Chiefs Keep it up, Herm

Hammock Parties · 08-13-2008, 10:19 PM

http://kan.scout.com/2/779191.html

So much for Kansas City's "boring" offensive attack.

In the span of just 16 plays and eight minutes, 45 seconds last week, the Kansas City Chiefs laid to rest two extremely important fears going into the 2008 season – one, that the offense will be boring, and two, my own personal fear.

If you remember, the last time we saw KC’s offense in preseason with Herm Edwards at the helm, the playcalling was vanilla, the results were uninspiring, and you really felt like the Chiefs got a whole lot of nothing accomplished before the regular season started.

But not this time. What we witnessed in Chicago last week was proof that Edwards is making good on the promise he made about three weeks ago, when he outlined his plan to attack the preseason with a goal in mind.

"We need to win some of those games," Edwards told the Kansas City Star. "These guys need some confidence. We won’t be playing the starters the whole game or anything like that, but we’ll open the game up a little bit and give them some things they need to be successful."

What did Edwards give his offense last week in Chicago? Inspired playcalling. Fresh offensive tactics that might normally be kept under lock and key until the regular season, but instead were thrown out for all to see in a meaningless game. Heck, the Chiefs even used audibles.

There were no standard formations, no yawn-inducing runs up the gut with a boring slant pattern thrown in for good measure last Thursday. Here’s a quick recap of the highlights from KC’s first offensive drive against the bears.

• The Chiefs made an effort to throw the ball down the field.

• Brodie Croyle made use of an audible at the line of scrimmage five times.

• Kansas City’s running offense featured the old Terrell Davis/Broncos bread and butter, the downhill toss.

• The Chiefs bootleg game, practiced extensively in camp, made appearances, with passes to both the tight end and fullback.

• Larry Johnson’s touchdown run came on a fake-toss, counter left running play.

• The Chiefs used five different formations in one drive, with multiple variations on those formations.

Seriously, it was a lot of stuff to digest from just one preseason drive. Kansas City’s offense showed incredible variety in just 16 plays. They ran from passing formations and passed from running formations. Brodie Croyle spent a time out when he didn’t like a particular defensive look. The Chiefs even used motion, and the final play, the fake-toss counter, is just plain fun to watch executed correctly, especially since I don’t recall it being run much, if at all, under the old Vermeil/Saunders/Solari offense.

The Chiefs really didn’t have to show all of that in the first preseason game, but it’s obvious they were making an effort to practice a key part of their offensive scheme while trying to put points on the board and win. That’s exactly what Herm Edwards said he wanted to do three weeks ago.

Now it’s time to keep the train from being derailed.

The Chiefs unveil the under-construction Arrowhead Stadium Saturday night against the Arizona Cardinals. Nobody wants to see a repeat of last year’s boring preseason home opener, in which KC’s first-team offense, led by Damon Huard, ran 15 plays and gained 47 yards. The highlight of that unit’s evening was a missed field goal from Justin Medlock.

It’d be great to see the Chiefs come out this weekend against the Cardinals and show us a few more bootlegs, throw the ball down the field and maybe even run that exciting trick play we saw in River Falls. There’s plenty of stuff in Chan Gailey’s bag of offensive magic just waiting to be revealed.

Give Chiefs fans another taste of the appetizer that was so delicious in the Windy City. Considering the way the New Orleans Saints opened last week against Arizona's first-team defense (13 plays, 80 yards, touchdown), seeing the Chiefs follow suit wouldn't hurt. To be frank, any parallels between the NFL's #4 offense from a year ago (the Saints) and KC's offense are a good thing.

The message here is simple – keep it up, Herm. It’s good for the offense, it’s good for fan morale, it might do wonders if the Chiefs are trying to stave off another 0-2 start. And yes, it might just sell a few more tickets before the Raiders come to Arrowhead in September, even if that's not the overriding goal.

To tell you the truth, if the Chiefs score another opening-drive touchdown I might just click over to ticketmaster.com myself. Keep it up!

Spicy McHaggis · 08-13-2008, 10:30 PM

Tommie Harris was on Chicago radio a few days ago bitching about how the Chiefs didn't run a vanilla offense during the preseason game.

I thought the Chiefs were simply getting as much practice for a young team as they possibly could.

Nightfyre · 08-13-2008, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spicy McHaggis

Tommy Harris was on Chicago radio a few days ago bitching about how the Chiefs didn't run a vanilla offense during the preseason game.

