Babb: Chiefs defensive coordinator Crennel not going into panic mode
 

Chiefs defensive coordinator Crennel not going into panic mode
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star

After 89 points allowed, two losses and a bleak outlook, there seems to be plenty of reasons for the Chiefs defense to panic. Yet, coordinator Romeo Crennel has remained unruffled.

“He’s been calm,” Chiefs cornerback Brandon Carr said. “With a resume like Romeo’s, he’s seen it all, for the most part.”

Crennel has coached good defenses and poor ones, been the coach of a Cleveland Browns team that seemed to have little chance of turning the corner, and now he’s the leader of a defense that seems to possess talent but clearly lacks answers. The Chiefs have one sack, two interceptions — though Jon McGraw fumbled shortly after his pick last week — and one missing rising star at safety, Eric Berry, who tore the ACL in his left knee during the first game.

That has resulted in a group of stunned players and reason to think the Chiefs have little chance of stopping some of the league’s better offenses. They couldn’t do that the past two weeks, in blowout losses to Buffalo and Detroit, and it’s difficult to point toward ways the Chiefs might slow the Chargers’ powerful, multi-dimensional attack Sunday in San Diego.

But instead of appearing rattled, players said Crennel has been the picture of serenity. He’s still pointed in meetings, energetic during practices. This is the same old Romeo, even if his defense lacks the confidence it had in 2010, when it produced a pair of Pro Bowlers in Berry and linebacker Tamba Hali.

“I haven’t seen a change in him,” defensive lineman Wallace Gilberry said. “He still demands the best out of us, expects the best out of us, and we’re not giving it to him right now.”

For his part, Crennel said he has avoided the temptation to make drastic changes to the defense because doing so could further set back the Chiefs. That might sound impossible, considering the way they have lost, but many defenders believe that improving communication and fundamental play can prevent those two blowout defeats from being repeated.

“You have to look at what you’re doing and then try to figure out why you’re not doing as well,” Crennel said. “To change completely, there’s a learning curve that goes along with change.

“It might help you, and it might not help you. I think your best chance is to work on your foundations, and if you can identify something that’s definitely hurting you, then you make a change at that point or you change your technique or something there. But wholesale change, I don’t know if wholesale change is the answer.”

Crennel said the Chiefs’ top priority is to keep opposing offenses out of the end zone, something the defense struggled with against the Bills and the Lions. Big yards and field goals are tolerable. Touchdowns are not. Crennel and head coach Todd Haley have, in recent days, pointed to near-misses by the defense. Crennel said that’s a sign his players have continued to play hard, even amid large deficits, but becoming effective is a matter of taking those final steps in getting a sack, or holding onto the ball when it hits a defender in the hands, or simply a player being in the spot he’s assigned.

“Once we get all that stuff cleaned up and taken care of,” Gilberry said, “it’ll be back to where it was.”

Perhaps the most maddening thing for the Chiefs defense is that, even without Berry, the team possesses plenty of talent. Hali led the AFC in sacks last year, linebacker Derrick Johnson has a knack for big plays, and the secondary is loaded with solid youngsters, such as cornerback Brandon Flowers and safety Kendrick Lewis. None, though, has yet shown examples of that potential in 2011. The defensive line has been unable so far to stop the run, putting pressure on the other position groups to clean up its mess.

But even with all that, Crennel has indicated to his players that it’s not time to panic. He has told them to continue doing their jobs, albeit with greater attention to the details and their assignments, and eventually good things will come.

He said he hopes they come soon.

“If we can win one game,” he said, “then that’ll help us tremendously.”

Players said they believe Crennel still trusts them, and they still trust their coordinator.

“He knows we’re capable of getting it done,” Gilberry said. “It’s just a matter of us going out and doing it. He has faith in us; he has faith in his system, and it’s up to us to just prove that it works and prove that we have the guys that can get it done.”

CHIEFS AT CHARGERS
•3:05 p.m. Sunday at San Diego (Chs. 5, 13)

Crennel is rapidly approaching fraud status like the rest of these New England castoffs.

Did jack shit in Cleveland, one mediocre year here, and now sucking hard.

Looks like an awesome coaching career

http://i53.tinypic.com/15f183n.jpg

Certainly some issues on D. Not nearly as bad as these scores indicate.

Come on, man. 6 turnovers. Thats rough on any D. Its was still 7-3 with 5 min left in the 1st half. Then Cassel started to give it away.

LMAOLMAOLMAOLMAO

Opponents average starting field position is the 43 yard line.

We are 23rd in yardage given up, but give up 44.5 points per game.

If that doesn't say Cassel sucks, I don't know what does.

reerun

He's just lubing up for when the conversation turns to how the Cassel-led offense can't stay on the field and that's why the defense gets blown out late. He loves that shit.

giants? 5 Superbowl ring with 2 teams means u know something,yes he wasn't head coach material but really?.....

His ass is out the door with Haley.

If Crennel had a good QB he would have suceeded in Cleveland. Teams need a QB or forget it. No coach can over come shitty play from that position.

