Chiefs Mellinger:Crennel’s bad decisions key to latest Chiefs debacle

**Tribal Warfare** · 10-07-2012, 08:12 PM

Crennel’s bad decisions key to latest Chiefs debacle
By SAM MELLINGER
The Kansas City Star
The Chiefs have been pathetic already, so that’s not the surprising part. And they’ve looked hopeless, so that’s not new, either.

What we see now is worse, somehow, a bit further from respectability than even fans calling the team an “embarrassment” on a sign in the parking lot, or demanding the general manager be fired on a banner flown over the stadium before the game.

What we see now is a disjointed mess of a football team that was supposed to compete for the division title but is instead sinking toward the bottom of the league, with a head coach unable to make it stop and an offensive lineman making national headlines for destroying fans who cheered their quarterback’s injury.

If this isn’t rock bottom, then we could all save ourselves some trouble by guzzling Drano.

Because in losing 9-6 to the Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, the Chiefs missed what even folks on the payroll have to admit is probably their last chance to salvage the season. Instead, the Chiefs dunked their fans’ heads even deeper under water.

This time, it’s Romeo Crennel’s turn to face charges of incompetence because, honestly, did Todd Haley ever mismanage a game this badly?

A defense-first man by nature, and still the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator, Crennel blew a fabulous performance against the league’s No. 2 offense because he couldn’t get anything else right.

The only thing Crennel appears willing to risk in his game plans is Jamaal Charles’ future — coming off ACL surgery, the Chiefs’ star running back is the only player in the league to go over 30 touches twice this season — and the result diminished the Ravens’ risk of losing.

A bizarre decision to punt instead of try for a first down or Hail Mary at the end of the first half, more will-breaking penalties and a team presumably coached to value the ball instead padding its league lead in turnovers sucked the possibilities from a game the Chiefs otherwise should’ve won.

Even by Kansas City standards, the idea of losing at home while rushing for 214 yards and outgaining one of the league’s premier offenses is extreme. But Crennel pulled it off by showing appropriately little faith in Cassel — but refusing to bench him.

The decision was no longer Crennel’s after Cassel got hurt in the fourth quarter, but by then it was too late. Cassel threw two interceptions — including one into heavy coverage to Dwayne Bowe while Steve Maneri didn’t have a defender within 10 yards — and fumbled the snap on a quarterback sneak at the goal line. Damage done.

Spirit squashed.

Crennel might be the only coach in NFL history to be so loyal to a game-manager quarterback who has 13 turnovers in five games.

“No,” Crennel said when I asked after the game if he considered benching Cassel before the injury.

This is a problem, especially after Crennel talked openly last week of giving backup Brady Quinn a chance if Cassel continued to falter. Quinn has been behind Charlie Frye, Ken Dorsey and Derek Anderson in his career, so we’re not talking about Len Dawson here, but at some point a coach needs to be willing to make a change.

For Crennel, that point didn’t come until he had no other choice.

He is instead the coach of a team that can’t quit a quarterback who both averages nearly three turnovers a game and provides such minimal playmaking that the entire game plan centers on minimizing Cassel’s impact.

Crennel is a smart man and one of the most respected defensive coordinators in recent league history. But when the Chiefs promoted him to head coach, the team’s decision-makers made the behind-the-scenes case that Crennel’s 24-40 record in Cleveland was more a reflection of a dysfunctional franchise than the man’s ability.

Five games into the season, and Chiefs fans are left with this disheartening dilemma: Crennel really is that bad of a coach, or the Chiefs are now as dysfunctional as the Browns.

Actually, after a 12th loss in their last 15 games and a group of players and fans who share a strong mutual distaste for each other, it’s pretty clear that the worse of those two possibilities is now Kansas City’s sad reality.

10-07-2012, 08:12 PM	Topic Starter
Tribal Warfare The Boom Boom Room Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $612813	Mellinger:Crennel’s bad decisions key to latest Chiefs debacle Crennel’s bad decisions key to latest Chiefs debacle By SAM MELLINGER The Kansas City Star The Chiefs have been pathetic already, so that’s not the surprising part. And they’ve looked hopeless, so that’s not new, either. What we see now is worse, somehow, a bit further from respectability than even fans calling the team an “embarrassment” on a sign in the parking lot, or demanding the general manager be fired on a banner flown over the stadium before the game. What we see now is a disjointed mess of a football team that was supposed to compete for the division title but is instead sinking toward the bottom of the league, with a head coach unable to make it stop and an offensive lineman making national headlines for destroying fans who cheered their quarterback’s injury. If this isn’t rock bottom, then we could all save ourselves some trouble by guzzling Drano. Because in losing 9-6 to the Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, the Chiefs missed what even folks on the payroll have to admit is probably their last chance to salvage the season. Instead, the Chiefs dunked their fans’ heads even deeper under water. This time, it’s Romeo Crennel’s turn to face charges of incompetence because, honestly, did Todd Haley ever mismanage a game this badly? A defense-first man by nature, and still the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator, Crennel blew a fabulous performance against the league’s No. 2 offense because he couldn’t get anything else right. The only thing Crennel appears willing to risk in his game plans is Jamaal Charles’ future — coming off ACL surgery, the Chiefs’ star running back is the only player in the league to go over 30 touches twice this season — and the result diminished the Ravens’ risk of losing. A bizarre decision to punt instead of try for a first down or Hail Mary at the end of the first half, more will-breaking penalties and a team presumably coached to value the ball instead padding its league lead in turnovers sucked the possibilities from a game the Chiefs otherwise should’ve won. Even by Kansas City standards, the idea of losing at home while rushing for 214 yards and outgaining one of the league’s premier offenses is extreme. But Crennel pulled it off by showing appropriately little faith in Cassel — but refusing to bench him. The decision was no longer Crennel’s after Cassel got hurt in the fourth quarter, but by then it was too late. Cassel threw two interceptions — including one into heavy coverage to Dwayne Bowe while Steve Maneri didn’t have a defender within 10 yards — and fumbled the snap on a quarterback sneak at the goal line. Damage done. Spirit squashed. Crennel might be the only coach in NFL history to be so loyal to a game-manager quarterback who has 13 turnovers in five games. “No,” Crennel said when I asked after the game if he considered benching Cassel before the injury. This is a problem, especially after Crennel talked openly last week of giving backup Brady Quinn a chance if Cassel continued to falter. Quinn has been behind Charlie Frye, Ken Dorsey and Derek Anderson in his career, so we’re not talking about Len Dawson here, but at some point a coach needs to be willing to make a change. For Crennel, that point didn’t come until he had no other choice. He is instead the coach of a team that can’t quit a quarterback who both averages nearly three turnovers a game and provides such minimal playmaking that the entire game plan centers on minimizing Cassel’s impact. Crennel is a smart man and one of the most respected defensive coordinators in recent league history. But when the Chiefs promoted him to head coach, the team’s decision-makers made the behind-the-scenes case that Crennel’s 24-40 record in Cleveland was more a reflection of a dysfunctional franchise than the man’s ability. Five games into the season, and Chiefs fans are left with this disheartening dilemma: Crennel really is that bad of a coach, or the Chiefs are now as dysfunctional as the Browns. Actually, after a 12th loss in their last 15 games and a group of players and fans who share a strong mutual distaste for each other, it’s pretty clear that the worse of those two possibilities is now Kansas City’s sad reality.
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