It’s Herm’s defense now

[Hammock Parties]

http://kan.scout.com/2/754878.html

Everyone knows Herm Edwards was brought to Kansas City to restore the tradition of great defense. It was clear from his introductory press conference in January of 2006.

"If you’re going to win a championship you have got to have a great defense," Edwards said that day. "There is no doubt about it. Every team I have been involved with had good defenses."

Yes, it’s true that head coaches oversee the entire football team, but no one will soon accuse Herm Edwards of being an offensive genius. The Chiefs have spent six of their nine first-day picks under Edwards on the defensive side of the football. His primary mission as KC’s head coach has to been to rebuild a defense that ranked 25th the year before his arrival.

Some might argue Edwards has had enough time now. Jeff Fisher’s defense in Tennessee ranked near the bottom of the league in points allowed as recently as 2004 and 2005 and dead last in total yardage in 2006. But by reshaping his defensive roster (mostly the back seven) while Titans fans remained patient, Fisher saw his unit bolt to fifth in total defense a year ago, leading his team back to the playoffs despite a below-average offense.

Meanwhile, fans in Kansas City have also remained patient - the Chiefs have drafted 11 defensive players under Edwards’ watch and brought in a long list of free agents (Ty Law, Ron Edwards, James Reed, Alfonso Boone, Donnie Edwards, Napoleon Harris, DeMorrio Williams etc). The defensive coaching staff, save coordinator Gunther Cunningham, has been completely turned over from the Vermeil days.

When the Chiefs line up on defense against Tom Brady and Randy Moss this September, 10 of the 11 starters on the field will most likely have arrived in Kansas City under Edwards’ watch. Linebacker Derrick Johnson could be the only holdover from the previous regime (cornerback Patrick Surtain is another possibility, but there's a chance he'll be the third corner this year).

In fact, a quick check of KcChiefs.com reveals that Johnson and Surtain will be the only remaining defenders (factoring in the upcoming release/trade of safety Greg Wesley) from the Vermeil era on the entire defensive roster when this season begins.

Here is the point – this is Herm’s defense now. The cupboard has been swept clean of the stale fare of years past. There are no more Kendrell Bells or Eric Warfields. No one is waiting for Ryan Sims to turn into something.

Instead, we’re waiting for Tank Tyler, Turk McBride and Bernard Pollard to justify their draft position. We’re waiting for Herm to make good on the promise he delivered that same day he was hired.

"We are going to play defense because it’s important," he said. "I think especially in the National Football League in the months of November and December, especially when you make it in the playoffs, if you look at the teams that won, what did they do? Play defense."

Have the Chiefs been playing defense under Edwards’ watch? Well, no one can turn up their nose at KC's defensive rankings the last two seasons – 16th and 13th – but you know that’s not what Herm wants. He wants what he saw in Tampa Bay, the kind of defense that suffocates even the elite offenses and can carry a marginal offense deep into the playoffs, if not the Super Bowl.

It’s interesting that Edwards has built his current defense in that same Tampa Two mold. He now has his three-technique defensive tackle in Glenn Dorsey. The Chiefs see a little bit of John Lynch in Bernard Pollard. When Edwards drafted cornerback Brandon Flowers this April, he compared the rookie to the Cover Two corners the Buccaneers drafted during his time in Tampa – Ronde Barber and Donnie Abraham.

The Chiefs dealt their dominant outside pass rusher, their version of Simeon Rice (Jared Allen) this offseason, so there is still obviously work to be done. And more than you might think, when you consider those two months Edwards mentioned when he was hired – November and December – haven’t exactly been great times for Chiefs defenses the last two seasons.

During those late-season affairs (18 games in all), Edwards’ Chiefs defenses have given up 20.5 points per game and 343 yards per game. Respectable defense, perhaps, but you know that’s not the goal. The Chiefs want to be dominant. They want to field a championship defense.

Is Herm’s defense - full of his players, directed by his coaches, and the one he clearly must take full ownership of now – ready to restore the tradition of great defense in Kansas City? We’ll find out in November and December this year.

FRIDAY: Why the Chiefs might struggle to take the next step on defense in 2008.

[Brock]

it's a crappy blog entry now

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by GOATSE

Meanwhile, fans in Kansas City have also remained patient

[B_Ambuehl]

Replacing veterans with younger players is fine as long as they EARN their way into the lineup but Herm's problem (among many) is he replaces players before the backups have proven they can play. Go ahead and bnech Wesley for Page and now you gotta draft another safety becase you were too god damned set on having new starters instead of letting Page earn his playing time. Same bullshit he pulled with trading Dante Hall without having a kick returner and letting Kawika go without having a mike linebacker. This same scenario will probably be the case with next years starting center, #2 wide receiver, right guard, and obviously right defensive end.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by B_Ambuehl

Go ahead and bnech Wesley for Page and now you gotta draft another safety becase you were too god damned set on having new starters instead of letting Page earn his playing time.

Pollard. You mean Pollard.

Page is a good player.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by B_Ambuehl

Replacing veterans with younger players is fine as long as they EARN their way into the lineup but Herm's problem (among many) is he replaces players before the backups have proven they can play. Go ahead and bnech Wesley for Page and now you gotta draft another safety becase you were too god damned set on having new starters instead of letting Page earn his playing time. Same bullshit he pulled with trading Dante Hall without having a kick returner and letting Kawika go without having a mike linebacker. This same scenario will probably be the case with next years starting center, #2 wide receiver, right guard, and obviously right defensive end.

