Whitlock: Chiefs are going the wrong direction

[Tribal Warfare]

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.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by memyselfI

M,

I don't think it's a leap when you have players willing to even appear they are eager to take him on in a physical confrontation. It says you've lost at least one player AND his supporters and it says to those not in his camp that there are open fractions on the team. Once you've got fractions you no longer have cohesion. That is what this team is playing like. A team void of cohesion. No one is playing for pride either of their team or themselves and certainly not what it means to be 'a Chief' or in Kansas City.

If the franchise stunk and the fan base was awful but the team was still firmly behind their coach then in the very least they'd be out busting butts in an attempt to save his job let alone their own. Is that happening? Nope. This team has quit on the coach and if we are not careful they will check out so far that simply putting a new body in place won't help. There will be so much division and derision that a new face will only be a bandaid.

This rests on the shoulders of whomever got the final say in hiring a rookie to take on a team in turmoil. Haley might be able to step onto a mediocre team and take it to the next level. But he is not of the temperament to take a team in crisis and turn them around.

I can understand and appreciate your point of view....but here is where I veer to the left....

Who, on this Team, has played well enough I (as a fan) should respect and see them quitting on this team as an indictment on the Head Coach. I'm not sure I can name anyone.

I just don't see where anyone has given Haley enough time to be able to turn this team around, especially with the pile of players he was given. Has he made some poor choices/decisions? Absolutely...and I don't think I have said otherwise. But what Head Coach (rookie or seasoned veteran) hasn't made many bonehead decisions?

I guess I will wait until a 2nd poor season before I call for Haley's head on a platter.

mmaddog
*******

[The Franchise]

Bump.

[Hammock Parties]

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.

Three years later, same shit, different stink.

[Graystoke]