ChiefsPlanet - Chiefs Q&A with Haley 5/15

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2009/10...d_haley__1015/

Q&A with TODD HALEY - 10/15
Oct 15, 2009, 3:08:29 PM

Q: Any progress for Albert or Page?

TODD HALEY: “Still both out. They’re definitely feeling better and have made some progress. There’s no doubt about that, but they did not participate.”

Q: But you haven’t ruled them out, right?

HALEY: “No, no.”

Q: You were optimistic about the wide receivers a couple of weeks ago. Are you still?

HALEY: “They definitely made some big plays (vs. Dallas). The third-and-long catch by Bobby Wade on the seam ball where he took the shot, then obviously the fourth-down throw to Dwayne (Bowe). Those were big plays and plays to build on for those guys and for us. Now, there were other plays in that game – and in the last couple of games — where I thought we had some potentially game-changing plays that haven’t been made.

“It’s a work in progress and they need to make plays. It’s their job and they to do a good job in the run game. That’s their job. We just need to be better across the board and that’s another spot where that holds true.”

Q: Brandon Carr is not in the limelight as much as Brandon Flowers, but what does he bring to the field as a player?

HALEY: “I’ve seen Brandon continue to get better. He obviously looks the part; he’s big and strong and really fast. I think as we’ve gone forward here I’ve seen Brandon continue to improve and I think he wants to be a good corner in the league and I think he works at his craft very hard all the time before and after practice. I’m encouraged that Brandon is going to be a good corner in the league.”

Q: When you’re in a rebuilding mode and you see a couple of young corners like Flowers and Carr does it give you encouragement?

HALEY: “Yeah, because I think those are hard to find spots and obviously critical spots. Again, we need to be better at that position to be a good defense. Right now we need to be better in a lot of areas but I think Brandon Flowers has a chance to be a good corner in the league and I think Brandon Carr has a chance to be a very good corner in the league. I think they both work at it and want to be good players and great players. I am encouraged by having those two guys on the team.”

Q: What can you do to stop those big offensive plays that happen to you like happened on Sunday, the big pass plays?

HALEY: “We’ve just got to be better; we’ve got to be better at technique. We’ve got to be better as coaches in putting the right guys on the right players. That’s a tough situation. Miles Austin was Dallas’ fourth receiver probably going into this year. That guy had a phenomenal game and you’ve got to give him credit.

“We’ve just have to do the little things right technique-wise that we’re working really hard at, DB’s included. You see them out there after practice every day. They stay and work technique. You’ve got to do the little things at that position because if you’re not doing the little things at the start of the snap it’s going to cost you later on in the play.

“It’s attention to detail, it’s attention to technique and really that goes for our entire team. When the entire team is doing the little things then we’ll probably like the results a little better.”

Q: You’ve got a pretty young group of cornerbacks.

HALEY: “It’s not an excuse and when we call a certain defense and they’re supposed to be playing a certain technique they have to play it. If we get beat we get beat. That happens. Say, Brandon Carr’s play on the sideline. He did what he was supposed to do and covered the receiver and the receiver went up and basically won with the ball in the air. I thought Brandon was coming down with it. That kind of stuff happens. But when we call a defense and a particular technique is supposed to be played and then we don’t use that technique that’s when you have breakdowns.

“We have a player, Otis Smith, who has been on teams that I’ve been on. Excellent DB and we have him for the next couple of weeks to kind of help with some technique things with these younger corners. Like I said, we’ll do anything and everything to try to get better. I think those guys are working hard and I think they are getting better.”

Q: Any chance we’ll see Mike Richardson this week?

HALEY: “He’s getting reps. We’re going to end up playing the guys that we think give us the best chance and he’s in that mix. We’ll see after tomorrow.”

Q: The DB’s like to go for the ball and make the big play. But if they miss it the other guy makes the big play. What do you tell them to do?

HALEY: “If you go for the ball you’d better intercept it or knock it down. Period. If you don’t then you’re not making the tackle and you’re probably losing the game. That’s a risk-reward. That’s a split second decision you’ve got to make and you’ve got to make the right decision. You’d better be sure of it if you’re going to go for the ball. It all falls into the technique because there is a way to go for the ball and still have a chance to make a tackle, and there is a way not to. It all falls into that technique of how you’re covering and with what technique you’re using.”

Q: Of the three facets of the game, your kicking game has been the best. Tell me what you see from your kicking game?

HALEY: “We’ve done a good job of covering kicks: kickoffs, punts. Our kickers have done a pretty good job for the most part. I would have liked to see the result of the field goal last week had we blocked them up front because I thought that Ryan hit it very good. It sounded like it. I think our punter has been a little inconsistent and we’ve been fortunate the ball has got on the ground in the right spots and rolled the right way. So, we’ve got to be better there.

“In general, I think our cover teams are at the top of the league or close to it. We have to be better on returns in both areas. I think there is a lot of positives to go on and some things we’ve got to get better at.”

Q: This is Steve Hoffman’s first chance to run the entire special teams. It seems like it’s going pretty well. What have you seen?

HALEY: “Obviously, we’re only five games in but I would say that I’m very happy with what Steve has done. That was a big decision for me because you had a guy that had not done it for whatever reason, had never been given the opportunity and I felt good about giving him the opportunity. I thought that early on it was a big job which it always is when you’ve got 80 guys (at training camp). But I would say he works hard; he sleeps in here a couple of nights a week. But he has the players prepared and they know what to do and he puts them in a position to succeed. That’s what you want from your coaches.”

Q: That seems evident in that you’re willing to take a few chances in the kicking game: onside kick not in an onside situation, a fake punt and so forth. You must feel confident.

HALEY: “I’m confident we’re prepared across the board. That’s just another area. We work hard at that point of it – the fakes and the onsides. That’s something that’s got to be a part of our game. We need to be able to make plays in all areas and make up for maybe some limitations. The punt fake worked out but the onsides haven’t. I think our kicker’s getting better at it and we continue to work it. It’s not something he had ever done before and I think Ryan is athletic and likes to try some of those things. The sky’s the limit as we go forward.”

Q: Did Matt Cassel overcome the setback with the injury? Is he back at full speed now?

HALEY: “Matt’s still wearing the brace and I think every once in a while he feels it, so I wouldn’t say he’s 100% by any means. Once he’s 100% and out of the brace then I might judge him. I think Matt is a work in progress too, but I think last week some of the things you saw are some of things we’re going to expect from him as we play. I think he has the determination, the skills and he works hard at it.”

Q: Why did you go outside both days on cold, wet and windy conditions? There have been some coaches here who would not.

HALEY: “I just think that having been in Arizona for two years I really thought that was something that hurt us – the fact that it was too nice all the time. We were never in the mental mindset to play in those conditions. I think it can be a huge advantage for us here as long as it’s not holding us back. I think the fields are a little bit of an issue when it’s messy but I still think the benefits outweigh the negatives. I just think it’ll help develop the mindset that we need to be a championship team.”