You're whining about losing Hall and Mitchell?






Seriously - you can't tell much about a player by giving him 5-10 snaps a game.

Instead of thinking of it as "Herm is replacing players before the backups have proven they can play," think of it as "Herm is replacing players that have already proven they CAN'T play.

Dante Hall was not a loss to this football team. Neither was Kawicka Mitchell. Neither will Greg Wesley be.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by B_Ambuehl

Replacing veterans with younger players is fine as long as they EARN their way into the lineup but Herm's problem (among many) is he replaces players before the backups have proven they can play. Go ahead and bnech Wesley for Page and now you gotta draft another safety becase you were too god damned set on having new starters instead of letting Page earn his playing time. Same bullshit he pulled with trading Dante Hall without having a kick returner and letting Kawika go without having a mike linebacker. This same scenario will probably be the case with next years starting center, #2 wide receiver, right guard, and obviously right defensive end.

How exactly do you expect the younger players to earn their way and prove themselves other than playing?

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

How exactly do you expect the younger players to earn their way and prove themselves other than playing?

He's right, though. Page did just that. He rotated in as a rookie and proved he was good enough to earn a starting job.

Then they turned around and just gave the starting job to Pollard last year after he barely saw the field on defense as a rookie. Not really fair to Wesley at all.

Politics.

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

You're whining about losing Hall and Mitchell?






Seriously - you can't tell much about a player by giving him 5-10 snaps a game.

Instead of thinking of it as "Herm is replacing players before the backups have proven they can play," think of it as "Herm is replacing players that have already proven they CAN'T play.

Dante Hall was not a loss to this football team. Neither was Kawicka Mitchell. Neither will Greg Wesley be.

Correct. Keeping these guys around does not induce progress, it invokes 8-8.
we needed to lose 12 games, and we needed to trim the roster. Done.
Except Glenn Dorsey as your consolation prize.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by GOATSE

He's right, though. Page did just that. He rotated in as a rookie and proved he was good enough to earn a starting job.

Then they turned around and just gave the starting job to Pollard last year after he barely saw the field on defense as a rookie. Not really fair to Wesley at all.

Politics.

Poor Greg.

But guess what? We have a pretty good idea of what we have in Pollard.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

We have a pretty good idea of what we have in Pollard.

Right now all we know is that he's a dynamite special teams player and a poor starting safety who doesn't make plays.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by GOATSE

Right now all we know is that he's a dynamite special teams player and a poor starting safety who doesn't make plays.

Who's been a starter for all of ONE season.

Jesus, you and micjones should go out for a beer.

You two could discuss the finer points of giving players time to develop before kicking them to the curb...

[B_Ambuehl]

How exactly do you expect the younger players to earn their way and prove themselves other than playing?

Read what I said. They should have to PLAY their way into a starting job not just get a job handed to them because they were drafted by Herm. Guys should be let go AFTER you've found a suitable replacement not before. People on this forum are too hung up on age and rebuilding. Players are playing a lot longer nowadays and with free agency it only takes 1 year to turn around. It's more about putting talent on the field not how old you are. That main thing the "getting younger" talk does is give the fans an excuse for sucking. In Herm's case, it's given him a good reason for getting rid of a lot of players whose only guilt was being smart enough to see through and question his incompetency. In other words, you don't let a guy go just because he's 29 or 30 especially when you don't have anybody behind him that's proven they can play. Casey Wiegmann will probably go to Denver and kick our ass for the next 5 years while we're still looking for a center.

[B_Ambuehl]

And in support of goChiefs argument, for you folks who are arguing how bad ass pollard and page are...if they're so good why do you have to go out and spend another first day pick on a safety?

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by B_Ambuehl

Read what I said. They should have to PLAY their way into a starting job not just get a job handed to them because they were drafted by Herm. Guys should be let go AFTER you've found a suitable replacement not before. People on this forum are too hung up on age and rebuilding. Players are playing a lot longer nowadays and with free agency it only takes 1 year to turn around. It's more about putting talent on the field not how old you are. That main thing the "getting younger" talk does is give the fans an excuse for sucking. In Herm's case, it's given him a good reason for getting rid of a lot of players whose only guilt was being smart enough to see through and question his incompetency. In other words, you don't let a guy go just because he's 29 or 30 especially when you don't have anybody behind him that's proven they can play. Casey Wiegmann will probably go to Denver and kick our ass for the next 5 years while we're still looking for a center.

First Hall and Mitchell, now WEIGMANN?

The guy who got tossed around like a ****ing rag doll last year?

You know, if we were letting GOOD players go and playing younger guys in their place, I'd see your point.

But we're not.

We're letting guys on the back-end of their careers go in favor of making PROGRESS.

It's not "an excuse to suck."

It's the way a championship team is built in the NFL.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by B_Ambuehl

And in support of goChiefs argument, for you folks who are arguing how bad ass pollard and page are...if they're so good why do you have to go out and spend another first day pick on a safety?

Comedy ****ing GOLD.