TEICHER-Chiefs not overly concerned about possible 0-4 preseason

C-Mac · 08-30-2007, 08:28 AM

Chiefs not overly concerned about possible 0-4 preseason
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chi...ry/253085.html
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

Herm Edwards said he would like to see the starters be successful in the limited playing time they get tonight.
Five things to watch for in Chiefs game

ST. LOUIS | There will be no sense of urgency for the Chiefs as they conclude their preseason tonight. They will meet the Rams at the Edward Jones Dome, play their starters a series or two — quarterback Damon Huard won’t play at all — and accept the consequences that go along with it.

Those consequences could include a winless preseason and, worse yet, an offense still stuck in neutral.

The Chiefs, of course, could wind up with far bigger problems if they pressed for a win tonight by extending their starters. The last thing they want is to head to Houston for the Sept. 9 regular-season opener missing an injured Larry Johnson or Tony Gonzalez.

In and of itself, an 0-4 exhibition season means nothing. The Chiefs had a winless preseason in 2005 in what would be Dick Vermeil’s final season as head coach. They wound up 10-6 and entered their final game with a chance to make the playoffs.

In fairness to the Chiefs, if Casey Printers hadn’t fumbled near the Cleveland goal line and Miami’s John Beck had been called down before scoring his game-winning two-point conversion, this discussion doesn’t take place.

More alarming to the Chiefs than 0-3, and potentially 0-4, is the way they wound up there.

“I’ve never been in the situation where I’ve had three losses in the preseason as a head coach,” Herm Edwards said. “Now I’ve got to deal with it. So what do you do about it? You try to win the next one and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out.

“We look at the preseason for one reason and one reason only: To evaluate every player and to give him an opportunity to play. The best way to do that is to simplify things and don’t do a whole lot in the preseason. Can it hurt you at times? Yeah. When other people game-plan you and use all of their stuff, yeah, it can hurt you. So be it. We’ll live with it. That’s how we’ve always done it and that’s how I like to do it.”

The Chiefs clearly haven’t shown a sense of urgency any time during the preseason. Huard also didn’t play in last week’s game against New Orleans and took only 21 preseason snaps.

The Chiefs have also played without some of their key offensive components. Huard’s involvement has been minimal and Johnson and the injured Damion McIntosh haven’t played at all.

Johnson probably will play some tonight, and the Chiefs hope to have McIntosh back next week.

Their opponents haven’t showed any urgency either. The Browns rotated two quarterbacks, failing to let either one get in a rhythm. New Orleans yanked its starters earlier than the Chiefs did theirs last week.

What should be troubling to the Chiefs is that they still have failed to produce much. Their starting offense has been only minimally successful. Their defense was strong against inferior offensive opponents Cleveland and Miami but yielded against the more powerful Saints.

“You can take whatever you want out of the preseason,” Edwards said. “There are some teams that play real good in the preseason, score a lot of points, and then opening day they don’t win. People get really excited about the preseason, but what are you really looking for? You’re watching the first and the third game, basically. Other than that, you’re looking at (backups) play the game.

“A lot of it has to do with who’s the quarterback. If you’ve got a quarterback out there who’s played a lot of football in this league and he’s playing against (backups), you’re probably going to score a lot of points.”
The Chiefs had some of the same problems last year in the preseason and they turned out to be signs of things to come. The Chiefs started slowly in the regular season, scoring 10 points in the opener and three points the following week and losing both games.

“I think it’s just a matter of getting everybody on the same page,” Huard said. “We’ve got Larry Johnson back here. Jason Dunn is healthy, and our offensive line is getting healthy. I think it’s just a matter of working all together, getting plays and going over our game plan that we are going to be using in Houston.”

Edwards would prefer to see the starters, particularly those on offense, have some success in whatever playing time they get tonight.

He’s just not going to expose his key players to injury or open up his playbook to get it.

“You’d like for them to have some success and get something going, but it’s on them to do it,” he said. “They have to make some plays, and that’s what we haven’t done. A lot of it comes because of penalties are bringing them back, but we haven’t made any big plays. We need a spark. You can make a couple of good runs, but you need a 30- or 40-yard pass play or run to get you excited. Hopefully we can do that, but if we don’t, we’ve got 16 games to try and do it. We have to make a big play or two to get them going.”

