Pioli has praise for Haley

[Hammock Parties]

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/07...for-haley.html

Coach Todd Haley will be moving into the final year of his contract next year, and while general manager Scott Pioli wouldn’t say whether the Chiefs would extend his contract, his comments seemed to indicate they would.

Pioli praised Haley on Monday in an interview with The Kansas City Star.

“I think he’s doing a good job of growing into the job,” Pioli said. “He’s adjusted well to changes in personnel, changes in roster. He’s adjusted well to staff changes. This team has continued to evolve and continued to develop. Players have developed well. That’s Todd and the whole coaching staff.”

Echoing comments made recently by Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, Pioli also said he has a good relationship with Haley.

“I think it’s a good working relationship. I really do,” Pioli said. “We’re both focused on the same thing, which is winning football games.”

Asked whether they work well enough together to allow the Chiefs to win a Super Bowl, Pioli said yes.

“Absolutely,” Pioli said. “We talk often. Our approach hasn’t changed in terms of the way and the amount of communication from two years ago, a year ago. It’s the same. It hasn’t changed in terms of the volume or anything else.”

Pioli said he meets with Haley regularly during the season to discuss roster needs for upcoming games. The 4-4 Chiefs are tied for first place with Oakland and San Diego in the AFC West and play the 3-5 Broncos on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

“We make sure we have solid communication, particularly right after a game, the Monday and the Tuesday,” Pioli said. “We evaluate performance and where we’re at as far as health and where we are for the upcoming game. We’ll talk about the game plan for the upcoming game and then what we’re going to do as far as roster makeup.”

The Chiefs have a regular-season record of 18-22 halfway through Haley’s third season. They finished 4-12 in 2009, his first year with the Chiefs, and then last season went 10-6 and won their first division title in seven years.

This year, the Chiefs started 0-3, losing their first two games by a combined 79 points. By the time they finished their second game of the season, a 48-3 defeat at Detroit, the Chiefs had lost safety Eric Berry, running back Jamaal Charles and tight end Tony Moeaki for the year with knee injuries.

But the Chiefs rallied to win four straight games before falling to 4-4 with Sunday’s 31-3 loss to previously winless Miami.

Pioli indicated he wasn’t tempted to fire Haley or otherwise get discouraged when the Chiefs started the season so poorly.

“I didn’t think that was who we were when we were 0-2, and that’s why I’m not surprised when we were able to continue to improve and begin to play good football,” Pioli said. “What you don’t want to do is get caught up in the dramatic swing of any one game or two games. I don’t think you can evaluate that small a portion of the season. That’s one-eighth of the season.

“I believe we have a good football team and a good coaching staff. We have a good, young football team that is continuing to develop.”

Haley, at his news conference Monday, called the first half of the season “adventurous” for the Chiefs. They’ve been outscored by 70 points even though they’ve won as many games as they’ve lost.

“It’s been a different set of encyclopedias from the start,” Haley said. “Everybody’s had the same challenges, with the lack of offseason and some of those things. I think it has led to a unique year thus far. I said that in training camp, that I thought it would be a wild ride, and it hasn’t disappointed.”

Haley said he hoped the Chiefs’ performances would be more even over the season’s second half. Including the game against Miami, the Chiefs have lost three games by four or more touchdowns.

“Consistency is the key to being a good team or a great team,” Haley said. “Very rarely do you see a team that’s inconsistent be one of the last teams standing. Consistency is going to be one of those things that we’re really going to work hard on in all areas.

“We’ve got a team that’s still developing and still getting better and is still a work in progress. I’m excited about these guys.”

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Hydrae

I just want us to have a competent OC (Muir is not that) that is here for more than a single season. I think this would go a long way to that consistency Haley says he is looking for. Changing OC every year is not helping Cassel. Not sure how much good it would do but it couldn't hurt.

Cassel being a piece of shit is not helping Cassel. He could have Weis as his OC for 5 years and he would still be ****ing mediocre.

