Tribal Warfare
12-16-2009, 04:51 PM
Q&A with TODD HALEY - 12/16 (http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2009/12/16/qa_with_todd_haley__1216/)
Dec 16, 2009, 4:10:44 PM
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Highlights
TODD HALEY: “First practice for Cleveland Browns today. I’m optimistic for all [the injured] guys that they’ll have a chance to play. Flowers was full [practice].
“Cleveland is coming off arguably its biggest win against a very tough opponent, the Steelers. I know a bunch of these guys starting with the head coach. I was quality control on offense [in New York with the Jets] and Eric was quality control on defense for three years in 97, ‘98, and ‘99. So, Eric and I have spent a lot of hours together in the building going way back. We were generally the last two in the building for a lot of years - sat next to each other in special tams meetings every day. It’s always good to see somebody that you’ve worked with that has made it to the position he’s made it to. I think he did a great job with the Jets and I think you’re seeing some of the foundation that he laid while he was there – you’re seeing some of that now with that Jets team. He’s got a young team that he’s working to turn in the right direction.
“I know the Browns will be prepared for us. I know the time Eric puts in. I saw it first hand when we were young coaches together. The extra couple of days they have they will use to their advantage. They’re coming off a big win for them.
“I think this Joshua Cribbs is one of the better returners, runners, wildcat guys in the league. He can throw it, he can run it; he breaks more tackles than anybody in the league. You see that on tape. I think their quarterback is getting better every week. He does a good job of protecting the football - does a good job of getting rid of the football and not taking sacks.
“Defensively, it’s another true ¾ [alignment] team and have been creating a bunch of sacks especially of late – 8 against the Steelers. They do a very good job of disguising pressures and blitzes and creating different looks. Tape study will be very important.
“Special teams with Cribbs involved make it a dangerous group as I believe they’re up in kickoff and punt returns. We’ll have to be at our best but it’s another opportunity for this Kansas City Chiefs team to continue to try to progress and get better and see some of these good practices we’ve been having turn into [winning] Sundays.
“I think this team is understanding more, and more and more how important those little things are that end up being the difference between winning and losing. There have been 87 games so far in this league decided by seven points or less and we’ve been involved in a handful of them. That means little things decide games. What more evidence do you need to have than late in that second to last possession for us and Jamaal [Charles] breaks out on a run which we ended up having a holding call. Jamaal saw the flag thrown and relaxed. He had a chance to score on that play. We had the ball in our hands down at the one or two yard line for a potential score. Little things like that are the difference between winning and losing and you don’t know which play is going to be the difference in the game.
“But I think our guys are really starting to understand that. We put a tape on every Monday with all those little difference-making plays and there are not a ton – there are five, six, seven or eight plays that could mean the difference in winning and losing in a lot of these games. ”
[B]Q: Can you see some progress in making those difference-making plays?
HALEY: “Yeah, now again, two out of these three games got out of hand once we got into the turnovers. The games got out of hand. But there are fewer and fewer win-lose plays , in my opinion. Whether it’s keeping your hands inside on a run block or a yard different in your fit, the number has gone down. The players understand that that’s what these games are coming down to. You gotta assume that every play is going to be the difference. If you play that way you have a chance to succeed.”
Q: What are your thoughts on the way Branden Albert has played this season? Has he regressed?
HALEY: “No, I would not use that word. I think Branden went through a little injury spell that probably set him back a little bit. I think he’s probably feeling the best he’s felt all year. I think he’s understanding what we’re asking him to do as our offense has continued to evolve and settle in. That’s allowing him to play a little faster and a little more aggressively. I think that’s really across the board. There are a lot of young players that are playing and are learning a new system in all areas on offense, defense and special teams. It takes time for them to understand what we want them to do. I’ve talked to you about that. Do they know what to do is first and then it’s how they’re doing it? It’s how they’ll be evaluated. The more they get comfortable with what we want them to do the faster and more aggressive they can play in all areas.
“I think Branden has got more and more comfortable and he’s had a bunch of big tests. Some of the defenses we’ve played at the position he’s asked to block have been big tests. But I would not use the word regressed. He’s been up and down a little bit more than I would like and he understands that. He just has to continue to be more and more consistent and eliminate the little penalties. He just came to me right now upset about the false start because it couldn’t have happened at a more inopportune time coming off a big touchdown run. If anything I would say it just has to get more and more consistent.”
