Babb: Chiefs are desperate for forward progress

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs are desperate for forward progress (http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/13/3141063/chiefs-desperate-for-forward-progress.html)
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star

As desperate as the situation looked Sunday, the Chiefs have spent the two days since trying to forget about the 41-7 loss to Buffalo. It was a sour way to begin the season at Arrowhead Stadium, but an experience the Chiefs are trying to put behind them.

Regardless, coaches and players began the process of looking toward the next game, a road contest Sunday against the Detroit Lions. Several players turned to Twitter for solace; defensive end Wallace Gilberry tweeted that his team would bounce back and that it needed to get back to basics. Running back Jamaal Charles promised the team would be “better than ever,” and fullback Le’Ron McClain tweeted Tuesday morning that he was up early, watching film of the Lions.

Coach Todd Haley said a day earlier that it was important that the team avoid getting stuck in the mistakes that occurred against Buffalo.

“To me,” Haley said, “you can’t let a loss like this drag you down. This core group of guys has shown that in the past that they’ve been able to overcome a game like this. You don’t ever want one, but if you have one you can’t let it drag you down.”

The team’s most looming worry is that there were few encouraging moments in Sunday’s game. Quarterback Matt Cassel wasn’t sharp, the defense was awful, and the Chiefs’ rushing offense, which led the NFL last year, never could settle into a rhythm. To make matters worse, second-year safety Eric Berry suffered a season-ending ACL tear, and he’ll soon join tight end Tony Moeaki on injured reserve.

Whenever it seemed the Chiefs were pulling out of their funk, something devastating would happen.

“Momentum killers,” Haley said.

The coach insisted Monday that it was essential to show that last Sunday’s loss wouldn’t be a season killer. He promised Sunday afternoon that he would fix what had ailed the Chiefs against Buffalo, and the team will begin its practice week today before traveling to Detroit on Saturday.

Still, the team had to endure another viewing of Sunday’s discouraging performance.

“There wasn’t anything on that tape that didn’t look like it was correctable,” Haley said. “If we were sitting, watching the tape and seeing a lack of effort and seeing just guys get beat in one-on-one matchups and saying, ‘Boy, this guy’s got no chance,’ I would feel differently.”

One of the top priorities this week will be preparing safeties Jon McGraw and Sabby Piscitelli for increased workloads. McGraw has been best as a backup and special-teams player, and he struggled two seasons ago when he was forced into the starting lineup when Jarrad Page suffered a season-ending calf injury.

Teams targeted McGraw and the Chiefs’ former strong safety, Mike Brown, and routinely took advantage for big gains. If Kansas City is to truly flush Sunday’s loss, McGraw would have to be more effective. He admitted as much after the loss.

“Teams lose great players every day and have to be able to bounce back,” he said. “Guys have to step up, and I’m going to have to step up and play better.”

McGraw likely will be the Chiefs’ starting strong safety Sunday, alongside free safety Kendrick Lewis.

Haley said he was pleased with his team’s effort against the Bills, and after a film session, he was eager to begin putting the Buffalo game in the past.

“All we’re worried about is this week,” he said, “Thankfully, we’ll have an opportunity to learn from this as coaches, and players get better, and our focus is trying to get back to one-and-one.”

[RealSNR]

I almost wish the Chiefs would have kept Langford and Price and said "rape" to Washington and Pickmybelly.

The Packers started a lot of no-name guys last year who were kind of marginal talents in training camp. Charlie Peprah turned out to be not so bad.

Who knows, maybe one of those two guys would step in and "get it" after getting huge workloads. At least they have a higher ceiling than Guido fuckface

[KCrockaholic]

What happened to this guy?

No not Randy Moss.

...Has he seriously regressed THAT much since the 2008 season? Some of these throws proves that he had talent at one time.

<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lgQWLQlo7m0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Crush]

I almost wish the Chiefs would have kept Langford and Price and said "rape" to Washington and Pickmybelly.

The Packers started a lot of no-name guys last year who were kind of marginal talents in training camp. Charlie Peprah turned out to be not so bad.

Who knows, maybe one of those two guys would step in and "get it" after getting huge workloads. At least they have a higher ceiling than Guido fuckface

Another good nickname for Saggy Pistachio.

[Tribal Warfare]

What happened to this guy?

No not Randy Moss.

...Has he seriously regressed THAT much since the 2008 season? Some of these throws proves that he had talent at one time.

<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lgQWLQlo7m0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Cassel is a weak minded pussy who can't take the heat when it counts.