[QUOTE=Gif Horse;7936360]His ass is out the door with Haley.[/QUOT
Seriously,who u want Greg Robinson to replace him???

[QUOTE=xfactor;7936365]Whoever the new head coach chooses...

[QUOTE=Gif Horse;7936366]U crack me up haley aint getting replaced and i guen****ingtee best d coordinator aint, not till he finally retires, please step away from crackpipe, it aint healthy

Someone's head is rolling for this disaster and Haley is the most likely candidate.

Which means his entire staff is out.

Encouraging article, the man knows something about leadership. They will get it done again, if the offense can upgrade its play to just poor.

Dorsey and Flowers both need pick their games up, neither has looked anywhere close to as good as they were last year.

Yesterday, 610 had audio from Crennel, Carr, and Arenas, all three made references to guys on defense blowing assignments and missing coverages. The lack of preparedness on both sides of the ball is enough to get Haley fired. There isn't one phase of our game that is even close to being on par to where it was last year.

React defense in the NFL will get shredded.


Dictate defense is the best option.

Agreed.

We really needed training camp with a young team. This is all just a horrible mess. I hope we get our QBOTF out of this .

Since he didn't really select his staff I don't think this is as likely or can be assumed.

What semi-decent head coach would accept a job where he can't choose his assistants?

People need to get off the unfounded rumor that Pioli forces every single decision on his coach.

:rolleyes:Rumor or not, the fact is that Pioli hired Crennel and Weis not Haley. Not only that with Crennel's pedigree what "semi-decent" HC wouldn't want to retain him?

How is that fact? That has not been printed or reported anywhere I am aware of.

Yet another CP "fact".

I just think that in some ways, this game has passed Romeo Crennel by.

Fine.....perhaps it's not "fact", but Pendergast was Haley's choice and then considering Haley and Weis conflicted how can you assume otherwise.

I don't think Pendergast was Haley's choice.

Because Clark Hunt asked Pioli to take some time with Herman ****ing Edwards and give him a fair evaluation before making the decision to fire him, the Chiefs entered the offseason hiring process far later than every other team that were making changes, including the HC hire.

By the time they started to assemble a staff, the pickings were pretty slim, and they were forced to settle for stop gaps like Pendergast.

People easily forget. Others, like myself can't forget.


Evaluate Herm ****ing Edwards. Pioli's first FAIL.

That was Hunt's "fail".

I wasn't on the Pioli bandwagon at the time, but I do believe that he would have fired Herman ****ing Edwards as soon as he walked in the door if not for Hunt's request.

Was it?

If Clark needed to evaluate Herm as a head coach, this entire organization is ****ed. We can't fire the owner.......

Hunt felt a sense of loyalty and obligation to Herman ****ing Edwards, because he agreed the youth movement that Herman ****ing Edwards talked him onto.

He wanted to give him a (more than) fair chance.

I mentioned this last night, but Clancy wasnt even hired as the DC.

He was hired as a "defensive assistant" and we were in contact with Romeo at the time and another coordinator that never ended up being named.

It was only after the other options didn't take the job that Clancy was named the DC.

I think Clancy was brought along by Haley, but was never intended to be the actual DC.

If Romeo doesnt tweak his scheme a little to allow us to at least try to get more pressure, he will absolutely paint himself in the same light as G-Rob.

NOBODY could have watched the last two games and thought the defense was being coordinated by a good DC...all I could see was G-Rob.

Houston
Hali
Sheffield
Gilberry
Belcher
DJ

all are good pass rushers that would thrive in a pressure scheme.

Hey Milk, remember all our talks about Wade Phillips and Dorsey as a 1 gap nose...I think this defense would be dominant with that style in place right now with these players.

What do you think?

I seriously doubt it.

I'm beginning to believe that Dorsey would struggle in any system. He's getting washed out more often than not and can't hold up against the point of attack even in one on one situations.

He's quick enough that he makes plays from behind sometimes and on hard slants, but he's getting killed on plays run right at him.

As much as everyone around here thought that we killed it on draft day in 2008, those two first rounders haven't panned out like the majority hoped they would.

No disrespect intended, but you've proven over and over again that you wouldn't recognize line play, good or bad, if your dumb ass got run over by it.

oh gawd dude. you're in trouble now. the dorsey police are coming for you.

:shrug:

It's pretty easy to spot substandard to mediocre play when it's happening every game for the past three plus years. I don't know if Dorsey is your boy or not, but the guy just doesn't have it. He's getting/gets steamrolled a lot and has zero upfield push against even marginal offensive line talent. The guy sucks. We're getting killed in the run and he's a big reason why.

All I know is that we've spent two top five picks on defensive line players in the past four drafts and both should be considered busts as it relates to their draft position versus performance on the field.

And everyone around here should be praying to whatever deity they deem omnipotent that the Chiefs don't win a game this season and get the #1 overall pick to take Luck because it's a strong possibility that the Chiefs are forced to yet again take a defensive line prospect high in the draft.

Oh, I figured that they would. The guy is defended on this board like nobody else. Why I don't know, but he is damn near untouchable in terms of criticism around here.

Best case scenario for every other team in the league is that Crennel stays on with Kansas City.

