Chiefs Babb: Chiefs' Hali is quietly racking up sacks - Page 5

**Tribal Warfare** · 09-28-2010, 11:55 PM

Chiefs' Hali is quietly racking up sacks
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star

Tamba Hali doesn’t say much, but when he does speak, he tends to mean it.

“You know,” he said after the Chiefs’ win Sunday against San Francisco, “Romeo Crennel has come in here and really changed our identity.”

Hali is Kansas City’s best pass rusher, and he took a vow of silence — or mostly silence — during last year’s training camp. He has said privately that he preferred to focus on his job, rather than speak his mind. He renewed that vow this year, and that became one part of Hali’s identity that hasn’t changed.

What Crennel, the team’s first-year defensive coordinator, has done is take Hali and turn him into the Chiefs’ most effective pass-rusher since Jared Allen was traded in 2008. It didn’t take that long, either.

And Crennel did it by changing the defense around Hali. Kansas City’s top priority now is stopping the run, and when that happens, Hali can chase quarterbacks. That’s how he spent Sunday, when he sacked Alex Smith three times. The Chiefs finished with five sacks in their 31-10 win at Arrowhead Stadium. The defense looked like an elite pass-rushing unit, and Hali had one of his best games since becoming an outside linebacker last season.

“All the things we were asking him to do within the scheme of our defense,” coach Todd Haley said, “he did.”

As big as Hali’s sacks were, it was the little things that stuck in his coach’s mind. Haley and Crennel have said that there are many factors that signal a disruptive pass rush, and only the most extreme of those is a sack. If a quarterback is hurried or rattled, or if an offense has to make adjustments that could compromise its objectives, then a defense has done its job.

Haley said Hali was part of a unit that did that Sunday, and Kansas City’s defense kept San Francisco out of the end zone for four full quarters; 49ers wide receiver Josh Morgan scored his team’s only touchdown after time expired.

Haley said that was, defensively, “the most complete game” to date, and it would be hard to argue that it wasn’t the best game Kansas City has played since Haley was hired in 2009. It was shortly after then that Hali was among several defensive players who had to shift to another position to accommodate the 3-4 defensive scheme that Haley hoped to run. Hali could still rush the passer, but he was raw as a linebacker, and few knew whether it would work out.

It took him six weeks to get as many sacks as he had Sunday, and he finished the season with 8 1/2 .

The Chiefs hired Crennel in the offseason, and he puts emphasis on stopping the run. If that happens, then quarterbacks are at an immediate disadvantage.

Sometimes things just go according to plan.

After the San Francisco game, Hali praised the Chiefs’ defensive line for holding the 49ers to 43 rushing yards, and Kansas City’s offense for scoring enough points to force Smith to pass more often — and Crennel for designing a scenario that Hali could succeed in.

That gave Hali his chances, and he delivered.

“Credit those guys for allowing me to rush this week,” he said.

So modest.

Haley has said that Hali, in his fifth year, has a chance to become one of the league’s best pass rushers, and he showed Sunday that he’s capable. Hali had three sacks in a game against Denver last year, and before that, the Chiefs had gone without a three-sack performance since Allen did it against Washington in 2005.

Hali might not say much, but that doesn’t mean he’ll go unnoticed the rest of this season. If Crennel’s scheme keeps working, you can be certain of that. That much showed in one afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium.

“That is a really good day,” Haley said, “and that is good for the Chiefs.”

TheGuardian · 09-29-2010, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROR

Yes, prior to acquiring more personnel this year suited for the 3-4, 2009 Chiefs Defense was a RAGING success!!!!!

Who?

Shaun Smith? That's it?

Stupid mother ****ers here are STILL saying that Dorsey is out of position, even though he himself has said this defense and this position is more similar to what he did in college.

Who is it that we got this offseason that made the transition so much easier?

We inserted two inside guys at linebacker that were already here. The defensive line hasn't changed except for adding Smith.

Do you ever know WTF you're talking about?

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-29-2010, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

Who?

Shaun Smith? That's it?

Stupid mother ****ers here are STILL saying that Dorsey is out of position, even though he himself has said this defense and this position is more similar to what he did in college.

Who is it that we got this offseason that made the transition so much easier?

We inserted two inside guys at linebacker that were already here. The defensive line hasn't changed except for adding Smith.

Do you ever know WTF you're talking about?

Eric Berry, Javier Arenas and Kendrick Lewis disagree (as does Cameron Sheffield but he's on IR).

