Chiefs Mellinger:Crennel’s bad decisions key to latest Chiefs debacle - Page 3

**Tribal Warfare** · 10-07-2012, 08:12 PM

Crennel’s bad decisions key to latest Chiefs debacle
By SAM MELLINGER
The Kansas City Star
The Chiefs have been pathetic already, so that’s not the surprising part. And they’ve looked hopeless, so that’s not new, either.

What we see now is worse, somehow, a bit further from respectability than even fans calling the team an “embarrassment” on a sign in the parking lot, or demanding the general manager be fired on a banner flown over the stadium before the game.

What we see now is a disjointed mess of a football team that was supposed to compete for the division title but is instead sinking toward the bottom of the league, with a head coach unable to make it stop and an offensive lineman making national headlines for destroying fans who cheered their quarterback’s injury.

If this isn’t rock bottom, then we could all save ourselves some trouble by guzzling Drano.

Because in losing 9-6 to the Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, the Chiefs missed what even folks on the payroll have to admit is probably their last chance to salvage the season. Instead, the Chiefs dunked their fans’ heads even deeper under water.

This time, it’s Romeo Crennel’s turn to face charges of incompetence because, honestly, did Todd Haley ever mismanage a game this badly?

A defense-first man by nature, and still the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator, Crennel blew a fabulous performance against the league’s No. 2 offense because he couldn’t get anything else right.

The only thing Crennel appears willing to risk in his game plans is Jamaal Charles’ future — coming off ACL surgery, the Chiefs’ star running back is the only player in the league to go over 30 touches twice this season — and the result diminished the Ravens’ risk of losing.

A bizarre decision to punt instead of try for a first down or Hail Mary at the end of the first half, more will-breaking penalties and a team presumably coached to value the ball instead padding its league lead in turnovers sucked the possibilities from a game the Chiefs otherwise should’ve won.

Even by Kansas City standards, the idea of losing at home while rushing for 214 yards and outgaining one of the league’s premier offenses is extreme. But Crennel pulled it off by showing appropriately little faith in Cassel — but refusing to bench him.

The decision was no longer Crennel’s after Cassel got hurt in the fourth quarter, but by then it was too late. Cassel threw two interceptions — including one into heavy coverage to Dwayne Bowe while Steve Maneri didn’t have a defender within 10 yards — and fumbled the snap on a quarterback sneak at the goal line. Damage done.

Spirit squashed.

Crennel might be the only coach in NFL history to be so loyal to a game-manager quarterback who has 13 turnovers in five games.

“No,” Crennel said when I asked after the game if he considered benching Cassel before the injury.

This is a problem, especially after Crennel talked openly last week of giving backup Brady Quinn a chance if Cassel continued to falter. Quinn has been behind Charlie Frye, Ken Dorsey and Derek Anderson in his career, so we’re not talking about Len Dawson here, but at some point a coach needs to be willing to make a change.

For Crennel, that point didn’t come until he had no other choice.

He is instead the coach of a team that can’t quit a quarterback who both averages nearly three turnovers a game and provides such minimal playmaking that the entire game plan centers on minimizing Cassel’s impact.

Crennel is a smart man and one of the most respected defensive coordinators in recent league history. But when the Chiefs promoted him to head coach, the team’s decision-makers made the behind-the-scenes case that Crennel’s 24-40 record in Cleveland was more a reflection of a dysfunctional franchise than the man’s ability.

Five games into the season, and Chiefs fans are left with this disheartening dilemma: Crennel really is that bad of a coach, or the Chiefs are now as dysfunctional as the Browns.

Actually, after a 12th loss in their last 15 games and a group of players and fans who share a strong mutual distaste for each other, it’s pretty clear that the worse of those two possibilities is now Kansas City’s sad reality.

**J Diddy** · 10-07-2012, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

The kind of person that's sick of seeing a overpaid worthless sack of monkey shit keep his job regardless of how poorly he is playing and knows that's the only way to get his ass off the field.

Because that decision lies with MC. It's classless, no matter how hard you spin it.

Deberg_1990 · 10-07-2012, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simply Red

I agree to an extent, maybe not 10x - but a better business man. No question about it.

Peterson get's the Manning visit, it is what it is, now and Manning doesn't look so hot. But Peterson would've got Manning to visit.

First 4 years in KC:

Carl. 39-24
Pioli 22-31 to date....

