Gretz' views on Chiefs-Raiders game

[shaneo69]

GRETZ: The Heart Still Beats
Dec 06, 2004, 7:47:02 AM by Bob Gretz

In a season that’s been so frustrating and maddening for the Chiefs, they had the opportunity on Sunday here in the kingdom of Al Davis to run the white flag up the pole.

They passed on the opportunity. Chiefs 34, Raiders 27.

Dick Vermeil always talks about the character of his football team, and sometimes the results on the field don’t provide evidence of that. It’s one thing to work hard; that’s expected on the professional level. It’s another thing to work smart, and that’s not something the Chiefs have accomplished this season.

But they still have their heart in the season; they showed that Sunday afternoon, coming from behind in the second half and then going out in the fourth quarter and sealing the deal.

It was a game with several story lines featuring players and a coach who overcame a great deal of pain and frustration to be key factors in the victory. What made their efforts all the more remarkable is that they came in a game that was meaningless. Obviously, Trent Green, Gunther Cunningham, Will Shields and Larry Johnson did not agree.

GREEN: There are a lot of players and quarterbacks who would not have been on the field had they suffered through the pain the Chiefs quarterback endured over the last week. On Thursday afternoon, there seemed no possible way that Green would play. His ribs were bruised, his hip ached and his back was very sore. It was painful to watch him walk, let alone consider him running and throwing the football.

On Friday, Green practiced and then on Saturday, he didn’t feel so bad. He stiffened up on the long pane ride to the Bay Area, and woke up Sunday in pain, but it was manageable. He showed he wasn’t the normal Trent Green in the first half, when he completed only nine of 20 throws in the first half. But in the second 30 minutes, he hit 14 of 15 throws; the only one he missed was knocked down. He threw short, he threw long. He scrambled, he took a couple of hits after the throw. Every play was a different level of pain, yet he never gave any sign that it was too much for him.

“Once you start playing, you don’t feel it so much,” Green said afterwards. “It was important to be out there and get this win. We needed it.”

CUNNINGHAM: At half-time, the Chiefs defensive coordinator was nearly out of his mind. The frustration of the season and the poor play of the defense had built up to a crescendo in his head. On top of all that was a first-half performance that was an embarrassment. Kerry Collins threw for 190 yards and a pair of TD passes in just 26 offensive plays. The secondary was beaten for 51 and 34-yard scores.

It was more than Cunningham could handle. At half-time, he exploded like he hasn’t during this entire return to KC season. His words were brutal and frank and can’t be repeated verbatim here. The premise was this: he was tired of the secondary embarrassing the team and the entire franchise.

“I probably should not have done that at half-time, but I couldn’t stand it,” Cunningham said. “We were awful. We sucked and there was no reason for it. We were killing ourselves.”

The Chiefs went out in the second half and probably played their best 30 minutes of defensive football in weeks, maybe months. They allowed only one score and gave up 153 yards of offense. Collins was sacked twice and harassed on nearly every ball he threw. The Chiefs got their hands on several passes and Eric Warfield dropped an interception. The Chiefs were more physical and more assignment sound.

“He challenged the entire group,” said Eric Hicks. Added LB Kawika Mitchell: “We had to answer his call. There was nowhere else for us to go.”

SHIELDS: With two minutes, 55 seconds to play in the second quarter, the Chiefs veteran right guard sprained his left ankle and hobbled off the field. The sight of an injured Shields is something most of those with the Chiefs have never seen. He’s missed nary a game during his 12-year career and has seldom missed any plays or practices due to injury.

Obviously this was serious. Doctors and trainers worked on him for several minutes before he put himself back in the game. He was re-taped at half-time and he came out and played every offensive snap in the second half. During time when the offense was on the sidelines, Shields never sat down, instead pacing about, keeping the ankle loose; not allowing it to stiffen up. He played most of the second half next to Jordan Black, who stepped in when Chris Bober injured his right foot and had to leave the game.

The Chiefs did most of their running to the left side after Shields’ injury, running behind Willie Roaf and Brian Waters. But in pass protections, Shields was solid. It was a remarkable, yet expected performance from the rock of the Chiefs offense.

