Chiefs Whitlock: Chiefs are going the wrong direction - Page 4

**Tribal Warfare** · 12-06-2009, 11:21 PM

Chiefs are going the wrong direction
JASON WHITLOCK COMMENTARY

It’s not working, the “process,” the “Patriots Way,” the musical wide receivers, the $63 million quarterback, the yelling and screaming.

Sunday, the Chiefs darn near made your eyes bleed.

The Denver Broncos took the baton from the San Diego Chargers and obliterated the last pieces of progress left over from the Chiefs’ thought-to-be shocking-at-the-time victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A week ago, I spared you the final score. This week I will not shield you from the unfiltered truth:

Denver 44, Kansas City 13.

This thing is headed the wrong direction. Not only was the Pittsburgh victory a total fluke, but it’s lost all of its glitter, thanks to the Steelers’ four-game losing streak, including a loss to the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

You can’t shine this up. For the first time since 1983, John Mackovic’s first season as head coach, the Chiefs surrendered 40-plus points in back-to-back games.

That’s right. This is starting to smell like the 1980s on the field and in the stands. Arrowhead Stadium was just a touch more than half-filled on Sunday, and Broncos fans comprised a good 30 percent of the spectators.

The only thing missing was Bill Kenney. Unfortunately, Matt Cassel wishes he played at a level as high as Kenney.

Todd Haley benched The Sixty Million Dollar Man after Scott Pioli’s prize acquisition completed 10 of 29 passes for 84 yards and two interceptions through three quarters of play. Haley denied Cassel the opportunity to get angry, fling the ball with confidence and authority and put up some meaningless stats.

Cassel’s 14.6 QB rating for the afternoon wasn’t all his fault. His receivers, particularly Bobby Wade, dropped numerous passes, failed to complete routes and generally conducted themselves as if they had little interest in risking a Brian Dawkins mouth shot.

So much for the myth that this Haley-coached team never quits. His players don’t care that he yells and screams anymore, if they ever did. He’s getting tuned out. In the first quarter, Wade shouted back at his coach and had to be restrained by his teammates.

The scare-and-intimidation tactics by Haley and Pioli aren’t a viable long-term plan. This “process” is immature. You can see it in the players’ uneven performance and demeanor. Even a proud, distinguished veteran like Mike Vrabel is beginning to crack.

When the Broncos converted a fourth-and-inches into a fourth-quarter touchdown, Vrabel flipped his middle finger to the Denver bench as he walked off the field.

“I was frustrated,” said Vrabel, the former Patriots star. “I’ve been on the other end of one of those (blowout victory) and it’s a lot of fun. Well, now I’ve been on the other side, and it’s not good.”

None of this is good. The Chiefs aren’t getting better. They have a lone bright spot — linebacker/defensive end Tamba Hali, who recorded three sacks on Sunday and has 6 1/2 for the season. He’s drawn several holding penalties this year and has been a consistent defensive force.

No disrespect to Hali, but let me ask this question: Is this the emergence of a true pass-rush force or the second coming of Eric Hicks?

You remember Hicks’ 2000 season. He put up 14 sacks in a disappointing 7-9 season. For a season, Hicks looked like a building block, a foundational block for a bright defensive future.

Over the next six seasons, Hicks recorded 26 1/2 sacks. He was a solid NFL player. He never had another double-digit sack season.

You could argue that if Kansas City had a second playmaker along its front four, Hali would get 10-plus sacks this season. Someone else might argue that Hali is simply doing what he did his first two seasons when he was playing opposite Jared Allen, and Hali’s 6 1/2 sacks look awesome solely because no one else on the Chiefs gets a whiff of the opposing quarterback.

Hali had eight sacks his rookie year and 7 1/2 sacks in year two. He had three sacks last season.

I’m sorry. I can’t pinpoint a legitimate bright spot. Running back Jamaal Charles can’t hold onto the football. He’s fumbled three times. Chris Chambers? He’s likely to fall off the same cliff as the other off-the-street receivers Haley showcases for a week or two.

This season is a disaster. You can’t blame these back-to-back blowout losses to AFC West foes on Carl Peterson and Herm Edwards.

When they took over, Marty and Carl didn’t blame Frank Gansz and Jim Schaaf.

TheGuardian · 12-07-2009, 08:44 AM

Quote:

You could argue that if Kansas City had a second playmaker along its front four, Hali would get 10-plus sacks this season.

