Red Dawg
11-06-2006, 06:51 AM
Amen to that, Herm
JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star
Previous columns
ST. LOUIS | Sunday, inside the Rams’ Edward Jones Dome, Herm Edwards and the Chiefs told the story Edwards’ New York critics always forget to tell.
New Yorkers love to talk about The Preacher, his love of field goals and inability to read a clock. What they don’t like to talk about is the beautiful way The Preacher can get the choir to sing no matter who shows up for Herman’s Sermon.
With as many as 15,000 from his own flock caravanning across I-70 to fellowship with mullet-and-jeri-curl-wearing St. Louis heathens, The Preacher taught from the book of Job on Sunday.
Gone was the fire-and-brimstone delivery that made him famous. The Preacher and his 47 disciples revived their playoff hopes and smote the fool’s gold out of the grills of St. Louis players and fans by displaying remarkable poise, courage and patience in the face of adversity.
Chiefs 31, Rams 17.
Hallelujah, we can take the Chiefs seriously again.
They’re 5-3 at the season’s halfway point, and their starting quarterback hasn’t played in two months, Willie Roaf and Priest Holmes are somewhere ironing out the marketing details on a nachos-and-gumbo fast-food joint, and Jared Allen is cementing his rep as the wildest, craziest and baddest Chief since Derrick Thomas.
Oh, and did I mention that they’ve finally figured out how to play on the road?
On Sunday, the Chiefs won despite being stripped of the services of all-world guard Brian Waters, rookie star Tamba Hali, ball-hawking safety Greg Wesley, big-play linebacker Derrick Johnson and valuable reserve Keyaron Fox. They all fell to an assortment of injuries, but Herman’s Sermon never stopped to eulogize the fallen soldiers.
“I just walk up to ’em,” Edwards said of his message to his reserves, “and tell ’em, ‘It’s your turn to play, and I expect you to play good.’ ”
We haven’t seen this kind of gleam and grittiness from the Chiefs since Marty Schottenheimer frequented Tanner’s, Neil Smith mimicked George Brett’s swing and Carl Peterson wore a kilt.
If The Preacher is passing a collection plate, I’m ready to tithe. I’d say there’s a 10-percent chance Herm can have this team ready for a serious playoff run by the end of the season. The TV experts said on Sunday that 65 percent of all 5-3 teams reach the playoffs.
Wonder what the numbers say about 5-3 teams that weren’t supposed to be any good until December?
Yeah, these Chiefs are way ahead of schedule, and with the Dolphins and the Raiders coming up in the next two weeks, the Chiefs should get further ahead of themselves before Thanksgiving.
Obviously, the Rams are not the New England Patriots or the Indianapolis Colts. But playing at home with their quick-strike offense, the Rams are a dangerous team, capable of beating any squad in a shootout.
They didn’t beat the Chiefs because Jared Allen did what big-time playmakers are supposed to do. He changed the game in the first half, recording two sacks, forcing two fumbles and recovering one.
While the Chiefs built a 24-7 lead, Allen praise danced in St. Louis’ backfield, Larry Johnson brought the house down with his 116-yard-first-half solo, “Running From The Devilz,” and Damon Huard continued to smoothly serve Tony Gonzalez communion, tossing the contract-covetous tight end two TDs.
Chris Bober, who replaced Waters, said Edwards doesn’t get caught up in who is out on the field. Edwards’ attitude can be seen in his players’ attitude.
“To tell the truth, I didn’t even know half the guys were hurt,” Allen said. “I told Greg Wesley he needed to get an interception to end the game.”
We witnessed on Sunday why The Preacher has a shot at being a great NFL coach, right up there with The Jaw, Bill Cowher. Edwards is as good as anybody at getting players to believe in themselves and believe in what they can accomplish collectively.
After the game, Waters sat at his stall, his injured knee in a splint, wearing a confident smile. It seems likely that he’ll miss a game or two or three or maybe even the rest of the season. But Waters wore the happy look of a true believer and talked the confident talk of a disciple with total faith in his football messiah.
