN producers. “We didn’t lose, we won. Every team that played this weekend played at home and had an opportunity to get into the playoffs just like us. We just happened to win. What’s wrong with that? So, let’s not get it twisted and say, ‘Well, they’re lucky.’ We didn’t get lucky. We won.”

Why the unprovoked rant? Edwards said he wanted to transfer his attitude to his players and he could sense that some people thought the Chiefs were lucky.

“I’m not irritated,” Edwards said. “I’m just making a point. It’s playoff time now. I’m in a different mode, I think a real different mode all of a sudden. I’m in a different frame of mind.”

Hmm. That’s one way to look at it. There’s also another way to view Herm’s tirade.

Maybe Herm thought it was important to convince his players, the local and national media and Kansas City football fans that the Chiefs weren’t lucky because he knows Carl Peterson sent the clear message he didn’t think the Chiefs would qualify for postseason play when he placed Jason Dunn and Kyle Turley on injured reserve before the Jacksonville game.

Marinate on that for a moment.

The Chiefs won’t have the services of one of the league’s top run-blocking tight ends in a playoff game that likely will hinge on KC’s ability to control the clock with Larry Johnson.

Peterson, in my opinion, made a gigantic tactical error.

He placed Dunn, Turley and Rich Scanlon on injured reserve so the Chiefs could elevate practice-squaders Casey Printers, Chris Hannon and William Kershaw to the 53-man roster. By placing Printers, Hannon and Kershaw on the final 53-man roster it protects the Chiefs from an opposing team poaching one of the three players from KC’s practice squad this offseason.

Teams are justifiably paranoid about losing their practice-squad players. A couple of years ago, the Chiefs cut guard Ryan Lilja with the hopes they could place him on their practice squad. The Colts scooped up Lilja, and he’s been a regular starter in Indy for two years.

The Chiefs said they placed Dunn on IR because doctors won’t clear him to play now that they miraculously discovered he has a herniated disk in his back in week 16.

Dunn told me Monday that he’s played with the injury for six weeks. When he entered Arrowhead Stadium on Monday for a brief team meeting, Dunn told me he hoped the Chiefs could reverse the decision. When Dunn left Arrowhead, he told me that assistant general manager Denny Thum told him that the Chiefs regretted placing Dunn on IR and they wouldn’t have done it if they thought they were going to qualify for the playoffs.

Dunn was visibly disappointed.

“I could play four more games,” said Dunn, who admitted he’ll undergo surgery this offseason. “I’ve been playing with it.”

Dunn’s absence Saturday will place more pressure on Tony Gonzalez and Kris Wilson. Gonzalez will have more blocking responsibility.

Wilson will pull double duty between fullback and tight end. Linemen John Welbourn and Chris Bober will get some time at tight end.

Dunn’s absence hamstrings the offensive coaching staff. Dunn has never been a big part of KC’s passing game, but he’s always been a threat in KC’s pass offense. And blocking on the edge against outside linebackers and working up to safeties requires a combination of strength and athletic ability that few offensive linemen possess.

Dunn’s absence is big. But that probably won’t get talked about on ESPN this week because Herm created a nice little distraction. Herm is smart, and he’s a team player. He fell on Carl Peterson’s grenade.

AND the day before the game, he said... "It would take something a little strange to get us in."

Was it a mistake? Maybe


Was it worth a whole article about? Absolutly not


Quality article Jwhit :rolleyes:

yeah, losing Dunn is huge.

I was thinking..................................
 

that without the services of Dunn the coaches might have to re-think the play calling. Instead of ultra conservative calls with power player sets they may have to use a spread set and some deception and mis-direction (play-action). This coaching staff may now be forced to 'think outside the box.'

OH! SAY IT AINT SO!

Why the **** was Dunn was lifting up LJ after every TD if he had a herniated disc in his goddamn spine? I'm positive that's how he got it to begin with, too.

That's what I said.

I dunno ... I think JWhit is letting everyone know what a TOOL KingCarl can be at times and this is just yet ANOTHER KING CARL SIZED BLUNDER IMO.

I never gave it much thought but seeing it in print makes me believe that Carl was already looking to next year.

Were the rest of us (Including JWhit) looking forward to next year as well??

How do I plea in front of Supreme Judge Rainman: "Guilty"

.

I doubt it. Dunn lifts 230 pounds everyday in the weightroom I bet.

Dunn lifts 274lbs everyday when he gets up out of bed!

What, no Scanlon?


NOOOOOO!! We're doomed!!

I'm a "real" fan. I'm giving King Carl $3,000 a year of support. I can act and think at the pre game tailgate that we don't have a prayer of getting into the playoffs.

At the tailgate we didn't have a problem with this move because we had pretty much given up on the season and hope of a playoff game. We all thought we were done but I'm not the GM.

The GM has to act like the season ain't over until its over. And putting Dunn on IR was a signal to the team and to all of us that the season was done.

I don't know the rules. Could they have waited until the season was over? Can you put someone on the active roster after the season?I don't think so thats why it was done now.

Also why worry about Printrers being snatched up if Croyle is your QOTF? Does this send a message about what they think of Croyle? Or is it just a "not putting all of your eggs in one basket" kind of thing?

Because Huard likely won't be on this team next year.......they'll need to find another QB whether it be Printers or someone else.

Maybe cuz they don't have any plans to sign Huard...:shrug: