Whitlock: I LOVE YOU HERM

[BigRock]

I was so looking forward to the reaction to these columns. But nobody's posting them! So I figured I gotta get on that.

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/col...ry/882946.html

Chiefs are heading in the right direction

Bad news for devout Herm Haters:

In losing 20-19 to San Diego on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs played a near-flawless game and gave the strongest testimony to date Herm Edwards might deserve at least one more season to lead the Chiefs.

Sorry. I absolutely loved Sunday’s game, especially the decisive decision to go for two points and the victory in the final minute rather than a game-tying extra point. And, to be totally honest, I loved the fact the two-point conversion failed.

The Chiefs’ single mission this season is improvement. As fans, we should have two missions: 1. Improvement; 2. Securing a draft pick high enough to pluck the best quarterback in the 2009 draft (Ball State’s Nate Davis if we’re lucky).

For the third week in a row, the Chiefs demonstrated dramatic improvement without jeopardizing a shot at the league’s No. 1 pick. Only the irrational would argue the Chiefs aren’t making progress.

“Yes, yes, I think we are,” Edwards said.

“As a team we feel like we’re going the right direction,” Tyler Thigpen added.

“We feel like we’re going the right way,” Brian Waters said.

Playing with its junior-varsity defense due to injuries to Turk McBride, Derrick Johnson, Brandon Flowers and Tamba Hali, Kansas City throttled San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson-powered running game, baffled quarterback Philip Rivers, produced two turnovers and forced the Chargers into a critical three-and-out with the game on the line late in the fourth quarter.

Safety Bernard Pollard starred, grabbing an interception and delivering pulverizing hits throughout the afternoon.

Offensively, Kansas City’s playmakers — Dwayne Bowe, Tony Gonzalez, Mark Bradley and Chan Gailey — made plays.

Yes, I put offensive coordinator Chan Gailey in the same classification as KC’s receivers. Gailey’s a playmaker. His spread offense is the innovation of the season. More than a quarterback, the Chiefs have discovered a style of play since losing Brodie Croyle to an injury and Larry Johnson to thuggery.

Bowe, Gonzalez, Bradley and the spread should be a permanent part of Kansas City’s offensive philosophy. When/if Larry Johnson returns, he’ll need to make far more adjustments than KC’s playbook. Obviously he can no longer be the centerpiece of the Chiefs’ offense.

Gonzalez (10 catches, 113 yards and two TDs), Bradley (nine for 81 yards and a TD) and Bowe (six for 72) key the Chiefs’ offense this season and next.

As for Tyler Thigpen (266 passing yards and three TDs), I like what he’s doing, but I’m far from sold on him as anybody’s quarterback of the future. He’s not Rich Gannon. He’s a good backup. The ability to improvise and an instinctive swagger define starting NFL quarterbacks. I don’t see those qualities in Thigpen.

On the two-point conversion, he momentarily froze when the Chargers took away his primary target, Gonzalez, and then Thigpen floated a duck in Gonzalez’s direction. Nope. I can be convinced otherwise, but right now he’s a good No.2 at best.

A bogus defensive pass-interference call put the Chiefs in position to win the game, setting the Chiefs up at the 2.

The fortunate PI, KC’s one-win record and the injuries on defense made Herm’s decision to go for two points a no-brainer. There was no reason to throw Kansas City’s banged-up defense out on the field for overtime.

It was the perfect loss.

The last three weeks make me wonder how much of a role Johnson’s poor attitude and big contract played in Kansas City’s horrific start to the season. What we’ve witnessed since his absence is a clear case of addition by subtraction. With Johnson out of the lineup, Gailey was free to use his full imagination in reshaping Kansas City’s strategy. With Johnson either out of the locker room or demoted to scout team, it’s clear, too, that Herm has the attention of his young team.

We all need to take a step back and re-evaluate Edwards’ performance. He is not perfect. But he’s been hamstrung by a set of problems not his own making. He’s beginning to dig out from those problems.

The Chiefs are building an identity. We can afford to look at these final seven games with a fresh set of eyes. We have nothing to lose.

[kcxiv]

He's harsh on Thigpen. He's the only reason the Chiefs are even competitive.

Thigpen had Phillips coming on him fast becuase he knew the Boot was coming. WTF else was He supposed to do other then float one in there.

[blueballs]

I agree with Whitlock two sunday's in a row
maybe I'm all wrong

[ShortRoundChief]

Originally Posted by kcxiv

He's harsh on Thigpen. He's the only reason the Chiefs are even competitive.

Thigpen had Phillips coming on him fast becuase he knew the Boot was coming. WTF else was He supposed to do other then float one in there.