G’on, Preacher. Tell it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star
Previous columns
ST. LOUIS | Sunday, inside the Rams’ Edward Jones Dome, Herm Edwards and the Chiefs told the story Edwards’ New York critics always forget to tell.
New Yorkers love to talk about The Preacher, his love of field goals and inability to read a clock. What they don’t like to talk about is the beautiful way The Preacher can get the choir to sing no matter who shows up for Herman’s Sermon.
With as many as 15,000 from his own flock caravanning across I-70 to fellowship with mullet-and-jeri-curl-wearing St. Louis heathens, The Preacher taught from the book of Job on Sunday.
Gone was the fire-and-brimstone delivery that made him famous. The Preacher and his 47 disciples revived their playoff hopes and smote the fool’s gold out of the grills of St. Louis players and fans by displaying remarkable poise, courage and patience in the face of adversity.
Chiefs 31, Rams 17.
Hallelujah, we can take the Chiefs seriously again.
They’re 5-3 at the season’s halfway point, and their starting quarterback hasn’t played in two months, Willie Roaf and Priest Holmes are somewhere ironing out the marketing details on a nachos-and-gumbo fast-food joint, and Jared Allen is cementing his rep as the wildest, craziest and baddest Chief since Derrick Thomas.
Oh, and did I mention that they’ve finally figured out how to play on the road?
On Sunday, the Chiefs won despite being stripped of the services of all-world guard Brian Waters, rookie star Tamba Hali, ball-hawking safety Greg Wesley, big-play linebacker Derrick Johnson and valuable reserve Keyaron Fox. They all fell to an assortment of injuries, but Herman’s Sermon never stopped to eulogize the fallen soldiers.
“I just walk up to ’em,” Edwards said of his message to his reserves, “and tell ’em, ‘It’s your turn to play, and I expect you to play good.’ ”
We haven’t seen this kind of gleam and grittiness from the Chiefs since Marty Schottenheimer frequented Tanner’s, Neil Smith mimicked George Brett’s swing and Carl Peterson wore a kilt.
If The Preacher is passing a collection plate, I’m ready to tithe. I’d say there’s a 10-percent chance Herm can have this team ready for a serious playoff run by the end of the season. The TV experts said on Sunday that 65 percent of all 5-3 teams reach the playoffs.
Wonder what the numbers say about 5-3 teams that weren’t supposed to be any good until December?
Yeah, these Chiefs are way ahead of schedule, and with the Dolphins and the Raiders coming up in the next two weeks, the Chiefs should get further ahead of themselves before Thanksgiving.
Obviously, the Rams are not the New England Patriots or the Indianapolis Colts. But playing at home with their quick-strike offense, the Rams are a dangerous team, capable of beating any squad in a shootout.
They didn’t beat the Chiefs because Jared Allen did what big-time playmakers are supposed to do. He changed the game in the first half, recording two sacks, forcing two fumbles and recovering one.
While the Chiefs built a 24-7 lead, Allen praise danced in St. Louis’ backfield, Larry Johnson brought the house down with his 116-yard-first-half solo, “Running From The Devilz,” and Damon Huard continued to smoothly serve Tony Gonzalez communion, tossing the contract-covetous tight end two TDs.
Chris Bober, who replaced Waters, said Edwards doesn’t get caught up in who is out on the field. Edwards’ attitude can be seen in his players’ attitude.
“To tell the truth, I didn’t even know half the guys were hurt,” Allen said. “I told Greg Wesley he needed to get an interception to end the game.”
We witnessed on Sunday why The Preacher has a shot at being a great NFL coach, right up there with The Jaw, Bill Cowher. Edwards is as good as anybody at getting players to believe in themselves and believe in what they can accomplish collectively.
After the game, Waters sat at his stall, his injured knee in a splint, wearing a confident smile. It seems likely that he’ll miss a game or two or three or maybe even the rest of the season. But Waters wore the happy look of a true believer and talked the confident talk of a disciple with total faith in his football messiah.
G’on, Preacher. Tell it.
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