The Chiefs defense will never do shit with his worthless ass in charge, and no other team will have to pretend to interview the idiot for vacant positions.

he's cute. to them. but before we are banned, here's a clip of a goal line stand in which Dorsey the magnificent is supposed to cut the legs of LT Bell so the LB - Scheffield can stand up the rusher. Dorsey can't even do that. After 3 plus seasons, you'd think he could at least do that;

http://www.nfl.com/videos/kansas-cit...st-1-yd-run-TD

I'm not defending Dorsey.

I am simply telling you that your observations over the last 3 or 4 years around here have proven your idiocy.

Thanks for your honesty. I agree.

We have heard this before...

LMAO You are a moron. Dorsey is very good at what he does.

Dont be stupid. You know Clay has posted SEVERAL clips of him kicking ass.

after 3 plus seasons, that's all you got on Dorsey. Hold on to them. Memories.

You posting like that with your sig... :shake:

Give Dorsey another season. He's close now.

Every player in the NFL has a few (and with Dorsey, few is the key word) good "clips" of their play.

Dorsey just isn't getting it done. Blame the scheme, blame the coordinator, blame whoever, but he's been consistenly getting blown up by marginal talent every single week for the past three plus seasons. Sure, he'll make a nice play every once in a while, but as I said, it's usually a pursuit type play or from a slant play. He simply can't hold his own against the majority of tackles and guards he goes against.

People around here have blamed it on the NT, but Kelly Gregg, while in the twilight of his NFL career, is a solid nose tackle and Dorsey isn't playing any better. Gilberry and Bailey have both looked better with far less snaps so far this season. And Jackson is literally non-existent. These guys should be dominating at this point and they are not. They are some of the weakest links that this team has.

Two blown top five picks in three years will kill a team. We're seeing it first hand right now.

I love it when sac posts.

He is almost as entertaining as KnowMo.

Dorsey was top 5 for DL last year in tackles and stops.

Sac clowned the Berry pick
Pimped the broken, black John Tait at 5
Thinks Dorsey sucks and gets blown up against below average players every week...blah blah blah

Watch Dorsey on any play Hali gets pressure or a sack and tell me the guy sucks.

Post more, please.

Anybody know what our TOP has been in the last 2 to 4 or so regular season games. Just curious.

I'm thinking that the incompetent offense is wearing the defense out ... maybe.

FAX

Maybe. The turnovers arent helping.

it does and there's no doubt this team is getting run up late in games. but the problem right now for this defense is with the opening series. They are getting run over at the RDE position. Now, some of this has to do with Dorsey, because teams are running at him early on. Watch what SD does with Mathews. He'll hit the defense's right edge. Now, here's the thing about that edge of this defense - Hali is primarily in pass rush duty and DJ is the man behind Dorsey to maintain that edge. He's not getting it done and it's for the same old reasons - unable to get off blocks and caught out of position. So, we see big gainers there at any point in the game.

But you're right to some degree - you can't expect such a young and depleted defense to play 40 mins every game and expect to win without scoring points. It limits what kind of defense Crennell can use.

and then there's this. Haley said during yesterday's presser the defense has started in their own territory 20 of 28 times. that's ****ing horrible.

It's not all about TOP. They've given the other team too many possessions and short fields to work with by playing like a bunch of tards on offense.

I look forward to Romeo and Charlie's performance in "Disorderlies 2012"

Wow. I knew it was bad, but damn.. Makes me question some of the defensive criticism this year..

I haven't questioned any really. Turnovers are killer.

Sac is being a ****ing moron again.

How many times do I have to post this?

Dorsey graded out as a TOP FIVE run stopper among 3-4 DEs. And he was one of the few defensive player in the league to get 40+ stops. This is elite company:


40+ stop club:

Kyle Williams
Ndakamong Suh
Kenyon Coleman
Justin Smith

DeMarcus Ware
James Harrison
Anthony Spencer
Cameron Wake

Terrell Suggs
Trent Cole
Justin Tuck
Charles Johnson

GLENN DORSEY

^

We are 23rd in yardage given up but are also giving up 44.5 points per game.

We are dead last in passing.

7th in rushing

Average opponents starting field position is the 43 yardline.

Cassel is bottom 3 in the new rating system.

We have given up 11 pressures in both games combined.

What other proof can be shown that a change at qb to ANYTHING would be hard to look like a step back?

ha. how many TFL's last season? 2 sacks is better than the year before. Dorsey played better last season, he played smart at times. But this season he doesn't look like he's better. he looks worse.

2 games. Such a HUGE sample size. Just admit you are wrong and move on...

He had as many sacks and TFL as other players at his position for the most part.

He isn't playing as well this year I agree. I wonder how much weight he has lost because he looked skinny in preseason.

Once again the Chiefs are DEAD LAST in the NFL with an abysmal 9 sacks as a team. Romeo's defensive schemes and total lack of a viable pass rush are to blame for this. When your defense makes 0-7 QB Matt Moore look more like 007 Roger Moore, you are in trouble.

Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey are busts IMHO and until we find a way to put pressure on QB's, we will go no where.