Q: He lost a bunch of weight in the off-season. Has comfort with his body had anything to do with it?
HALEY: “I think the whole thing. When you’re heavier you don’t have to always use great technique. We want our guys to be in condition and he’s been a great shining example of that aspect of it but there is an adjustment period there. As far as where we’re at now, I think we’re far past that. It’s more schematically and technique-wise what we want him to do and how we want him to do it. It might be the difference again in a six-inch step for him, or a drop step or a lead step, little fine details we want in a certain way.”
Q: Do you believe he got by because of his size and not technique? Because he lost the weight does he have to work on more of the details?
HALEY: “I think I said that way back in training camp and talked to him about that being a factor. When you are 340 pounds in some instances you don’t have to do the little things right. You’re in the way and you’re heavier. But there are other limitations when you’re in that type of conditions. But I think we’re far past that. I think we have one of the best line coaches in the league working with these guys. But there are a lot of moving parts.”
Q: Are you still happy that he lost that weight given his good play of last year?
HALEY: “I can only worry about now and, as we go forward, I think a player will be at his best when he’s in condition that we’re asking him to be in. We had him pull last week and we need guys who are athletic who can execute what we need to get done. The arrow is pointing up for Branden.
Q: What did you see from Dwayne Bowe today on his first day back on the field?
HALEY: “Dwayne looked like he did a good job while he was away keeping himself in condition. Really would have liked to have seen where he would have been had he been here the last four weeks because he was making so much progress leading up to the suspension. I thought it was really important that Dwayne worked real hard while he was away. That sometimes is hard to do when you’re on your own and you’re not able to practice football. But Dwayne was a breath of fresh air out there. We’ve continued to evolve offensively and there was a lot to learn there for him. I thought he picked it up pretty fast and he was here Monday and Tuesday trying to catch-up and I think he’s done a good job.”
Q: Did you speak to him while he was gone about what he should work on?
HALEY: “No, we weren’t allowed to have any contact. I did have a nice talk with Dwayne and he had a nice talk with me and he made it very clear it was important to him. He showed that.”
Q: Cleveland is still last in turnovers but the team is improving. Is it because of Brady Quinn’s development?
HALEY: “As I said with even our turnovers: there are a lot of factors. All I can speak on is Quinn has done a good job of protecting the football and getting it out [of his hand]. They’re a young team and not a lot different than us going through some changes. But it looks like they’re improving to me. I know they are because Eric and I probably have a lot of similarities just by the fact that we learned around the same type of people and have seen the things that need to be done to have success in the long term. Eric’s a very smart, very smart guy. Like I said, you’re seeing some of the foundation he laid in New York pay off this year there a little bit – taking nothing away from them.”
Q: Why is Cribbs so good breaking tackles?
HALEY: “I think he’s a strong runner. He uses the stiff arm very well which is an underrated weapon. It’s one we work real hard on and it’s a natural weapon. I think he just has very good balance, is a strong runner and keeps the ball in the proper hand which frees up that inside arm to help shed tackles.”
Q: How has Tyson Jackson’s play been?
HALEY: “As I said in the beginning, at that position it’s no different than Russell Maryland. It’s not a super sexy position that is necessarily going to have a lot of stats. Not to say that he can’t have stats and we expect him to be a productive player, especially as he gets more and more comfortable. It’s a big job and there have been signs of progress. In the last game he was active and got into the backfield a couple of times. He’s doing a better time of chasing on the back side. There are a lot of things being thrown at him and at the position he’s playing you don’t always see instantaneous results.
“I think the guy has a tremendous work ethic. He works before practice, during and after on technique – 24/7. He’s in here watching tape, but, again, it takes a little time. He’s a young player playing that position.
Q: How about Ryan Succop?
HALEY: “Ryan I like a lot. I think he’s got the demeanor you want from a kicker. He’s calm, cool and collected and doesn’t seem to get rattled real easy. An example would be at the end of the half extra point where we were running out of time and he looked like he was hurried a little bit. We had to call a time out and I said, ‘sorry, I didn’t mean to freeze my own kicker.’ But he said he was going to call time out anyway because he felt hurried. Pretty calm cool collected guy now. He’s got the right body, is strong and I think he’ll get stronger. I think the kickoffs have got to continue to improve especially playing here after the weather gets back.”
