Tony Gonzalez opens up on Herm with both barrels

[Hammock Parties]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chi...ry/387172.html

Chiefs can’t come back against Chargers
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

The Chiefs lost their ability to make enough plays to win close games some time ago. They ran out of explanations shortly afterward.

Now they’re just plain out of gas. They trailed by a mere touchdown for most of the second half of Sunday’s game against San Diego at Arrowhead Stadium, but they might have played until midnight without getting that elusive tying score.

So they wound up losing 24-10, and the defeat pushed the 4-8 Chiefs to the brink of extinction in what passes for a race in the AFC West. They’re officially done if they lose to the Broncos in Denver next week.

The Chiefs tried their usual formula — keep things close until the fourth quarter and make the plays to win it then. It worked for them earlier in the season but again failed on Sunday when they were shut out in the final quarter for the fourth straight game.

“I’m tired of it and don’t want to play this style of football,” Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “It’s not what I’m into. I don’t think Herm (Edwards) wants to. We want to win. Let’s get it over with. I don’t want to keep the game close until the second half because we’re a second-half team. That’s bull. Let’s just go out there and win a football game.

“Let’s get rid of that stress. I’m tired of it. I’m sitting on the sideline thinking, ‘Here we go again.’ You can’t help but let those thoughts creep into your mind.”

That crisis of confidence was evident Sunday. Their seven-point deficit for most of the second half felt to them like a lot more.

Things got so bad for the offense that its only touchdown was scored by defensive end Jared Allen, who played on the goal-line ostensibly for blocking purposes. And Allen had to make a great catch of Damon Huard’s fade pass to do it.

“When you’re desperate,” Edwards said, “you do desperate things.”

Edwards hasn’t been desperate enough to change his philosophy on how to win. He defended it again Sunday, saying it’s the only way the Chiefs have a chance.

“We made plays (to win some early-season games),” Edwards said, referring to wins over Minnesota, San Diego and Oakland, all games the Chiefs salvaged in the fourth quarter. “That’s how we won.

“We have to play a certain way. We try to do that to protect the quarterback and make sure we can throw the ball. You have all of these fancy ideas there at the end and there are certain things we’re stuck with because of how we have to play.

“That’s OK. You can still win games that way. We just can’t get behind like that because that just puts you in a bad, bad way.”

The burden of keeping the game close fell to the defense, which again caved in. LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns in the second half.

“We know they’re going to make plays, realistically,” Allen said. “But to (heck) with that. Our mind-set has to be that they won’t make any plays. When stuff like that becomes acceptable, and all of a sudden you find yourself saying, ‘Oh, here we go again,’ that’s when the same (stuff) happens. That’s what’s been happening.

“We need to change the mind-set around here. The mind-set has got to be that this is not acceptable to lose at home. It’s not acceptable to be 10-10 at halftime and lose 24-10.”

The marvel regarding the Chiefs is not the five-game losing streak, their longest since 2000, or the five Arrowhead losses, most since they also lost five in 2001.

It’s that with this team — even with its numerous and obvious flaws — they won four of five games earlier in the season.

“Even then, we had some issues,” guard Brian Waters said. “When you look at games like Chicago and Houston, we had a couple of opportunities to come back in those games as well.

“We’ve started slowly in some parts of the season and now we’re not finishing the way we were. Really, we’re just trying to find a complete game.”

[el borracho]

Originally Posted by King_Chief_Fan

that is what the next team Herm coaches will say about the Chiefs.

Who would hire Herm after he leaves us? He will be one short step up from Norv Turner at that point.

[Oh Snap]

remember when TG took the timeout yesterday because the chargers knew what they were going to do?

[FAX]

Originally Posted by Oh Snap

remember when TG took the timeout yesterday because the chargers knew what they were going to do?

I had no idea. Is this true, Mr. Oh Snap? Details?

FAX

[Archie Bunker]

Originally Posted by tk13

Honestly, I think Carl might have beat the fanbase down far too much for Herm to ever have a chance. Which is too bad, but that's not totally Herm's fault. Trying to rebuild a roster with youth for the first time in the 27 year plan, nobody's gonna have the patience for that, fans or players.

I agree with this. IMO Herm was the wrong coach, at the wrong time, in the wrong place. Its not really all Herms fault he just came along when the fanbase was fed up and the team finally crumbled due to age and a complete lack of young talent.

[StcChief]

Originally Posted by FAX

I had no idea. Is this true, Mr. Oh Snap? Details?

FAX

even Enberg was yeah when you hvae TG and Bowe as your only real weapons.... or some such thing.

It was obvious watching the formation setup.....

Slowari two trick plays with EK reverse and maybe passing and JA's TD....

threw open the rest of our play book.

[chiefsfan1963]

DV is just better! Tony knows it too!

[TEX]

Originally Posted by Oh Snap

remember when TG took the timeout yesterday because the chargers knew what they were going to do?

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

I think TG has earned the right to say whatever he damn well please. Good for him.

I agree-Herm looks like a bigger dumbass for defending the fact that we suck. Its like-"Well we are losing, but not by that much."