**Bowser** · 08-30-2007, 08:33 AM

Doomed. Doomed doomed.

Otter · 08-30-2007, 08:42 AM

"Doomed" to me implies 1-15, this team isn't doomed. It is however "stuck".

Extra Point · 08-30-2007, 08:45 AM

Yeah. Flip-flop from the first pre-season's game-day article. The governor's cup used to mean something, at one time.

Funny, the "game-plan" and "simplify" comments.

We have three plays: LJRL, LJRM. LJRR, and throw the ball away.

mcan · 08-30-2007, 09:12 AM

We HAVE more than 3 plays. Unfortunately we don't practice them, so when we run them in the game we look like a high school football team. Recievers go the wrong way, quarterbacks stare them down to make sure they throw to the right spot, and since they're holding onto the ball too long, the offensive line looks like puke.

It's no secret why Dick's offense was a masterpiece... They practiced it for 3 hours a day. They scrutinized every move, every step. They set records with mediocre to moderate talent, by working harder than everybody else.

Direckshun · 08-30-2007, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcan

It's no secret why Dick's offense was a masterpiece... They practiced it for 3 hours a day. They scrutinized every move, every step. They set records with mediocre to moderate talent, by working harder than everybody else.

Or maybe because the offense sported two All Pro backs, a Pro Bowl quarterback, four All Pro offensive lineman, and the greatest tight end that's ever played the game.

But yeah, I know, mediocre talent.

mcan · 08-30-2007, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Or maybe because the offense sported two All Pro backs, a Pro Bowl quarterback, four All Pro offensive lineman, and the greatest tight end that's ever played the game.

But yeah, I know, mediocre talent.

Could it be that those players were probowlers because of the success of the offense? Gonzalez is still the best TE in the game, but you wouldn't know it watching this crap. Shields and Roaf were on the downside of their careers. Holmes and Green were pretty good players made to look like GODS in this offense. Johnson is still a stud running back, but his average yards per carry is way down now that Herm is running the show.

You're fooling yourself if you think that Herm's offense is bad because we used to have amazing talent and now we have nobody. Not the case. We have a servicable quarterback, we have a vet center, a pro-bowl calibre guard, two first round draft pick recievers, the best TE in the game, a former pro-bowl right tackle, and one of the best backs in the league. Why do ALL of these guys look so bad so much of the time? Hmmm... Maybe something else stinks around here.

htismaqe · 08-30-2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcan

Could it be that those players were probowlers because of the success of the offense? Gonzalez is still the best TE in the game, but you wouldn't know it watching this crap. Shields and Roaf were on the downside of their careers. Holmes and Green were pretty good players made to look like GODS in this offense. Johnson is still a stud running back, but his average yards per carry is way down now that Herm is running the show.

You're fooling yourself if you think that Herm's offense is bad because we used to have amazing talent and now we have nobody. Not the case. We have a servicable quarterback, we have a vet center, a pro-bowl calibre guard, two first round draft pick recievers, the best TE in the game, a former pro-bowl right tackle, and one of the best backs in the league. Why do ALL of these guys look so bad so much of the time? Hmmm... Maybe something else stinks around here.

Shield and Roaf were probowlers for TEN YEARS before Vermeil got here. Don't ****ing kid yourself, Willie Roaf made the offense go. Without him, they were pedestrian AT BEST. And the stats back it up.

BigRock · 08-30-2007, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcan

Could it be that those players were probowlers because of the success of the offense? Gonzalez is still the best TE in the game, but you wouldn't know it watching this crap. Shields and Roaf were on the downside of their careers. Holmes and Green were pretty good players made to look like GODS in this offense. Johnson is still a stud running back, but his average yards per carry is way down now that Herm is running the show.

You're fooling yourself if you think that Herm's offense is bad because we used to have amazing talent and now we have nobody. Not the case. We have a servicable quarterback, we have a vet center, a pro-bowl calibre guard, two first round draft pick recievers, the best TE in the game, a former pro-bowl right tackle, and one of the best backs in the league. Why do ALL of these guys look so bad so much of the time? Hmmm... Maybe something else stinks around here.

