Kerberos
05-27-2008, 05:22 AM
http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2008/05/26/time_to_toughen_up/
Time to Toughen Up
May 26, 2008, 2:34:47 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ
When taking about what his team lacked during last year’s disappointing 4-12 season, Herm Edwards has frequently used the word toughness.
“We were not a tough enough team,” said the Chiefs head coach.
Frequently, that type of comment gets translated into meaning the Chiefs were not physically tough. That’s not what Edwards is talking about.
He speaks of mental toughness. That’s what was missing from the 2007 Chiefs, and the 2006 Chiefs before them.
Part of that lack of mental toughness is understandable, because the Chiefs have been a team without an identity for two seasons now. When Edwards took over for Dick Vermeil, there was an attempt to maintain continuity, especially with the offense.
But even though Edwards played for and learned a lot from Vermeil, he is very much his own man, with his own ideas and his own basic beliefs in what a football team needs to be successful.
The veterans on the team, especially on the offensive side of the ball, had a new head coach but the same mentality in play calling and approach as the previous regime. It was an identity crisis.
That’s one of the first things that Edwards is trying to change in the OTA workouts that are currently going on at the Truman Sports Complex.
“We need to establish our identity,” he said.
As part of that identity, the head coach wants a team that’s physically tough, and more importantly mentally tough.
“They’ll be confident, they’ll be tough and they will be disciplined,” Edwards said of the 2008 Chiefs. “They will play together as a team. Those are the things that I see and envision in these guys. They will be confident. They won’t be cocky, but they will be sure of themselves and their teammates. They will have a trust in each other that they are going out to do something special.
“Most of all, they will be tough, mentally tough.”
That type of toughness can show up in a number of areas:
Turnovers: Last year the Chiefs were 22nd in fewest giveaways in the league, losing the ball 33 times. They were tied for sixth with the most interceptions with 20 and their 13 fumbles lost tied for the 11th most in the league. Those are unacceptable numbers for a successful team. Overall, the Chiefs finished minus-11 in the turnover ratio during the 2007 season. In the AFC, every team that made the playoffs was even or on the plus side when it came to takeaways vs. giveaways.
Penalties: The Chiefs 101 penalties last year left them tied for 23rd in fewest penalties. Their 697 yards lost to penalties ranked them 18th in the league in fewest yards penalized. The average team last year had 91.6 penalties and 720 yards lost due to flags.
Win on the Road: The Chiefs were 2-6 on the road last year, winning at San Diego and Oakland and losing at Houston, Chicago, Indianapolis, Denver, Detroit and the New York Jets. In those six defeats, the Chiefs averaged 10 points per game. Those last two defeats were the most telling. The Lions finished 7-9 and the Jets were 4-12.
“Those are the type of things we are going to address from the very start,” said Edwards.
“There’s nothing more basic in football than holding onto the ball. We have to be smart. We have to be disciplined. We have to be mentally tough.”
The opinions offered in this column do necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs Since Bob is a mouth piece for King Carl.
Time to Toughen Up
May 26, 2008, 2:34:47 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ
When taking about what his team lacked during last year’s disappointing 4-12 season, Herm Edwards has frequently used the word toughness.
“We were not a tough enough team,” said the Chiefs head coach.
Frequently, that type of comment gets translated into meaning the Chiefs were not physically tough. That’s not what Edwards is talking about.
He speaks of mental toughness. That’s what was missing from the 2007 Chiefs, and the 2006 Chiefs before them.
Part of that lack of mental toughness is understandable, because the Chiefs have been a team without an identity for two seasons now. When Edwards took over for Dick Vermeil, there was an attempt to maintain continuity, especially with the offense.
But even though Edwards played for and learned a lot from Vermeil, he is very much his own man, with his own ideas and his own basic beliefs in what a football team needs to be successful.
The veterans on the team, especially on the offensive side of the ball, had a new head coach but the same mentality in play calling and approach as the previous regime. It was an identity crisis.
That’s one of the first things that Edwards is trying to change in the OTA workouts that are currently going on at the Truman Sports Complex.
“We need to establish our identity,” he said.
As part of that identity, the head coach wants a team that’s physically tough, and more importantly mentally tough.
“They’ll be confident, they’ll be tough and they will be disciplined,” Edwards said of the 2008 Chiefs. “They will play together as a team. Those are the things that I see and envision in these guys. They will be confident. They won’t be cocky, but they will be sure of themselves and their teammates. They will have a trust in each other that they are going out to do something special.
“Most of all, they will be tough, mentally tough.”
That type of toughness can show up in a number of areas:
Turnovers: Last year the Chiefs were 22nd in fewest giveaways in the league, losing the ball 33 times. They were tied for sixth with the most interceptions with 20 and their 13 fumbles lost tied for the 11th most in the league. Those are unacceptable numbers for a successful team. Overall, the Chiefs finished minus-11 in the turnover ratio during the 2007 season. In the AFC, every team that made the playoffs was even or on the plus side when it came to takeaways vs. giveaways.
Penalties: The Chiefs 101 penalties last year left them tied for 23rd in fewest penalties. Their 697 yards lost to penalties ranked them 18th in the league in fewest yards penalized. The average team last year had 91.6 penalties and 720 yards lost due to flags.
Win on the Road: The Chiefs were 2-6 on the road last year, winning at San Diego and Oakland and losing at Houston, Chicago, Indianapolis, Denver, Detroit and the New York Jets. In those six defeats, the Chiefs averaged 10 points per game. Those last two defeats were the most telling. The Lions finished 7-9 and the Jets were 4-12.
“Those are the type of things we are going to address from the very start,” said Edwards.
“There’s nothing more basic in football than holding onto the ball. We have to be smart. We have to be disciplined. We have to be mentally tough.”
The opinions offered in this column do necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs Since Bob is a mouth piece for King Carl.