Gretz' views on Chiefs-Raiders game

shaneo69 · 12-06-2004, 09:00 AM

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.

12-06-2004, 09:00 AM	Topic Starter
shaneo69 Smug Weasel Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Bleachers at Busch Casino cash: $10004900	Gretz' views on Chiefs-Raiders game 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.
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