Gretz Article: Shields in a boot

[tomahawk kid]

GRETZ: Worse Than the First
Aug 18, 2006, 5:59:19 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ


EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – As optimistic as Herm Edwards can be as a head coach, it’s going to be tough for him to find anything positive out of the Chiefs second pre-season defeat, this time 17-0 to the New York Giants on Thursday night in the Meadowlands.



OK, Dustin Colquitt was a positive. The Chiefs second-year punter was worn out after kicking nine times. He averaged just a hair short of 50 yards per punt, with a net average a hair short of 42 yards per punt.

After that … this tape is going to have to be dissected to slivers before the coaching staff finds much to be happy about.

That’s especially true with the first-team units of the offense and defense. They essentially moved through the first half like they were sleep walking. The defense couldn’t stop the Giants and the offense was ineffective.

And then there was the site of Will Shields limping out of Giants Stadium, his left foot in a boot. The veteran guard suffered an ankle injury. An x-ray taken at the stadium showed nothing broken, but he’s likely headed for several weeks of rehab.

Suddenly the problems mount for Edwards:

Defense: In two games they’ve not forced a turnover. They had three sacks, but none of those involved the Giants starting quarterback Eli Manning; he was unencumbered as he completed 11 of 14 passes. The Chiefs have gotten no push in the middle of their pass rush. After getting hammered in the running game by Houston, the Chiefs gave up 154 rushing yards to New York.

Offense: the Chiefs never got close to scoring against the Giants. In 10 possessions, they moved across the 50-yard line just one time and never moved beyond the New York 32-yard line. Trent Green was under pressure from the Giants pass rush and some of that came up the middle, where normally the Chiefs are very stout in the protection of their quarterback.

There were penalties. There were mental errors. It may be an over-simplification, but the way this game played out it looked like the Giants had something to play for and the Chiefs were just punching the clock, going through the motions. Tom Coughlin’s team looked like they had three weeks of training camp, while Edwards group played as if they had just showed up for the pre-season.

As Edwards told his team at halftime and then the media after the game, the Chiefs have yet to play together as a team. Now, the pre-season is where a lot of this comes together, so it’s far too early for anybody inside or outside Arrowhead Stadium to hit the panic button.

But the Chiefs players are delusional if they think this team is in a position to be able to flip a switch on September 10th and suddenly be well-oiled machine and blow away the rest of the AFC. Football teams win championships, and the Chiefs haven’t been a “team” for the last five years. They don’t have a lot of carry over from last year to build on.

This group of Chiefs veterans has done nothing to think they are anything special in the NFL. They didn’t make the playoffs last year, or the year before. They’ve made the playoffs once in the last eight years. All those Pro Bowl berths and offensive records are withered flowers when it comes to the 2006 season.

As a team, they’ve accomplished nothing. And, that’s exactly what they accomplished Thursday night before a national television audience: nothing.

As the Chiefs return to Arrowhead to continue the pre-season, there’s an awful lot of work that must be done.

The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.


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This just gets better and better......

[shaneo69]

Gretz: "This group of Chiefs veterans has done nothing to think they are anything special in the NFL. They didn’t make the playoffs last year, or the year before. They’ve made the playoffs once in the last eight years. All those Pro Bowl berths and offensive records are withered flowers when it comes to the 2006 season.

As a team, they’ve accomplished nothing. And, that’s exactly what they accomplished Thursday night before a national television audience: nothing."


Whatever you do, Bob, don't blame the guy who has assembled these players who have made the playoffs once in the last eight years.

[jiveturkey]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

When was the last time you saw Black play GUARD? Name it for me, and then I'll explain to you why you're wrong.

I prefer Black at Guard as well but I would still like to hear your thinking behind it.

[chiefqueen]

Originally Posted by shaneo69

Gretz: "This group of Chiefs veterans has done nothing to think they are anything special in the NFL. They didn’t make the playoffs last year, or the year before. They’ve made the playoffs once in the last eight years. All those Pro Bowl berths and offensive records are withered flowers when it comes to the 2006 season.

As a team, they’ve accomplished nothing. And, that’s exactly what they accomplished Thursday night before a national television audience: nothing."


Whatever you do, Bob, don't blame the guy who has assembled these players who have made the playoffs once in the last eight years.

If he did that he wouldn't get paid, then how would he eat??

[ChiefsCountry]

I remember watching Black destroy Ray Lewis on MNF. Guard seems to be his natural position, heck that is what we drafted him for.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by shaneo69

Whatever you do, Bob, don't blame the guy who has assembled these players who have made the playoffs once in the last eight years.

Okay write an article telling your boss that he picked the wrong people.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by jiveturkey

I prefer Black at Guard as well but I would still like to hear your thinking behind it.

My thinking behind the specific post was that he won't be able to name the last time he saw Black at guard...can you?

The simple fact is that Black has seen limited snaps at guard and has been good to DOMINANT (vs. the Ravens in 2004) at the position.

But people's minds are so clouded by his putrescence at tackle that they can't separate the two positions. He sucks at tackle so therefore he must completely suck.

[tk13]

The wheels on the bus go over Vermeil, over Vermeil, over Vermeil. The wheels on the bus go over Vermeil, all the live long day.

[tk13]

Seriously though, this is going to get old really quick, especially from Gretz. Vermeil hasn't been here for almost 9 months now. I don't want to hear this garbage every time we lose how it's Vermeil's fault because we're not a "team". He's not here anymore! We have a a brand new coaching staff that's had months of OTA's and mini camps and training camp to work with the team and mold them. We hear all this garbage about the changes they made to make it more like a "team", and then when it doesn't work right away we're going to blame Vermeil again.

That's a bunch of garbage... and it's the real problem with this organization, nobody is ever held at fault. Just like Gunther can fail and fail and fail... and first it's the players, then it's the coaches. But never Gunther! Or Carl getting 218 chances to build this team. Everybody always has an excuse.

[Mr. Laz]

hey ... at least nobody can blame the offense on Herm and Solari now.

[jiveturkey]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

My thinking behind the specific post was that he won't be able to name the last time he saw Black at guard...can you?

The simple fact is that Black has seen limited snaps at guard and has been good to DOMINANT (vs. the Ravens in 2004) at the position.

But people's minds are so clouded by his putrescence at tackle that they can't separate the two positions. He sucks at tackle so therefore he must completely suck.

I can't remember either but I do remember it being his college position at ND.

I also now remember the Ravens game. I ceratinly hope that we can keep him there and allow him to develop in one position (both sides though).

Bober doesn't look like a good option even off the bench.

[Halfcan]

Wow, bad news!

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

When was the last time you saw Black play GUARD? Name it for me, and then I'll explain to you why you're wrong.

last night against the Giants

[ct]

I'm not seeing anything about Will Shields anywhere except this article from Gretz. Anyone else?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Laz

last night against the Giants

I haven't actually seen the game yet.

[ct]

Originally Posted by Laz

last night against the Giants

Yes he did play at G last night, and I saw him get burned badly once. Honestly the only time I saw him.