Sweet Daddy Hate · 09-29-2010, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

Who?

Shaun Smith? That's it?

Stupid mother ****ers here are STILL saying that Dorsey is out of position, even though he himself has said this defense and this position is more similar to what he did in college.

Who is it that we got this offseason that made the transition so much easier?

We inserted two inside guys at linebacker that were already here. The defensive line hasn't changed except for adding Smith.

Do you ever know WTF you're talking about?

Oh dear God

.

SenselessChiefsFan · 09-29-2010, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beach tribe

Nice. Didn't realize that. He actually seems to be a better OLB than DE. He was absolutely swallowed by LTs at DE

This. I said it at the time, and I continued to get blasted for it. If you put him at DE, OT's can get their hands on him and limit his effectiveness. You let him get the a step before he takes on the OT, and he can use his athleticism to beat his guy. Lighten him up by 20lbs or so, and he is even more quick.

SenselessChiefsFan · 09-29-2010, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROR

Yes, prior to acquiring more personnel this year suited for the 3-4, 2009 Chiefs Defense was a RAGING success!!!!!

This isn't a very solid point. The front seven is pretty much intact from last year. And, if TJ hadn't gotten hurt, Smith wouldn't even be starting.

The guys are just growing in this defense and the DC is MUCH improved.

SenselessChiefsFan · 09-29-2010, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Eric Berry, Javier Arenas and Kendrick Lewis disagree (as does Cameron Sheffield but he's on IR).

The front seven is pretty much the same. If TJ weren't injured, Smith wouldn't be starting.

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-29-2010, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensibleChiefsfan

This isn't a very solid point. The front seven is pretty much intact from last year.

Bullshit.

DJ wasn't a full time starter, neither was Belcher. Tyson Jackson has been outplayed by a former undrafted free agent in Shaun Smith. Additionally, Arenas has been far more effective in the nickel and our safety play isn't even close.

The Chiefs entered the season with Turk McBride at linebacker and Tank Tyler at nose tackle, along with Corey Mays and Demorrio Williams as the starting linebackers (and Leggett at nickle and sometimes at CB).

Your point is invalid.

As usual.

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-29-2010, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensibleChiefsfan

The front seven is pretty much the same.

Bullshit

SenselessChiefsFan · 09-29-2010, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Bullshit.

DJ wasn't a full time starter, neither was Belcher. Tyson Jackson has been outplayed by a former undrafted free agent in Shaun Smith. Additionally, Arenas has been far more effective in the nickel and our safety play isn't even close.

The Chiefs entered the season with Turk McBride at linebacker and Tank Tyler at nose tackle, along with Corey Mays and Demorrio Williams as the starting linebackers (and Leggett at nickle and sometimes at CB).

Your point is invalid.

As usual.

DJ and Belcher were here. Smith has outplayed TJ from last year, but not this year. All but Smith in the front seven were here last year.

And, Dorsey and Hali are two of the Chiefs best players on defense, and I believe you said neither could play in this defense.

So, yeah, adding in ONE free agent just magically changed the entire front seven. I guess whatever you need to tell yourself to avoid the fact that you are a dumbass.

philfree · 09-29-2010, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROR

Yes, prior to acquiring more personnel this year suited for the 3-4, 2009 Chiefs Defense was a RAGING success!!!!!

Who did we acquire? Shaun Smith and who else? Smith is doing great but our front 7 is comprised of players who were here last year save Smith. Jackson was the seasons starter though.

The 2009 Chiefs D sucked but making the change to the 3-4 last year was the thing to do. It's benifited Hali and Dorsey tremendously. Our D wouldn't be where it is now if the change hadn't been made last year. Out ILBs are much better for it too.

Our front 7 has been playing well. Much improved from last year!

PhilFree

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-29-2010, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensibleChiefsfan

DJ and Belcher were here. Smith has outplayed TJ from last year, but not this year. All but Smith in the front seven were here last year.

You're full of shit. DJ and Belcher were not consistent starters, whether they were "here" or not. TJ looked to be improved against SD but he's still not on the same level as smith.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensibleChiefsfan

And, Dorsey and Hali are two of the Chiefs best players on defense, and I believe you said neither could play in this defense.

More ****ing bullshit.

BullshitChiefsfan. That's your new screen name.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensibleChiefsfan

So, yeah, adding in ONE free agent just magically changed the entire front seven. I guess whatever you need to tell yourself to avoid the fact that you are a dumbass.

You're a ****ing reerun.