**J Diddy** · 10-07-2012, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TEX

I can only speak for myself, but I cheered when Cassel was hurt. Howevver, not because he wss hurt, I was cheering because it meant that he would finally be taken out

of the game.

and I too was excited when Quinn came in. Just not to the point of wishing harm on a ball player.

mcaj22 · 10-07-2012, 08:46 PM

who made plays today

Charles - 90 percent of the offense and anything positive
Bowe - #1 read on every pass
Albert - got owned a few times, whatever, certainly wasnt the overpaid RT that let our QB get knocked out and then cried about the fans, so much better
Flowers - had a pick. shut down most WRs on his side
DJ - had some good sticks on Ray Rice, got lost in the shuffle sometimes, still the only LB worth a shit on pass coverage
Hali - not only frees up Houston but still applies top flight pressure

what did Piolis guys do? How was Arenas? McCluster? I think I saw Jon Baldwin have a catch, that was neat? How about Tyson Jackson? Eric Berry did he even suit up? Tony Moeaki is he hurt or is he actually out there? Peyton Hills surely did something? I think I saw Stanford Routt hold a guy... twice? Scott Pioli players ladies and gentleman.

stonedstooge · 10-07-2012, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcaj22

who made plays today

Charles - 90 percent of the offense and anything positive
Bowe - #1 read on every pass
Albert - got owned a few times, whatever, certainly wasnt the overpaid RT that let our QB get knocked out and then cried about the fans, so much better
Flowers - had a pick. shut down most WRs on his side
DJ - had some good sticks on Ray Rice, got lost in the shuffle sometimes, still the only LB worth a shit on pass coverage
Hali - not only frees up Houston but still applies top flight pressure

what did Piolis guys do? How was Arenas? McCluster? I think I saw Jon Baldwin have a catch, that was neat? How about Tyson Jackson? Eric Berry did he even suit up? Tony Moeaki is he hurt or is he actually out there? Peyton Hills surely did something? I think I saw Stanford Routt hold a guy... twice? Scott Pioli players ladies and gentleman.

I saw Tyson Jackson jump on a pile and get up and celebrate

O.city · 10-07-2012, 08:48 PM

Didn't Arenas make a few plays?

tredadda · 10-07-2012, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcaj22

who made plays today

Charles - 90 percent of the offense and anything positive
Bowe - #1 read on every pass
Albert - got owned a few times, whatever, certainly wasnt the overpaid RT that let our QB get knocked out and then cried about the fans, so much better
Flowers - had a pick. shut down most WRs on his side
DJ - had some good sticks on Ray Rice, got lost in the shuffle sometimes, still the only LB worth a shit on pass coverage
Hali - not only frees up Houston but still applies top flight pressure

what did Piolis guys do? How was Arenas? McCluster? I think I saw Jon Baldwin have a catch, that was neat? How about Tyson Jackson? Eric Berry did he even suit up? Tony Moeaki is he hurt or is he actually out there? Peyton Hills surely did something? I think I saw Stanford Routt hold a guy... twice? Scott Pioli players ladies and gentleman.

Houston had 2 sacks.

**Tribal Warfare** · 10-07-2012, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morphius

Not entirely, the GM can tell him to keep Cassel in the game, but he can man up and bench him if needed then let Pioli decide what he wants to do about it.

Now the situation where all of our QB's suck, well, that is something else of course...

Pioli hired him on a certain basis, and obviously part of that is to make the Cassel investment seem less damaging. I don't blame Crennel at all, because he won a few games with an average NFL caliber QB with Orton in comparison to the shitstain we have manning the spot now. The full blame is on Pioli because of Cassel and the decisions made to protect and disguise his bad investments including depth at the QB position.

**Bearcat** · 10-07-2012, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simply Red

I agree to an extent, maybe not 10x - but a better business man. No question about it.

Peterson get's the Manning visit, it is what it is, now and Manning doesn't look so hot. But Peterson would've got Manning to visit.

In the past 3 games he's thrown for over 1000 yards and has 8 TDs/0 INTs...

**Smed1065** · 10-07-2012, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Diddy

They should have called out the fans. What kind of person cheers for a person being hurt?

I think there might have been some but that is not accurate.

smittysbar · 10-07-2012, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearcat

In the past 3 games he's thrown for over 1000 yards and has 8 TDs/0 INTs...

This

mcaj22 · 10-07-2012, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tredadda

Houston had 2 sacks.

so one guy. While 6 of Herm and Carls guys made plays or contributed in some form.

Would have been 7 guys but you know, Scott Pioli doesnt want to pay Brandon Carr and would rather settle for the cheap version that gives up two costly penalties.

**Smed1065** · 10-07-2012, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Diddy

and I too was excited when Quinn came in. Just not to the point of wishing harm on a ball player.

I did not wish for it beforehand. When it happened I would be a liar if I said I was not excited.

You can only control your actions, not your thoughts. FYI

Simply Red · 10-07-2012, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearcat

In the past 3 games he's thrown for over 1000 yards and has 8 TDs/0 INTs...

Ok, they have one less loss than this miserable franchise.

**Bugeater** · 10-07-2012, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Diddy

Because that decision lies with MC. It's classless, no matter how hard you spin it.

Matt Cassel knows the risks involved and made the decision to play football.