[DonkyPuncher]

Originally Posted by loochy

I pretty much agree, but I think he needs a new OC (and obviously a QB). Offensive playcalling is atrocious.

Maybe Haley is doing this on purpose, making Cassel look even worse than he is, he never really wanted Cassel anyways, pretty sure that was a Pioli deal because truth be told he could call the plays without there being any problem and i'm sure he is way better at it than Muir

[jspchief]

Originally Posted by Taco John

You expect him to put some pressure on the coach if he has any doubts about the direction he's going.

In the media? No I definitely don't expect that, unless he's Al Davis or Jerry Jones.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by aturnis

How would throwing the players under the bus garner Haley any respect from his players? If anything they would resent him for it, even if they knew it to be the truth. Not only that, but it's not as though Haley and his coaching staff are without blame, I think we all agree the game plan on defense and lack of adjustments were terrible on their part. You guys criticized a coach who takes the blame, but praise QB's who do the same. Get a clue.

Well said. We saw Herm blame everyone but himself, including the players, week in and week out. How did that work out?

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by DonkyPuncher

Maybe Haley is doing this on purpose, making Cassel look even worse than he is, he never really wanted Cassel anyways, pretty sure that was a Pioli deal because truth be told he could call the plays without there being any problem and i'm sure he is way better at it than Muir

Yes. Because coaches in their first head coaching job, and possibly last if they fail, love to make their QB look like shit. Nothing makes them happier than making the players on their team worse.

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by DonkyPuncher

Maybe Haley is doing this on purpose, making Cassel look even worse than he is, he never really wanted Cassel anyways, pretty sure that was a Pioli deal because truth be told he could call the plays without there being any problem and i'm sure he is way better at it than Muir

Haley can call plays without any problem? Did you happen to miss the 2009 season?

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

Haley can call plays without any problem? Did you happen to miss the 2009 season?

Granted, with the talent we had on the field in that season, I don't think it mattered who called plays.

[aturnis]

Dude, the emergence of Charles, Bowe and Moeaki probably had a hell of a lot to do with why Weis was so successful in comparison to Haley's 2009 season as OC. Not only that, but Weis had a lot more time to coach Cassel one on one than the head coach, who has to delegate his time to the entire team, ever would.

[aturnis]

Not to mention a guy like Weigmann at center, better blocking from the RB's and better than what was behind Bowe at receiver(still terrible).

[DonkyPuncher]

Even with a good oc I still don't believe Cassel has the talent, arm strength, pocket awarness or balls to run a super bowl worthy offense and he damn sure doesn't have the talent around him this year minus our wide receivers, maybe we should have spent alittle bit of money and brought in a running back and a tight end when we had that chance, now we are stuck with Pope and O'Connel and granted Battle has stepped up he still makes me nervous everytime he touches the ball with his history of putting the ball on the field

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by FAX

Okay Pioli. How about this? How about giving Haley a quarterback who isn't reading at a fourth grade level and counts with his fingers?

FAX

you've gone off the deep end


how sad

[MahiMike]

Originally Posted by loochy

I pretty much agree, but I think he needs a new OC (and obviously a QB). Offensive playcalling is atrocious.

True dat. That was the biggest problem on Sunday.

[MahiMike]

Originally Posted by aturnis

Dude, the emergence of Charles, Bowe and Moeaki probably had a hell of a lot to do with why Weis was so successful in comparison to Haley's 2009 season as OC. Not only that, but Weis had a lot more time to coach Cassel one on one than the head coach, who has to delegate his time to the entire team, ever would.

Judging by the lackluster season of the Gators this year, Weis doesn't look like a world beater.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Laz

you've gone off the deep end


how sad

So you're saying that Cassel is good?

[Chiefnj2]

Why in the world would Haley want to sign an extension to work for a team with an egomaniac GM who won't let him play the players he wants, or draft the players he wants?