Chiefs Mellinger | Chiefs go right back to role as NFL’s worst team

**Tribal Warfare** · 12-09-2012, 07:16 PM

Sam Mellinger | Chiefs go right back to role as NFL’s worst team
By SAM MELLINGER
The Kansas City Star
The most disappointing bunch of losers in the NFL is back. That was a tragic, heartbreaking and in some ways inspiring eight days the Chiefs just navigated. They learned a teammate had murdered a woman and then killed himself, played their best game of the season the next day, and spent last week burying their friend and grieving for two families and even preparing for another football game.

That tragedy will be part of what we always remember about the 2012 Chiefs.

But the awful football they play is what will define them, and ultimately what will keep some of them from being part of the 2013 Chiefs.

The world moves fast. Maybe that’s callous. But the NFL is big business. Everyone is judged on performance, and now, two games removed from Jovan Belcher’s murder-suicide, the focus is back to the Chiefs’ place as the most disappointing team in the NFL.

They lost 30-7 to the Browns here on Sunday. That’s thirty. To seven. To the Browns.

That’s the Browns, who entered the weekend 27th in offense and 23rd in defense. The Browns, who haven’t beaten anyone this thoroughly since 2003. The Browns, who have a general manager most fans assume is out the door and a coach many of them hope is out the door.

Jamaal Charles sliced through and then outran the Browns’ defense for an 80-yard touchdown on the Chiefs’ first play from scrimmage. The Chiefs ran 51 more plays without any more points.

Romeo Crennel talks sometimes about keeping scores close, inching far closer than an NFL coach should to claiming moral victory, and the Chiefs just got blown out by a team that hasn’t blown anyone out this bad since its starting running back was 13 years old.

Of course, it’s entirely possible it’s been that long since the Browns played a team as bad as these Chiefs.

And if you’re wondering whether the Chiefs are still rocked by the tragedy, if the hangover of losing a friend and teammate kicked in this week instead of last, well:

“No, not at all,” Dexter McCluster says.

“No, we came in excited to play this game,” Tamba Hali says.

“I don’t think so,” Justin Houston says.

“It’s not a distraction for us,” Brady Quinn says.

“I think if there was a letdown, we wouldn’t have played the first half the way we played the first half,” Crennel says.

You know, the Chiefs were actually losing at halftime. Ugh.

Anyway, this is a group clearly in over its head, overmatched against NFL teams. They call timeout to get the ball back at the end of the first half, only to run out the clock with a draw that everyone back in Kansas City knew was coming. They gave up an accidental 93-yard punt return, missed a short field goal, kicked it off out of bounds and threw jump-ball fade routes to Jamar Newsome (recently promoted from the practice squad) instead of Jonathan Baldwin (the first-round pick two years ago).

On defense, they started Tysyn Hartman and played Josh Bellamy, Leon Williams and Nieko Thorpe. On offense, they started Quinn and played Patrick DiMarco, Terrance Copper, Shaun Draughn and Newsome — together.

This is a team that still often talks like turnovers are the biggest problem but has now won just one of six games with two or fewer giveaways. They continue to make a case as the cockiest terrible team in league history — Shaun Smith tweeted before the game that “we are gonna win today by 10 the brownies (stink).”

This is a broken roster — especially if Dwayne Bowe’s injury is serious, and if he doesn’t return next year — that’s being coached down instead of up. They are in the fourth year of a building process, and instead of the Right 53, they have, roughly, the Right Dozen Or So.

General manager Scott Pioli fired coach Todd Haley one year ago this week. Pioli talked about the team’s inconsistency and too many blowout losses, among other things. He said he needed to do his own job better, and that he should be held accountable.

Well, the Chiefs now have three fewer wins and two more losses by more than two touchdowns compared to the same time last year.

Pioli and Crennel earned everyone’s empathy and respect for how they reacted to an impossible and life-changing tragedy nine days ago. But in the NFL, jobs are given and retained based on wins and losses, and the Chiefs are the worst and most disappointing team in the league.