I thought the Chiefs were simply getting as much practice for a young team as they possibly could.

Well, maybe Tommy Harris should join the chiefs and I'd care.

Seriously though, Tommy Harris + Glen Dorsey would be orgasmic.

**The Bad Guy** · 08-13-2008, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spicy McHaggis

Tommy Harris was on Chicago radio a few days ago bitching about how the Chiefs didn't run a vanilla offense during the preseason game.

I thought the Chiefs were simply getting as much practice for a young team as they possibly could.

What a crybaby pussy.

Who cares what type of an offense gets run in the preseason?

Mecca · 08-13-2008, 10:40 PM

He's basically saying "they scored on us by running a real game offense in a preseason game, so **** em they suck"

I'd still be pretty concerned about how many 3rd downs were in that drive odds are you won't convert that many.

08-13-2008, 10:43 PM

Pretty good column. Well researched and informative - not too bad.

Hammock Parties · 08-13-2008, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecca

He's basically saying "they scored on us by running a real game offense in a preseason game, so **** em they suck"

I'd still be pretty concerned about how many 3rd downs were in that drive odds are you won't convert that many.

Odds are we won't have so many cluster****s in the course of an average drive, either. Seriously:

1. A receiver fell down
2. Larry fumbled
3. Jones COMPLETELY blew a block, leading to a six-yard loss
4. Jones had a bad holding penalty

That combination of negatives won't happen on every possession.

**007** · 08-13-2008, 11:01 PM

I wish all teams would just run the normal offense during the preseason. All the "we don't want to give anything away" crap annoys me.

Huffman83 · 08-13-2008, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guru

I wish all teams would just run the normal offense during the preseason. All the "we don't want to give anything away" crap annoys me.

I agree. **** that! Play ball!!!!!

But honestly...that was last week. While I agree the the starters looked rusty but a whole hell of a lot better than last years starters. I think a lot of people are quick to start sucking the revamped offense off.

Mecca · 08-13-2008, 11:42 PM

The oline screwing up...I expect that to be a normal theme.

Chiefs Pantalones · 08-13-2008, 11:54 PM

Another reason why Herm wants to play the way they play in the regular season is because he wants to hit the ground running come September 7 against the Patriots. Herm's teams, particularly the offenses, always get off to slow starts, and he's trying to change that.

Mecca · 08-13-2008, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vanilla Thunder

Another reason why Herm wants to play the way they play in the regular season is because he wants to hit the ground running come September 7 against the Patriots. Herm's teams, particularly the offenses, always get off to slow starts, and he's trying to change that.

We're gonna get raped in that game either way.

**J Diddy** · 08-14-2008, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecca

We're gonna get raped in that game either way.

I say we win it

Chiefs Pantalones · 08-14-2008, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecca

We're gonna get raped in that game either way.

Yeah I recall the raping they gave the Jets last year that first game. What was it, like 38-3? Yeah...it's safe to say that I'm scared, but have accepted being 0-1 lol

Mecca · 08-14-2008, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Diddy

I say we win it

I say you smoke serious crack.