Now JWhit stole a line from me! It's all good though.

C-Mac · 12-07-2009, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASON WHITLOCK

The only thing missing was Bill Kenney. Unfortunately, Matt Cassel wishes he played at a level as high as Kenney.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12/6 GoChiefs-The Kansas City Nothings

Cassel’s 14.6 quarterback rating against Denver is lower than anything Tyler Thigpen, Elvis Grbac or Steve Bono ever posted as Chiefs. It is the lowest rating posted by a Kansas City starter since David Krieg stunk up Arrowhead in a 1992 game against the Steelers. We’re rapidly approaching Bill Kenney levels of failure.

At least Whitlock does his research or is sure of his information on a person before he would use them in public forum.

Hammock Parties · 12-07-2009, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C-Mac

At least Whitlock does his research or is sure of his information on a person before he would use them in public forum.

That Bill Kenney jersey hangs proudly in your closet, doesn't it?

Kenney is the best name to throw out because all the other quarterbacks since have at least WON GAMES.

And Kenney loved those garbage-time stats...

**HemiEd** · 12-07-2009, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Great minds think alike.

Cassel couldn't hold Kenny's jock strap.

**HemiEd** · 12-07-2009, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

That Bill Kenney jersey hangs proudly in your closet, doesn't it?

Kenney is the best name to throw out because all the other quarterbacks since have at least WON GAMES.

And Kenney loved those garbage-time stats...

Were you even born yet when he was playing? Bill Kenney was the only ****ing talent on the team.

Brock · 12-07-2009, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Were you even born yet when he was playing? Bill Kenney was the only ****ing talent on the team.

Yeah, besides Carlos Carson, Stephone Paige, Bill Maas, Deron Cherry, Mike Bell, Albert Lewis, Kevin Ross, etc. Bill Kenney was a ****ing girl.

CaliforniaChief · 12-07-2009, 09:44 AM

I'm still a Haley supporter.

That said, I was severely disappointed in his performance yesterday without a doubt. The decisions he made (other than 19 plays of the 20 play drive) were indefensible.

His personality is such that offensive inability causes him to press and force calls that just aren't there. When they got the field goal to get within 8 going into the half, you know he was going to get more points on that first drive of the 2nd half come hell or high water. Unfortunately it wasn't there and they went 3 and out, leading to the well-designed punt fake. Unfortunately you just can't run that play in that situation, period.

Sometimes it looks like he's trying to drive my 2004 minivan like it's a new Corvette.

Tiger's Fan · 12-07-2009, 09:53 AM

So, here we are again.

The same group of people, savoring in the failure of the Chiefs. Like a group of children on Christmas morning, in giddy anticipation of the failing of the team they supposedly love. The "I told you so" factor, much more important to them than any semblance of success. No regard for the fact that the team is on track to finish as many, including themselves had predicted, a 4 or 5 win team.

Is this the point where a faux fan like ROR jumps off for a few years until the team is rebuilt to respectability? If he has in the past, which he's admitted to, this would be the time. Will he take any others with him?

Adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it. It doesn't take long to figure out who just doesn't have the stomach for the bad. It's easier to have such lofty expectations when you don't have anything invested emotionally. They'll say their concern is genuine, and that they just want whats best for the team. Yet the hate for the team is stronger than any troll exhibits. If the 2-14 team of last year wins 4 or 5 this year will it be enough to subdue the hate?

Doubtful.

**gblowfish** · 12-07-2009, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

That Bill Kenney jersey hangs proudly in your closet, doesn't it?

Kenney is the best name to throw out because all the other quarterbacks since have at least WON GAMES.

And Kenney loved those garbage-time stats...

Amazingly, I agree with Go Chiefs. One thing you can say for Bill Kenney is, he was the best woman to ever play in the NFL. He was a puss, Mr. Garbage Time Stats, and a worthless loser. Check out his stats from his only playoff appearance vs the Jets in 1986.

He was injury prone like Elvis the Pants Wetter. He tutored Todd Sackledge, which helped lead to his exodus from the NFL to the broadcast booth.
He was king of the eight yard pass on third and ten, something that Cassel is emulating. He was a loser and a mediocre leader. You're seeing the 1980's pre-Marty Chiefs all over again now in 2009. Almost a carbon copy on offense. The defense in the 1980's was much, much better.