I could be wrong, but I thought he had bowe in front of gonzales.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Thigpen could have thrown a low one just above the right pylon to see if Bradley could get to it.

He would have taken a hell of a shot from Phillips, that was the only other play he had.

I agree totally with this article, save for the Nate Davis bullshit.

[ceebz]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

I could be wrong, but I thought he had bowe in front of gonzales.

It was Bradley, and he was open for half a second. Even if it were completed to Bradley, I don't think he gets in.

[banyon]

The Chiefs’ single mission this season is improvement. As fans, we should have two missions: 1. Improvement; 2. Securing a draft pick high enough to pluck the best quarterback in the 2009 draft (Ball State’s Nate Davis if we’re lucky).

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showt...69#post5205169

Originally Posted by banyon

What's wrong with it? It's the outcome I wanted for the long term success of the franchise. A positive morale boost, a confidence builder for Thigpen, and we keep the 2nd draft slot behind Detroit.

Dammit Whitlock! Quit stealin' my posts.

[ceebz]

Honestly, I have no problems with Thigpen looking to his HoF Te when the game's on the line. Loft it up there and see if Gonzo can make a play.

[ShortRoundChief]

Originally Posted by ceebz

Honestly, I have no problems with Thigpen looking to his HoF Te when the game's on the line. Loft it up there and see if Gonzo can make a play.

Oh I know it was ****ed when he rolled and phillips crashed hard. It was all he could do to get it in the air.

[SPATCH]

i haven't joined the "fire herm" bandwagon all year because of one simple fact.... this team is in a rebuild. and you give a head coach adequate time to complete a rebuild before you start calling for his head. sure, some of us may disagree with some of his decisions... but the way this team has been competing of late, there isn't much there to complain about.

i absolutely ****ing loved the decision to go for two today.... in my mind, he just bought two more years... i love the way herm has had the team competing over the last two weeks

some people on this board just need to relax, and actually watch this team REBUILD... if we get as good of a draft class as we did last offseason in this upcoming draft it could happen very soon

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Holy ****; that was a Whitlock article? Excuse me for a moment; I have to go outside and make sure frogs aren't falling from the sky...

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by the_spatula

i haven't joined the "fire herm" bandwagon all year because of one simple fact.... this team is in a rebuild. and you give a head coach adequate time to complete a rebuild before you start calling for his head. sure, some of us may disagree with some of his decisions... but the way this team has been competing of late, there isn't much there to complain about.

i absolutely ****ing loved the decision to go for two today.... in my mind, he just bought two more years... i love the way herm has had the team competing over the last two weeks

some people on this board just need to relax, and actually watch this team REBUILD... if we get as good of a draft class as we did last offseason in this upcoming draft it could happen very soon

Yep; showin' stones for a change. That said, I would NOT have put that defense back on the field; no way, no how.
This game was the Offense's to win OR lose; the right call was made.

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by the_spatula

i haven't joined the "fire herm" bandwagon all year because of one simple fact.... this team is in a rebuild. and you give a head coach adequate time to complete a rebuild before you start calling for his head. sure, some of us may disagree with some of his decisions... but the way this team has been competing of late, there isn't much there to complain about.

i absolutely ****ing loved the decision to go for two today.... in my mind, he just bought two more years... i love the way herm has had the team competing over the last two weeks

some people on this board just need to relax, and actually watch this team REBUILD... if we get as good of a draft class as we did last offseason in this upcoming draft it could happen very soon

WTF even when you rebuild you DO NOT GO 1-8 we have had at least 3 coaching meltdown's this season not to mention his playoff meltdown and the fact that he was brought in to Fix the D easily the weakest part of our team.

Only a fool would want Herm next year.

P.S 2 more fooking Years because he had the balls to go for it once which didn't even pan out are you INSANE.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by kcxiv

He's harsh on Thigpen. He's the only reason the Chiefs are even competitive.

Thigpen had Phillips coming on him fast becuase he knew the Boot was coming. WTF else was He supposed to do other then float one in there.

Dude; Fatlock has a "Ball State Hard-On" that will NEVER die.
His Ball State Hard-On should be compared to the vocal delivery of Layne Staley singing "You know he ain't gonna die". Yep; that's how deep his hard-on flows. We're in for another 10-year Jeff George rant from this guy, come hell or high water.

[Thig Lyfe]

As for Tyler Thigpen (266 passing yards and three TDs), I like what he’s doing, but I’m far from sold on him as anybody’s quarterback of the future. He’s not Rich Gannon. He’s a good backup. The ability to improvise and an instinctive swagger define starting NFL quarterbacks. I don’t see those qualities in Thigpen.

**** YOU WHITLOCK