Dec 16, 2009, 4:10:44 PM
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Highlights
TODD HALEY: “First practice for Cleveland Browns today. I’m optimistic for all [the injured] guys that they’ll have a chance to play. Flowers was full [practice].
“Cleveland is coming off arguably its biggest win against a very tough opponent, the Steelers. I know a bunch of these guys starting with the head coach. I was quality control on offense [in New York with the Jets] and Eric was quality control on defense for three years in 97, ‘98, and ‘99. So, Eric and I have spent a lot of hours together in the building going way back. We were generally the last two in the building for a lot of years - sat next to each other in special tams meetings every day. It’s always good to see somebody that you’ve worked with that has made it to the position he’s made it to. I think he did a great job with the Jets and I think you’re seeing some of the foundation that he laid while he was there – you’re seeing some of that now with that Jets team. He’s got a young team that he’s working to turn in the right direction.
“I know the Browns will be prepared for us. I know the time Eric puts in. I saw it first hand when we were young coaches together. The extra couple of days they have they will use to their advantage. They’re coming off a big win for them.
“I think this Joshua Cribbs is one of the better returners, runners, wildcat guys in the league. He can throw it, he can run it; he breaks more tackles than anybody in the league. You see that on tape. I think their quarterback is getting better every week. He does a good job of protecting the football - does a good job of getting rid of the football and not taking sacks.
“Defensively, it’s another true ¾ [alignment] team and have been creating a bunch of sacks especially of late – 8 against the Steelers. They do a very good job of disguising pressures and blitzes and creating different looks. Tape study will be very important.
“Special teams with Cribbs involved make it a dangerous group as I believe they’re up in kickoff and punt returns. We’ll have to be at our best but it’s another opportunity for this Kansas City Chiefs team to continue to try to progress and get better and see some of these good practices we’ve been having turn into [winning] Sundays.
“I think this team is understanding more, and more and more how important those little things are that end up being the difference between winning and losing. There have been 87 games so far in this league decided by seven points or less and we’ve been involved in a handful of them. That means little things decide games. What more evidence do you need to have than late in that second to last possession for us and Jamaal [Charles] breaks out on a run which we ended up having a holding call. Jamaal saw the flag thrown and relaxed. He had a chance to score on that play. We had the ball in our hands down at the one or two yard line for a potential score. Little things like that are the difference between winning and losing and you don’t know which play is going to be the difference in the game.
“But I think our guys are really starting to understand that. We put a tape on every Monday with all those little difference-making plays and there are not a ton – there are five, six, seven or eight plays that could mean the difference in winning and losing in a lot of these games. ”
[B]Q: Can you see some progress in making those difference-making plays?
HALEY: “Yeah, now again, two out of these three games got out of hand once we got into the turnovers. The games got out of hand. But there are fewer and fewer win-lose plays , in my opinion. Whether it’s keeping your hands inside on a run block or a yard different in your fit, the number has gone down. The players understand that that’s what these games are coming down to. You gotta assume that every play is going to be the difference. If you play that way you have a chance to succeed.”
Q: What are your thoughts on the way Branden Albert has played this season? Has he regressed?
HALEY: “No, I would not use that word. I think Branden went through a little injury spell that probably set him back a little bit. I think he’s probably feeling the best he’s felt all year. I think he’s understanding what we’re asking him to do as our offense has continued to evolve and settle in. That’s allowing him to play a little faster and a little more aggressively. I think that’s really across the board. There are a lot of young players that are playing and are learning a new system in all areas on offense, defense and special teams. It takes time for them to understand what we want them to do. I’ve talked to you about that. Do they know what to do is first and then it’s how they’re doing it? It’s how they’ll be evaluated. The more they get comfortable with what we want them to do the faster and more aggressive they can play in all areas.
“I think Branden has got more and more comfortable and he’s had a bunch of big tests. Some of the defenses we’ve played at the position he’s asked to block have been big tests. But I would not use the word regressed. He’s been up and down a little bit more than I would like and he understands that. He just has to continue to be more and more consistent and eliminate the little penalties. He just came to me right now upset about the false start because it couldn’t have happened at a more inopportune time coming off a big touchdown run. If anything I would say it just has to get more and more consistent.”