Why do you discount Shields and Roaf because they were "on the downside of their careers" on one hand, and then on the other you talk up Eddie Kennison as "a first round pick receiver", Casey as a "vet center", Tony as "the best TE in the game", and Turley as "a former Pro Bowl right tackle". All 4 of them are on the downside of their careers.

Inspector · 08-30-2007, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Extra Point

Yeah. Flip-flop from the first pre-season's game-day article. The governor's cup used to mean something, at one time.

Funny, the "game-plan" and "simplify" comments.

We have three plays: LJRL, LJRM. LJRR, and throw the ball away.

Oh bull!!!

That's 4 plays.

Extra Point · 08-30-2007, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inspector

Oh bull!!!

That's 4 plays.

Throwing the ball away doesn't constitute a play. We have a shot with the running plays as mentioned.

Direckshun · 08-30-2007, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Extra Point's signature

"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out." --John Wooden, Greatest Coach of All Time

That is the dumbest quote I've ever read.

**Baby Lee** · 08-30-2007, 09:33 AM

The Rams have done squat on O this preseason too.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/spo...E?OpenDocument

chagrin · 08-30-2007, 09:40 AM

That statement on it's own wouldn't bother me since preseason is what it is, vanilla.

However since we have the most conservative game planning coach in the NFL, I think it has some credibility.

**morphius** · 08-30-2007, 09:55 AM

The thing that I find funny is that earlier Herm was talking about how he wanted to win preseason games, now that they have proven that they can't, well, now if isn't a big deal.

Not that it is a big deal, just mildly humorous.

08-30-2007, 08:28 AM	Topic Starter
C-Mac Lurker Extraordinaire Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Wally World Casino cash: $2193699	TEICHER-Chiefs not overly concerned about possible 0-4 preseason Chiefs not overly concerned about possible 0-4 preseason http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chi...ry/253085.html By ADAM TEICHER The Kansas City Star Herm Edwards said he would like to see the starters be successful in the limited playing time they get tonight. Five things to watch for in Chiefs game ST. LOUIS \| There will be no sense of urgency for the Chiefs as they conclude their preseason tonight. They will meet the Rams at the Edward Jones Dome, play their starters a series or two — quarterback Damon Huard won’t play at all — and accept the consequences that go along with it. Those consequences could include a winless preseason and, worse yet, an offense still stuck in neutral. The Chiefs, of course, could wind up with far bigger problems if they pressed for a win tonight by extending their starters. The last thing they want is to head to Houston for the Sept. 9 regular-season opener missing an injured Larry Johnson or Tony Gonzalez. In and of itself, an 0-4 exhibition season means nothing. The Chiefs had a winless preseason in 2005 in what would be Dick Vermeil’s final season as head coach. They wound up 10-6 and entered their final game with a chance to make the playoffs. In fairness to the Chiefs, if Casey Printers hadn’t fumbled near the Cleveland goal line and Miami’s John Beck had been called down before scoring his game-winning two-point conversion, this discussion doesn’t take place. More alarming to the Chiefs than 0-3, and potentially 0-4, is the way they wound up there. “I’ve never been in the situation where I’ve had three losses in the preseason as a head coach,” Herm Edwards said. “Now I’ve got to deal with it. So what do you do about it? You try to win the next one and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. “We look at the preseason for one reason and one reason only: To evaluate every player and to give him an opportunity to play. The best way to do that is to simplify things and don’t do a whole lot in the preseason. Can it hurt you at times? Yeah. When other people game-plan you and use all of their stuff, yeah, it can hurt you. So be it. We’ll live with it. That’s how we’ve always done it and that’s how I like to do it.” The Chiefs clearly haven’t shown a sense of urgency any time during the preseason. Huard also didn’t play in last week’s game against New Orleans and took only 21 preseason snaps. The Chiefs have also played without some of their key offensive components. Huard’s involvement has been minimal and Johnson and the injured Damion McIntosh haven’t played at all. Johnson probably will play some tonight, and the Chiefs hope to have McIntosh back next week. Their opponents haven’t showed any urgency either. The Browns rotated two quarterbacks, failing to let either one get in a rhythm. New Orleans yanked its starters earlier than the Chiefs did theirs last week. What should be troubling to the Chiefs is that they still have failed to produce much. Their starting offense has been only minimally successful. Their defense was strong against inferior offensive opponents Cleveland and Miami but yielded against the more powerful Saints. “You can take whatever you want out of the preseason,” Edwards said. “There are some teams that play real good in the preseason, score a lot of points, and then opening day they don’t win. People get really excited about the preseason, but what are you really looking for? You’re watching the first and the third game, basically. Other than that, you’re looking at (backups) play the game. “A lot of it has to do with who’s the quarterback. If you’ve got a quarterback out there who’s played a lot of football in this league and he’s playing against (backups), you’re probably going to score a lot of points.” The Chiefs had some of the same problems last year in the preseason and they turned out to be signs of things to come. The Chiefs started slowly in the regular season, scoring 10 points in the opener and three points the following week and losing both games. “I think it’s just a matter of getting everybody on the same page,” Huard said. “We’ve got Larry Johnson back here. Jason Dunn is healthy, and our offensive line is getting healthy. I think it’s just a matter of working all together, getting plays and going over our game plan that we are going to be using in Houston.” Edwards would prefer to see the starters, particularly those on offense, have some success in whatever playing time they get tonight. He’s just not going to expose his key players to injury or open up his playbook to get it. “You’d like for them to have some success and get something going, but it’s on them to do it,” he said. “They have to make some plays, and that’s what we haven’t done. A lot of it comes because of penalties are bringing them back, but we haven’t made any big plays. We need a spark. You can make a couple of good runs, but you need a 30- or 40-yard pass play or run to get you excited. Hopefully we can do that, but if we don’t, we’ve got 16 games to try and do it. We have to make a big play or two to get them going.”
Posts: 5,632