[BossChief]

“There wasn’t anything on that tape that didn’t look like it was correctable,” Haley said. “If we were sitting, watching the tape and seeing a lack of effort and seeing just guys get beat in one-on-one matchups and saying, ‘Boy, this guy’s got no chance,’ I would feel differently.”

What part of the game did they watch then?

If they watched any tape of McGraw and Sabby and didn't say "boy, this guy has got no chance" then I would love to hear how they think that's correctable.

The only thing they can do is sell out to get a lot of pressure and create turnovers to take the deeper passing game and longer developing stuff away the best they can to hide these safeties.

[mcaj22]

"Haley said he was pleased with his team’s effort against the Bills, and after a film session, he was eager to begin putting the Buffalo game in the past."


I've been a Haley supporter but I'm getting sick and tired of these kinds of vanilla responses he makes to the media, and whether hes actually serious (which he would be an idiot) or putting on a fake face, I wish we had a coach that would just say, No, that was a poor performance by our team, we can play much better than that.

For him to be pleased with the product he prepared to put out on the field means he has no business being a head coach in the NFL

[007]

I'm getting sick of hearing about the "core group of guys" too.

[mikey23545]

"McGraw likely will be the Chiefs’ starting strong safety Sunday, alongside free safety Kendrick Lewis."


This makes me so friggin' angry I can't put it into words.

How many times does McGraw have to shit the bed before he is cut off this damn team? How can anyone view his performance last week (or ShatAnd PissedHisBeddy's) and think "oh what the hell, I think we'll be okay with these two again this week. I don't see any need to go look for help anywhere."

Is it pure unadulterated ego or pure unadulterated ignorance?

[donkhater]

What happened to this guy?

No not Randy Moss.

...Has he seriously regressed THAT much since the 2008 season? Some of these throws proves that he had talent at one time.

<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lgQWLQlo7m0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

That is what is so depressing, to me, about KC. How can other teams take what appears to be marginal QBs and make them look pretty good, while KC just makes them look pathetic.

This isn't just Haley. Ever since I've been following the Chiefs since 1986, this has eemingly been the case. Frustrating.

[Pushead2]

I never liked Haley's offense even in Arizona - this is going to be a rough year buds..

[tdurden58]

Pathetic organization the chiefs have become..it's start from the top and spirals down..they are an organization that obviously could care less about winning..our offseason and being one of the teams with most money left over shows that..the players and the coaches see this and it translates on the field..management wants to build a team just good enough that you guys will keep filling the seats..and the players know they have zero shot of a super bowl..if the people of KC keep supporting this shiiit organization things will never change..

[Chiefnj2]

“There wasn’t anything on that tape that didn’t look like it was correctable,” Haley said. “If we were sitting, watching the tape and seeing a lack of effort and seeing just guys get beat in one-on-one matchups and saying, ‘Boy, this guy’s got no chance,’ I would feel differently.”


- standard coaching response to a blowout.

[Dave Lane]

What happened to this guy?

No not Randy Moss.

...Has he seriously regressed THAT much since the 2008 season? Some of these throws proves that he had talent at one time.

<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lgQWLQlo7m0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It's what happens when lack of protection from your OL causes you to become scared and go fetal like Huard. That plus 2 years of being told just dump the ball. Remember how many people screamed he holds the ball too long. Well he doesn't anymore.

[InChiefsHeaven]

What happened to this guy?

No not Randy Moss.

...Has he seriously regressed THAT much since the 2008 season? Some of these throws proves that he had talent at one time.

<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lgQWLQlo7m0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

See, this is what I mean. The guy confuses me. He made some really nice throws in that highlight, the rollout to the right hitting Moss in the endzone on the run being one. He DOES have some skills, but he doesn't have the ability to make it happen I guess. He's got to have the perfect situation, and KC is anything but perfect.

[Sofa King]

Pathetic organization the chiefs have become..it's start from the top and spirals down..they are an organization that obviously could care less about winning..our offseason and being one of the teams with most money left over shows that..the players and the coaches see this and it translates on the field..management wants to build a team just good enough that you guys will keep filling the seats..and the players know they have zero shot of a super bowl..if the people of KC keep supporting this shiiit organization things will never change..

I see this all the time.

Makes me laugh that people are this goddamn stupid.

[Chiefnj2]

See, this is what I mean. The guy confuses me. He made some really nice throws in that highlight, the rollout to the right hitting Moss in the endzone on the run being one. He DOES have some skills, but he doesn't have the ability to make it happen I guess. He's got to have the perfect situation, and KC is anything but perfect.

