C-Mac
02-05-2008, 07:58 AM
RAND: Bedrock football with better results (http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2008/02/05/rand_bedrock_football_with_better_results/)
Feb 05, 2008, 5:56:50 AM by Jonathan Rand - FAQ
The New York Giants in their Super Bowl triumph were the team that Herm Edwards would like his Chiefs to become. While there’s no guarantee the Chiefs can reach that level any time soon, the Giants made it clear there’s nothing inherently flawed with Edwards’ master plan.
That should have been obvious already. Amid all the deserved praise for the New England Patriots’ record-setting offense, it was easy to forget how many plodding, defensive-minded teams have won or reached the Super Bowl during this decade.
The Ravens, Buccaneers and Steelers have more or less fit this mold while winning the Lombardi Trophy since the 2000 season. The Bears of a year ago are the best recent example of a team riding its defense to the Super Bowl, as well as a great example of why it’s tough to close the deal without a championship quarterback.
The Giants are champions because they played Stone Age football, and their furious pass rush took away Tom Brady’s greatest weapon – time to throw. Suddenly, one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history had to rush his throws or eat the ball while averaging a measly 5.5 yards per attempt. His running game averaged 2.8 yards per rush. No wonder the highest-scoring offense in league history was outscored 17-14.
The Giants wanted to run the ball and keep Brady on the bench. They started the game with a field goal drive that chewed up 9:59, the longest scoring drive in Super Bowl history. They wanted to take care of the ball and committed just one turnover, though it ruined a good scoring opportunity. When all was said and done, time of possession was almost even, yet the tortoise had defeated the hare.
When a team gets back to basics and wins the Super Bowl, nobody gripes about its lack of flair. When a team tries to play bedrock football and loses, everybody complains that its haplessness is compounded by boredom. That, understandably, was the perception of the 2007 Chiefs.
Edwards wants a powerful running game, a relentless defense and to develop a young quarterback. His defense last season was by far his brightest pupil. The running game needs an overhauled line and a healthy Larry Johnson.
It’s obviously a stretch to compare Brodie Croyle, 0-6 as a starter, to Eli Manning, the top overall pick of the 2004 draft. Yet it’s worth remembering that few people considered Manning a potential franchise quarterback until his breakthrough against the Patriots in the final game of the regular season. So it took him nearly four full seasons to blossom.
In the Super Bowl, Manning showed the trademark of a championship quarterback – the ability to lead a game-winning drive in the waning minutes. His awesome escape act and 32-yard pass, which wide receiver David Tyree grabbed off his helmet, was the kind of play that wins championships.
Even teams that lean on power football and defense need to pull some games out of the fire late in fourth quarter, a dimension absent from the 2007 Chiefs. And every time we see a decent kick return, we’re reminded of how much work the Chiefs need on special teams.
And every time we saw linebacker Kawika Mitchell or kicker Lawrence Tynes, both former Chiefs, come up big in the postseason, we’re reminded that successful teams find a way to get the most out of pretty good players. The Giants surrounded Mitchell with some outstanding players and put Tynes in situations that allowed him to make big kicks.
Yes, the Chiefs have an awful lot of holes to fill before they can get near the stage on which the Giants starred Sunday. But just as there is nothing self-defeating in the way the Giants play football, there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with Edwards’ concept for success.
Feb 05, 2008, 5:56:50 AM by Jonathan Rand - FAQ
The New York Giants in their Super Bowl triumph were the team that Herm Edwards would like his Chiefs to become. While there’s no guarantee the Chiefs can reach that level any time soon, the Giants made it clear there’s nothing inherently flawed with Edwards’ master plan.
That should have been obvious already. Amid all the deserved praise for the New England Patriots’ record-setting offense, it was easy to forget how many plodding, defensive-minded teams have won or reached the Super Bowl during this decade.
The Ravens, Buccaneers and Steelers have more or less fit this mold while winning the Lombardi Trophy since the 2000 season. The Bears of a year ago are the best recent example of a team riding its defense to the Super Bowl, as well as a great example of why it’s tough to close the deal without a championship quarterback.
The Giants are champions because they played Stone Age football, and their furious pass rush took away Tom Brady’s greatest weapon – time to throw. Suddenly, one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history had to rush his throws or eat the ball while averaging a measly 5.5 yards per attempt. His running game averaged 2.8 yards per rush. No wonder the highest-scoring offense in league history was outscored 17-14.
The Giants wanted to run the ball and keep Brady on the bench. They started the game with a field goal drive that chewed up 9:59, the longest scoring drive in Super Bowl history. They wanted to take care of the ball and committed just one turnover, though it ruined a good scoring opportunity. When all was said and done, time of possession was almost even, yet the tortoise had defeated the hare.
When a team gets back to basics and wins the Super Bowl, nobody gripes about its lack of flair. When a team tries to play bedrock football and loses, everybody complains that its haplessness is compounded by boredom. That, understandably, was the perception of the 2007 Chiefs.
Edwards wants a powerful running game, a relentless defense and to develop a young quarterback. His defense last season was by far his brightest pupil. The running game needs an overhauled line and a healthy Larry Johnson.
It’s obviously a stretch to compare Brodie Croyle, 0-6 as a starter, to Eli Manning, the top overall pick of the 2004 draft. Yet it’s worth remembering that few people considered Manning a potential franchise quarterback until his breakthrough against the Patriots in the final game of the regular season. So it took him nearly four full seasons to blossom.
In the Super Bowl, Manning showed the trademark of a championship quarterback – the ability to lead a game-winning drive in the waning minutes. His awesome escape act and 32-yard pass, which wide receiver David Tyree grabbed off his helmet, was the kind of play that wins championships.
Even teams that lean on power football and defense need to pull some games out of the fire late in fourth quarter, a dimension absent from the 2007 Chiefs. And every time we see a decent kick return, we’re reminded of how much work the Chiefs need on special teams.
And every time we saw linebacker Kawika Mitchell or kicker Lawrence Tynes, both former Chiefs, come up big in the postseason, we’re reminded that successful teams find a way to get the most out of pretty good players. The Giants surrounded Mitchell with some outstanding players and put Tynes in situations that allowed him to make big kicks.
Yes, the Chiefs have an awful lot of holes to fill before they can get near the stage on which the Giants starred Sunday. But just as there is nothing self-defeating in the way the Giants play football, there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with Edwards’ concept for success.