C-Mac
11-20-2007, 07:45 AM
http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2007/11/20/rand_winning_ugly_is_tougher_than_it_looks/
RAND: Winning ugly is tougher than it looks
Nov 20, 2007, 1:48:41 AM by Jonathan Rand - FAQ
When you try to win the way Herm Edwards is trying this season, it’s easy to get the impression he’s not actually trying to win. You might get the impression he’s simply trying not to lose.
That would be misleading. There actually is nothing wrong with Edwards’ approach. What’s wrong is that he doesn’t have enough good cards in his deck to win many pots, and nobody ever won an NFL game by bluffing.
Sure, you can get sleepy watching the Chiefs try to take the air out of the ball every Sunday. But in his second season, and with a deteriorating offensive line, Edwards was not going to assemble a beautifully balanced team.
His calling card as a player and coach has been defense. So it’s no surprise that he’s building a team that asks his defense to smother opponents and create turnovers and good field position.
On a good day, the Chiefs defense can hold a Super Bowl championship offense to 216 yards and one touchdown and make a future Hall of Fame quarterback appear ordinary. That’s what the Chiefs’ defense achieved Sunday in a 13-10 loss to the Colts at Indianapolis.
Now we all know it’s written that defense wins championships, but also check the footnotes. They will tell you a defensive-minded teams also needs the semblance of a running game to keep the defense off the field as much as possible, enhance the whole team’s physical identity and gain enough first downs to get into field goal range.
A team built for defense also must have exceptional special teams, especially an ultra-reliable kicker to cash in on the few scoring opportunities arise. When you have an offense that cannot keep moving the chains, special teams are vital to provide points and good field position.
But look at the Chiefs on Sunday. They averaged 2.7 yards per rush, hardly the efficiency you need from a ball control offense. And the special teams were anything but special.
Dave Rayner missed field goal tries from 45 and 43 yards, both shorter than the one he made. The kicks he missed were no chip shots but were highly makeable in a domed stadium and if your kicker isn’t accurate in those situations, you can’t win playing Herm Ball.
Eddie Kennison replaced Eddie Drumond on punt returns but on his first return couldn’t protect the ball and fumbled. The return units have been poor all season. Even Dustin Colquitt, star of the Chiefs’ special teams, got off only a 37-yard punt in the fourth quarter, setting up Peyton Manning at his own 33-yard line for the Colts winning field goal drive.
When you realize the Chiefs had almost nothing going against the Colts except a tough defense and efficient passing by first-time starter Brodie Croyle, it becomes all the more amazing that the game was even close.
The Chicago Bears finished 13-3 last season, boring everyone silly outside Chicago. Their coach, Lovie Smith, comes from the same defensive fraternity as Edwards and the Colts’ Tony Dungy. But in addition to an outstanding defense, the 2006 Bears had an effective running game, an accurate kicker and the NFL’s most dangerous kick returner. There was a lot more to that team than met the (sleepy) eye. They lacked a big-time passer, but little else.
The Chiefs, on the other hand, lack several key ingredients. They need to overhaul their offensive line and upgrade their special teams. Winning ugly is a lot tougher than it looks.
RAND: Winning ugly is tougher than it looks
Nov 20, 2007, 1:48:41 AM by Jonathan Rand - FAQ
When you try to win the way Herm Edwards is trying this season, it’s easy to get the impression he’s not actually trying to win. You might get the impression he’s simply trying not to lose.
That would be misleading. There actually is nothing wrong with Edwards’ approach. What’s wrong is that he doesn’t have enough good cards in his deck to win many pots, and nobody ever won an NFL game by bluffing.
Sure, you can get sleepy watching the Chiefs try to take the air out of the ball every Sunday. But in his second season, and with a deteriorating offensive line, Edwards was not going to assemble a beautifully balanced team.
His calling card as a player and coach has been defense. So it’s no surprise that he’s building a team that asks his defense to smother opponents and create turnovers and good field position.
On a good day, the Chiefs defense can hold a Super Bowl championship offense to 216 yards and one touchdown and make a future Hall of Fame quarterback appear ordinary. That’s what the Chiefs’ defense achieved Sunday in a 13-10 loss to the Colts at Indianapolis.
Now we all know it’s written that defense wins championships, but also check the footnotes. They will tell you a defensive-minded teams also needs the semblance of a running game to keep the defense off the field as much as possible, enhance the whole team’s physical identity and gain enough first downs to get into field goal range.
A team built for defense also must have exceptional special teams, especially an ultra-reliable kicker to cash in on the few scoring opportunities arise. When you have an offense that cannot keep moving the chains, special teams are vital to provide points and good field position.
But look at the Chiefs on Sunday. They averaged 2.7 yards per rush, hardly the efficiency you need from a ball control offense. And the special teams were anything but special.
Dave Rayner missed field goal tries from 45 and 43 yards, both shorter than the one he made. The kicks he missed were no chip shots but were highly makeable in a domed stadium and if your kicker isn’t accurate in those situations, you can’t win playing Herm Ball.
Eddie Kennison replaced Eddie Drumond on punt returns but on his first return couldn’t protect the ball and fumbled. The return units have been poor all season. Even Dustin Colquitt, star of the Chiefs’ special teams, got off only a 37-yard punt in the fourth quarter, setting up Peyton Manning at his own 33-yard line for the Colts winning field goal drive.
When you realize the Chiefs had almost nothing going against the Colts except a tough defense and efficient passing by first-time starter Brodie Croyle, it becomes all the more amazing that the game was even close.
The Chicago Bears finished 13-3 last season, boring everyone silly outside Chicago. Their coach, Lovie Smith, comes from the same defensive fraternity as Edwards and the Colts’ Tony Dungy. But in addition to an outstanding defense, the 2006 Bears had an effective running game, an accurate kicker and the NFL’s most dangerous kick returner. There was a lot more to that team than met the (sleepy) eye. They lacked a big-time passer, but little else.
The Chiefs, on the other hand, lack several key ingredients. They need to overhaul their offensive line and upgrade their special teams. Winning ugly is a lot tougher than it looks.