Q&A with HERM EDWARDS - 12/24
 

Q&A with HERM EDWARDS - 12/24

Dec 24, 2008, 3:14:33 PM



Q: Is there any sense among your guys that they only have one more and then this season will be behind us?

HERM EDWARDS: “I think the sense is we’ve got one more opportunity to win a game on the road. They sense that this is the last game they’re going to play in the 2008 season and it would be nice if you could end the season with a win. It would be kind of enjoyable for us.”

Q: Brian Waters was saying that some of these guys may be playing their last game forever, not just the last game of the season. Is that something you have to remind the players about?

EDWARDS: “Yeah, because you never know what the future holds. Next year is next year but as we all know a lot of things happen and you can’t control that. All you can control is this week. It’s always fun if you win your last game if you’re not going to the playoffs. You win your last game you feel a lot better in the off-season.”

Q: You’ve talked about this team handling distractions. How do you feel how this team has done handling the current distraction involving the GM?

EDWARDS: “I think they’ve done a great job the way they’ve competed and the way they’ve played. They’re disappointed we haven’t finished games. That’s where we’re at and a lot of that’s youth and a lot of it is inexperience. Lot of it is just making mistakes at the wrong time. But they’ll learn from that. That’s what this team will gain going into next season.

“You talk about eight games (lost) of seven points or less. The odds say you should win a couple of those but we haven’t. We’re going to gain a lot of experience for this football team. It’ll pay dividends next season.”

Q: Players always talk about playing for pride, is the same true of coaches?

EDWARDS: “You coach not only for pride; you want to win. You just want to win and I’ve never gone through two seasons like this as long as I’ve been coaching. It’s hard and you don’t like losing. Does it bother me? Yeah, a lot. But I don’t walk around with a frown on my face like the world’s coming to an end. It bothers me and hurts your gut every day you wake up to have to go through this.

“But at the end, I’ve always learned that when you go through things like this there is always going to be a better side and when it hits it’s going to be good. I’ve dealt with some situations like this before and when you get it turned and all of a sudden it gets going the other way and there are a lot of smiles. This would be a good game to win and to end the season that way and it gives you a little pep going into next year.”

Q: Facing Fitzpatrick vs. Palmer?

EDWARDS: “It’s kind of like he’s been thrown into the fire and has learned how to play quarterback. He’s done a pretty good job. Kind of like Tyler, our guy. I can remember calling Marvin early in the season when their guy went down. I said I felt your pain and know how you feel. I’ve dealt with this more than you have ….a lot. They’ve come back the last two weeks and the quarterback’s played pretty well. Didn’t throw the ball a whole lot. He’s got a strong arm and can take off and run and make some plays with his legs, some like Tyler. He’s got a big strong offensive line, a big back who can run, and their defense is playing a lot better.”

Q: The close games tell you that the talent level is comparable to the other teams in the league, so from a coaching standpoint do you feel more of a responsibility for the losses?

EDWARDS: “It’s about making plays. We’ve made some and in the later part of some games we haven’t made the plays that we had made in the first half. If not, the game wouldn’t be close. You’ve got to make plays in certain situations. You can go back to all those games and it’s a play here or there. Same players made them in the first half, same coaches who coached them in the first half.

“There’s no blame. It’s just the way the cards were dealt. I think a lot of it has to do with lack of experience, in my opinion, lack of playing experience and guys making mistakes. Every coach doesn’t call the perfect call and players bail you out sometimes. Then, other times you put players in a good position and it doesn’t happen. There are a lot of reasons but the good thing is this team is going to be better for it. That’s what I believe.”

Q: So the same players and coaches next year will be better with an extra year?

EDWARDS: “The experience is what you lose sight of. There are so many young guys. It’s one thing when there is one or two, but when you have a massive amount of guys like this who play a lot, well, just imagine this: if all of them take their turn in making an error and it’s two guys…well, now you’ve got 15 guys, 18 guys. There’s a big difference and that’s what happens to us in games once in a while. Still, that’s not an excuse.”

He still doesn't take responsibility

The answer to that question was jaw-dropping. He threw the whole thing in the players' lap. Even if it was true it wouldn't be acceptable.

See, I don't buy that.

Parcells used to call out his players all the time. Other coaches have as well. In the end, it IS the player's responsibility to make the plays.

It was no one other than Dwayne Bowe's fault that the Chiefs lost against San Diego. Blame the kicker all you want for missing an easy chip-shot, but Dwayne Bowe blew it.

The former kicker blew it in San Diego. Where's he? Gone.

And on down the list. It's up to the players to make the plays.

Gawd. Who asked that question? I'd like to buy him a steak dinner.

probably Whitlock or JoPo

Two words: Black Monday

I don't have a problem with Herm calling out players. True, the players need to execute better, but Herm, himself, accepts zero responsibility.

You do realize that for Herm to be fired, a new Gm has to be HIRED first?

Nothing is going to happen on Monday, sorry to disappoint.

:spock:

What?

Unless is "burned out" and Clark accepts a negotiated resignation. [i.e., Herm gets paid.]