C-Mac
08-01-2007, 06:24 AM
GRETZ: Tough Days In The Falls
Aug 01, 2007, 2:57:56 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ
Can you draw a straight line from practices in the sweltering oven of late July to the chilly winter days of late November and December when so many big games are on the line?
Herm Edwards believes you can.
The Chiefs finished up their two toughest days of training camp on Tuesday with their fourth full practice in the last two days. Three of those workouts were in full pads in what have been unseasonably hot temperatures for the north woods.
As with everything he does, there was method to practice plan of the Chiefs head coach. He wanted to establish in the first week of the 2007 season an answer to the question: “How tough is my football team?”
Mostly, he wanted to see all the new faces on his roster go through the grind of three straight practices in pads. How did they handle themselves? How did the group dynamic grow or diminish with the work? Who was up to the challenge, and who lagged behind? Did they wilt?
And this wasn’t just a search for the physically toughest players. Not hardly. What Herm Edwards is trying to establish is a mental toughness, the type of attitude that the Chiefs have not had for some time.
Mental toughness in football allows a team to win games in the fourth quarter. They either come from behind, or they protect their lead. Mental toughness in football means go into opposing cities in the second half of the season and winning games. That’s how teams make the playoffs.
Last year, the Chiefs couldn’t get that done. They had a chance in Miami, and lost by three points. They had a chance in Cleveland, and lost by three points in overtime. They went to San Diego and lost by 11 points. They went to Oakland and won by 11 points. One out of four; that’s pretty ugly.
That victory over the Raiders helped get the Chiefs into the playoffs, but their pattern of being unable to make things happen on the road late in the season continued. The last time the Chiefs beat a team on the road in December that had a winning record was in 1998. The last time the Chiefs beat a team on the road in December that finished the season with a winning record was 1994.
And the last time the Chiefs beat a team on the road in December that made the playoffs was in 1991. That’s a shutout for the last 15 seasons.
That’s a pervasive lack of mental toughness. Edwards saw it in his team last year. He does not want to see it again.
“You have to let your mind control your body, you can’t let your body control your mind,” Edwards said. “You have to be a mentally tough guy. And I believe this, the team’s that are tough in the fourth quarter, when games are tight, they don’t jump off sides. They don’t turn the ball over. They don’t create fouls. They don’t get tired.
“Talent gets you in the league, but your mental toughness and your ability to be a mentally tough guy in football competition is important. That’s what I’m trying to find out about certain guys.”
What Edwards is trying to find out is this: who can he count on? If he sees that a player can overcome the heat, the physical pain, the mental exercise of getting pounded three times in just over a day and still execute, then he’s got a mentally tough player.
Every Chiefs player has physical gifts. Not all of them have the necessary mentality to play and succeed.
Herm Edwards is trying to find out who does.
Aug 01, 2007, 2:57:56 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ
Can you draw a straight line from practices in the sweltering oven of late July to the chilly winter days of late November and December when so many big games are on the line?
Herm Edwards believes you can.
The Chiefs finished up their two toughest days of training camp on Tuesday with their fourth full practice in the last two days. Three of those workouts were in full pads in what have been unseasonably hot temperatures for the north woods.
As with everything he does, there was method to practice plan of the Chiefs head coach. He wanted to establish in the first week of the 2007 season an answer to the question: “How tough is my football team?”
Mostly, he wanted to see all the new faces on his roster go through the grind of three straight practices in pads. How did they handle themselves? How did the group dynamic grow or diminish with the work? Who was up to the challenge, and who lagged behind? Did they wilt?
And this wasn’t just a search for the physically toughest players. Not hardly. What Herm Edwards is trying to establish is a mental toughness, the type of attitude that the Chiefs have not had for some time.
Mental toughness in football allows a team to win games in the fourth quarter. They either come from behind, or they protect their lead. Mental toughness in football means go into opposing cities in the second half of the season and winning games. That’s how teams make the playoffs.
Last year, the Chiefs couldn’t get that done. They had a chance in Miami, and lost by three points. They had a chance in Cleveland, and lost by three points in overtime. They went to San Diego and lost by 11 points. They went to Oakland and won by 11 points. One out of four; that’s pretty ugly.
That victory over the Raiders helped get the Chiefs into the playoffs, but their pattern of being unable to make things happen on the road late in the season continued. The last time the Chiefs beat a team on the road in December that had a winning record was in 1998. The last time the Chiefs beat a team on the road in December that finished the season with a winning record was 1994.
And the last time the Chiefs beat a team on the road in December that made the playoffs was in 1991. That’s a shutout for the last 15 seasons.
That’s a pervasive lack of mental toughness. Edwards saw it in his team last year. He does not want to see it again.
“You have to let your mind control your body, you can’t let your body control your mind,” Edwards said. “You have to be a mentally tough guy. And I believe this, the team’s that are tough in the fourth quarter, when games are tight, they don’t jump off sides. They don’t turn the ball over. They don’t create fouls. They don’t get tired.
“Talent gets you in the league, but your mental toughness and your ability to be a mentally tough guy in football competition is important. That’s what I’m trying to find out about certain guys.”
What Edwards is trying to find out is this: who can he count on? If he sees that a player can overcome the heat, the physical pain, the mental exercise of getting pounded three times in just over a day and still execute, then he’s got a mentally tough player.
Every Chiefs player has physical gifts. Not all of them have the necessary mentality to play and succeed.
Herm Edwards is trying to find out who does.