Don't bring that "Bill Kenney was a talented guy" crap around here. He took a decade of Chiefs history away with nothing but losing, and never, ever forget that.

http://www.georgeblowfish.com/chiefspage6.html

Hammock Parties · 12-07-2009, 09:57 AM

I guess the one thing you can say for Cassel is he isn't a huge puss.

**gblowfish** · 12-07-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

I guess the one thing you can say for Cassel is he isn't a huge puss.

Yes, he's played with pain. I was sitting next to a guy who said he was a Cleveland fan. He said the situation with Cassel reminded him of Tim Couch with the Browns. His line got him all beat up, and shell shocked, and he wasn't worth a damn after that. That's the danger here with Cassel, that the O-Line might ruin him before help is on the way.

Hammock Parties · 12-07-2009, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Yes, he's played with pain. I was sitting next to a guy who said he was a Cleveland fan. He said the situation with Cassel reminded him of Tim Couch with the Browns. His line got him all beat up, and shell shocked, and he wasn't worth a damn after that. That's the danger here with Cassel, that the O-Line might ruin him before help is on the way.

That's on Pioli, then.

TheGuardian · 12-07-2009, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Hali did have a presence like that. Hell, he had a better presence than that and never got more than 8 sacks.

A defensive end on the other side of the line is in no way, shape, or form the same as having a great inside guy playing right next to you.

C-Mac · 12-07-2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

That Bill Kenney jersey hangs proudly in your closet, doesn't it?

Kenney is the best name to throw out because all the other quarterbacks since have at least WON GAMES.

And Kenney loved those garbage-time stats...

Since Bill Kenney there was also Todd Blackledge, why not mention him as a failure? He was so bad that Kenny came in and replaced him on long passing downs.....bet you didn't know that.

Kenney went to the Pro Bowl in 1983 and had a career completion % of 54.7 and a career passer rating of 77. He was by no means a franchise QB or worthy of anyone's Ring of Fame but he does not fall under your description of the ultimate Chiefs passer rating "level of failure" as you used in the context of your column.

Its obvious that you never watched him play and your not familiar with his stats....but I seriously doubted you would ever admit it.

Hammock Parties · 12-07-2009, 10:49 AM

I have to keep mentioning Kenney now...just to draw C-Mac's reaction.