08-30-2007, 08:33 AM	#2
Bowser sorta mod-ish Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: KC North Casino cash: $3301616	Doomed. Doomed doomed.
Posts: 100,888

08-30-2007, 08:45 AM	#4
Extra Point MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Prairie Village, KS Casino cash: $10004900	Yeah. Flip-flop from the first pre-season's game-day article. The governor's cup used to mean something, at one time. Funny, the "game-plan" and "simplify" comments. We have three plays: LJRL, LJRM. LJRR, and throw the ball away. __________________ "Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." --Satchel Paige
Posts: 7,845

08-30-2007, 09:12 AM	#5
mcan Apr 13,1949 – Dec 15, 2011 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Kansas City, MO Casino cash: $9996085	We HAVE more than 3 plays. Unfortunately we don't practice them, so when we run them in the game we look like a high school football team. Recievers go the wrong way, quarterbacks stare them down to make sure they throw to the right spot, and since they're holding onto the ball too long, the offensive line looks like puke. It's no secret why Dick's offense was a masterpiece... They practiced it for 3 hours a day. They scrutinized every move, every step. They set records with mediocre to moderate talent, by working harder than everybody else.
Posts: 3,761

08-30-2007, 09:33 AM	#13
Baby Lee Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $6838598	The Rams have done squat on O this preseason too. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/spo...E?OpenDocument __________________ We need the kind of courage that can withstand the subtle corruption of the cynics - E.W.
Posts: 95,642

08-30-2007, 09:40 AM	#14
chagrin Giggitty! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Missoula, Mt Casino cash: $9914905	That statement on it's own wouldn't bother me since preseason is what it is, vanilla. However since we have the most conservative game planning coach in the NFL, I think it has some credibility. __________________ Times have changed, so have I, things are better now.
Posts: 13,394

08-30-2007, 09:55 AM	#15
morphius World's finest morphius Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $6885027	The thing that I find funny is that earlier Herm was talking about how he wanted to win preseason games, now that they have proven that they can't, well, now if isn't a big deal. Not that it is a big deal, just mildly humorous.
Posts: 25,974