It's a lack of confidence and he really can't deal with pressure.

[Reerun_KC]

I never liked Haley's offense even in Arizona - this is going to be a rough year buds..


Well other than Grandpa's O here in KC... We havent had anythign that resembled an offense in God knows how long...

two monkeys fucking is better than any offense Herm, Marty or Gunther ran...

[Reerun_KC]

It's a lack of confidence and he really can't deal with pressure.


this whole team lacks confidence right now...

YOU can see it in their play on the field...

[durtyrute]

Another good nickname for Saggy Pistachio.

Got it

[Dragonocho]

See, this is what I mean. The guy confuses me. He made some really nice throws in that highlight, the rollout to the right hitting Moss in the endzone on the run being one. He DOES have some skills, but he doesn't have the ability to make it happen I guess. He's got to have the perfect situation, and KC is anything but perfect.

This just shows that Cassel knows how to beat the Chiefs.

[Backwards Masking]

"McGraw likely will be the Chiefs’ starting strong safety Sunday, alongside free safety Kendrick Lewis."


How many times does McGraw have to shit the bed before he is cut off this damn team? How can anyone view his performance last week (or ShatAnd PissedHisBeddy's) and think "oh what the hell, I think we'll be okay with these two again this week. I don't see any need to go look for help anywhere."

Is it pure unadulterated ego or pure unadulterated ignorance?

I thought after the way he was getting picked apart up and down the field for the better part of 60 minutes against the ravens in the playoffs there's no way he'd still be part of the team this year, let alone a starter.

Yet, here he is!

[InChiefsHeaven]

This just shows that Cassel knows how to beat the Chiefs.

Oh, well done sir!:clap:

[ModSocks]

What happened to this guy?

No not Randy Moss.

...Has he seriously regressed THAT much since the 2008 season? Some of these throws proves that he had talent at one time.

<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lgQWLQlo7m0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This is a very poor representation for a season. Take a look at Matt Cassel's 2010 Highlight reel and you'll see plenty of throws that make you say "Ohhhhh".

It doesn't mean he was great. Just means that once in awhile he can make a good throw. Also, IIRC, the Patriots put Cassel in the Spread a lot. The Chiefs are trying to teach him to operate the offense from under center.

So far he has struggled with that. I honestly believe Cassel would be a helluva lot better from the spread. IMO he looks more comfortable when he's lined up in the Shotgun. But that contradicts what the team wants to be, which is a running team.

I don't think he's regressed. I think he just hasn't progressed enough.

[ModSocks]

I see this all the time.

Makes me laugh that people are this goddamn stupid.

i agree. It's stupid to say the team doesn't care about winning.

"All they care about is money, WHAAAA!"

Hey MorAns, winning teams make money, losing teams get blacked out. You're a fucking 'tard if you think the Chiefs aren't trying to win.

[HemiEd]

“There wasn’t anything on that tape that didn’t look like it was correctable,” Haley said. “If we were sitting, watching the tape and seeing a lack of effort and seeing just guys get beat in one-on-one matchups and saying, ‘Boy, this guy’s got no chance,’ I would feel differently.”


- standard coaching response to a blowout.

Exactly, what is he going to say? We got a bunch of retarts? We suck?
this whole team lacks confidence right now...

YOU can see it in their play on the field...Counting preseason, they have lost 7 in a row. That won't bolster many team's confidence.

[Mr. Laz]

Some coaches have a knack for getting the most out of their players and some don't.

I haven't seen anything from Haley to suggest that he knows how to put together an offense. We are playing checkers on offense while other teams are playing chess.

Cassel is not significantly different than Trent Green and yet ....

[Coogs]

With such little margin for error to go backwards from last Sunday's performance, I'm saying we will go forward this Sunday in Detroit. Should be a happy flight home with that objective all but met.

[ModSocks]

Cassel is not significantly different than Trent Green and yet ....

huh?

[Chiefnj2]

Cassel is not significantly different than Trent Green and yet ....

No.

[The Franchise]

huh?

It's Laz....just nod and smile.

[BossChief]

It's Laz....just nod and smile.

This

Laz is CPs Mark Castle.

Years and years of time to develop into a good poster and he throws an average pass here and there, but as soon as he does he throws a flurry of craptastic ones and takes a bunch of idiot sacks that make you forget the few good things he does on occasion.

I bet he was a better poster when he first started up here and has regresses since.