12-06-2009, 11:21 PM
Tribal Warfare Man of Culture Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $-2907187	Whitlock: Chiefs are going the wrong direction Chiefs are going the wrong direction JASON WHITLOCK COMMENTARY It’s not working, the “process,” the “Patriots Way,” the musical wide receivers, the $63 million quarterback, the yelling and screaming. Sunday, the Chiefs darn near made your eyes bleed. The Denver Broncos took the baton from the San Diego Chargers and obliterated the last pieces of progress left over from the Chiefs’ thought-to-be shocking-at-the-time victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. A week ago, I spared you the final score. This week I will not shield you from the unfiltered truth: Denver 44, Kansas City 13. This thing is headed the wrong direction. Not only was the Pittsburgh victory a total fluke, but it’s lost all of its glitter, thanks to the Steelers’ four-game losing streak, including a loss to the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. You can’t shine this up. For the first time since 1983, John Mackovic’s first season as head coach, the Chiefs surrendered 40-plus points in back-to-back games. That’s right. This is starting to smell like the 1980s on the field and in the stands. Arrowhead Stadium was just a touch more than half-filled on Sunday, and Broncos fans comprised a good 30 percent of the spectators. The only thing missing was Bill Kenney. Unfortunately, Matt Cassel wishes he played at a level as high as Kenney. Todd Haley benched The Sixty Million Dollar Man after Scott Pioli’s prize acquisition completed 10 of 29 passes for 84 yards and two interceptions through three quarters of play. Haley denied Cassel the opportunity to get angry, fling the ball with confidence and authority and put up some meaningless stats. Cassel’s 14.6 QB rating for the afternoon wasn’t all his fault. His receivers, particularly Bobby Wade, dropped numerous passes, failed to complete routes and generally conducted themselves as if they had little interest in risking a Brian Dawkins mouth shot. So much for the myth that this Haley-coached team never quits. His players don’t care that he yells and screams anymore, if they ever did. He’s getting tuned out. In the first quarter, Wade shouted back at his coach and had to be restrained by his teammates. The scare-and-intimidation tactics by Haley and Pioli aren’t a viable long-term plan. This “process” is immature. You can see it in the players’ uneven performance and demeanor. Even a proud, distinguished veteran like Mike Vrabel is beginning to crack. When the Broncos converted a fourth-and-inches into a fourth-quarter touchdown, Vrabel flipped his middle finger to the Denver bench as he walked off the field. “I was frustrated,” said Vrabel, the former Patriots star. “I’ve been on the other end of one of those (blowout victory) and it’s a lot of fun. Well, now I’ve been on the other side, and it’s not good.” None of this is good. The Chiefs aren’t getting better. They have a lone bright spot — linebacker/defensive end Tamba Hali, who recorded three sacks on Sunday and has 6 1/2 for the season. He’s drawn several holding penalties this year and has been a consistent defensive force. No disrespect to Hali, but let me ask this question: Is this the emergence of a true pass-rush force or the second coming of Eric Hicks? You remember Hicks’ 2000 season. He put up 14 sacks in a disappointing 7-9 season. For a season, Hicks looked like a building block, a foundational block for a bright defensive future. Over the next six seasons, Hicks recorded 26 1/2 sacks. He was a solid NFL player. He never had another double-digit sack season. You could argue that if Kansas City had a second playmaker along its front four, Hali would get 10-plus sacks this season. Someone else might argue that Hali is simply doing what he did his first two seasons when he was playing opposite Jared Allen, and Hali’s 6 1/2 sacks look awesome solely because no one else on the Chiefs gets a whiff of the opposing quarterback. Hali had eight sacks his rookie year and 7 1/2 sacks in year two. He had three sacks last season. I’m sorry. I can’t pinpoint a legitimate bright spot. Running back Jamaal Charles can’t hold onto the football. He’s fumbled three times. Chris Chambers? He’s likely to fall off the same cliff as the other off-the-street receivers Haley showcases for a week or two. This season is a disaster. You can’t blame these back-to-back blowout losses to AFC West foes on Carl Peterson and Herm Edwards. When they took over, Marty and Carl didn’t blame Frank Gansz and Jim Schaaf.
Posts: 43,444

12-07-2009, 09:44 AM	#52
CaliforniaChief #RIPAce Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: So Cal Casino cash: $10605899	I'm still a Haley supporter. That said, I was severely disappointed in his performance yesterday without a doubt. The decisions he made (other than 19 plays of the 20 play drive) were indefensible. His personality is such that offensive inability causes him to press and force calls that just aren't there. When they got the field goal to get within 8 going into the half, you know he was going to get more points on that first drive of the 2nd half come hell or high water. Unfortunately it wasn't there and they went 3 and out, leading to the well-designed punt fake. Unfortunately you just can't run that play in that situation, period. Sometimes it looks like he's trying to drive my 2004 minivan like it's a new Corvette.
Posts: 17,457

12-07-2009, 09:53 AM	#53
Tiger's Fan Veteran Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ks Casino cash: $10004900	So, here we are again. The same group of people, savoring in the failure of the Chiefs. Like a group of children on Christmas morning, in giddy anticipation of the failing of the team they supposedly love. The "I told you so" factor, much more important to them than any semblance of success. No regard for the fact that the team is on track to finish as many, including themselves had predicted, a 4 or 5 win team. Is this the point where a faux fan like ROR jumps off for a few years until the team is rebuilt to respectability? If he has in the past, which he's admitted to, this would be the time. Will he take any others with him? Adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it. It doesn't take long to figure out who just doesn't have the stomach for the bad. It's easier to have such lofty expectations when you don't have anything invested emotionally. They'll say their concern is genuine, and that they just want whats best for the team. Yet the hate for the team is stronger than any troll exhibits. If the 2-14 team of last year wins 4 or 5 this year will it be enough to subdue the hate? Doubtful. __________________ Rock Chalk! The San Diego SuperChokers! DaneMcCloud: where cowardice meets dishonesty
Posts: 1,832

12-07-2009, 09:57 AM	#55
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $890478	I guess the one thing you can say for Cassel is he isn't a huge puss. __________________ Chiefs game films
Posts: 297,143

12-07-2009, 10:49 AM	#60
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $890478	I have to keep mentioning Kenney now...just to draw C-Mac's reaction. __________________ Chiefs game films
Posts: 297,143