At the Quarter Mark: Better or Worse?
 

After the Haley hire, you couldn't throw a stick through this place without hitting someone that made the following comment:

"We'll be a better team based on coaching alone," or, "we'll win X amount of games due to coaching alone."

Yes, it's only been 4 games, and this is NOT a call for Haley's head - but is deserved criticism of the way he's prepared this team over the first 4 games of the regular season.

Also, IN NO WAY is the following an endorsement of Herman Edwards. What it is, however, is a giant red flag - this team - of which 60% has been handpicked by Pioli and Haley - is actually worse in almost all statistical categories when compared to the 2008 team after 4 games - which many here claimed were the darkest days of last season. We'll call it, B.S. - or, Before Spread.

Offensively (bolded number is 2009 totals):

1st downs: (63) (62)

3rd down conversions: (25/62 - 40%) (9/51 - 18%)

Total yards: (1145) (986)

Rushing yards: (554) (406)

Passing yards: (591) (580)

Sacks Allowed: (12) (13)

Penalties/Yardage: (10/109) 29/230

Scoring: (16.25 PPG) (16 PPG)


Not a single category in which we've improved over 2008, which happened to include going through 3 QB's - playing the 3rd stringer in 2 of the 4.


Defensively:

1st downs allowed: (74) (85)

3rd down conversions against: (25/54 - 46%) (25/58 - 43%)

Total yards allowed: (1517) (1516)

Rushing yards allowed: (706) (514)

Passing yards allowed: (811) (1002)

Sacks: (3) (5)

Points allowed: (24.25 PPG) (28 PPG)

Turnover margin: (+2) (Even)

Yea! 2 more sacks! And nice to see the 192 yard improvement from the rush defense, only to see 191 of it be given back up by the pass defense.


The 2008 team was apparently so bad that management felt the need to purge 30 players, yet is playing worse with a roster that is 60% their handpicked players?

What message are you trying to send, Todd? It seems like it changes on a weekly ****ing basis.

As someone who predicted a 3 win season, the losses aren't surprising me.

The way we are losing, after hearing the phrase, "we're going to be a big, strong, fast, smart, tough, disciplined football team" IS surprising me.

There is no improvement over the "Dark Ages" of last season in ANY of those areas. And there's no excuse for it, especially the lack of discipline. Make 'em run some more, Todd - it seems to be working...

Enough excuses - enough with the "messages" - enough petty bullshit sitting players - time to see some ****ing improvement. Not necessarily wins.

IMPROVEMENT.

Can't argue with this. This team needs to get better in all three phases.

Holy Jesus.

Those Evelyn Wood Speed Reading classes are really paying off, Mic.

At least we have a franchise QB.

The Chiefs are worse. I didn't think I'd ever say that after the first four games of 2008, but they are worse. Plus, they have no identity yet.

well hey we might beat Cleveland later this season.... maybe......

The penalties are really damning evidence.

The players are trying too hard to not make mistakes, like a driver that is too cautious causing wrecks

Everyone talked about how undisciplined Herm's teams were.

Yet Haley the Disciplinarian's team has committed 19 more penalties for 119 yards after 4 games.

That running and screaming is really paying off.

We're appreciably worse but that's to be expected when you're installing new offensive and defensive systems and dumping talent like Tony Gonzalez.

By the way, we are a better team than we were at the beginning of last year when we tried to run the pro set to futility. And I believe we will be a better team by the end of the year than we were at the end of 2008.

We took two steps backwards to get pointed in the right direction. It will pay off.

if there isn't an uncapped year I hope Clark will spend some money on some good,young free agents.. It would be nice for a change

At least they are thinner, looking svelte and their cardiologists thank Haley.

Uh, no, we're not.

Did you actually look at the numbers?

And how the **** did we take 2 steps backwards, when all I heard last year is how it can't get any worse?

Good luck with that. We've almost never spent the kind of money necessary to bring in expensive, 2nd contract players.

This is what frustrates me about this team. They don't even know what they want to do.