JOHNSON: So much has been written and said about this former No. 1 draft choice during his two seasons with the team. It’s time for everyone to give the kid credit: he’s never given up.

Thrust into the role of the feature back with Priest Holmes out and Derrick Blaylock injured in the first half, he answered the call. Johnson ran hard and tough. He showed moves and speed. He also caught the ball; three passes for 56 yards. It was his running in the second half that gave a jump-start to the offense. He finished with 118 yards on 20 carries, including a 34-yard run on a draw play that was the key non-scoring snap of the second half for the KC offense.

“You can see this confidence growing on a weekly basis,” said Trent Green of Johnson. “He was out there today making things happen.”

In a season lost, the Chiefs have not given up. Trent Green, Gunther Cunningham, Will Shields and Larry Johnson are proof of that.

[jettio]

They played the same game they have the whole year, except this game they were the one that made the key plays at the end. All they did was beat another 4-win team in their house. They could have done the same at Jax, TB, and NO if they made some plays at the end.

Same with Carolina, and Houston at home.

They have given a good effort the whole year, just have not been clutch.

[Lzen]

I love this part about Gun. Man, he should've done that way earlier in the season. And I really, really like Gaz's idea about the shock collars.

[chiefqueen]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

To be honest, I didn't even know that Black came in. (I was watching at a sports bar, so the players were itty-bitty.) He must've done well, since I didn't see Green getting plastered.

I hope Shields' ankle is okay. That's unprecedented.

Neither did I & I watched @ home...I think that says something about the C announcers.

[HarryParatestes]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

To be honest, I didn't even know that Black came in. (I was watching at a sports bar, so the players were itty-bitty.) He must've done well, since I didn't see Green getting plastered.

I hope Shields' ankle is okay. That's unprecedented.

Ditto. Was getting hammered...errrr...watching the game at a local bar.

Didn't notice the new number on the OL..that's a good thing. Besides..the waitress had her McGuffies out on display..very distracting...


I started watching the agmes along ( this is Tatan's country, so no local affiliate) Now I have 5 friends who join me every Sunday for the games.

Harry the Baptist? Hummmm

[Iowanian]

I'll bet that after Gun Went off on the Players, Vermiel made him take a timeout in the corner to think about what he'd done.

Vermiel is like the Vegetarian Soccer mom who lets her kids choose their own bedtime, where they retire to the "family bed" and select their own punishment.

Gunther is like the guy on that show where people trade wives a couple of weeks, who has enough on the last day, who loses it and canes the snotting little pricks in a way that makes Singapore cut to commercial.

....and thats exactly what this team needs, just below Talent.

[nmt1]

I don't believe any of this. Gretz is nothing but a shill for the organization. This is all PR spin. Carl told Gretz to spin this to make it look good. There were fights in the lockeroom at halftime. Priest was eating nachos. The Chiefs don't want to win. They stood pat. They're all a bunch of idiots.

[ck_IN]

It was more than Cunningham could handle. At half-time, he exploded like he hasn’t during this entire return to KC season. His words were brutal and frank and can’t be repeated verbatim here. The premise was this: he was tired of the secondary embarrassing the team and the entire franchise.

Way to go Gun!! Keep doing it and don't apologize!

[Logical]

Originally Posted by ck_IN

It was more than Cunningham could handle. At half-time, he exploded like he hasn’t during this entire return to KC season. His words were brutal and frank and can’t be repeated verbatim here. The premise was this: he was tired of the secondary embarrassing the team and the entire franchise.

Way to go Gun!! Keep doing it and don't apologize!

While I agree it is way to fucking late, where was that fire back in the beginning of the season when it actually could have meant something. Now it is just a prelude to a bad draft pick.

[ck_IN]

Jim I'm just happy to see someone has some fire in this organization. This team could've accomplished something but it needed a fire lit under it. At least Gun is trying.

[Logical]

Originally Posted by ck_IN

Jim I'm just happy to see someone has some fire in this organization. This team could've accomplished something but it needed a fire lit under it. At least Gun is trying.

Actually I agree. I think DV has lost whatever fire he once possessed. Unfortunately Al Saunders is not a fiery type guy and I sure as heck do not want to see Gun as a head coach again. Kind of worries me for next year.