Q: He lost a bunch of weight in the off-season. Has comfort with his body had anything to do with it?
HALEY: “I think the whole thing. When you’re heavier you don’t have to always use great technique. We want our guys to be in condition and he’s been a great shining example of that aspect of it but there is an adjustment period there. As far as where we’re at now, I think we’re far past that. It’s more schematically and technique-wise what we want him to do and how we want him to do it. It might be the difference again in a six-inch step for him, or a drop step or a lead step, little fine details we want in a certain way.”
Q: Do you believe he got by because of his size and not technique? Because he lost the weight does he have to work on more of the details?
HALEY: “I think I said that way back in training camp and talked to him about that being a factor. When you are 340 pounds in some instances you don’t have to do the little things right. You’re in the way and you’re heavier. But there are other limitations when you’re in that type of conditions. But I think we’re far past that. I think we have one of the best line coaches in the league working with these guys. But there are a lot of moving parts.”
Q: Are you still happy that he lost that weight given his good play of last year?
HALEY: “I can only worry about now and, as we go forward, I think a player will be at his best when he’s in condition that we’re asking him to be in. We had him pull last week and we need guys who are athletic who can execute what we need to get done. The arrow is pointing up for Branden.
Q: What did you see from Dwayne Bowe today on his first day back on the field?
HALEY: “Dwayne looked like he did a good job while he was away keeping himself in condition. Really would have liked to have seen where he would have been had he been here the last four weeks because he was making so much progress leading up to the suspension. I thought it was really important that Dwayne worked real hard while he was away. That sometimes is hard to do when you’re on your own and you’re not able to practice football. But Dwayne was a breath of fresh air out there. We’ve continued to evolve offensively and there was a lot to learn there for him. I thought he picked it up pretty fast and he was here Monday and Tuesday trying to catch-up and I think he’s done a good job.”
Q: Did you speak to him while he was gone about what he should work on?
HALEY: “No, we weren’t allowed to have any contact. I did have a nice talk with Dwayne and he had a nice talk with me and he made it very clear it was important to him. He showed that.”
Q: Cleveland is still last in turnovers but the team is improving. Is it because of Brady Quinn’s development?
HALEY: “As I said with even our turnovers: there are a lot of factors. All I can speak on is Quinn has done a good job of protecting the football and getting it out [of his hand]. They’re a young team and not a lot different than us going through some changes. But it looks like they’re improving to me. I know they are because Eric and I probably have a lot of similarities just by the fact that we learned around the same type of people and have seen the things that need to be done to have success in the long term. Eric’s a very smart, very smart guy. Like I said, you’re seeing some of the foundation he laid in New York pay off this year there a little bit – taking nothing away from them.”
Q: Why is Cribbs so good breaking tackles?
HALEY: “I think he’s a strong runner. He uses the stiff arm very well which is an underrated weapon. It’s one we work real hard on and it’s a natural weapon. I think he just has very good balance, is a strong runner and keeps the ball in the proper hand which frees up that inside arm to help shed tackles.”
Q: How has Tyson Jackson’s play been?
HALEY: “As I said in the beginning, at that position it’s no different than Russell Maryland. It’s not a super sexy position that is necessarily going to have a lot of stats. Not to say that he can’t have stats and we expect him to be a productive player, especially as he gets more and more comfortable. It’s a big job and there have been signs of progress. In the last game he was active and got into the backfield a couple of times. He’s doing a better time of chasing on the back side. There are a lot of things being thrown at him and at the position he’s playing you don’t always see instantaneous results.
“I think the guy has a tremendous work ethic. He works before practice, during and after on technique – 24/7. He’s in here watching tape, but, again, it takes a little time. He’s a young player playing that position.
Q: How about Ryan Succop?
HALEY: “Ryan I like a lot. I think he’s got the demeanor you want from a kicker. He’s calm, cool and collected and doesn’t seem to get rattled real easy. An example would be at the end of the half extra point where we were running out of time and he looked like he was hurried a little bit. We had to call a time out and I said, ‘sorry, I didn’t mean to freeze my own kicker.’ But he said he was going to call time out anyway because he felt hurried. Pretty calm cool collected guy now. He’s got the right body, is strong and I think he’ll get stronger. I think the kickoffs have got to continue to improve especially playing here after the weather gets back.”