**DaneMcCloud** · 09-29-2010, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philfree

Our front 7 has been playing well. Much improved from last year!

Three things:

1. Another year in the system and three new starters in the front seven.
2. Far better play from the safety position (which is HUGE).
3. Competent defensive line coach and defensive coordinator.

Mecca · 09-29-2010, 07:46 PM

Derrick Johnson is probably already approaching the amount of snaps he played for the entire last season.

**Saul Good** · 09-29-2010, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Eric Berry, Javier Arenas and Kendrick Lewis disagree (as does Cameron Sheffield but he's on IR).

I guess Arenas is a 3-tech, right?

philfree · 09-29-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Three things:

1. Another year in the system and three new starters in the front seven.
2. Far better play from the safety position (which is HUGE).
3. Competent defensive line coach and defensive coordinator.

I agree. And it's in the 2nd year of our 3-4 not the 1st.

PhilFree

09-28-2010, 11:55 PM
Tribal Warfare The Boom Boom Room Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $-587187	Babb: Chiefs' Hali is quietly racking up sacks Chiefs' Hali is quietly racking up sacks By KENT BABB The Kansas City Star Tamba Hali doesn’t say much, but when he does speak, he tends to mean it. “You know,” he said after the Chiefs’ win Sunday against San Francisco, “Romeo Crennel has come in here and really changed our identity.” Hali is Kansas City’s best pass rusher, and he took a vow of silence — or mostly silence — during last year’s training camp. He has said privately that he preferred to focus on his job, rather than speak his mind. He renewed that vow this year, and that became one part of Hali’s identity that hasn’t changed. What Crennel, the team’s first-year defensive coordinator, has done is take Hali and turn him into the Chiefs’ most effective pass-rusher since Jared Allen was traded in 2008. It didn’t take that long, either. And Crennel did it by changing the defense around Hali. Kansas City’s top priority now is stopping the run, and when that happens, Hali can chase quarterbacks. That’s how he spent Sunday, when he sacked Alex Smith three times. The Chiefs finished with five sacks in their 31-10 win at Arrowhead Stadium. The defense looked like an elite pass-rushing unit, and Hali had one of his best games since becoming an outside linebacker last season. “All the things we were asking him to do within the scheme of our defense,” coach Todd Haley said, “he did.” As big as Hali’s sacks were, it was the little things that stuck in his coach’s mind. Haley and Crennel have said that there are many factors that signal a disruptive pass rush, and only the most extreme of those is a sack. If a quarterback is hurried or rattled, or if an offense has to make adjustments that could compromise its objectives, then a defense has done its job. Haley said Hali was part of a unit that did that Sunday, and Kansas City’s defense kept San Francisco out of the end zone for four full quarters; 49ers wide receiver Josh Morgan scored his team’s only touchdown after time expired. Haley said that was, defensively, “the most complete game” to date, and it would be hard to argue that it wasn’t the best game Kansas City has played since Haley was hired in 2009. It was shortly after then that Hali was among several defensive players who had to shift to another position to accommodate the 3-4 defensive scheme that Haley hoped to run. Hali could still rush the passer, but he was raw as a linebacker, and few knew whether it would work out. It took him six weeks to get as many sacks as he had Sunday, and he finished the season with 8 1/2 . The Chiefs hired Crennel in the offseason, and he puts emphasis on stopping the run. If that happens, then quarterbacks are at an immediate disadvantage. Sometimes things just go according to plan. After the San Francisco game, Hali praised the Chiefs’ defensive line for holding the 49ers to 43 rushing yards, and Kansas City’s offense for scoring enough points to force Smith to pass more often — and Crennel for designing a scenario that Hali could succeed in. That gave Hali his chances, and he delivered. “Credit those guys for allowing me to rush this week,” he said. So modest. Haley has said that Hali, in his fifth year, has a chance to become one of the league’s best pass rushers, and he showed Sunday that he’s capable. Hali had three sacks in a game against Denver last year, and before that, the Chiefs had gone without a three-sack performance since Allen did it against Washington in 2005. Hali might not say much, but that doesn’t mean he’ll go unnoticed the rest of this season. If Crennel’s scheme keeps working, you can be certain of that. That much showed in one afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium. “That is a really good day,” Haley said, “and that is good for the Chiefs.”
Posts: 42,523

09-29-2010, 07:46 PM	#73
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $1237050	Derrick Johnson is probably already approaching the amount of snaps he played for the entire last season.
Posts: 112,450