10-07-2012, 08:12 PM
Tribal Warfare The Boom Boom Room Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $962813	Mellinger:Crennel’s bad decisions key to latest Chiefs debacle Crennel’s bad decisions key to latest Chiefs debacle By SAM MELLINGER The Kansas City Star The Chiefs have been pathetic already, so that’s not the surprising part. And they’ve looked hopeless, so that’s not new, either. What we see now is worse, somehow, a bit further from respectability than even fans calling the team an “embarrassment” on a sign in the parking lot, or demanding the general manager be fired on a banner flown over the stadium before the game. What we see now is a disjointed mess of a football team that was supposed to compete for the division title but is instead sinking toward the bottom of the league, with a head coach unable to make it stop and an offensive lineman making national headlines for destroying fans who cheered their quarterback’s injury. If this isn’t rock bottom, then we could all save ourselves some trouble by guzzling Drano. Because in losing 9-6 to the Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, the Chiefs missed what even folks on the payroll have to admit is probably their last chance to salvage the season. Instead, the Chiefs dunked their fans’ heads even deeper under water. This time, it’s Romeo Crennel’s turn to face charges of incompetence because, honestly, did Todd Haley ever mismanage a game this badly? A defense-first man by nature, and still the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator, Crennel blew a fabulous performance against the league’s No. 2 offense because he couldn’t get anything else right. The only thing Crennel appears willing to risk in his game plans is Jamaal Charles’ future — coming off ACL surgery, the Chiefs’ star running back is the only player in the league to go over 30 touches twice this season — and the result diminished the Ravens’ risk of losing. A bizarre decision to punt instead of try for a first down or Hail Mary at the end of the first half, more will-breaking penalties and a team presumably coached to value the ball instead padding its league lead in turnovers sucked the possibilities from a game the Chiefs otherwise should’ve won. Even by Kansas City standards, the idea of losing at home while rushing for 214 yards and outgaining one of the league’s premier offenses is extreme. But Crennel pulled it off by showing appropriately little faith in Cassel — but refusing to bench him. The decision was no longer Crennel’s after Cassel got hurt in the fourth quarter, but by then it was too late. Cassel threw two interceptions — including one into heavy coverage to Dwayne Bowe while Steve Maneri didn’t have a defender within 10 yards — and fumbled the snap on a quarterback sneak at the goal line. Damage done. Spirit squashed. Crennel might be the only coach in NFL history to be so loyal to a game-manager quarterback who has 13 turnovers in five games. “No,” Crennel said when I asked after the game if he considered benching Cassel before the injury. This is a problem, especially after Crennel talked openly last week of giving backup Brady Quinn a chance if Cassel continued to falter. Quinn has been behind Charlie Frye, Ken Dorsey and Derek Anderson in his career, so we’re not talking about Len Dawson here, but at some point a coach needs to be willing to make a change. For Crennel, that point didn’t come until he had no other choice. He is instead the coach of a team that can’t quit a quarterback who both averages nearly three turnovers a game and provides such minimal playmaking that the entire game plan centers on minimizing Cassel’s impact. Crennel is a smart man and one of the most respected defensive coordinators in recent league history. But when the Chiefs promoted him to head coach, the team’s decision-makers made the behind-the-scenes case that Crennel’s 24-40 record in Cleveland was more a reflection of a dysfunctional franchise than the man’s ability. Five games into the season, and Chiefs fans are left with this disheartening dilemma: Crennel really is that bad of a coach, or the Chiefs are now as dysfunctional as the Browns. Actually, after a 12th loss in their last 15 games and a group of players and fans who share a strong mutual distaste for each other, it’s pretty clear that the worse of those two possibilities is now Kansas City’s sad reality.
Posts: 42,029

10-07-2012, 08:46 PM	#34
mcaj22 MVP Join Date: Feb 2010 Casino cash: $10014454	who made plays today Charles - 90 percent of the offense and anything positive Bowe - #1 read on every pass Albert - got owned a few times, whatever, certainly wasnt the overpaid RT that let our QB get knocked out and then cried about the fans, so much better Flowers - had a pick. shut down most WRs on his side DJ - had some good sticks on Ray Rice, got lost in the shuffle sometimes, still the only LB worth a shit on pass coverage Hali - not only frees up Houston but still applies top flight pressure what did Piolis guys do? How was Arenas? McCluster? I think I saw Jon Baldwin have a catch, that was neat? How about Tyson Jackson? Eric Berry did he even suit up? Tony Moeaki is he hurt or is he actually out there? Peyton Hills surely did something? I think I saw Stanford Routt hold a guy... twice? Scott Pioli players ladies and gentleman.
Posts: 11,886

10-07-2012, 08:48 PM	#36
O.city In Search of a Life Join Date: Jul 2009 Casino cash: $2794064	Didn't Arenas make a few plays?
Posts: 81,178