Three games left.

12-09-2012, 07:16 PM	Topic Starter
Tribal Warfare The Boom Boom Room Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $802813	Mellinger \| Chiefs go right back to role as NFL’s worst team Sam Mellinger \| Chiefs go right back to role as NFL’s worst team By SAM MELLINGER The Kansas City Star The most disappointing bunch of losers in the NFL is back. That was a tragic, heartbreaking and in some ways inspiring eight days the Chiefs just navigated. They learned a teammate had murdered a woman and then killed himself, played their best game of the season the next day, and spent last week burying their friend and grieving for two families and even preparing for another football game. That tragedy will be part of what we always remember about the 2012 Chiefs. But the awful football they play is what will define them, and ultimately what will keep some of them from being part of the 2013 Chiefs. The world moves fast. Maybe that’s callous. But the NFL is big business. Everyone is judged on performance, and now, two games removed from Jovan Belcher’s murder-suicide, the focus is back to the Chiefs’ place as the most disappointing team in the NFL. They lost 30-7 to the Browns here on Sunday. That’s thirty. To seven. To the Browns. That’s the Browns, who entered the weekend 27th in offense and 23rd in defense. The Browns, who haven’t beaten anyone this thoroughly since 2003. The Browns, who have a general manager most fans assume is out the door and a coach many of them hope is out the door. Jamaal Charles sliced through and then outran the Browns’ defense for an 80-yard touchdown on the Chiefs’ first play from scrimmage. The Chiefs ran 51 more plays without any more points. Romeo Crennel talks sometimes about keeping scores close, inching far closer than an NFL coach should to claiming moral victory, and the Chiefs just got blown out by a team that hasn’t blown anyone out this bad since its starting running back was 13 years old. Of course, it’s entirely possible it’s been that long since the Browns played a team as bad as these Chiefs. And if you’re wondering whether the Chiefs are still rocked by the tragedy, if the hangover of losing a friend and teammate kicked in this week instead of last, well: “No, not at all,” Dexter McCluster says. “No, we came in excited to play this game,” Tamba Hali says. “I don’t think so,” Justin Houston says. “It’s not a distraction for us,” Brady Quinn says. “I think if there was a letdown, we wouldn’t have played the first half the way we played the first half,” Crennel says. You know, the Chiefs were actually losing at halftime. Ugh. Anyway, this is a group clearly in over its head, overmatched against NFL teams. They call timeout to get the ball back at the end of the first half, only to run out the clock with a draw that everyone back in Kansas City knew was coming. They gave up an accidental 93-yard punt return, missed a short field goal, kicked it off out of bounds and threw jump-ball fade routes to Jamar Newsome (recently promoted from the practice squad) instead of Jonathan Baldwin (the first-round pick two years ago). On defense, they started Tysyn Hartman and played Josh Bellamy, Leon Williams and Nieko Thorpe. On offense, they started Quinn and played Patrick DiMarco, Terrance Copper, Shaun Draughn and Newsome — together. This is a team that still often talks like turnovers are the biggest problem but has now won just one of six games with two or fewer giveaways. They continue to make a case as the cockiest terrible team in league history — Shaun Smith tweeted before the game that “we are gonna win today by 10 the brownies (stink).” This is a broken roster — especially if Dwayne Bowe’s injury is serious, and if he doesn’t return next year — that’s being coached down instead of up. They are in the fourth year of a building process, and instead of the Right 53, they have, roughly, the Right Dozen Or So. General manager Scott Pioli fired coach Todd Haley one year ago this week. Pioli talked about the team’s inconsistency and too many blowout losses, among other things. He said he needed to do his own job better, and that he should be held accountable. Well, the Chiefs now have three fewer wins and two more losses by more than two touchdowns compared to the same time last year. Pioli and Crennel earned everyone’s empathy and respect for how they reacted to an impossible and life-changing tragedy nine days ago. But in the NFL, jobs are given and retained based on wins and losses, and the Chiefs are the worst and most disappointing team in the league. Three games left.
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