08-13-2008, 10:19 PM
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $4720478	Keep it up, Herm http://kan.scout.com/2/779191.html So much for Kansas City's "boring" offensive attack. In the span of just 16 plays and eight minutes, 45 seconds last week, the Kansas City Chiefs laid to rest two extremely important fears going into the 2008 season – one, that the offense will be boring, and two, my own personal fear. If you remember, the last time we saw KC’s offense in preseason with Herm Edwards at the helm, the playcalling was vanilla, the results were uninspiring, and you really felt like the Chiefs got a whole lot of nothing accomplished before the regular season started. But not this time. What we witnessed in Chicago last week was proof that Edwards is making good on the promise he made about three weeks ago, when he outlined his plan to attack the preseason with a goal in mind. "We need to win some of those games," Edwards told the Kansas City Star. "These guys need some confidence. We won’t be playing the starters the whole game or anything like that, but we’ll open the game up a little bit and give them some things they need to be successful." What did Edwards give his offense last week in Chicago? Inspired playcalling. Fresh offensive tactics that might normally be kept under lock and key until the regular season, but instead were thrown out for all to see in a meaningless game. Heck, the Chiefs even used audibles. There were no standard formations, no yawn-inducing runs up the gut with a boring slant pattern thrown in for good measure last Thursday. Here’s a quick recap of the highlights from KC’s first offensive drive against the bears. • The Chiefs made an effort to throw the ball down the field. • Brodie Croyle made use of an audible at the line of scrimmage five times. • Kansas City’s running offense featured the old Terrell Davis/Broncos bread and butter, the downhill toss. • The Chiefs bootleg game, practiced extensively in camp, made appearances, with passes to both the tight end and fullback. • Larry Johnson’s touchdown run came on a fake-toss, counter left running play. • The Chiefs used five different formations in one drive, with multiple variations on those formations. Seriously, it was a lot of stuff to digest from just one preseason drive. Kansas City’s offense showed incredible variety in just 16 plays. They ran from passing formations and passed from running formations. Brodie Croyle spent a time out when he didn’t like a particular defensive look. The Chiefs even used motion, and the final play, the fake-toss counter, is just plain fun to watch executed correctly, especially since I don’t recall it being run much, if at all, under the old Vermeil/Saunders/Solari offense. The Chiefs really didn’t have to show all of that in the first preseason game, but it’s obvious they were making an effort to practice a key part of their offensive scheme while trying to put points on the board and win. That’s exactly what Herm Edwards said he wanted to do three weeks ago. Now it’s time to keep the train from being derailed. The Chiefs unveil the under-construction Arrowhead Stadium Saturday night against the Arizona Cardinals. Nobody wants to see a repeat of last year’s boring preseason home opener, in which KC’s first-team offense, led by Damon Huard, ran 15 plays and gained 47 yards. The highlight of that unit’s evening was a missed field goal from Justin Medlock. It’d be great to see the Chiefs come out this weekend against the Cardinals and show us a few more bootlegs, throw the ball down the field and maybe even run that exciting trick play we saw in River Falls. There’s plenty of stuff in Chan Gailey’s bag of offensive magic just waiting to be revealed. Give Chiefs fans another taste of the appetizer that was so delicious in the Windy City. Considering the way the New Orleans Saints opened last week against Arizona's first-team defense (13 plays, 80 yards, touchdown), seeing the Chiefs follow suit wouldn't hurt. To be frank, any parallels between the NFL's #4 offense from a year ago (the Saints) and KC's offense are a good thing. The message here is simple – keep it up, Herm. It’s good for the offense, it’s good for fan morale, it might do wonders if the Chiefs are trying to stave off another 0-2 start. And yes, it might just sell a few more tickets before the Raiders come to Arrowhead in September, even if that's not the overriding goal. To tell you the truth, if the Chiefs score another opening-drive touchdown I might just click over to ticketmaster.com myself. Keep it up!
Posts: 277,840

08-13-2008, 10:30 PM	#2
Spicy McHaggis Keep 'er Movin' Join Date: Sep 2004 Casino cash: $9905359	Tommie Harris was on Chicago radio a few days ago bitching about how the Chiefs didn't run a vanilla offense during the preseason game. I thought the Chiefs were simply getting as much practice for a young team as they possibly could. Last edited by Spicy McHaggis; 08-13-2008 at 11:08 PM..
Posts: 4,963

08-13-2008, 10:40 PM	#5
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $2627050	He's basically saying "they scored on us by running a real game offense in a preseason game, so **** em they suck" I'd still be pretty concerned about how many 3rd downs were in that drive odds are you won't convert that many.
Posts: 110,895

08-13-2008, 10:43 PM	#6
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	Pretty good column. Well researched and informative - not too bad.
Posts: n/a

08-13-2008, 11:01 PM	#8
007 Shaken. Not stirred. Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Casino cash: $14060126 VARSITY	I wish all teams would just run the normal offense during the preseason. All the "we don't want to give anything away" crap annoys me. __________________ My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done. Such as, drinking Dom Perignon ’53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s just as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs.
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08-13-2008, 11:42 PM	#10
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $2627050	The oline screwing up...I expect that to be a normal theme.
Posts: 110,895

08-13-2008, 11:54 PM	#11
Chiefs Pantalones GO CHIEFS!!!!!! Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $7918717	Another reason why Herm wants to play the way they play in the regular season is because he wants to hit the ground running come September 7 against the Patriots. Herm's teams, particularly the offenses, always get off to slow starts, and he's trying to change that. __________________ Don't be fooled by my username, I'm white.
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